Boy have I been awaiting this for a while. It has been 9 years since the band’s last release, after many years of waiting and wondering about if the band is even still together. Novembre is one of my most cherished bands of all time – they have truly sculpted my music taste into what it is today. I was discovering them in early 2002 around the same time as Opeth, In Flames, Soilwork, Amorphis, and Anathema, and before I even knew who Agalloch was. Novembre’s music still holds the same standard for me as it did back then, and their other albums are still just as enjoyable today. Over all those years, not many bands have come close to Novembre’s songwriting and their ability to envelop every emotion imaginable into their music.
I didn’t want to overhype myself for this album, as usually when bands take such a long break and come back, they have a tendency to lose their touch. So, I cautiously ordered this, not listening to any songs beforehand. I wanted to go in fresh. I’m not really sure what I expected it to be like, or even what I wanted it to sound like, as long as it sounded like Novembre. I guess I wanted them to stay true to their roots, but also with a twist of some new ideas, and nine years of maturity blended in. I didn’t like their last album, “The Blue,” quite as much as their other albums, so I hope they had plenty of time to make this album as perfect as possible.
I’m happy to say I am very pleased. I think this album ticked all my check boxes. Novembre still sounds unmistakably like Novembre – Carmelo’s clean, layered vocals are stacked upon heavy, yet pleasingly melodic guitar riffs, making way for some calmer and more atmospheric sections once in a while. There are also death growls as well. There’s not really any surprises here – just fresh material from one of my most beloved bands. This album may not have that nostalgic, darker feel like their older records did, but it sounds remarkably similar to everything since Materia.
One of my favorite tracks is probably “Oceans of Afternoons” which is admittedly a slower pace song, and introduces some female vocals – always a great contrast in a metal song if you ask me – and was obviously recorded on a beach because you can hear seagulls and waves crashing. It even ends with a nice saxophone appearance. “Agathae” is also a standout track – it sounds like an old Italian folk melody that slowly transforms more and more metal, until it’s just a crazy instrumental, and returns to the beginning melody at the end.
rafazardly 