ALBUM REVIEW: Immoto – Nero Di Marte
Much in the same way that a fire needs oxygen, heat and fuel to burn, there are three key factors that enable music to truly flourish. When raw talent, creativity and emotion combine they make for truly outstanding output; music that reaches in and grabs hold of our innermost psyche, jumping beyond simply being a listening exercise and becoming a transcending experience. This is exactly the outcome of Immoto, the latest offering from NERO DI MARTE, a billowing dreadnought looming perilously close to unleashing a barrage of oppressive metal.
It isn’t beautiful in it’s execution, instead it presents itself as a brooding, thought provoking opus. The Italian outfit sprung into life back in 2012, quickly releasing a self-titled album before unveiling their sophomore Derivae in 2014. This mammoth of a release brushed off the boundaries of post metal, bursting through with hints of death metal and prog to provide fifty-seven minutes of deep-set catharsis. And on first impression, Immoto looks set to follow suit. If anything it is served with even murkier definition, pushing further into experimental territory and spreading sonic darkness like an epidemic.
It begins with the ethereal quiet of Sisyphos, conjuring dark neo-classical tones before metallic vocals gather pace and lead us like siren cry towards perilous and crushing weight. Once the track gathers pace, it grips and threatens to not let go. Guitars begin to slam punctuated by the thud of drums, and things quickly become calamitous and noisy. As destructive as it may seem, NERO DI MARTE calculate every inch with mathematical precision, and unravelling the sheer intricacy of the track feels like a gargantuan task.
We remain stuck in this brash tailspin until around the nine-minute mark, where this album opener finally drops into an almost post-rock lull, allowing us to regain our senses before we are unwittingly launched back into chaos at the hands of L’Arca. At first it could be a TOOL track, with a psychedelic intro bordering on tribal, then things begin to transform and grow. A satisfying double kick cuts through the mix, while guitars slash sporadically and precise bass work adds a layer of groove that fills the track with life. The title track Immoto sits at thirteen minutes in length, and continues the constantly morphing landscape that this band map out so well.
Playing out in much more of a post-metal elegance than some of the brazen heaviness we’ve heard thus far, this passage paints moody imagery for the majority of its runtime, before culminating in a death metal crescendo that abruptly stops just in time for Semicerchi to take over with ethereal finesse. The tone here is almost haunting, as ghostly noise drifts behind increasingly technical drumming and a swathe of distorted guitar. It feels like being dragged downwards through water; horrifying yet inexplicably beautiful, and then as we reach the bottom we slam into La Casa del Diavolo and Irradia, which combine to create another twenty-two minute monster that rips up the rule book and oozes unpredictability. It’s hard to tell which is heavier; the near silence, or the tantalising blast beats, as NERO DI MARTE execute both with equally impeccable acumen.
Finally the album concludes with La Fuga, a slightly shorter burst of energy yet one that is still chock full of idea and rugged sentiment. An album of this magnitude needs a stunning finale, and La Fuga offers just that. Building steam throughout, it explodes with violent zeal as NERO DI MARTE unleash everything they have in an apparent final attempt to knock off our heads. And honestly, as it reaches it’s finale in emphatic style, it might well do just that.
In creating Immoto, NERO DI MARTE haven’t only challenged our perception of what progressive metal can be, they’ve written something that will resonate with its listeners for quite some time to come. It is the mark of a band channelling every fibre of their consciousness into their art, and that allows us to feel truly involved and connected. Immoto is the darkest part of all of us, and for that, it stands nothing short of exquisite.
Rating: 10/10
Immoto is set for release on January 24th via Season of Mist.
Like NERO DI MARTE on Facebook.