Ossuary, The: Oltretomba

I first became familiar with the Italian metal band The Ossuary upon reviewing their 2019 release Southern Funeral, an excellent example of doom/stoner metal. The band has since released their 2021 effort Oltretomba and the band has continued to perfect their doomy psych metal and hard rock sounds, with outstanding results.

This is retro flavoured rock/metal at its finest, expertly crafted and played with emotion and pizazz. The opening track “Ratking� is a ‘70s inspired hard rocker with a sweet keyboard intro and doom-laden riffs sprinkled with an Italian western vibe. As the song evolves the fuzz soaked guitar riffs and psychedelic vibes continue to unfold leading to an outstanding slow burning guitar solo. The mellow guitar intro in “Kyrie Eleison� is slightly ominous, before the riffs burst forth with a whole lot of fuzz and some excellent drum work. The verse is rather mellow, while the chorus is much heavier, as the band channels their inner Blue Oyster Cult. The riffs swirl in a psychedelic haze in the excellent “Serpent Magic�, showcasing some ambitious riff progressions and accentuating the band’s ‘slow burn’ approach. “Forever Into The Ground� is one of the disc’s catchiest tracks while “Orbits� is a slower piece with laid back vocals and guitar, transporting you to another place and time.

The Ossuary have really outdone themselves with Oltretomba, combining superb musicianship, great melodies and a riveting mixture of the past with the present, creating a heady and intoxicating listening experience. Very much recommended.

A Supreme Chaos Records release.

The band:
Stefano Fiore (vocals)
Dario De Falco (bass)
Domenico Mele (guitars)
Max Marzocca (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Ratking (5:29)
2. Kyrie Eleison (5:26)
3. Serpent Magic (4:48)
4. Forever Into The Ground (4:54)
5. Orbits (8:29)
6. Crucifer (7:37)
7. Mourning Star (4:36)
8. Devils In The Night Sky (4:54)
9. Oltretomba (8:05)

Added: July 14th 2022
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 531
Language: english

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