Band: In Tha Umbra

Title: Thus Open Thine Eerie Wings Like An Eagle And Soar The Winds Of Chaos (Ïa Kingv Xvl – Ei Kronos Titenes)

Label: Agonia Records

Distribution: Suburban - Bertus

Release date: 2008

Review: CD

The Portuguese formation In Tha Umbra is one of the most eccentric ones on the Polish Agonia-label. Since half of the nineties, this band guarantees a progressive mixture of Black and Death Metal, always interspersed with new and unusual elements. This time it is not different. For the recording of Thus Open Thine Eerie Wings …, the band entered the Zipmix Studio, which is known for several Pop and Rock releases, yet never before a Metal band came here, while the mix and mastering have been done by ex-Sirius and Head Control System-member Daniel Cardoso. For more than fifty minutes, Death and, especially, Black Metal gets combined with elements from Prog-Rock, classical (Heavy) Metal and Gothic Wave. One moment, the whole is blasting, harsh and fierce, another moment is floating and atmospheric, then again the whole sounds acoustic or almost psychedelic, yet never any technical fall-back is detectable. Also the lyrics, in English and Portuguese, are not that evident at all. This complex and yet very melodic album is so extreme yet never over-the-top, and it will reach a wide audience of, at least open-minded, fans of ‘next-level’-Black Metal. Semi-chaotic yet very well balanced! Oh yes, the album contains guest vocals by Mons Lvnae’s Celia Ramos.

84/100

Ivan Tibos.