R E V I E W
Maskerie Filia Diaboli
Genre: Black Metal
Label: Satanath Records / Underworld Echoes Records
Country: Italy
Line Up:
Doc - vocals
SúrNamtar - guitars / bass / backing vocals
Summum Algor - drums
Dario "l'Omega il Rakshasa" Checchi
A new, belligerent, and brutal band in Italian extreme metal shines its light on the Turin Black Metal firmament: Masca (a Piedmontese dialect term meaning "witch," emphasizing profound mysticism).
The lineup is golden: on vocals, we find the excellent Doc (among the many prominent bands he's played with, we remember the bloody Daemusinem); on drums, a well-known yet mysterious figure, Summum Algor, an artist who boasts numerous collaborative works, side projects, and the evergreen Adversam as his primary creation; finally, SúrNamtar, completing the trio, handles bass and composes the excellent guitars (among his bands and collaborations, we remember the talented Hour of Penance and Putridity).
The premise is all there, but let's delve deeper into the product. There seems to be a fascinating concept surrounding this project, evident in both the artwork and the look. The three members appear with their faces covered: a familiar choice, of course, but one that resonates differently here, very differently.
The music is confident and extremely inspired Black/Death Metal. You can hear hints of Belphegor, but in a more elegant form, with the sounds calibrated to let you enjoy every single riff and every hammer blow. In some brief passages, I even recall Arkhon Infaustus.
The opening track, "Blood of Sacrifice," makes things clear right away: it gets straight to the point, without doubt and with clear ideas about the emotions to convey. Along the same lines, but even more oppressive, is the second track, "The Perseverance of Sacrilege," characterized by a very occult ending made up of evocative chants. These introduce the third piece, "Filia Diaboli," which is more focused and marked by notable slowdowns charged with pathos.
The fourth track, "Black Wing," opens with a breather, leaning more toward pure Black Metal, before reinforcing its Death Metal tone. One of the most convincing tracks, with its balanced elements, is "Let Our Devils Flow Where Purity Failed," one of the best tracks along with the closing "Roots of Bones." The latter features rhythmic drumming that pays homage to the purest Black Metal of the old school, with a pace that can't help but move the minds of those who live for this music and feel it on and under their skin.
What can we say: an album that is a mortal sin not to listen to. A new reality that we all hope will continue to produce more shards of obsidian, sharp and shining.
Dario "l'Omega il Rakshasa" Checchi
