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Rapid – Enter the Realm of Fire Review

Rapid by name, rapid by nature. A simple but effective moniker for this rip-roaring trio emerging from the…
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Rapid by name, rapid by nature. A simple but effective moniker for this rip-roaring trio emerging from the Helsinki underground with a gnarly and riotous speed, thrash, and old school black metal attack. Featuring additional lashings of classic heavy metal, punk, and death influences, Rapid unleash their retro brand of ugly, thrashy mayhem on debut album, Enter the Realm of Fire. And from the get-go, these dudes share a clear devotion of ye olden days of underground, piss-and-vinegar-drenched metal, creating an authentically twisted concoction, brooding with bombast, evil vibes, and over-the-top theatrics. The colorfully named trio, consisting of bassist/vocalist Vincent Revenge, drummer The Goon, and axe wielder Atte ‘Spectre’ Nikku, formed back in 2014. During this time, they spat out a couple of demos and 2022’s Blackstar Oppression Regime EP generating underground buzz. Boasting a mean, unvarnished sound, and metal cred up the ying-yang, can Rapid back things up with songwriting to match their trve old school values?

Following an unnecessary intro piece, Rapid launch into their work proper on the ripping “Witchcraft of Horror,” laying their cards on the table, flexing their blackened thrash and speed metal combo, taking cues from the likes of Venom, early Slayer, Mercyful Fate and modern retro heavyweights Bütcher and Midnight. It’s a raucous, unhinged formula to warm the blackened hearts of’80s metal and underground aficionados. Once more, Rapid is a deceptively nimble beast, wielding their crude weapons and vicious badassery with deft hands, threading slithering melodies and sinister atmospheres into the thrashing cauldron, where galloping speed, raucously blackened riffs and unhinged vocals conspire to wreak havoc. Revenge’s vocals lend the album a wickedly over-the-top and charismatic edge, as black-thrash howls, croaks, demented screams and a rough-around-the-edges cleaner style are unleashed.

Aside from the punkish, first-wave gallop and thrust of mid-album burner “Horemheb,” and epic, if slightly overcooked closer “Beyond the Gates of the Rapid Flames,” Rapid keep the songwriting sharp and punchy, much to the album’s advantage. While the raw slash-and-burn riffage reigns supreme, the melodic embellishments and occasional noteworthy soloing add layers of substance and intrigue to the otherwise cutthroat nature of the Rapid formula. The hugely energetic delivery, coupled with their feral streak and deft handling of tempo variations, helps maintain interest across the album’s duration. At its best, Enter the Realm of Fire goes hard and comes emblazoned with deadly hooks and killer atmosphere, such as those adorning the frosty death march of “Wielder of Might – Death from Above,” grimly venomous meloblack meets heavy metal grooves of “Black Poison,” and blackened heavy metal gallop exhibited on the hooky, over-the-top “Pest Eater.” Not all tracks hit the same heights, but it’s all pretty solid and enjoyable fare.

Enter the Realm of Fire comes armed and dangerous with a roughshod production that tramples modern production values into dust, complimenting the looser vibes and gritty underground aesthetics, without sacrificing overall bite, clarity and tasty dynamics. Rough production and looser vibes do not translate to sloppy performances. The trio bust out energetic, tightly synced performances, highlighted by Revenge’s unusual yet often compelling vocals and Spectre’s raw, menacing riffs, blazing melodies, and often eloquently shredded solos. There are slight ebbs and flows in song-to-song quality, though aside from the throwaway intro and almost comically odd slower-paced track “Gaze of the Black Void,” the album is uniformly solid with a few especially potent bangers.

Rapid’s accomplished debut comes as a pleasant surprise, skillfully straddling the line between nostalgia, ’80s metal trvness, and raw underground grit, while sounding fresh enough to stand on its own. Sure, influences are proudly adorned on their ragged battle vests, but there is ample upside to what Rapid have cooked up. A wild and venomous ride, Enter the Realm of Fire is a gleefully violent, old school metal rampage that largely overcomes its warts and all flaws with solidly entertaining songwriting. The future looks bright for these throwback underground warriors.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

