I have always had a special relationship with Maltese Doom Metal act, NOMAD SON, when talking about some sheer enjoyment level they are able to offer to me whenever I decide to check their stuff out. The band’s previous two albums, 2010 release "First Light" and its 2010 follow-up record, "The Eternal Return", both were head-turning releases in their own right, sort of underlining the band’s true sense in catching all the essentials in traditional Doom Metal, especially in the band’s latter mentioned recording. It was almost a real jackpot of an album from them. Yes, I guess you noticed it already yourself too, ‘almost’ was the word. "The Darkening", NOMAD SON’s 3rd full-length album, however, seems to reclaim our wildest expectations about that true jackpot album of theirs – and in a big way if even this could be added. I mean, the whole package works – and not just 2 or 3 songs that we might call as some sort of highlight tracks off the record. NOMAD SON have, within these past 2 or 3 years or so, brought their sound a step further toward even a bit more sinister, evil-oozing and ominous direction music wise in my opinion where they had already decided to head toward to on their previous album, "The Eternal Return". "The Darkening" as wholeness, manages to send some great chills down my spine whenever I give a listen to it, which is a good sign of course. Especially songs like ‘Age Of Contempt’, massively haunting ‘The Devil’s Banquet’ and creepingly epic ‘Caligula’ do it all the time for me, featuring some of the darkest and most sinister moments this Maltese Doom Metal bunch has ever succeeded at penning down during their entire career. Vocalist Jordan Cutajar’s semi-dramatic singing style has lots of depth and feeling, like he would be in some sort of agony constantly. Also, those Hammond driven sections in between the songs, add a welcome yet perfect vibe from the old times, into the songs on this earth shattering, magnum and yet even very additive Doom Metal opus. This is easily – and I said EASILY, absolutely NOMAD SON’s best album to date, and probably even one of the finest Doom Metal albums overall that have been released on this very millennium. And if you don’t believe my shameless eulogy of them, then you can always dig up this recording for your music player. Fair enough? More about these Maltese masters of traditional Doom Metal, at: www.facebook.com/nomadsonmt, label: www.metal-on-metal.com