Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts

27 June 2018

Al Ard - Al Ard


Band: Al Ard
Title: Al Ard
Label: code666
Release Date: 22 June 2018
Country: Italy
Format reviewed: High quality digital promo

OK, this is interesting. As I have pointed out in some of my previous reviews, hybrid genres have never attracted me. However now I have the tough task to review the debut album of an industrial black metal band, born in 2011 in Sicily, Italy. Furthermore the band is not just industrial and black, but also integrates drum’n’bass and dirty dubstep elements. The trio claims they have been influenced by such acts like Dodheimsgard, Red Harvest, MZ412, Brighter Death Now, Aborym and DiabolicuM, Emperor, Satyricon and Diabolos Rising. Have I intrigued you already?

I little bit of a detour. Maybe the first clearly differentiating industrial black metal I heard was Diabolos Rising’s Blood, Vampirism and Sadism, in late 1995. By that time I had on tapes Abruptum’s In Umbra Malitiae Ambulabo, in Aeternum in Triumpho Tenebrarum, as well as Beherit’s H418ov21.C. Prior to them, it all was either industrial or black metal on the market. With the time, especially in the second half of the 90’s, I witnessed the rise of electronic music, d’n’b, ambient, and mixing it with all types of metal. This was also popular in the soundtracks of the movies (horror, drugs, killings…) and in the videogames (shooters and rally). To be honest these mixtures of metal and electronics (let’s for the sake of this review use this word in order to encompass the usage of machines) have never been of my preference.

Al Ard’s debut is good. It is excellent for a soundtrack of another Blade movie series, or for a high speed drive on a countryside/seaside road at hot summer night. It is an album of burning, extreme sounds consisting of 8 tracks of dark colours. Some of them are really into the black metal fury, others are in pure electronic, d’n’b and ambient mood, and third are pure disturbing noise. I really imagine blinking neon lamps in underground tunnels and corridors with white tiles, bathed in blood…

At the end of the day the album was enjoyable and actually it went comparably easy for me, despite of the experimental patterns and noise fuse at times. I must admit that the samples and the electronic background nicely complete the heavy parts in those tracks which combine both, creating a atmosphere from a nightmare - visual and emotional. The various non-metal rhythms and styles fit well, and the pure electronic tracks are even more enjoyable.

On and on Al Ard could be appreciated by all the heavy fans, nevertheless they are into industrial or black metal only. The combination here is good. Now push play to this record and create the apocalypse - go kill vampires and zombies. 6.5/10 Count Vlad

Band
Bandcamp
Facebook
ReverbNation

Label 
Official Website
Facebook
Facebook 2
Bandcamp
Twitter

6.5/10 We may survive

**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.
#WeAreBlessedAltarZine
#TheZineSupportingTheUnderground
#SupportTheUnderground

19 June 2018

Malauriu - Morte


Band: Malauriu
Title: Morte
Country: Italy
Label: Southern Hell Records
Release date: 21 May 2018
Format reviewed: Digital Mp3

Malauriu is a Black metal band from Sicily, Italy founded in 2013. They have participated numerous split releases and compilations in their relatively short existence. A band with a serious approach to the genre, personally I am not familiar with their earlier offerings. Some releases you just happen to come across, and how sweet it is to find some gold…

This 5 track ep starts off with a intro track to get the listener into the mood of some serious Black Metal. It closes with an outro track much in the same way. Though I understand the choice to create an atmosphere, black metal is about atmosphere! With an ep ticking in at 19 minutes, it seems a bit out of place.
The first real track, Vortex of supremacy, is a kick of a tune. Full blast ahead, raw vocals and old school guitars. The drumming is fast and intricate.
Revenge of the shadows is up next. Sets of in slower pace, drums all over the place (in a good way). More of an epic song, if brutal BM can be described as epic. This song has many variations and grooves big time.
The last real song is Behold the Damnation, here Malauriu is back to a full assault again. Great vocals and drums, classic BM guitars. What`s not to like?
With this ep Malauriu is proving that they have their own take on BM, though firmly planted in the early 90`s, they show creativity and technical ability to bring something new to the table. If I could change anything I would have skipped the intro (and outro), and given it a fourth real track.
All in all, 19 minutes well spent: 8/10 Harald


