Review by Jeger
Nokturnal Mortum – Hurt (EP)
Record Label: Oriana Music
Year: 2026
Rating: 8.5/10
Ukraine’s Nokturnal Mortum! As the decades have passed and as the band has grown through controversy, adversity and a war-torn homeland, it’s been the music that has spoken the loudest. To know Nokturnal Mortum’s discography is to know the value of heritage, tradition and the Ancient ways of olde. It is to understand the magick of true Ukrainian BM as conveyed through both Folk and Symphonic avenues. Where do they find the time to learn how to play all those unorthodox instruments? “Where does he get those wonderful toys?” The Nokturnal Mortum experience is a fulfilling one; a celebration of culture and of music that stands worthy of representing such a noble National spirit. And whether it’s an LP or an EP, we can always expect a comprehensive, heartfelt offering. The time is nigh! A time for rousing your inner Warrior and for partaking in history because these don’t come around too often. On September 25, Nokturnal Mortum will release their new EP, “Біль” (Hurt) via Oriana Music.
Nokturnal Mortum
A typical EP usually features a few all-new cuts, a shoddily recorded live track, and a couple of obscure songs, and “Біль” is unfortunately no exception. That’s not to say that it’s a dud, but we have the opening track, “To Those Who Went Down the Tysyna River”, which is a several-minute-long cinematic piece and “First Steps of Freedom… The Flavor of Doom in Eight Years” – a psychedelic ambient trip-hop sounding thing that probably took NM a total of twenty minutes to create; just run on a loop for way too long. Some people are REALLY into this kind of nonsense, but it’s nothing more than wasted recording space to me. The final track is a live recording of Nokturnal Mortum’s celebrated “Ukraine” anthem where everyone is obviously having a great time. Still, the redeeming beauty of the EP comes in the form of “Eight Days to Spring”, “Weltanschauung” and “The Forgotten Ages of Victories” – two brand new Nokturnal Mortum tracks and one re-recording that exude all of the Warrior swagger and earthy tones that we’ve come to appreciate over the years, but enhanced of course by the sheer epic of it all. The former of the three is dedicated to a group of protesters who were gunned down by criminal Government in 2014. Olde World charm meets symphony in an atmosphere that swells with piano and some folkish guitar-sounding gizmo from Ancient Times, founded by concrete riffing patterns and triumphant cadences.
It’s not Medieval or primitive and yet its majesty somehow stirs up the same energy; a life force ages old and teeming with the pride of a thousand years, of a million Men. An almost spiritual experience that borders on gnosis, as all of these epic soundscapes resonate deep into where attributes like bravery, dignity and perseverance build Boys into Men. Black Metal for the hurt, for the struggle and for the triumph. Exactly what we’ve been licking our chops for and as usual Nokturnal Mortum do not disappoint. What? They’ve got like one questionable album in their entire expansive catalogue. An Institution! A battle-hardened one whose reputation for creating some of the world’s most respected BM is of no question. To heritage! To great battles won and pitiful enemies slain. To Nokturnal Mortum! And to the next chapter in their legacy. And maybe those obscure tracks that got on my nerves before will sound a lot more fitting now that I have a better understanding of the bread & butter of the EP. It’s been a while…