OvO: Cor Cordium

Weird, weird, weird. That is the recurring thought I had while listening to Cor Cordium the new album from the Italian metal band OvO. This has to be one of the strangest metal albums I have heard and that is probably not a good thing, at least in this case.

Consisting of only two musicians, Stefania Pedretti (vocals, guitar, bass) and Bruno Dorella (floor tom, snare, ride, synth), the band have released a number of albums starting with their debut entitled Assassine in 2001. As I have not heard the band before I cannot compare the new album to previous works.

I suppose the music on Cor Cordium could be classified as avant-garde metal for lack of a better term and to say this is strange stuff is an understatement. The vocals of Pedretti are the main culprit. Her guttural phrasings and bizarre vocalizations are just too off the wall but I imagine that is exactly what the band had in mind. Melody is almost completely absent and at times the music is too experimental for its own good like in the feedback drenched "Penumbra Y Caos".

Some of the angular guitar rhythms and drum patterns are interesting like in the slightly disturbing "Nosferatu" but for me it always comes back to, well, you know what. The same is true with the chaotic guitar and industrial beats in the album opener "Lungo Computo". The music shows the band's imaginative side and is pretty enjoyable but the screams and growls just don't cut it and that pretty much sums up the rest of the album. I should point out I am not opposed to growling vocals when they are done well.

I do give the band credit for sounding like nothing I have heard before but the atonality and lack of musicality, as well as the unbearable vocals do not do it for me. Those who are into avant-garde metal may want to listen to the samples before proceeding. For everyone else, do not say I didn't warn you.

Track Listing:
1. Lungo Computo
2. Nosferatu
3. Marie
4. Penumbra Y Caos
5. Orcus
6. Smelling Death Around
7. Catacombecatombe
8. La Bestia
9. The Owls Are Not What They Look Like
10. In Ogni Caso Nessun Rimorso

Added: March 28th 2011
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Label's Official Site
Hits: 2479
Language: english

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