Band
Facebook
YouTube

Label
Facebook

8/10 To Greatness and Glory
**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.
#WeAreBlessedAltarZine
#TheZineSupportingTheUnderground
#SupportTheUnderground


17 May 2018

Altar of Perversion - Intra Naos

Band: Altar of Perversion
Title: Intra Naos
Label: The Ajna Offensive
Release Date: 15 April 2018
Country: Italy
Format reviewed: Digital Promo

There are artistic works that are characterized by being complex and remarkable, and that achieve the public's empathy because they contain certain characteristics that make it stand out. But there is another class of artistic work, which does not appear with much assiduity, and which tends to stand out for being the fruit of a vision charged with exacerbated courage. I refer to that excessive ambition that clouds some artists and impels them to create something indivisible that defies all norm or logic.

"Intra Naos" is one of those works, product of the feverish minds of the Italian musicians of Raw Black Metal: Altar of Perversion. And it represents the return of the band to the scene, after almost 12 years of not editing new material. A true statement of principles,  and one of the most interesting musical challenges that the underground could give us this year.

We are talking about a double album, with just 3 songs on each of the albums, although with durations ranging from 13 minutes to 25, in the case of the most demanding. Even with the risk of performing a Raw Black Metal work that transgresses all the canons of the genre, "Altar ..." manages to keep the listener interested, concatenating a series of structures that rely heavily on the most climatic aspects of the genre, without becoming Atmospheric Black Metal, or including Ambient or Drone passages, generally associated with long duration works.

The first track is "Adgnosco Veteris Vestigia Flammae". The first epic, of more than 20 minutes, and which also constituted the whole EP, of the same name, launched in 2006. The band, in this way, proposes a fusion between its past and the convictions of its present state. Technically we witness a maelstrom of changes in rhythm, tremolo technique and dissonant chords that attack incessantly, at the most critical moments, or begin to decant, slowly, until forming textures that ferment in a hypnotic miasma of highly lysergic proportions. Literally, it is like entering a parallel dimension, totally losing the notion of time and space.

Probably an effect sought by the two musicians involved in the project (Laran and Calus), since its magnanimous worldview also has a strong conceptual connotation, closely linked to the magical and esoteric practices of Pan-European Satanism and the eccentric doctrine of the Order of the Nine Angles. According to the artists, the extreme practices linked to these doctrines are what influenced the nature of these compositions.

"Intra Naos" is undoubtedly a work loaded with symbolism, with an important occultist concept and with an exhibition of sound ideas that can represent a great challenge for the majority of the public accustomed to more conventional Raw Black Metal acts. However, I consider that its transgressive nature gives it a transcendental value rarely found today. Clearly, it is a work done with deep emotional connections and that aims to leave an imprint on a plane that transcends the merely earthly and futile. A great work that tries to understand the greatness of the nature of all things. 9.5/10 Sergio




Band
Bandcamp

Label
Site
Facebook
Soundcloud
Instagram

9.5/10 Epic Storm

**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.
#supporttheunderground

03 May 2018

Deadly Carnage - Through The Void, Above The Suns

Band: Deadly Carnage
Title: Through The Void, Above The Suns
Label: A Sad Sadness Song
Release Date: 30 March 2018
Country: Italy
Format reviewed: CD-quality Digital Promo

Deadly Carnage is a name which instantly makes me think of brutal death metal band. But surprise, surprise! The Italian band sent me straight into another direction. No, not a direction, a grandeur dimension in fact.

Started as a black metal band in 2005, the four musicians decided to continue towards post-black, doom and post-rock since 2007. Much exploring new territories and pushing their boundaries since then, the band now releases their fourth full-length album – “Through The Void, Above The Suns” and I can say that Alexios (Guitars, Vocals), Dave (Guitars), Adres (Bass) and Marco (Drums) deliver their best album to date.