Rapid by name, rapid by nature. A simple but effective moniker for this rip-roaring trio emerging from the Helsinki underground with a gnarly and riotous speed, thrash, and old school black metal attack. Featuring additional lashings of classic heavy metal, punk, and death influences, Rapid unleash their retro brand of ugly, thrashy mayhem on debut album, Enter the Realm of Fire. And from the get-go, these dudes share a clear devotion of ye olden days of underground, piss-and-vinegar-drenched metal, creating an authentically twisted concoction, brooding with bombast, evil vibes, and over-the-top theatrics. The colorfully named trio, consisting of bassist/vocalist Vincent Revenge, drummer The Goon, and axe wielder Atte ‘Spectre’ Nikku, formed back in 2014. During this time, they spat out a couple of demos and 2022’s Blackstar Oppression Regime EP generating underground buzz. Boasting a mean, unvarnished sound, and metal cred up the ying-yang, can Rapid back things up with songwriting to match their trve old school values?

Following an unnecessary intro piece, Rapid launch into their work proper on the ripping “Witchcraft of Horror,” laying their cards on the table, flexing their blackened thrash and speed metal combo, taking cues from the likes of Venom, early Slayer, Mercyful Fate and modern retro heavyweights Bütcher and Midnight. It’s a raucous, unhinged formula to warm the blackened hearts of’80s metal and underground aficionados. Once more, Rapid is a deceptively nimble beast, wielding their crude weapons and vicious badassery with deft hands, threading slithering melodies and sinister atmospheres into the thrashing cauldron, where galloping speed, raucously blackened riffs and unhinged vocals conspire to wreak havoc. Revenge’s vocals lend the album a wickedly over-the-top and charismatic edge, as black-thrash howls, croaks, demented screams and a rough-around-the-edges cleaner style are unleashed.

Aside from the punkish, first-wave gallop and thrust of mid-album burner “Horemheb,” and epic, if slightly overcooked closer “Beyond the Gates of the Rapid Flames,” Rapid keep the songwriting sharp and punchy, much to the album’s advantage. While the raw slash-and-burn riffage reigns supreme, the melodic embellishments and occasional noteworthy soloing add layers of substance and intrigue to the otherwise cutthroat nature of the Rapid formula. The hugely energetic delivery, coupled with their feral streak and deft handling of tempo variations, helps maintain interest across the album’s duration. At its best, Enter the Realm of Fire goes hard and comes emblazoned with deadly hooks and killer atmosphere, such as those adorning the frosty death march of “Wielder of Might – Death from Above,” grimly venomous meloblack meets heavy metal grooves of “Black Poison,” and blackened heavy metal gallop exhibited on the hooky, over-the-top “Pest Eater.” Not all tracks hit the same heights, but it’s all pretty solid and enjoyable fare.

Enter the Realm of Fire comes armed and dangerous with a roughshod production that tramples modern production values into dust, complimenting the looser vibes and gritty underground aesthetics, without sacrificing overall bite, clarity and tasty dynamics. Rough production and looser vibes do not translate to sloppy performances. The trio bust out energetic, tightly synced performances, highlighted by Revenge’s unusual yet often compelling vocals and Spectre’s raw, menacing riffs, blazing melodies, and often eloquently shredded solos. There are slight ebbs and flows in song-to-song quality, though aside from the throwaway intro and almost comically odd slower-paced track “Gaze of the Black Void,” the album is uniformly solid with a few especially potent bangers.

Rapid’s accomplished debut comes as a pleasant surprise, skillfully straddling the line between nostalgia, ’80s metal trvness, and raw underground grit, while sounding fresh enough to stand on its own. Sure, influences are proudly adorned on their ragged battle vests, but there is ample upside to what Rapid have cooked up. A wild and venomous ride, Enter the Realm of Fire is a gleefully violent, old school metal rampage that largely overcomes its warts and all flaws with solidly entertaining songwriting. The future looks bright for these throwback underground warriors.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

Rapid by name, rapid by nature. A simple but effective moniker for this rip-roaring trio emerging from the Helsinki underground with a gnarly and riotous speed, thrash, and old school black metal attack. Featuring additional lashings of classic heavy metal, punk, and death influences, Rapid unleash their retro brand of ugly, thrashy mayhem on debut album, Enter the Realm of Fire. And from the get-go, these dudes share a clear devotion of ye olden days of underground, piss-and-vinegar-drenched metal, creating an authentically twisted concoction, brooding with bombast, evil vibes, and over-the-top theatrics. The colorfully named trio, consisting of bassist/vocalist Vincent Revenge, drummer The Goon, and axe wielder Atte ‘Spectre’ Nikku, formed back in 2014. During this time, they spat out a couple of demos and 2022’s Blackstar Oppression Regime EP generating underground buzz. Boasting a mean, unvarnished sound, and metal cred up the ying-yang, can Rapid back things up with songwriting to match their trve old school values?

