Band:	Ottone Pesante
Album:	Scrolls Of War
Style:	Avantgarde metal
Release date:	October 18, 2024
Guest review by:	Blackcrowe

01. Late Bronze Age Collapse
02. Sons Of Darkness Against Sons Of Shit
03. Men Kill, Children Die
04. Teruwah
05. Battle Of Qadesh
06. Slaughter Of The Slains
07. Seven

The Heavy Brass Battle.

When you are a little tired of listening to new bands that sound exactly the same and don't even make an effort to sound different, Ottone Pesante (Heavy Brass) is like an oasis in the middle of the desert.

Ottone Pesante is an Italian “brassmetal” trio, consisting of Francesco Bucci (trombone), Paolo Raineri (trumpet), and Beppe Mondini (drums). With their fourth album, Scrolls Of War, they continue to explore new sounds. With their distorted and creative sound, Ottone Pesante proves they are leaders in experimental extreme music.

Scrolls Of War is also the title of a track from their 2022 EP, ... And The Black Bells Rang. In this latest release, Ottone Pesante tells stories of conflict, destruction, and human suffering across seven tracks. Each song feels like a call to battle, capturing the raw energy of war while inviting moments of reflection.

Scrolls Of War features de luxe special guests like Travis Ryan of Cattle Decapitation, Sara Bianchini of Messa, and Shane Embury of Napalm Death.
The music in Scrolls Of War blends different styles, with the end result hard to classify: a mixture of jazz improv with the intensity of extreme metal. Their sound can be imagined as like a battle camp, where the desolation and blood mixes with the dust, with the trumpets of attack storms in the distance. For instance, “Late Bronze Age Collapse” starts with serious brass sounds that explode into wild drumming, representing the fall of civilizations.

“Battle Of Qadesh” stands out with its powerful rhythms and haunting trumpet sounds, striking a balance between chaos and order. The collaboration with Shane Embury and Lili Refrain adds layers of grindcore and experimental sounds.
The intense track “Sons Of Darkness Against Sons Of Shit” shifts between harsh sounds and unsettling quiet. In “Slaughter Of The Slains,” Ottone Pesante dives into dissonance, creating a feeling dark and ceremonial.

With this band, it is impossible not to think of one of my favorite art covers from Frank Zappa’s masterpiece, The Grand Wazoo.
This record sounds like nothing else, but it's worth the time to listen; I really spent a great time listening. It is weird and very different, but worth the time.