乐队列表 Folk black Blaze Of Sorrow L'Ultimo Respiro

Coming from Italy, Blaze of Sorrow had the chance to be picked up by Naturmacht Productions to re-release their debut LP this year while it had been self-released back in 2008 and probably did not get satisfactory coverage back then.

The Italian Black Metal scene is not a quiet one but has failed to forge its own sound. Unlike Swedish, Norwegian, Polish or French scenes which built on a distinct sound and characteristics, the Italian scene has grown up taking bits of this and that just about everywhere. There is indeed a strong NSBM presence in the Transalpine scene but nothing that stands on its own with many clones of Norway’s Mayhem or Sweden’s Dark Funeral plaguing the genre in general with unaccounted and limitless supplies of plastic Black Metal.

Blaze Of Sorrow is a one-man band project, certainly Naturmacht Productions’ specialty judging by the number of similar releases, lead on by Peter. L’Ultimo Respiro, ie The Last Breath, is a solid effort in the sense that if you indulge in the pleasures of folkish depressive (but not too much) Black Metal you'll end up appreciating the thing. Nonetheless, don't expect anything outstanding because we've heard this a few hundred times. So unless you're a big depressive BM addict and you always crave for more regardless of quality and originality, I'd strongly advise to keep away from this record.

On the other hand, if you do appreciate Burzum's music or any other Black Metal act that incorporates depression and this natural doom feeling, chances are you’ll be digging Blaze Of Sorrow. Expect muffled anguished vocals with buzzing guitars with a somehow raw production. Few accelerating parts will randomly appear making the record not so dull but do not expect Blaze Of Sorrow to be epically brutal or anything like that. It’s more about self-despise and hatred and I guess it’s fitting for such music.

Definitely a record with some qualities but then again, the myriad of other countless bands playing this kind of BM makes it a bit insignificant as nothing really stands out. Solid but expendable.