It’s funny how the destiny plays with me most recently, taking me every week to a new Cosmic journey. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, just check my latest reviews... This time the destination is the Void in order to meet the chaotic energy, the Matter, the real fabric of the Universe. Cosmos is living, Cosmos is breathing. Based on this the band constructs their epic new album. The Universal pillars of the existence of Birth and Creation, Procreation and End, Entropy lay deep into the philosophical existentialism of this super intelligent record. And as a result, we reach out to the total destruction, bringing us the beauty of the absolute emptiness. The album consists of 9 tracks with a total running time of glorious 45 minutes! Stylistically the Italians magically mix post-black, doom, post-metal, cosmic solitude and eternal pain, with torturous and clean vocals by Alexios and very much distorted guitar presence – like in a dream.

“Matter” and “Hyle” are kinda strained, doomy, torturous, dark. Full of tension and painful feelings. “Cosmi” is great instrumental – dissociative, distorted again. “Lumis” continues the strained sensual dream in drowning already in darker post-black blasts matters. “Ifene” begins as airy yet dark and continues as frantic outburst, twisting into a painful sad hallucinative dream with clear vocals. It is followed by the atmospheric and ambient instrumental “Fractals”. “Divide” is calmer, airy again, carrying a feeling of an existential loss and eternity. The record ends with “Entropia” – a heavy painful end with the usual distorted post atmospheric feeling.

All the time while listening the album I had a couple of intrusive thoughts. First of all, for some reason, I thought that this could be a potential direction which Anathema could have taken after their 95-98 period, instead of drowning into the proggy alternative style. Second thought was that if I have to make a comparison to describe the album or give it a direction, it could be Neurosis meets Anathema meets Alcest. On and on “Through The Void, Above The Suns” is an amazing album, which I strongly recommend. It is a great experience full of feelings.

“We are the eyes
that Universe uses
to watch itself”

8/10 Count Vlad

Band
Bandcamp
Facebook
Myspace
Reverbnation

Label
Site
Soundcloud
Facebook
Twitter
Bandcamp


8/10 To Greatness and Glory

**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.
#supporttheunderground

20 April 2018

Assumption - Absconditus

Band: Assumption
Title: Absconditus
Label: Everlasting Spew Records
Release Date: 20 April 2018
Country: Italy
Format reviewed: CD-quality digital

Reddish sky, leaden, dense air. You look up and observe the last solar eclipse, like a titanic event. Catatonic. Your blood boils, but your consciousness begins to rise towards new vestiges of transfigurative calm. Assumption rises, from Italy, with its first full length, "Absconditus", to create a vortex of dark matter Death/Doom highly hypnotic and atmospheric. Notably, the band (consisting of only two people, David and Giorgio) is responsible for invoking the ancestral spirits of diSEMBOWELMENT and Thergothon (Without reaching the exasperating slowness of the Funeral Doom) to create a captivating and excellently executed style exercise.

It is fair to say that Assumption takes elements of the aforementioned influences to cohere them in a style more linked to highly psychedelic dye aspects. In a way, something that had been glimpsed in his excellent EP of 2014, "The Three Appearances." Very few current bands have managed to achieve this alchemy with the efficiency and dedication of this band. In only three long tracks (two of these exceed the 15 minutes of duration) we attend a cosmogonic mass of down-tuned riffs and deep, abysmal, gutturals that decant, parsimoniously, into sections of purely acidic and altering consciousness nature, although strangely mild-mannered. These moments of stillness remind me of a mixture of Pink Floyd with the heaviness of Esoteric. Really impressive.

They even risk introducing some flute arrangements in the second song of the album ("Resurgence", the shortest track, which works as a separator between the other two, longer and totally epic), achieving an atmosphere of heartbreaking ethereal beauty. The excellent cover art, hand-painted by the artist Lauri Laaksonen, with a mix of ominous colors, can have some symbolic meaning too, which seems to me a perfect representation of the sound of this sonic wonder.

