Mysterious, chaotic, and simply a masterpiece. Never have I experienced a more diverse album with so much feeling. For all of you that are into technical metal, this album is for you. For the traditional black metal fan, you will not be disappointed. Abigor, being from Austria, carry a bit of German flavor to black metal. Peter K. does an amazing job on the guitar, with his technical and melodic riffing. When I say melodic, I don't mean that power-metal, play as fast as you can, just to be fast, sound... I mean, brutal, yet brilliantly structured riffs. The vocals are done perfectly by my favorite black metal vocalist Silenus. He has such a powerful sound that just sends chills. If you like him in Abigor, I recommend you pick up anything by his band Summoning. Unfortunately, Silenus has left Abigor to pursue Summoning full time. I am not a major fan of female vocals in black metal. I have heard too many bands to it poorly. Elisabeth Toriser does some amazing spots on this album, giving it that real enchanting touch. The drums in this album are quite diverse as well. It goes from machine-gun blast beats, to slow, pounding, epic beats. Unfortunately, the drummer (TT) has left the band.

The basic theme of Nachthymnen is the cosmic universe and questions eternity, but also touches on darker issues. It also has a medieval feel to it. I can't recommend this album enough. It has become an instant classic in the black metal underground. In the modern day of over-production and low-quality music writing, this album serves as a reminder of how metal should sound.

                                                                                                                                            - by Brian Parker