The 8th Sin

The 8th Sin is Nocturnal Rites' eighth album, on which they tightened up orthodox melodic metal with powerful vocals and intricate riffs. Taking in a somewhat more modern sound than before, they fuse sharp riffs, big choruses and hard-rock elements. The title comes from a playful idea of an "eighth sin" alongside the seven deadly sins. The opener "Call Out to the World" and "Never Again," which got a video, are majestic anthems. On the piano ballad "Me," Jonny Lindkvist sings with rich emotion. "Pain & Pleasure" features a guest scream by Meshuggah's Jens Kidman. It is the last album to feature Nils Norberg on guitar; he left the band the following year, in 2008. A record that marks a turning point, after which the band would enter a long hiatus of about ten years. The band would not stir again until the 2017 comeback album Phoenix. Where sharp riffs, big choruses and hard-rock flavor coexist, it is a high point of the Lindkvist era.