Review: “The Great Dying” EP by Nadir

Everyone has heard of Backend Thrash but what does Blackened Hardcore sound like? Read on, check out this EP and you’ll find out. Hailing from Oslo Norway Nadir, comprised of current and former members of Jagged Vision and Ocean Dweller are a quartet with their collective roots in the radioactive soil of Black Metal. Not wanting to rest on their laurels and instead wanting to branch out and explore the extremes with the hunger of the starving, “The Great Dying” represents a new dawn. The choice of  Tommy Jacobsen for the mix and Brad Boatright (Downpresser, Full Of Hell, Wristmeetrazor) for the Master is intriguing.

Offering up a blend of blast beat passages combined with Sludge Metal toned riffs “Tungetale” gets Nadir off to a powerful start. Frenzied and frenetic in places it also has a classic Black Metal melodic undertone that makes this opening cut an evolution rather than a revolution away from a more traditional sound. It’s as if a band like Converge went into God City studio and recorded some Black Metal covers for a compilation album, putting their own spin on the tracks. “Trishal” occupies the similar territory but leans more towards the Hardcore asthetic with raw Black Metal production quality imposed on a Hardcore frame. The result is longer cut that is a bare knuckle boxer when compared to the gloved end of more commercial Hardcore acts. The chugging riffs of this one offer up plenty of satisfying crunch in headbangable style. Title track “The Great Dying” flips the coin and draws on more of the Black Metal influences for its instrumental patterns with a fresh and bright solo being a nice touch. The vocals throughout aren’t accented and could be considered to have the Southern drawl of an American Sludge Metal band. Lyrically bleak throughout, it’s a statement piece for where this band could end up. Front loaded with weapons grade blast beats “The Wasteland Of Man” continues the EP atmospheric while going harder and setting the bar higher than before. Stepping out from their comfort zone and sliding into some Mastodon esq riffs before seamlessly moving back into Sludge fueled Black Metal, it’s a raucous and solid affair that has a throat shredding edge [7.5/10]

Track listing

1. Tungetale
2. Trishal
3. The Great Dying
4. The Wasteland Of Man

“The Great Dying” by Nadir is out 1st May and available for pre-order over at bandcamp