There is a feeling of sadness that only comes when you are still awake and the rest of the world is quiet. It is that mix of being alone and feeling the silence of the night. This Swedish duo NATTRADIO knows that feeling very well, I think. And they put all of that feeling into this second album “The Longest Night”, which they wrote only during the latest hours of the night for sure. This album, released by Darkness Shall Rise Productions on digital, cassette, CD and vinyl, shows a band that knows how to create a very introspective music. The mood here is not just one thing. While it has the slow and heavy parts you expect from Gothic / Doom Metal, NATTRADIO also adds quiet parts that sound like old movie music or dark ambient sounds. The album does a great job of going back and forth between different feelings. You get moments with just soft piano or keys that feel very open, but then the guitars and drums come in to make the sound big. It keeps the whole 52 minutes interesting because you never stay in just one place for too long. The singing is also different from what you usually hear or expect in Metal. And I must admit that when I first heard the vocals, I did not like it so much, but, as I was listening through the songs, then, little by little, the album began to make sense. There are no screams or rough vocals here. Instead, the voice is soft and clear, which makes the songs about being alone and missing someone feel very strange for a Metal fan. And well, even when the music gets faster or more catchy with strong guitar parts, the voice always brings things back to that sad and calm feeling. You may need time to understand the album. Its logic. Its nature. It happened to me. I had to pay close attention. “The Longest Night” is an album that asks you to sit down and just listen to the dark. It is a well made album that knows how to take you on a journey from start to finish. More info here: www.facebook.com/nattradio, www.facebook.com/darknessshallriseproductions