Following an unnecessary intro piece, Rapid launch into their work proper on the ripping “Witchcraft of Horror,” laying their cards on the table, flexing their blackened thrash and speed metal combo, taking cues from the likes of Venom, early Slayer, Mercyful Fate and modern retro heavyweights Bütcher and Midnight. It’s a raucous, unhinged formula to warm the blackened hearts of’80s metal and underground aficionados. Once more, Rapid is a deceptively nimble beast, wielding their crude weapons and vicious badassery with deft hands, threading slithering melodies and sinister atmospheres into the thrashing cauldron, where galloping speed, raucously blackened riffs and unhinged vocals conspire to wreak havoc. Revenge’s vocals lend the album a wickedly over-the-top and charismatic edge, as black-thrash howls, croaks, demented screams and a rough-around-the-edges cleaner style are unleashed.

Aside from the punkish, first-wave gallop and thrust of mid-album burner “Horemheb,” and epic, if slightly overcooked closer “Beyond the Gates of the Rapid Flames,” Rapid keep the songwriting sharp and punchy, much to the album’s advantage. While the raw slash-and-burn riffage reigns supreme, the melodic embellishments and occasional noteworthy soloing add layers of substance and intrigue to the otherwise cutthroat nature of the Rapid formula. The hugely energetic delivery, coupled with their feral streak and deft handling of tempo variations, helps maintain interest across the album’s duration. At its best, Enter the Realm of Fire goes hard and comes emblazoned with deadly hooks and killer atmosphere, such as those adorning the frosty death march of “Wielder of Might – Death from Above,” grimly venomous meloblack meets heavy metal grooves of “Black Poison,” and blackened heavy metal gallop exhibited on the hooky, over-the-top “Pest Eater.” Not all tracks hit the same heights, but it’s all pretty solid and enjoyable fare.

Enter the Realm of Fire comes armed and dangerous with a roughshod production that tramples modern production values into dust, complimenting the looser vibes and gritty underground aesthetics, without sacrificing overall bite, clarity and tasty dynamics. Rough production and looser vibes do not translate to sloppy performances. The trio bust out energetic, tightly synced performances, highlighted by Revenge’s unusual yet often compelling vocals and Spectre’s raw, menacing riffs, blazing melodies, and often eloquently shredded solos. There are slight ebbs and flows in song-to-song quality, though aside from the throwaway intro and almost comically odd slower-paced track “Gaze of the Black Void,” the album is uniformly solid with a few especially potent bangers.

Rapid’s accomplished debut comes as a pleasant surprise, skillfully straddling the line between nostalgia, ’80s metal trvness, and raw underground grit, while sounding fresh enough to stand on its own. Sure, influences are proudly adorned on their ragged battle vests, but there is ample upside to what Rapid have cooked up. A wild and venomous ride, Enter the Realm of Fire is a gleefully violent, old school metal rampage that largely overcomes its warts and all flaws with solidly entertaining songwriting. The future looks bright for these throwback underground warriors.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

Rapid by name, rapid by nature. A simple but effective moniker for this rip-roaring trio emerging from the Helsinki underground with a gnarly and riotous speed, thrash, and old school black metal attack. Featuring additional lashings of classic heavy metal, punk, and death influences, Rapid unleash their retro brand of ugly, thrashy mayhem on debut album, Enter the Realm of Fire. And from the get-go, these dudes share a clear devotion of ye olden days of underground, piss-and-vinegar-drenched metal, creating an authentically twisted concoction, brooding with bombast, evil vibes, and over-the-top theatrics. The colorfully named trio, consisting of bassist/vocalist Vincent Revenge, drummer The Goon, and axe wielder Atte ‘Spectre’ Nikku, formed back in 2014. During this time, they spat out a couple of demos and 2022’s Blackstar Oppression Regime EP generating underground buzz. Boasting a mean, unvarnished sound, and metal cred up the ying-yang, can Rapid back things up with songwriting to match their trve old school values?

