ALBUM REVIEW: Ombra – The Moor

THE MOOR have taken a leap with their third album Ombra. This leap by the Italian metal outfit doesn’t shift away from their core sound – which has always featured elements of melodic death metal with a progressive leaning – but it is a leap in their aspirations. We are fortunate to be in an era where there is a massive amount of high quality, intricate progressive metal releases on a semi-regular basis, and it’s easy to get bogged down with expectations because of this. THE MOOR use Ombra to turn those expectations on their head, leading the listener through twists and turns – in a creative sense and an emotional one.

Opener Il Tema dell’Ombra is a bold instrumental introduction to the record that almost feels out of place. This massive symphonic opener conjures swelling synths, horns and timpani to create something fitting of a science-fiction soundtrack. What THE MOOR achieve with this is a feeling of scale – of elaborate sounds and general intrigue. Thankfully, the transition into the first single for the album, The Overlord Disease, is proof that they haven’t bitten off more than they can chew with this grandiose opening. This track is a brilliant vertical slice of what this album achieves so well – it’s dark and honest, exploring pain and resilience through their contrasting vocal styles.

It’s easy to listen to Ombra and be reminded of the many great Scandinavian melodic death metal bands. While THE MOOR have always incorporated this inspiration into their sound, the melodeath elements are dialled up and honed brilliantly on this release by the legendary producer Fredrik Nordström, who helps the band achieve the richness of Ombra. This is particularly apparent in the chorus of Illuminant, where the combination of the guitar and vocal work during the melodic sections draws from bands like AMORPHIS.

The brilliantly heavy and multi-layered title track Ombra is perhaps the finest moment of the album. Sang in their native language, it’s a song that evolves over the course of its six-minute runtime, expertly weaving through poetically melodic chorus sections that build in size throughout thanks to the brilliantly staggered rhythm and percussion sections before reaching an orchestral finish that nails the landing.

Some bands peak early with full-length releases and struggle to maintain the magic throughout, but thankfully this is far from the case with Ombra. Lifetime Damage’s stompy verse pushes into a melodic chorus and towards its dreamlike climax, handily leading directly into the sweeping synths of Withered. Passage brings back in the more progressive metal elements with a crushing opening that slows to a halt before an atmospheric acoustic section lifts the tension. A concord of black metal drumming, progressive guitar work, and piercing vocals closes out Thirst, and the album, on a high note.

Ombra carries THE MOOR firmly into a higher echelon with its technical precision and scope of ambition. The cinematic tone they attempt on this record could easily have been a fumble if handled incorrectly, but the intrigue they generate with their opening instrumental pays off thanks to solid writing and execution throughout. With Ombra, THE MOOR have produced a brilliant melodic death metal record that widely avoids a dip in quality from start to finish.

Rating: 9/10

Ombra is set for release on March 15th via Inertial Music.

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