Well, this was a mistake! I was supposed to review this next month, but I mixed up dates and ended up listening to it now. I assume As The World Dies won’t mind getting an early review of Nebula. With the risk of getting repetitive, here we have another release that doesn’t necessarily fit any traditional mold in Death Metal aside from the space Metal one, which, as we know, becomes much harder to define with each passing year. So here we are, trying to put labels on this untamed beast with little success if you ask me, but let’s keep trying!
Nebula has a really appropriate name, but not because it’s peaceful and ethereal—rather, because it’s a wild, bizarre, and almost confusing mix of elements that, despite looking like Death Metal at first, work towards a much more complicated goal. I won’t lie to you, I didn’t get what the album was going for at first, and not because of its weirdness (you know I love weird music—that’s what I live for), but because I couldn’t understand how the songwriting worked. As The World Dies has a rather divisive way of putting tracks together. One could argue each song has a thematic center, and everything spins around it.
Despite how dry and almost minimalistic the riffs are, they’re complemented by pure atmospheric speculation that saves them from being generic. I mean, As The World Dies isn’t Mithras (please come back!), but it sort of follows that spirit that reminds one of space Morbid Angel. It’s this looking into the abyss of space until the horror consumes you. However, there’s also a more Lamb Of God vibe going on here? Or maybe it’s just the way the chorus sections hit—they feel rather accessible compared to the rest of what’s going on.
And perhaps that’s what keeps me guessing with Nebula: the fact that it has commercial and impenetrable elements all at the same time. This could sit poorly with some people. With me? I don’t know. If I were to be more focused, I’d say the album improves as it moves forward. “Playing God” and “Final Resting Place” are definitely highlights, and I almost wish Nebula had fewer but longer tracks like these ones. The band shines the most then.
I feel many will reject Nebula, which is a shame because there’s a serious attempt to innovate here. It’s not fast or ultra-brutal Death Metal. It’s not old school either (thank you, Satan!). It might have a particular approach to songwriting, but I still think there are many interesting ideas in Nebula. So, it’s a step up from Agonist if you ask your humble servant, but there’s still a lingering feeling that the band can achieve much more—and that it’s not too far from its grasp. Also, was I the only one who saw a huge kidney stone instead of an angel’s head in the art at first?
Label: Reaper Entertainment
Release date: 21 March 2025
Website: https://www.facebook.com/BrumDeathMetal/
Country: UK
Score: A comfortable 3.0/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 