In this we observe a silhouette suspended in a sidereal vacuum, hanging from three beams of light, or metaphoric threads, which could be the pictorial interpretation of each of the tracks that make up "Absconditus". Really, a very pleasant surprise of this 2018, by a young band, although very mature. An album that impresses by its solidity and varied sound palette, deliciously composed and recorded.
A delight for lovers of Death/Doom and psychedelic music. 9/10, Sergio


Band
Bandcamp
Facebook

Label
Site
Facebook
Bandcamp
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Pinterest


9/10 Epic Storm

**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.
#supporttheunderground

04 April 2018

Sojourner – The Shadowed Road

Band: Sojourner
Title: The Shadowed Road
Label: Avantgarde Music
Release Date: 15 March 2018
Country: New Zealand/Sweden/Italy

Welcome to Sojourner’s world - a romantic and melancholic one, lost in times and centuries.  The Shadowed Road is band’s second full length album, after Empires of Ash, released in 2016. Sojourner are a New Zealand quintet band, but includes musicians from Sweden and Italy. The Shadowed Road easily takes the listener to ancient magic kingdoms. The wind brings Past into the music, it rushes through the leaves and the grass, swings into the air, and whispers into your ears.
Overall I can state that the album is a fantastic production with very deep and powerful sound. And it can’t be something else! The album was mixed by Øystein G Brun form Borknagar, at Crosound Studio (Norway) as well as mastered by Dan Swanö in Unisound AB (Sweden). On top Anders Jacobsson of Draconian provided the lyrics for “Titan” song. Stylistically it is a magnificent melodic atmospheric black metal with epic parts, longing sad moments and folk motifs. The songs are long. 7 tracks in 51 minutes total running time urge the listener to take The Shadowed Road and experience the magic. The cover art is impressive too. It has been crafted by the Romanian illustrator Bast, along with all internal artworks. The cover art describes very well the album – a picture of a glorious  temple somewhere on a silent forgotten cliff shore of a vast land, already in ruins, touched by the hands of time, drowning in oblivion.
Melodic, epic and in search for the glory of the lost empires and their mightiness – this is The Shadowed Road. There are two types of heavy vocals – one black-kind and another more into the death spectrum, often overlapping. Of course there are the gentle female vocals. All the seven tracks are abundant of piano and synth passages, solos and sometimes acoustic guitars. A lead guitar, tin whistle and synths, all mixed in one main melody, are running almost all the time across every song. The tin whistle especially creates that folk heroic feeling from the past times, ancient lands and nature. However, this somehow turns into a disadvantage, because it gets too much (for me) at a certain point of listening, and on top it creates similarity in the tracks. I really liked the rawer solid and intensive parts, where the band adds emotional pressure to the romantic beautiful moments. There is a lot of soul put down in the transcribed ancient melodies, mixed with aggressive, yet lonely melodic black elements. The Shadowed Road is an album that builds an overall grandiose atmosphere. It is a metaphor album, a voyage. And I invite everyone to take and walk alone The Shadowed Road and to enter the mighty forgotten kingdoms. And stay forever there. 8/10 By Count Vlad

Band
Facebook
Bandcamp

Label
Site
Bandcamp
Facebook
Souncloud
YouTube


8/10 To Greatness and Glory!

02 March 2018

Daemonokrat Interview




Daemonokrat is brutal death metal band coming from the depths of Agrigento, Sicily. Their first full-length debut album The Scourge of Chaos was released in the summer of 2017 and brought to the world mind-blowing blasting butchery from the South of Italy. On top, there are plenty of interesting bits that we can talk about with Alessandro Wehrmacht, vocals and rhythm guitars in Daemonokrat, and one of the founding members of the band.