Following an unnecessary intro piece, Rapid launch into their work proper on the ripping “Witchcraft of Horror,” laying their cards on the table, flexing their blackened thrash and speed metal combo, taking cues from the likes of Venom, early Slayer, Mercyful Fate and modern retro heavyweights Bütcher and Midnight. It’s a raucous, unhinged formula to warm the blackened hearts of’80s metal and underground aficionados. Once more, Rapid is a deceptively nimble beast, wielding their crude weapons and vicious badassery with deft hands, threading slithering melodies and sinister atmospheres into the thrashing cauldron, where galloping speed, raucously blackened riffs and unhinged vocals conspire to wreak havoc. Revenge’s vocals lend the album a wickedly over-the-top and charismatic edge, as black-thrash howls, croaks, demented screams and a rough-around-the-edges cleaner style are unleashed.

Aside from the punkish, first-wave gallop and thrust of mid-album burner “Horemheb,” and epic, if slightly overcooked closer “Beyond the Gates of the Rapid Flames,” Rapid keep the songwriting sharp and punchy, much to the album’s advantage. While the raw slash-and-burn riffage reigns supreme, the melodic embellishments and occasional noteworthy soloing add layers of substance and intrigue to the otherwise cutthroat nature of the Rapid formula. The hugely energetic delivery, coupled with their feral streak and deft handling of tempo variations, helps maintain interest across the album’s duration. At its best, Enter the Realm of Fire goes hard and comes emblazoned with deadly hooks and killer atmosphere, such as those adorning the frosty death march of “Wielder of Might – Death from Above,” grimly venomous meloblack meets heavy metal grooves of “Black Poison,” and blackened heavy metal gallop exhibited on the hooky, over-the-top “Pest Eater.” Not all tracks hit the same heights, but it’s all pretty solid and enjoyable fare.

Enter the Realm of Fire comes armed and dangerous with a roughshod production that tramples modern production values into dust, complimenting the looser vibes and gritty underground aesthetics, without sacrificing overall bite, clarity and tasty dynamics. Rough production and looser vibes do not translate to sloppy performances. The trio bust out energetic, tightly synced performances, highlighted by Revenge’s unusual yet often compelling vocals and Spectre’s raw, menacing riffs, blazing melodies, and often eloquently shredded solos. There are slight ebbs and flows in song-to-song quality, though aside from the throwaway intro and almost comically odd slower-paced track “Gaze of the Black Void,” the album is uniformly solid with a few especially potent bangers.

Rapid’s accomplished debut comes as a pleasant surprise, skillfully straddling the line between nostalgia, ’80s metal trvness, and raw underground grit, while sounding fresh enough to stand on its own. Sure, influences are proudly adorned on their ragged battle vests, but there is ample upside to what Rapid have cooked up. A wild and venomous ride, Enter the Realm of Fire is a gleefully violent, old school metal rampage that largely overcomes its warts and all flaws with solidly entertaining songwriting. The future looks bright for these throwback underground warriors.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

Do you, like me, ever find yourself missing the sheer metallic perfection of the first few Mercyful Fate albums? Both Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath cast such a brilliantly macabre, occult atmosphere that they surely amplified the already palpable Satanic Panic of the mid-80s. Good things never last, but for a brief time, In Solitude managed to partially fill the dead spot in my heart that longed for more albums like those Fate classics, but all too soon they were gone too. Enter German metal crew The Night Eternal to fill the gap created by In Solitude, if not the yawning chasm left by Mercyful Fate. I discovered them on their 2023 sophomore release Fatale, and was quite impressed. Their sound was like an early, less Satanic Fate strained through a Goth rock filter, and it worked exceptionally well. Now, a few years later, we get the follow-up, Cold Velvet. The basic template is still in place, but this time they’ve gone deeper into the Goth rock doldrums and dulled their heavy metal edge in the process, approximating the Idle Hands / Untoothers material. It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ’em.

