Metalcatto
I see the album has five tracks and almost nothing below the five-minute mark. I started sweating, because when a band is this into length, there are only two ways to go: a blast or a bust. Angellore‘s Nocturnes has no easy task to fulfill. It’s going to be hard to make the time count, but that’s why you’re here—to see if you can find that hidden gem, right?
Epic Goth wasn’t what I expected to review today, but this definitely fits the description. Nocturnes honors its title and transports us to a mysterious and charming land of horror and beauty. It takes its time to create a dense atmosphere that borrows elements from Draconian and Green Carnation. It has that take on Doom that many try but few succeed at. So, Catto, is it sad? You bet your tears it’s going to make you feel things.
In a way, Nocturnes has a lot of old Black Folk in its DNA. The difference is that everything is dramatically slowed down, but don’t despair—it’s not slower than SLOW. The production has that 90s and 2000s touch. It’s hard to describe, but it’s just organic and clean, not to the point of feeling too polished. Right, the details. The vocals are the curious part here. They’re pretty goth. What else do you want me to say? Expect a soft landing there, not a punch to the face.
I’m a bit torn in the complaints department. Everything here is pleasant and fulfilling if inflicting pain on yourself is the goal—you need endorphins, after all. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that Nocturnes has a whale-like pace and songs longer than a Big 4 concert setlist. We could cut a few minutes here and there and be fine, since there’s not a huge stylistic difference between the tracks. This would avoid me saying, “This is good, but so much work.”
Hopefully you have some time to spare because Nocturnes is worth it. It’s not the kind of album we get every day—it’s not atmospheric Black Metal, please make it stop. It has charm that transcends its flaws or dividing elements. So, if you wish to freeze in the forest a lot and are a hopeless tragic romantic, then this album offers tons of what the heart craves and is always denied.
Label: Ardua Music
Release date: May 15th, 2026
Website: https://www.facebook.com/AngelloreDoom
Country: France
Score: 3.7/5.0
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