Hello, Alex! Thank you for taking time for this interview. Tell us briefly about the band – how it was born and who are the other band members now?
Hello Vlad, pleased to talk with you. Daemonokrat was born in 2013 from the spores of  the Black/Thrash band Religio Mortis. We felt the need to experiencing a more Death Metal sounding territory. Religio Mortis were basically a studio project that lacked a real drummer, so with Daemonokrat we started our live activity as well. The new current line-up changed since the release of The Scourge of Chaos, and it is now as follows: A. Wehrmacht (Vocals/Bass), Necrosplatter (Guitar), D.Doom (Guitar) and 'El (Drums). 

You and the rest of the guys have been part of other bands prior to Daemonokrat, right?
Yes, Religio Mortis apart I also played with The Krushers (Grindcore from Agrigento).

What does the band’s name stand for and who is the holiest servants of doom?
The name Daemonokrat comes out from the combination of the two Greek words Daimon (δαίμων, divine being) and Kratos (Κρατος, power). Combined together they have a double meaning: The first is directly bound to the tradition and the mythology of our homeland Sicily, enriched by traditional figures that recall: satyrs, chthonian forces, primordial titans etc. Besides, Daimon represents for Greeks the quintessence of knowledge, of being, of the arts as a divine emanation. And Kratos is the power, or the forces that used to govern, throughout these figures, the timing of life and of the symbolic and ritualistic religiosity of men. The second meaning is bound to a mere play of words where the word Democracy is connoted negatively in reference to post modernity in which we are all bound to live in and in which who detains power are the masonic lodges and lobbies that ”vampirize” and enslave every form of liberty. (FROM ENSLAVEMENT TO OBLITERATION!!!)
...We are The Holiest Servants of Doom!

I suppose you personally have plenty of death metal influences, but can you narrow down the most important death metal bands for you? The ones which made you play this brutal music?
Basically Slayer, Carnivore, Celtic Frost, Morbid Angel, Terrorizer, Nocturnus, Revenant, Napalm Death....and the list might be too long.

Are there any other influences, genres or bands you listen to?
I personally enjoy music 100%!!! My tastes range from 70's up to 90's, no matter what genres. I love quality and I don't reduce myself to just one genre or style. To make an example: Kraftwerk, Laibach, Killing Joke or Dead can Dance and all the 80's New Wave.

How do you split the responsibilities about music and lyrics among the band members? Are there any specific themes from real life which inspire you about your lyrics and music.
Both me and Necrosplatter take care of all the compositions, but the lyrics are all mine. There are no real life references in what I write. Daemonokrat is an escape from reality and most of the inspiration comes from Lovecraft, Blake, Poe and apocalyptic themes and visions. Perhaps only folly might be the real link to reality. 

Please tell us some details about The Scourge album. How long did it take to record it and how would you describe it for our readers?
“The Scourge of Chaos” was entirely recorded, mixed and produced in my studio in a couple of months (February-March 2017). After a two-year pause in the activity of Daemonokrat, we realized we had quite enough material to fit into the first full length. More aggressive, fast and technical stuff if compared to our debut EP “Predators”. Our main intention regarding “The Scourge of Chaos” wasn’t really that of inventing anything new and most of all of not homologate into the modern days’ death metal panorama, but rather that of going back to re-interpreting the old themes (still actual today) of the golden age of old school death metal. Both lyrically and musically.

You had the pleasure to work with a couple of interesting names while recording this album – the mighty Kam Lee and Georgio Trombino. Let us know more about their participation on the album.
Kam Lee has always been a huge influence for me. Long before hearing the roar of Kam Lee I totally had a crush on the voice of Barney Greenway in “Harmony Corruption”, and once having that LP in my hands I found out  in the thanks list  that Barney  got inspired by the voice of  Kam Lee. As soon as we got finished with the recordings of “The Scourge of Chaos” I literally contacted Kam Lee right away and sent to him a copy of the album. After a few days he replied to me enthusiastically about the album and he proposed himself for a collaboration and so here we go man!!!Still today there are personalities that really love and believe in the underground scene without being precious even after more than 30 years of honourable career!!! Giorgio is a good old time friend of ours, he also took part in "Predators" during the recording sessions with backing vocals and mixing.