The Night Eternal’s strengths heard on gems like “In Tartus” from Fatale are still present on opener “Where This World Ends,” as frontman Ricardo Baum’s slick merger of King Diamond, To Die For’s Jarno Perätalo, and Amorphis’ Tomi Joutsen pays big dividends. The pure metal quotient of the backing music feels a touch softer than last time, even approaching Ghost-levels of hard and Goth rock, but the song works and hooks you in. As Cold Velvet plays out, the Goth vibe increases. “Eurydice (Don’t Look Back)” is a polished take on 80s Goth rock, and it has legs and memorability that demand replays. This could have sat on Mana by Idle Hands and fit right in if they added a few werewolf-y grunts and howls. “Caught in a Spell” is a very laid-back piece of Goth flair with an easy breezy charm, and after a few spins it cements itself into your nerve clusters. It even has a vague Wytch Hazel vibe that adds extra charisma points.

The best moments come when The Night Eternal put their foot on the accelerator and dial up the metal. “The Veins of Time” is a throwback to Fatale, hitting the sweet spot between metal and Goth. It’s a bit more urgent and edgy without forsaking the sadboi glumness, and there’s a Sisters of Mercy vibe under the surface. My personal favorite track is “Shape of Sorrow” as it’s the most jacked-up version of the band’s current formula. It’s hardly a face-melter, but it offers more intensity and less moping and feels considerably heavier than the rest of Cold Velvet. Unfortunately, a few tracks, while good, just don’t sizzle enough to excite the grey matter, and when teamed up with the album’s languid vibe, they drag the excitement factor down a few notches. “When the Last Candle Dies” is like a lost modern Ghost track, and it’s okay but not much more, and closer, “Dance on Crimson Ground,” is the longest here at 7 minutes, but it isn’t all that interesting. At 42-plus minutes, Cold Velvet isn’t a challenging listen, but it isn’t the most exciting one either. The Goth influences result in a muted, sometimes drab expanse, and though the writing overcomes the limited color scheme at times, the album merely glides but never soars.

As with past outings, Ricardo Baum is the star of The Night Show. He’s got a big vocal presence that’s hard to resist, and he’s the kind of frontman that elevates everything a band does. He can sound like a youthful King Diamond, but this time he seems much more determined to turn himself into the prototype for an 80s Goth rock hero. He regularly delivers slick vocal hooks and phrasing that add a cool factor to everything the band does. There’s an argument to be made that the music behind Baum is more anodyne than last time. Robert Richter and Heinrich Käseberg can be a potent guitar tandem as they demonstrated on the prior albums, injecting classic metal and NWoBHM influences into their playing. Here, however, they dial things back to more Goth-appropriate levels, sacrificing power for poise. That makes for a less dynamic listen with fewer big, brain-shaking metal moments. Talent abounds, but the material feels overly restrained and held in check, and that’s unfortunate.

The Night Eternal are a very good band capable of delivering solid music that spans several genres. On Cold Velvet, they deliver some high-quality moments, but these highs aren’t as lofty as last time, and they get tangled in a series of less animated moments that sink the album into a Gothy bog. Cold Velvet is plenty classy, but it isn’t bashy enough for its own good. This gives me the sadz in the wrong way. Still worth a listen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade
Websites: thenighteternal.bandcamp.com | thenighteternal.com | instagram.com/thenighteternal_official
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

Do you, like me, ever find yourself missing the sheer metallic perfection of the first few Mercyful Fate albums? Both Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath cast such a brilliantly macabre, occult atmosphere that they surely amplified the already palpable Satanic Panic of the mid-80s. Good things never last, but for a brief time, In Solitude managed to partially fill the dead spot in my heart that longed for more albums like those Fate classics, but all too soon they were gone too. Enter German metal crew The Night Eternal to fill the gap created by In Solitude, if not the yawning chasm left by Mercyful Fate. I discovered them on their 2023 sophomore release Fatale, and was quite impressed. Their sound was like an early, less Satanic Fate strained through a Goth rock filter, and it worked exceptionally well. Now, a few years later, we get the follow-up, Cold Velvet. The basic template is still in place, but this time they’ve gone deeper into the Goth rock doldrums and dulled their heavy metal edge in the process, approximating the Idle Hands / Untoothers material. It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ’em.

