Astral Nocturna open a Cinematic saga with "Clockmaster’s Grief"
With Clockmaster’s Grief, Astral Nocturna make an immediate entrance, unveiling a symphonic metal single that feels less like a standalone track and more like the opening scene of an epic film. Released on December 29th, 2025, the song distills seemingly endless grandeur, emotion, and narrative ambition into just under four minutes, proving that scale isn’t measured by runtime but by vision.
Rooted in the traditions of symphonic metal’s most influential architects, the track draws heavily from the genre’s love of drama and emotional weight while weaving in the muscular uplift of power metal. The result is a sound that feels urgent, sweeping the listener into a story centered on a Clockmaster’s desperate, futile struggle against time itself. Lyrically speaking, the concept is rich with metaphor and the human desire to undo loss, but Astral Nocturna handles it with ease.
At the heart of the song is Lyriana Nocturne, whose vocals are nothing short of amazing. Her voice floats above the instrumentation with an ethereal quality, carrying an authority that almost forces you to listen. She doesn’t simply sing the story, she embodies it, guiding you through waves of sorrow with melodic lines that are legitimately spine tingling. The clarity and control in her performance is fully cinematic. Plain and simple, we need to hear this song in a blockbuster hit at the movie’s climax.
Instrumentally, the song is perfection from top to bottom. The metal motifs hit with conviction, but they never overpower the song’s orchestral elements that add a ton. Subtle violins weave through the arrangement, adding depth and texture that elevate the track beyond your standard symphonic metal bombast. These orchestral layers don’t exist for decoration, it feels like they function as emotional cues, enhancing every sense of the song. The interplay between heaviness and elegance is seamless. It’s not just Lyriana making the noise, you can thank Kael Morian, Arden Vale, and Riven Thale too.
This isn’t just an exercise in style, but the opening chapter of a larger world Astral Nocturna are clearly committed to building. Every musical choice feels intentional, designed to introduce themes and emotional stakes that promise to unfold further in future releases. Based in Würzburg, Germany, Astral Nocturna are here with a sound that feels distinctly their own. Clockmaster’s Grief sets a high bar and we are so so excited for more!
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Listen to “Clockmaster’s Grief”
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