Formed in 2020, these Turin based metallers drop their debut long player after a string of EP’s. “Fire Blades From The Tomb” finds the band delivering their own take on a doom meets black metal mix. Utilising two bass guitarists they aim for a deep, heavy sound overlaid with the ethereal vocals of Elena Camusso.

Opening with “Demone”, it has an urgent black metal riff. The vocals aren’t as strong as they should be perhaps which may be the mix. With a slight punk edge there’s a swing to soothing, atmospheric tones reminiscent of Primordial. They hit their stride solidly on “Covenant”. The almost groovy intro and chiming guitar over the smooth bass creates a macabre atmosphere and the vocals suit this. Completely hypnotic, this feels more like what the band is about. The mouthful that is “Red As The Sex Of She Who Lives In Death” is more restrained and has an old school doom slant. Gothic auras give it a sound a little like Cold In Berlin. The break back into a more black metal style is fully dramatic and leads nicely into the claustrophobic “La Razza” which incorporates psychedelic tinged soundscapes with a dense sound.

The album sways between moments of complete urgency to darker auras best displayed on “Nocturnal Veil” and the ominous ritualism of “Zero”. With most of the album being sung in Italian, the closing track “The Weeping Song”, (a cover of the Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds number) sung in English finishes with solid black metal stylings and a chorus which is a bit of an ear worm that’s quite irresistible.

“Fire Blades From The Tomb” is a solid outing. Clocking in at around 42 minutes, it’s direct and has enough sonic explorations to keep the listener engrossed. What is most obvious is the passion with which it is delivered. The dense tones and captivating vocals take enough from the classic sounds of the genres and give them a fresh, individualistic twist. Ponte Del Diavolo would seem to be a band to keep an eye on.

(7/10 Johnny Zed)

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https://pontedeldiavolo666.bandcamp.com/album/fire-blades-from-the-tomb