Novembre - Materia
86%
Joining the ranks of likeminded bands such as Opeth, Anathema, Daylight Dies and Katatonia is now Italy's best band you probably never heard: Novembre. Well actually maybe you do, because Novembre have released a few albums the past years. I was only familiar with their 1999 effort Classica, which was a moody album mixing black metal, Paradise Lost (gothic era) alike goth-death and more progressive Opeth-ish elements.
This new record, Materia, shows a much more toned down (if you like) side of Novembre but still manages to encapsulate and enthrall.
This new record, Materia, shows a much more toned down (if you like) side of Novembre but still manages to encapsulate and enthrall.
Why toned down? Well first of all the black death rasp is all but disappeared, and is very sparsely used. The singing voice is now the main vocal expression and it's actually really great. Having the same feeling for melancholic melodies like say Mickael Ackerfeld or Jonas Renkse, there are some great melodies present here.
Musicwise it's just the same. Almost all elements of the past have disappeared and what's left is an emotional mix of Opeth's non death-metal parts and Katatonia like melancholic rock. And (also) very good I may add.
Oh, and let's not forget the parts sung in Italian, which adds a lot of mediterranean flavour comparable to what a band like Moonspell has. It's not exactly Fernando Rebeira's sonore musings, but the effect is quite comparable. You may wonder right now why I pick Opeth and Daylight Dies as comparisons when the 'harsher' styllistic elements of those bands aren't really present on Materia, but it's the quality of the material that I'm referring to. This band has the potential to become as big and respected as their peers are now, and they sure deserve it after all these years.
Purists may find the lack of real metal elements from the past a minus, but I'm not
complaining if you get quality material like this in return. Oh, and give it a few spins because it really grows on you. Fans of afore mentioned bands, check this out. You'll probably not regret it.
Musicwise it's just the same. Almost all elements of the past have disappeared and what's left is an emotional mix of Opeth's non death-metal parts and Katatonia like melancholic rock. And (also) very good I may add.
Oh, and let's not forget the parts sung in Italian, which adds a lot of mediterranean flavour comparable to what a band like Moonspell has. It's not exactly Fernando Rebeira's sonore musings, but the effect is quite comparable. You may wonder right now why I pick Opeth and Daylight Dies as comparisons when the 'harsher' styllistic elements of those bands aren't really present on Materia, but it's the quality of the material that I'm referring to. This band has the potential to become as big and respected as their peers are now, and they sure deserve it after all these years.
Purists may find the lack of real metal elements from the past a minus, but I'm not
complaining if you get quality material like this in return. Oh, and give it a few spins because it really grows on you. Fans of afore mentioned bands, check this out. You'll probably not regret it.