What are your plans for 2018? Shall we expect a new album soon?
We are already working to new material for a following album, writing the new songs is taking much part of my time this lately. Is also, I'm also working hard to a new Religio Mortis release quite soon.

You are in the dawn of the war, so what are your touring plans?
We do plan to make some gigs next summer. Any chance to play in your area? Let us know!

If you are a headliner on a fest or tour, which bands would you pick as your support? Could be any band…
Yes, Madonna or Spice Girls would be perfect!!! Hahahaha!!!! Now seriously, of course any band would fit in.

How do you see the death metal scene currently – in Italy and worldwide?
Honestly? Too many bands around! Hard to say or describe. In Italy there's a very vibrant scene today. I hope to share the stage with many of them.

Once again thank you for this interview and we’ll be looking forward for news and details from you and the band in the future!
Thank you Vlad for the space given and we wish you all a great time and listen to Daemonokrat three times a day at least. Hahahaha!!!
See you round!!!

Band:

02 February 2018

Interview: Necrosi






Necrosi is a death metal band from Agrigento Italy, providing intesive musical butchery in the best traditions of the genre from latest 80’s and early 90’s. Their debut self-titled EP is our and now I have the pleasure to talk with Giuseppe Peri about the the band, their music and future plans.

1 - Hello, Peppe! Please tell us more about Necrosi. How did the idea about the band come?

Hi Vlad, first of all many thanks for your support. Necrosi grow’s up in the summer of 2017, it’s a demostration of our love for the real and primordial death metal of the 90’s . Me and Tony decides to play death fuckin’ metal in the very old way.


2 - You are playing
 guitar in the band.  Who are the rest of the musicians in Necrosi?
Yes, exactly and Tony “Grave”on vocals, but for recording session of our first ep Angelo “Destruktor” plays the bass and Totò “Trronu” the drums. I give you a little preview about the line-up, now we have recruited Kjeld “Putrid” on bass & “Trronu” remains on drums.


3 - How does the songwroting process go? Does anyone of you takes care of everything, or you have split roles on mus
ic, lyrics, producing?
For the EP, I wrote the music, Tony the lyrics, Angelo produced & Kjeld make the drawings. In the future we’ll modified our sound because we have two guitar now, Tony sing and play the second guitar also.


4 - Your self-titled EP includes three songs in the best intesnisve death metal traditions. What were your inspirations - any particular bands, or maybe the history and the temples in Agrigento?

We’re inspired by metal of death and bands like Autopsy, Unleashed, Carnage & others shit. The ancient history of Akragas (greek name indeed) and the amazing “Valley of Temples” are part of us, is in our DNA. The smell of the Gods it’s in the air, it’s our breathe, is life.


5 - How long did it take to record the EP and are there any particular stories behind the tracks?

No particular stories about the recording sessions, we had make all in a couple of days in september 2017.


6 - The EP can be found on your Bandcamp page now. Shaw we expect to be realesed on any other formats?

Yes, the EP will be released as a split CD with “Bloodland” for the german label Unholy Fire Records in the next month.


7 - Do you plan a full-lenght album? What can we expect in this direction from the band?

Of course, we’re working on new songs to release a full lenght album the next summer. The sound is more brutal and intensive with more doom and grind blast. The music is more sick and two guitar are the right solution to make this.


8 - What are your plans for live shows and touring?

After the release of the split CD, we’re planning a few dates and I hope in Italy and Europe.


9 - What do you think of the current death metal scene? Is it as solid as before? Any bands you prefer?

I don't like the current scene, my favourite bands are the ancient ones.


10 - How is the underground scene developing in Italy?

The underground scene are alive and well, there are some good bands in Italy like Haemophagus, Morbo, ecc…


11 - I can’t resist to ask you about Thrash Bombz. Will you share any news?