The Night Eternal’s strengths heard on gems like “In Tartus” from Fatale are still present on opener “Where This World Ends,” as frontman Ricardo Baum’s slick merger of King Diamond, To Die For’s Jarno Perätalo, and Amorphis’ Tomi Joutsen pays big dividends. The pure metal quotient of the backing music feels a touch softer than last time, even approaching Ghost-levels of hard and Goth rock, but the song works and hooks you in. As Cold Velvet plays out, the Goth vibe increases. “Eurydice (Don’t Look Back)” is a polished take on 80s Goth rock, and it has legs and memorability that demand replays. This could have sat on Mana by Idle Hands and fit right in if they added a few werewolf-y grunts and howls. “Caught in a Spell” is a very laid-back piece of Goth flair with an easy breezy charm, and after a few spins it cements itself into your nerve clusters. It even has a vague Wytch Hazel vibe that adds extra charisma points.

The best moments come when The Night Eternal put their foot on the accelerator and dial up the metal. “The Veins of Time” is a throwback to Fatale, hitting the sweet spot between metal and Goth. It’s a bit more urgent and edgy without forsaking the sadboi glumness, and there’s a Sisters of Mercy vibe under the surface. My personal favorite track is “Shape of Sorrow” as it’s the most jacked-up version of the band’s current formula. It’s hardly a face-melter, but it offers more intensity and less moping and feels considerably heavier than the rest of Cold Velvet. Unfortunately, a few tracks, while good, just don’t sizzle enough to excite the grey matter, and when teamed up with the album’s languid vibe, they drag the excitement factor down a few notches. “When the Last Candle Dies” is like a lost modern Ghost track, and it’s okay but not much more, and closer, “Dance on Crimson Ground,” is the longest here at 7 minutes, but it isn’t all that interesting. At 42-plus minutes, Cold Velvet isn’t a challenging listen, but it isn’t the most exciting one either. The Goth influences result in a muted, sometimes drab expanse, and though the writing overcomes the limited color scheme at times, the album merely glides but never soars.

As with past outings, Ricardo Baum is the star of The Night Show. He’s got a big vocal presence that’s hard to resist, and he’s the kind of frontman that elevates everything a band does. He can sound like a youthful King Diamond, but this time he seems much more determined to turn himself into the prototype for an 80s Goth rock hero. He regularly delivers slick vocal hooks and phrasing that add a cool factor to everything the band does. There’s an argument to be made that the music behind Baum is more anodyne than last time. Robert Richter and Heinrich Käseberg can be a potent guitar tandem as they demonstrated on the prior albums, injecting classic metal and NWoBHM influences into their playing. Here, however, they dial things back to more Goth-appropriate levels, sacrificing power for poise. That makes for a less dynamic listen with fewer big, brain-shaking metal moments. Talent abounds, but the material feels overly restrained and held in check, and that’s unfortunate.

The Night Eternal are a very good band capable of delivering solid music that spans several genres. On Cold Velvet, they deliver some high-quality moments, but these highs aren’t as lofty as last time, and they get tangled in a series of less animated moments that sink the album into a Gothy bog. Cold Velvet is plenty classy, but it isn’t bashy enough for its own good. This gives me the sadz in the wrong way. Still worth a listen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade
Websites: thenighteternal.bandcamp.com | thenighteternal.com | instagram.com/thenighteternal_official
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

Do you, like me, ever find yourself missing the sheer metallic perfection of the first few Mercyful Fate albums? Both Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath cast such a brilliantly macabre, occult atmosphere that they surely amplified the already palpable Satanic Panic of the mid-80s. Good things never last, but for a brief time, In Solitude managed to partially fill the dead spot in my heart that longed for more albums like those Fate classics, but all too soon they were gone too. Enter German metal crew The Night Eternal to fill the gap created by In Solitude, if not the yawning chasm left by Mercyful Fate. I discovered them on their 2023 sophomore release Fatale, and was quite impressed. Their sound was like an early, less Satanic Fate strained through a Goth rock filter, and it worked exceptionally well. Now, a few years later, we get the follow-up, Cold Velvet. The basic template is still in place, but this time they’ve gone deeper into the Goth rock doldrums and dulled their heavy metal edge in the process, approximating the Idle Hands / Untoothers material. It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ’em.

