Fans of one Matthew Kvohst McNerney will be familiar with the Brit turned Finn and his work in eccentric and brilliant bands such as Code, Dødheimsgard, and Beastmilk/Grave Pleasures. The discerning fan will also know him from the work at hand here, that being the folky and varied animal known as Hexvessel.
On June 13, 2025, courtesy of Prophecy Productions, Nocturne will be released into the world. Being the seventh studio album since their inception in 2009, the Tampere, Finland-based collective looks to once more entrance their listeners, this time with just under an hour’s worth of psychedelic and elemental soundscapes.
“Sapphire Zephyrs” erupts from a placid intro with freezing cold riffing and blasting percussion, with Kvohst sounding clean and ghostly overtop the din. The composition manages to remain ethereal with its background vocals, while still evoking a blackened, metallic soul throughout. The calming, Sylvan Folk style the band is known for pervades, however, taking the listener on a varied journey through moods that are both dark and effervescent.
“Inward Landscapes” is reminiscent of the instrumentals on an early Satyricon album, with Guitarists Kimmo Helén and the aforementioned Kvohst keeping it frosty. Meanwhile, haunting clean vocals once again juxtapose themselves against the track, like sunlight in an icy glen. There is a sense of the hypnotic, without losing momentum, as acoustic guitar warmly enriches the song’s cold skeleton. The tension breaks when the song gets heavy again, but there is a bit more going on as the band plays with interesting tone choices and the pale wisps of piano and strings. Saara Nevalainen provides those sweet, feminine choral touches, which hearken back to the late ’90s when harsh Dungeon-style Black or Goth Metal began to synthesize the two elements. This is a magnificent twining, creating a distinctly eldritch atmosphere.
It would be easy to assume Hexvessel is going for an Agalloch-type effect on songs such as “A Dark and Graceful Wilderness.” Still, it becomes apparent quickly that Kvohst and company are carving their own trail through the wooded valleys of this arboreal genre of Metal. A unique drumbeat and vocal line provide a hint of neofolk, a Death In June meets Bal-Sagoth (minus the frenetic chaos of the latter). The catchy verse defects in the middle to trem-picked leads that presage a mood change; the riffs here are pure frostbitten kingdoms. However, the funereal pace is only highlighted more by nuanced percussion. Strange music for strange locales deep inside forested depths. As the kids say, it is a whole vibe.
This otherness continues on “Spirit Masked Wolf,” with Kvohst sounding more like he did on Beastmilk, providing a clarion vocal that builds in intensity through this dreamlike beauty of a song. “Nights Tender Reckoning” weds stately balladry with distorted guitar, washing over the listener like a passing ghost. Some well-placed tempo changes signify the well-wrought and sophisticated nature of the music at hand. Hexvessel is dominating right here, with clear and wistful guitar leads building the tension as the song winds down.
The interplay of soft beginnings giving way to icy guitar is the hallmark of “Mother Destroyer,” where Kvohst’s Neofolkish speaking singing finds a home even as the pace quickens. There is a chanting, spellcasting quality to the proceedings that maintains its magic. Kvohst has a showman’s speaking quality that never lets the music appear dull. This provides a nice counterpoint to the forlorn folk balladry of “Concealed Descent” with its lovely violin.
Fans will recognize the talented voice of Yusaf Parvaz (aka Vicotnik) on “Unworld.” The Doom-Rock dance of wild echoing choral vocals in this slow and stormy track makes it a distinct album highlight. Closing track “Phoebus” sees backing harsh vocal contributions from Juho Vanhanen of Oranssi Pazuzu. The song features the dreaming vocals of Kvohst, which keep their calm while the fury and pace increase. Repeated guitar riffing hypnotizes with its cascades of sonic torment.
Nocturne is a creative and ghostly work that does not leave out the place of cold and Blackened Metal. The synthesis is natural, and it is a foundation upon which the album is built. This push and pull of these elements makes for a compelling and beautiful work of art. Cryptic Rock gives Nocturne 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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