Here we have a fairly new band from Umea, Sweden. After a couple of demos beginning in 2012, "Preludes And Nocturnes" is their first studio album and from the outset it’s not exactly a triumph in things carnal but if you want to be mean you could say it’s an agony. This is basically a Power Metal album with Thrash thrown in and I’m not a huge Power Metal fan to begin with. However, I think it’s fair to say that even a Power Metal buff would say this isn’t the best example of the genre. The vocals sound oafish and misplaced, as if the singer should be singing for another band in another style. The choruses, which typically have keyboards and folk instruments in them, grate on me like nails on a chalkboard. Ignoring the vocals for a moment and you get what sounds to me like common enough melodies and riffs in this style of music. The same can be said of the thrashier songs like ‘Fire Walk With Me’, however even these go through softer moments before they’re done. ‘Crystal Lake’ is actually kind of fun since it’s obviously about the Friday the 13th movies. Who doesn’t like a song about Jason? And wouldn’t you know, this song has the coolest riffs on the album. For that matter, ‘Secrets Within The Shrine’ has a couple good ones, too. So the album is at its best when it’s closer to finishing, damn! Overall I didn’t like this album however it isn’t total shit, there are a couple decent songs and riffs peppered throughout it. I recommend it if your taste runs along thrashy Power Metal but if not, then look elsewhere. Cheers! www.facebook.com/carnalagony, www.sliptrickrecords.com