Originally formed in 1999, the still features guitarist Giulio Moschini who joined in time for their second album, 2004’s ‘Pageantry of Martyrs’, while Paolo Pieri (vocals & guitars) joined in 2010 and bassist Marco Mastrobuono (bass) in 2013, and they have now been joined by new drummer Giacomo Torti. They may not have any original members left, but Giulio has been there twenty years, and two others have been involved for more than a decade, so it is no surprise whatsoever that here on their ninth studio album, Hour Of Penance know exactly what they are about and what they want to achieve.
One can tell what a band are like by the company they keep, and these guys have toured the world with the likes of Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Devildriver, Deicide, Nile and Behemoth, so it is no surprise that technical death metal is the order of the day, delivered with crunch and finesse. It is quick, it is heavy, and all the threads combine to hit one solidly over the head, yet there is a finesse in what they are doing. This is complicated and complex music, yet the guys understand the need for light and shade, so we get micro breaks in the attack and changes in tempo. This means the ears get reset and everything come back more brutally in the next wave. Somehow, there is even something of a symphonic nature in what they are delivering, but without ever losing any of the passion and power in what comes out of the speakers. For anyone who enjoys their death metal to be technical and uncompromising then this is to be sought out. 8/10
Kev Rowland
