Oltretomba - The Death - Schieràti con la morte

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Italy

Year of Release: 2014
Label: Fistbang Records

Oltretomba arises from the shadowy depths of Italy's underground and reveals their first full-length to the world, released through Fistbang Records (Greece). The album in question consists of eleven tracks of stomping old-school Black/Death in the vein of the old masters.

After subduing you with an eerie intro, the band gets straight down to business with “Crash the Disincarnated,” opening with tribal-ish percussions and a brooding build-up riff before all madness breaks lose – and before you know it, you will find yourself completely submerged in morbid blackness. A very evident murky and occult-like feel manifests itself throughout this album, which reminds us of older Mortuary Drape, along with straight-up vicious guitar riffing reminiscent of earlier works from Morbid Angel and Necrodeath. Musically, Oltretomba keeps things fairly simple, with a few technical arrangements hither and thither. Without ever sounding too flashy, they deliver an abundance of crushing, yet intensely catchy riffs, some sharp enough to slice your brain in two. The vocalist has an excessively deep and coarse grunt, which brings to mind the vocals of Wildness Perversion. The drums are implemented with skill and creativity, shifting from mid-pace to more rapid speeds with ease. Oltretomba's style, I would say, is predominantly old-school Black Metal, although not without a good dose of Death and Thrash elements, which is prominently displayed throughout the album.

“The Death – Schieràti Con La Morte” is an excellent example of songs that are infectious and melodious, yet somehow still manage to be menacing as fuck. This is not retro metal. This is a celebration of metal’s roots – a portal to the realm of 80's Occult Metal. No keyboards; no sweet melodies; no flashy musicianship – just pure balls to the wall, skullfucking Metal of Death. Check them out if you enjoy bands such as Mortuary Drape, Bunker 66, Morbid Insulter and Blood Storm.

Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oltretomba-Retrogarde-Metal/131580933608924

Label contact:

fistbangrec@hotmail.com

Listen to Oltretomba:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKPZB9TxOeI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN89m-9-cFU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWeecXo2qAk&app=desktop

Written by James Goatfukk: mdisintegrator@gmail.com

DRUIDUS – “BESTIAL CRUST”

Genre: Black/Death

Country: Canada

Format of release: Tape

Label: Til You Fukkin Bleed 

Song titles:

1. Call Upon The Fire God

2. Eclipsing The Lighted Path of Christ

3. Exalting the Unholy Goat
4. Unholy Vengeance of War (Black Witchery Cover)

Druidus from Saskatchewan, Canada – produce an abstract and raging brand of chaotic black/death, which should appeal to the most diehard of devotees of the genre. The demo in question features four brutish compositions, including a killer cover of Black Witchery’s ‘Unholy Vengeance of War’ – which sounds fucking deranged to say the least, but with a depraved touch of its own. Druidus’ style is a little different compared to their contemporaries, in the sense that they incorporate some crust/­hardcore influences. This approach seems to work really well for them. The vocals are shared between two band members, and are ravaging and fierce, giving the music a powerful element. The atmosphere created is putrid and shrouded in pure fucking evil, with the instrumental side of the music being rather well implemented and carried out with conviction. From start to finish, this demo is pure pedal to the metal mayhem. This band is definitely recommended if you enjoy the brutal and abyssic resonance exhibited by bands such as Bestial Raids, Nuclear Desecration and Profanatica. I'll also include that there will be new material from the band on an upcoming split with Canadian warmongers, Goathammer, which sounds even more tumultuous than the material featured on this demo.    

Review by James Goatfukk: mdisintegrator@gmail.com

Label: http://tillyoufukkinbleed.blogspot.com/?m=1

Listen to Druidus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5kj0rzmaWQ&app=desktop