The Night Eternal’s strengths heard on gems like “In Tartus” from Fatale are still present on opener “Where This World Ends,” as frontman Ricardo Baum’s slick merger of King Diamond, To Die For’s Jarno Perätalo, and Amorphis’ Tomi Joutsen pays big dividends. The pure metal quotient of the backing music feels a touch softer than last time, even approaching Ghost-levels of hard and Goth rock, but the song works and hooks you in. As Cold Velvet plays out, the Goth vibe increases. “Eurydice (Don’t Look Back)” is a polished take on 80s Goth rock, and it has legs and memorability that demand replays. This could have sat on Mana by Idle Hands and fit right in if they added a few werewolf-y grunts and howls. “Caught in a Spell” is a very laid-back piece of Goth flair with an easy breezy charm, and after a few spins it cements itself into your nerve clusters. It even has a vague Wytch Hazel vibe that adds extra charisma points.

The best moments come when The Night Eternal put their foot on the accelerator and dial up the metal. “The Veins of Time” is a throwback to Fatale, hitting the sweet spot between metal and Goth. It’s a bit more urgent and edgy without forsaking the sadboi glumness, and there’s a Sisters of Mercy vibe under the surface. My personal favorite track is “Shape of Sorrow” as it’s the most jacked-up version of the band’s current formula. It’s hardly a face-melter, but it offers more intensity and less moping and feels considerably heavier than the rest of Cold Velvet. Unfortunately, a few tracks, while good, just don’t sizzle enough to excite the grey matter, and when teamed up with the album’s languid vibe, they drag the excitement factor down a few notches. “When the Last Candle Dies” is like a lost modern Ghost track, and it’s okay but not much more, and closer, “Dance on Crimson Ground,” is the longest here at 7 minutes, but it isn’t all that interesting. At 42-plus minutes, Cold Velvet isn’t a challenging listen, but it isn’t the most exciting one either. The Goth influences result in a muted, sometimes drab expanse, and though the writing overcomes the limited color scheme at times, the album merely glides but never soars.

As with past outings, Ricardo Baum is the star of The Night Show. He’s got a big vocal presence that’s hard to resist, and he’s the kind of frontman that elevates everything a band does. He can sound like a youthful King Diamond, but this time he seems much more determined to turn himself into the prototype for an 80s Goth rock hero. He regularly delivers slick vocal hooks and phrasing that add a cool factor to everything the band does. There’s an argument to be made that the music behind Baum is more anodyne than last time. Robert Richter and Heinrich Käseberg can be a potent guitar tandem as they demonstrated on the prior albums, injecting classic metal and NWoBHM influences into their playing. Here, however, they dial things back to more Goth-appropriate levels, sacrificing power for poise. That makes for a less dynamic listen with fewer big, brain-shaking metal moments. Talent abounds, but the material feels overly restrained and held in check, and that’s unfortunate.

The Night Eternal are a very good band capable of delivering solid music that spans several genres. On Cold Velvet, they deliver some high-quality moments, but these highs aren’t as lofty as last time, and they get tangled in a series of less animated moments that sink the album into a Gothy bog. Cold Velvet is plenty classy, but it isn’t bashy enough for its own good. This gives me the sadz in the wrong way. Still worth a listen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade
Websites: thenighteternal.bandcamp.com | thenighteternal.com | instagram.com/thenighteternal_official
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

Do you, like me, ever find yourself missing the sheer metallic perfection of the first few Mercyful Fate albums? Both Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath cast such a brilliantly macabre, occult atmosphere that they surely amplified the already palpable Satanic Panic of the mid-80s. Good things never last, but for a brief time, In Solitude managed to partially fill the dead spot in my heart that longed for more albums like those Fate classics, but all too soon they were gone too. Enter German metal crew The Night Eternal to fill the gap created by In Solitude, if not the yawning chasm left by Mercyful Fate. I discovered them on their 2023 sophomore release Fatale, and was quite impressed. Their sound was like an early, less Satanic Fate strained through a Goth rock filter, and it worked exceptionally well. Now, a few years later, we get the follow-up, Cold Velvet. The basic template is still in place, but this time they’ve gone deeper into the Goth rock doldrums and dulled their heavy metal edge in the process, approximating the Idle Hands / Untoothers material. It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ’em.

