The young Italian label Drown Within Records (young, because they were formed in Spring 2013) did send our headquarters the four releases they have on their roster (up till now - I think, and hope, their roster will grow proportionally), i.e. (in chronological order) Dementia Senex, Under The Ocean, Emrevoid and Sedna. All of them will be reviewed by undersigned, evidently, and I’ll start with the third one (don’t ask me why; it’s just an ad random decision), i.e. the EP Riverso by Cesena-based act Emrevoid.
Actually this band was formed out of the ashes of Thy Cold, and in 2011 they debuted with an untitled album which was independently released. Since then, the line-up changed a little, and after the departure of the original vocalist and bass player, Emrevoid recruited two famous guys, singer Gaetano Rizzo, known from e.g. Lambs and Noisefall, and bassist Riccardo Zappi, formerly of Dementia Senex (another act on Drown Within’s roster, as mentioned in the first paragraph). This new material, by the way, was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by M. Caggiano at the Soundscape Studio.
I cannot compare with the 2011-album for I haven’t heard that material (yet), but I am sure I will search for it after having experienced this stuff. Italy is known for quite an impressive Underground Death Metal scene with truly splendid acts (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour Of Penance etc.), and this act shamelessly joins that list of fabulous names to remember. This band’s Death Metal is extremely technically performed (cf. the comparisons I just mentioned), with a specific blackened edge and a certain avant-garde execution (not: progressive à la Progressive, if you can follow me…). With Riverso, Emrevoid perfectly knows how to combine a specific American-based Blast-Death tradition (once again I want to refer to the acts I mentioned before) with dissonant, semi-grinding, almost surgical precision, and still having an own, self-created sound / approach that trespasses the borders in between the European and (North) American scene. And yes, there is, thought be it very subtly influential, a modest hint of Grind-laden nastiness, which does lift the whole up to a level that transcends mediocrity and superficiality.
Personal note: I do not fully adore the first half of the recording, but the second half is truly interesting, I think. I hope to be able to enjoy a (new) full length soon, because I’m hopeful, naively, to experience more of this sonic nastiness. As for now, we’ll have to do with this EP, but believe me if I say that it does tease and please…