Review 018: Lost Ape of Killa - Lost Ape of Killa

Country of origin: Italy

Genre: Nu/Alternative Metal

Year: 2011

Label: Self-Released

These are the things who make me proud to be Italian! Today I'm reviewing a really great ep  from an Italian band: I'm talking about Lost Ape of Killa, a split-up Italian Nu metal band from Sicily in and their first cd titled like the band's name “Lost Ape of Killa”. It is composed by 7 tracks.

The opener track is “We still got a voice to scream”. This song is my favourite one of the whole ep. It says that in spite of everything, we aren't resigned  and we still have a voice to scream and strenght to fight.

“Lost Ape of Killa” continues with “Self-Forgiver”, a great song with political lyrics. It is a complaint of the contemporary political situation. I found this song's riff really awesome.

The third track is “Bloodsheed”, a song against the war.

The fourth song, “Toys”, is the most melodic track of the ep. It speaks about the child labour explotation.

“Insert coin” is an instrumental track that precedes “Distracted”. This song's lyrics are against the system and anyone who follows its orders without asking himself the reason of his behaviour.

“Unmasked secrets” closes this really well done ep.

I really liked this CD and i think this is one of the best Nu metal works i've ever listened to. I hope  Lost ape of Killa can return together  have all the success they deserve.

Rating: 79/100

Review 015: Banned From Hell - Nightmare

Genre: Melodic Death Metal

Country of Origin : Italy

Year: 2012

Label: Self realesed

Italian death metal scene presents different bands known all over the world like Fleshgod Apocalypse  or Cadaveric Crematorium, but it has a lot of unknown or emerging bands who are working hard and looking  for the success. This is our case today ‘cause I'm going to review Nightmare, the first ep from a young italian melodic death metal band form Florence Banned From Hell, released in 2012.

“Banned form Hell”'s style is a perfect mix between death metal's brutality, melodic keyboard and guitar riffs.

It begin with “Overture”,a short instrumental song who prepare us to the “symphonic  brutality” of the rest of the album, and particularly to the second track “Hate”. This song's lyrics are about violence, suffering and, obviously, hate.

The third track is “Killing in cold blood”. It is about a hitman and his jobs.

The EP continues with “Gunshot”. This track speaks of a man who discover a river full of death bodies in wartimes . Then, he will be taken by some soldiers to be killed. It is the most melodic song of the EP.

“Nightmare” is the fifth and last track. This has been my favourite track of the whole EP. I liked everything of this track: his guitar rif, his keyboard solo, his bass line.

This is a very good EP, but i didn't like very much the lyrics: i found them all the same (except for the last track). In addition, the use of English isn't perfect and there are some structural mistakes.

Vote:74/100

Review 012: Ergot - Empty Waters down the myst

Genre: Black metal/ Dark ambient

Country of origin: Italy

Year:2013

Label: Self-released

Have you ever listened to a black metal album? I'm sure you did it at list once before today. So, you should know that feeling who allow your mind to fly across the great Scandinavian woods of conifers.

Perfect, now, forget it, because this album will allow your mind not to fly but to sail the seven seas.

Ergot is an Italian one man black metal band from Trieste, Italy. His lyrics, contrary to the classic black metal bands, especially speak about the sea and the life connected to it.

His first ep, “Empty waters down the myst”, is composed by 5 tracks. It starts with an amazing dark ambient instrumental intro called “Wrecked away”. The second track is called “In love we trust”, but the lyrics contain all but love. This song is about a satanic rite violence and curses made by the protagonist of the track. This song presents classic black metal sounds with classic black metal lyrics, so we can describe this one like a classic black metal song.

The third track, “Veils” is a dark ambient instrumental song with an interesting electronic sound.

The fourth track is “Opening the gate of reality”. Sincerely this song has reminded me Amon Amarth's “Twilight of the Thunder God” under a lot of viewpoints, but it isn't a bad song.

The fifth track “Lost Wisdom”, well-done cover cover of Burzum, is a bonus track.

Just to wrap up this is a good black metal album, but nothing of really original or innovative.

Vote: 71/100