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Nero Di Marte - Derivae review




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Reviewer:
8.5

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Band: Nero Di Marte
Album: Derivae
Release date: October 2014


01. L'Eclisse
02. Clouded Allure
03. Pulsar
04. Dite
05. Simulacra
06. Il Diluvio
07. Those Who Leave

Sometimes it's difficult to discern what is truly progressive in metal. This is providing we all have preconceived notions of what it means for artists to push at the identifiable territorial boundaries of music that are more familiar to us, and facilitate sounds external to generic confines. The prospect of a band finding themselves located somewhere between Gojira, Tool and Ulcerate is something I could never have anticipated. Yet Nero Di Marte leave listeners in anticipation with each careful note, echoing technicalities throughout primordially death metal perpetuating atmosphere and flowing forms of sound hitherto uncharted. Exploration persists in Derivae.

There are few structural boundaries, and little to no restriction is placed upon the expanse navigated here. I am vaguely reminded of Virus' avant-garde pursuit of hell knows what, and in soundscapes hell knows where. A similar sense of a persistent compositional traverse centred on an evident and coherently applied stylistic locus is established in this well structured record defined by its consistent movement and progression. Not a great deal should be read into a comparison of styles between Virus and this Italian group, as they ultimately sound quite disparate overall, though both of them do manage a comparable construct in a record; that is to experiment in album contexts with distinct atmospheric homogeneity.

As is demonstrated in Derivae, such an aim is characterised by purposeful meandering through continually form shifting tones and technical chords with a climactic vision that can be identified as progressive metal's equivalent to post-metal, which grant an atmospheric ascendancy and structural fluidity to the album's seven lengthy tracks. Their basis and point of origin in death metal continues to be influential in this second record, which is quickly successive to their self titled debut in 2013, though their beginnings in death metal seem increasingly distant, and are a distortedly remote mark on the elemental horizon left far behind. What they've now entered into is a progression of style in every way.

Often will the bass be found grinding and churning away within the mix, occupying gritty lines in a space beneath the densely presented guitars and immersive atmospheric miasma which successfully transpose listeners to alternate planes, to places where laws of generics no longer seem relevant or applicable. Ongoing throughout the experience are accessible points of melody that gradually take shape within the mass of sound, within which the slowly yet technically delivered and death metal influenced guitar tone carves out the way forward in a manner similar in purpose to post-metal, with denser heavy segments pressing through the strong control over atmospherics, as well as higher end guitar lines. Percussion ensures the path remains direct yet it's consistently at work as the busiest of instruments in introducing an untamed nature to the primary basis in technically replicated guitar patterns. The vocal performance is less of an extreme approach and less aggressive than the likes of Gojira, and are more readily associated with the alternative metal leanings of the record as a whole with their primarily clean delivery, bearing a mildly harsher edge.

This album finds an unusual and original climate in which to engage listeners who are appreciative of both a more extreme variant of progressive metal and the atmospheric aims of post-metal. Derivae's most clearly distinguishing feature is its demonstration of Nero Di Marte's clear sense of individual ingenuity.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 9
Production: 9





Written on 23.10.2014 by R'Vannith enjoys music, he's hoping you do too.


Comments

Comments: 12   Visited by: 200 users
23.10.2014 - 18:53
Rating: 9
musclassia

The self-titled album from these guys last year was one of 2013's finest releases in my opinion. This review makes me very excited to get my hands on the followup, as it mentions most of the things I liked about that album, although I really dug the intensity of the vocals on the last one so I hope that remains even if they take a cleaner approach.
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23.10.2014 - 19:06
Rating: 9
mz

I really like their 2013 record but one single released from this new album didn't appease to me. Am checking their bandcamp right now.
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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23.10.2014 - 22:01
Rating: 8
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
R' - nice review. You got me intrigued...as far as to ask...Is this shit up my alley??
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rekt
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24.10.2014 - 00:43
theFIST

Written by tea[m]ster on 23.10.2014 at 22:01

R' - nice review. You got me intrigued...as far as to ask...Is this shit up my alley??

yes, someone shat up the alley
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http://metalstormmusicianscorner.bandcamp.com
Written by Warman on 07.11.2007 at 22:39
Haha, that's like saying "compose your own Metal album and upload it here, instead of writing a review of an album". :lol:
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24.10.2014 - 03:26
Darkside Momo
Retired
Finally got 'round listen to them, thanks to your review. Great stuff indeed. I love their soundscaping.
As said elsewhere, Ulcerate's calmer bro.
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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24.10.2014 - 03:30
Rating: 9
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Written by tea[m]ster on 23.10.2014 at 22:01

R' - nice review. You got me intrigued...as far as to ask...Is this shit up my alley??


I expect that it's a sound tailor made for you, it's quite atmospheric and expansive, though I'm not sure what you'll make of the technical aspect.
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24.10.2014 - 03:31
Rating: 9
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Written by Darkside Momo on 24.10.2014 at 03:26

Finally got 'round listen to them, thanks to your review. Great stuff indeed. I love their soundscaping.
As said elsewhere, Ulcerate's calmer bro.


Exactly so, Momo!
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25.10.2014 - 20:33
Rating: 6
Susan
Smeghead
I reviewed their album last year and it was a very nice surprise for me, having never heard the band before. It was so enjoyable to read this review and hear your perspective as someone who had also not heard the band before. Your adjectives indicate to me that I'll love this album just as much!!
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"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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25.10.2014 - 20:57
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Susan on 25.10.2014 at 20:33

I'll love this album just as much!!

I guess you will
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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29.10.2014 - 00:58
Rating: 7
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Sounds more like Ulcerate + Hacride to me, but I see where you're coming from. I think that I'd label this directionless as opposed to purposefully meandering. Makes for a rather anti-climatic listening from my perspective, at least when you focus on the music alone. Negatives aside, I prefer this style over that of the previous record. They focus more on the emotive - rather than the catchy and technical - aspects of their style.
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29.10.2014 - 02:46
Rating: 9
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Written by LeKiwi on 29.10.2014 at 00:58

Sounds more like Ulcerate + Hacride to me, but I see where you're coming from. I think that I'd label this directionless as opposed to purposefully meandering. Makes for a rather anti-climatic listening from my perspective, at least when you focus on the music alone. Negatives aside, I prefer this style over that of the previous record. They focus more on the emotive - rather than the catchy and technical - aspects of their style.


It's good to see that we're on the same page. A label of directionless would suggest to me that the record lacks direction. From my perspective, that's not a description I would apply, as it's clear to me that the band have a purposeful direction in where they want to take their sound on this album. It's decidedly meandering in delivery, which is their purpose and the direction they've taken with their music.
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29.10.2014 - 04:10
Rating: 7
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Written by R'Vannith on 29.10.2014 at 02:46

It's good to see that we're on the same page. A label of directionless would suggest to me that the record lacks direction. From my perspective, that's not a description I would apply, as it's clear to me that the band have a purposeful direction in where they want to take their sound on this album. It's decidedly meandering in delivery, which is their purpose and the direction they've taken with their music.

Stylistically, it's plain that they had a clear vision for this record. As a prog fanatic, I have no qualms with meandering music so long as there is a cadence to the intensity and vibe. I got the impression that the band approached the songwriting by drifting from one passage to the next without considering how each successive one might detract from or augment the expected climactic experience.
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