The Night Eternal’s strengths heard on gems like “In Tartus” from Fatale are still present on opener “Where This World Ends,” as frontman Ricardo Baum’s slick merger of King Diamond, To Die For’s Jarno Perätalo, and Amorphis’ Tomi Joutsen pays big dividends. The pure metal quotient of the backing music feels a touch softer than last time, even approaching Ghost-levels of hard and Goth rock, but the song works and hooks you in. As Cold Velvet plays out, the Goth vibe increases. “Eurydice (Don’t Look Back)” is a polished take on 80s Goth rock, and it has legs and memorability that demand replays. This could have sat on Mana by Idle Hands and fit right in if they added a few werewolf-y grunts and howls. “Caught in a Spell” is a very laid-back piece of Goth flair with an easy breezy charm, and after a few spins it cements itself into your nerve clusters. It even has a vague Wytch Hazel vibe that adds extra charisma points.

The best moments come when The Night Eternal put their foot on the accelerator and dial up the metal. “The Veins of Time” is a throwback to Fatale, hitting the sweet spot between metal and Goth. It’s a bit more urgent and edgy without forsaking the sadboi glumness, and there’s a Sisters of Mercy vibe under the surface. My personal favorite track is “Shape of Sorrow” as it’s the most jacked-up version of the band’s current formula. It’s hardly a face-melter, but it offers more intensity and less moping and feels considerably heavier than the rest of Cold Velvet. Unfortunately, a few tracks, while good, just don’t sizzle enough to excite the grey matter, and when teamed up with the album’s languid vibe, they drag the excitement factor down a few notches. “When the Last Candle Dies” is like a lost modern Ghost track, and it’s okay but not much more, and closer, “Dance on Crimson Ground,” is the longest here at 7 minutes, but it isn’t all that interesting. At 42-plus minutes, Cold Velvet isn’t a challenging listen, but it isn’t the most exciting one either. The Goth influences result in a muted, sometimes drab expanse, and though the writing overcomes the limited color scheme at times, the album merely glides but never soars.

As with past outings, Ricardo Baum is the star of The Night Show. He’s got a big vocal presence that’s hard to resist, and he’s the kind of frontman that elevates everything a band does. He can sound like a youthful King Diamond, but this time he seems much more determined to turn himself into the prototype for an 80s Goth rock hero. He regularly delivers slick vocal hooks and phrasing that add a cool factor to everything the band does. There’s an argument to be made that the music behind Baum is more anodyne than last time. Robert Richter and Heinrich Käseberg can be a potent guitar tandem as they demonstrated on the prior albums, injecting classic metal and NWoBHM influences into their playing. Here, however, they dial things back to more Goth-appropriate levels, sacrificing power for poise. That makes for a less dynamic listen with fewer big, brain-shaking metal moments. Talent abounds, but the material feels overly restrained and held in check, and that’s unfortunate.

The Night Eternal are a very good band capable of delivering solid music that spans several genres. On Cold Velvet, they deliver some high-quality moments, but these highs aren’t as lofty as last time, and they get tangled in a series of less animated moments that sink the album into a Gothy bog. Cold Velvet is plenty classy, but it isn’t bashy enough for its own good. This gives me the sadz in the wrong way. Still worth a listen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade
Websites: thenighteternal.bandcamp.com | thenighteternal.com | instagram.com/thenighteternal_official
Releases Worldwide: August 21st, 2026

https://www.europesays.com/fi/321529/ Bloodstock Open Air 2027: Ensimmäiset esiintyjät julki #BloodstockOpenAir #Entertainment #FI #Finland #Finnish #MercyfulFate #Music #Musiikki #Suomi #viihde

https://www.europesays.com/es/701167/ Bloodstock Open Air 2027, en marcha: primeras 27 bandas para el festival británico de Metal #BlackMetal #DeathMelodico #DeathMetal #ELECTRICCALLBOY #Entertainment #Entretenimiento #ES #España #GothicMetal #HeavyMetal #MercyfulFate #MetalProgresivo #metalcore #Music #Música #PowerMetal #Spain #ThrashMetal

Mercyful Fate have announced their return to the stage.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/news/mercyful-fate-announce-first-live-performance-in-more-than-three-years

#MercyfulFate #LiveShowAnnouncement