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Released by Quadrivium Records in August 22nd, 2006.

Думаю эти ребятки в представлении не нуждаются.

"Noctuary are one of the early US bands to quickly gain recognition in the spawning late ‘90’s international Underground Black Metal scene. The first Noctuary full length, “For Salvation” saw the band tempering the precision and breakneck speed of death metal with the harmonic qualities apparent in a lot of the better early 90’s European Black Metal. The album captures an intensity and rawness that defies concrete expression. Seeming to just come out of nowhere, I remember picking this album up shortly after it’s release, I believe, in 1998. What struck me the most was the somber, almost contemplative quality of the riff albeit played at warp speed.

The next album, “When Fires Breed Blood,” saw the band moving steadily towards a richer, more vast and yet ever more precise sound. This is the one album by the band I don’t have, and so I can only vouch from several Mp3’s. But I can hear in “Recollections” an even more articulate and determined elaboration of these same elements. Also on the new album a pronounced classic-metal feel is introduced to the curious amalgam that is Noctuary. But they never loose the fierce blackened edge, and again on this record the bands melds clean and acoustic parts creating within the songs that orchestral feel so many Black Metal bands resort to keyboards for. The songs “Forever Shrouded Within This World ” and “Black Angels Return” are most remarkable in this regard.

From the sorrowing lone guitar lead the begins starts the open title track to the lead that falls over the cascading six-eight of the instrumental closer, “Passage,” I get the sense of a clear working out of lyrical and melodic ideas. This album takes greater risks by the introduction of clean vocals. While this is certainly to be encouraged, I can’t say that the clean parts flow as seamlessly as the blackened growl singer/guitarist Joe van Fossen has down so well. It still sounds like it’s new to him and the band, and he seems to take more than one approach towards vocal delivery – at some spots intoning in a deeper Viking Metal harmonized chant, at others with a more forceful voice (at the concluding chorus of “A Blissful Scorn”) but mostly in a clean, almost sorrowing tone. I have to say that the more Viking-esque and forceful moments work best to my ear. Having seen the band live recently, I drew the same conclusion. But if bands are meant to progress and challenge themselves how can I fault the band for striving or a more complete musical vision? All in all I can only hope that they refine this approach, howsoever they might, and achieve the end towards which they strive.

And there’s no Metal lacking in this album whatsoever. Even after repeated listens the sheer virtuosity of the guitar work astounds, as well the amazing flow of each song, fusing anthem like riffs and pure blast beat driven Black Metal. And again, the melding of acoustic and distorted parts, often overlapping into one another is one of the most impressive features of the album making it stand out among other releases this year." (с)