In March 2017 we released our new album "Master of the Dead" and had excellent feedback, for the news stay tuned.


12 - Thank you very much for taki
ng time for this interview. Looking forward to hearing news on Necrosi soon again and share further news with us!
Thanks to you and the readers of the ‘zine, listen the real music and support the true underground.



Our contact:

Bandcamp

Facebook



Interview by: Count Vlad

11 October 2017

Necandi Homines "Da'at"

Band: Necandi Homines
Album: Da’at
Label: Vacula Productions
Release date: June 5, 2017
Country: Italy

Focus and direction are two qualities that often are taken for granted. It’s easy to lose sight of them when they are present in a record, but when they aren’t there it becomes a glaring omission and the entire work suffers. Unfortunately, Necandi Homines are missing both on their debut full length, Da’at. The black/doom outfit attempts to rely on ambiance and movements to carry their songs, but it comes off as stale and disjointed. The entire first track (“Memento”) is eight minutes of choral mood-setting that, used as an intro, could be cut down by six minutes and still serve the same purpose. There is no payoff, as the first track fizzles out into another meandering build-up on “The Faceless Sculpture”. When the track climaxes, it plateaus and fails to progress, instead dropping off into more atmospheric “mood-building” that fails to evoke much of anything besides waiting for the next track to start. The waiting continues throughout “The Fifth Dimension”, another atmospheric track of mostly bass and drums, until “The Ocean After the Storm” comes in. This is the first track with any real meat on the bones, the drums do a good job of driving the song forward, and it actually feels like there is a purpose here. The vocals, evoke desperation and despair amidst the strummed chord progressions before again dropping into what is the saving grace of the record: the seventeen minute climax track, “Through Deep Waters.” It feels as though this song has purpose, the transitions between movements are smoother and the builds actually have payoff. Atmosphere is finally achieved. The female vocals are extremely well executed and fit right in, they serve as a highlight of the entire album, followed by the best passage Necandi Homines offers on the album. Had this track alone been perhaps released as an EP, the band would have left a much stronger impression, but it’s almost too late at this point. 3/10 By d00mfr0gg

Band
Facebook

Youtube

Label
Facebook
Bandcamp


27 September 2017

Pulvis Et Umbra "Atmosfear"

Band: Pulvis Et Umbra
Title: "Atmosfear"
Label: Independent

Date: February 7th, 2017
Country: Italy


To start a small moment of culture, Pulvis Et Umbra means "Dust And Shadow". I received this promo directly from the band. Thank you in advance for your confidence in the work of Blessed Altar Zine. What do we have here? A band from Italy and with only one member, a band that sails through Death Metal and while they are within this style, I like it. But ... Damn, did there really have to be a "but"? The "but" is that they also navigate within Metalcore. Sorry for that (the band) but this style does not fit in my ears very well. So I'll try to be as fair as I can. The Death Metal part of this band is very audible and I would even say, good listening. Songs like "The Soul Collectress", "Crows Below To Her", "Virus" (The beginning made me remember the extinct and very good North American band "DEATH") (R.I.P.) among others, but here it comes ... again the "but" ... The band when it mixes the groove and the balance of metalcore, something that is typical in this musical style, in my opinion it looks it is lost, and this mixture of sounds, are not for me. The voice throughout the album is more shouted than sung and there is almost nothing related to the "Death Metal" kind of voice, with a lot of pity for me, very sincerely, because in my opinion I think it would give a lot more "weight" to the songs. Another thing I have to point to is the programmed drums, it is well programmed but it sounds like "plastic". If I'm going to advise this to Death Metal lovers, I can, but I'll also tell them that it's not just Death Metal that they're going to listen, because it has mixed metalcore. If I advise this band to more liberal listeners and listeners without problems with the mixture of sounds and "modernizations"? Yes, and I say to listen because the band shows a lot of quality... 6/10 By Me, Myself & I

Listen here 

Contacts

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Youtube
Bigcartel
Email