Tuesday, February 10, 2015

CD review: STERBENZEIT L'Oltrenotte by Frank Garcia

STERBENZEIT
L'Oltrenotte
Sterbenzeit is a three piece black metal project based in Italy. Members are: Necromorg - guitars and vocals, Mistyr - drums Marfik - bass. Their current album L'Oltrenotte was released in 2013 under Immortal Frost Productions. The project started out as a solo experiment in 2006 and turned into a full band in 2009. Consisting of seven tracks and full color six panel booklet, it is a well-crafted piece of work. In terms of production, the first songs are crude in presentation but slowly progress as you listen to the album. Mid-distortion guitar tones and low mid-tone bass. Drums could be more upfront. All together it makes for a decent recording. The atmosphere contained in the album is dark and intense. All the lyrics are in Italian so I’m not sure exactly what is being said. Going on the music content, some of the more standout songs are Sorgiva with some memorable phrases. The intro for Nel Tramonto Discese Lo Sguardo is one of my favorites from this album. Deep and sorrowful, it reminds me of old Nortt or Nocturnal Depression. The bass lines in the song Teagonia are well thought out and are worth spinning several times. In conclusion, the album is worth exploring and shows they can play both fast, melodic at times and create an atmosphere of despair for most listeners. Be sure to also check the other two releases they have (Three Ways To Live In Pain released in 2009 and Werdet Leiden in 2010) to get a good perspective of their evolution. -Frank Garcia