ALBUM REVIEW: Mothica – Nocturnal
Label: Heavy Heart Records via Rise Records
Release Date: July 1, 2022
Rating 4.5/5
Pop-rock songstress Mothica is back with an album full of angsty bangers on the aptly-titled Nocturnal, the follow-up to her 2020 debut full-length Blue Hour. Her label debut on her Rise Records imprint Heavy Heart Records, Nocturnal is a moody, angsty, yet somewhat uplifting masterpiece with a mix of tracks, many of which would equally feel at home in a dance club or a mosh pit.
While Blue Hour leaned heavier into alt-pop, Nocturnal does not shy away from injecting heavier influences, with guitars and harder electronic breakdowns appearing throughout many tracks, including the title track, singles “Casualty” and “Sensitive”, and late album track “The Reckoning” (featuring label-mates Polyphia). The seamless blend of rock and pop influences, paired with Mothica’s raw and honest songwriting, help this album to stand out and rock out. For those who prefer her softer vibes, though, mid-album tracks “R.E.M”. and “Bedtime Stories” and closer “Tears” are there to put us all in our feels in between head-bang sessions.
My lone qualm is that some of the songs feel a bit too short; though the album contains 17 tracks, the album’s runtime is a mere 37 minutes, as there are 3 40-second interludes, and all but 2 tracks are less than 3 minutes long. That said, each individual track is well composed, and they come together nicely to serve as a vessel for anyone who has struggled with mental illness.
Although there is not a bad song on this record, standout tracks include “Nocturnal”, “Casualty”, “Sensitive”, “Absinthe”, and one of my personal favorites, “Highlights”, a track about our human tendency to only show the good things happening in our lives online rather than the full picture, and the detrimental impacts this can have on us.
With Nocturnal, Mothica is positioning herself as a force to be reckoned with in the alternative scene, and I can’t wait to see where she goes.
Nocturnal is streaming now wherever you listen to music, and vinyl/CD copies are available from her online merch store.
Mothica is also about to embark on a summer tour opening for Coheed and Cambria and Alkaline Trio, tour dates can be found on her website.
