Tag Archives: stefano nuccetelli

Album Review – Notturno / Our (2024)

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The newest chapter in the story of this Italy-based Atmospheric/Depressive Black Metal entity continues the exploration of the human psyche and our obsessive compulsions.

One year to the date of their last album, titled Inside, and two years after their debut opus Obsessions, the newest chapter in the story of Italy-based Atmospheric/Depressive Black Metal entity Notturno has just seen the light of day once again in the form of their new album Our, continuing the exploration of the human psyche and our obsessive compulsions. Recorded at BVNKER Studio, with vocals recorded at HK Studios and drums recorded by Stefano Nuccetelli at Music Up Studio, mixed and mastered by Stefan Traunmüller at Soundtempel Studio, and displaying a captivating atwork by Sky Studach, with photos by Riccardo Ziosi and featuring model Giulia Simonelli, the new album by vocalist Kjiel and multi-instrumentalist Vittorio Sabelli, alongside session drummer Aeternus (aka Sven Vinat), is rooted in Atmospheric and Depressive Black Metal with classical instruments incorporated into the compositions, only adding to the rich sonic tapestry, though perhaps never as seamlessly as on this latest album.

And it’s classic Notturno in the intro Adagio, with the dark, deep sounds of the clarinet by Vittorio generating a truly menacing ambience perfect for the band to crush our souls in Inside, where the delicate but piercing instrumental pieces are exactly what Kjiel needs to shine on vocals, overflowing melancholy and flowing majestically until the very last second, therefore connecting in a beautiful way with Anymore, which starts in a serene manner to the acoustic guitars by Vittorio, alternating between utterly introspective moments to the gentle vocals by Kjiel and sheer heaviness and obscurity with harsher riffs and roars, resulting in a multi-layered aria of Depressive Black Metal. Then all explodes into the heavy-as-hell, Black Metal-infused Paranoia, with Vittorio and Aeternus demolishing our damned souls with an infuriated eight-minute wall of sounds full of classic riffs, beats and fills, with its calm interlude bringing peace to our rotten souls before all hell breaks loose again to the devilish vociferations by Kjiel; and lastly, it’s time for Vittorio to reach deep inside our hearts with his piano in the closing tune Doors, with Kjiel darkly declaiming the song’s lyrics, before morphing into a stylish Depressive and Atmospheric Black Metal onrush and ending in a gentle, somber way.

Such an amazing Italian duo of darkness is waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with more of their music, news, tour dates and so on, and don’t forget to also stream their eerie creations on Spotify and, above all that, to purchase Our from the Hypnotic Dirge Records’ BandCamp or webstore, adding an extra touch of obscurity to your collection. Kjiel and Vittorio more than just complete each other in a “Beauty and the Beast” style, specially because Kjiel is also a beast; they actually represent one single entity which purpose is to bring darkness and melancholy to our hearts, with Our being the perfect follow-up to Obsessions and Inside, continuing to pave the duo’s beautiful path to a land where there’s no hope, nor light.

Best moments of the album: Anymore and Paranoia.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Hypnotic Dirge Records

Track listing
1. Adagio 3:53
2. Inside 7:39
3. Anymore 10:14
4. Paranoia 8:08
5. Doors 8:15

Band members
Kjiel – vocals
Vittorio Sabelli – guitars, bass, clarinet, bass clarinet, piano, keys

Guest musician
Aeternus – drums

Album Review – The Tomb / The Valley of Despair (2024)

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Enjoy 29 minutes of pure, unfiltered Death Metal crafted with tons of hatred, energy and passion for old school extreme music by a very talented duo from Italy.

An old school Death Metal project created by vocalist Alessandro Nunziati (Sepolcrum, Theatres des Vampires, Lord Vampyr, Malamorte, Cain) and guitarist Alessio Bucci (Spectroscopy, Fecal Impaction, Gravestone) in 2022 in Rome, Italy, the ruthless The Tomb will kick you in the head to the sound of their debut full-length album, titled The Valley of Despair. Recorded, mixed and mastered by SK (aka Stefano Nuccetelli, who’s also responsible for bass and drum programming in the album) at Music Up Studio, produced by SK and the band itself, and displaying a blood drenched artwork Julian Felipe Mora Ibañez, The Valley of Despair will certainly please fans of bands the likes of Massacre, Cancer, Carcass, Death and Pestilence, among others, exhaling classic Death Metal during its 29 intense minutes.

Alessio ignites the band’s Death Metal attack with his sick riffs in The Gates of Suffering, sounding perfect for some brutal slamming into the pit while the music is at the same time very melodic and violent; followed by Horror Painted in Your Eyes, another blast of venomous riffs by Alessio while Alessandro delivers his trademark raspy roars. Moreover, the programmed drums by SK sound very organic, therefore adding an extra kick to the music, reminding me of the Beneath the Remains album sound by Sepultura. Then we’re treated to two and a half minutes of sheer aggression and wicked guitar solos by the duo in In the Twilight, supported by the rumbling bass by SK, being therefore recommended for admirers of 90’s Death Metal, whereas Entranced by the Smell of Death is another solid creation by The Tomb, with the guttural by Alessandro sounding even closer to old school Max Cavalera. And The Rise of the Ancestral Forces might not be as powerful as its predecessors, but it is still a good Death Metal tune by The Tomb.

Then a sinister, horror movie-inspired start explodes into an overdose of savagery titled Buried Alive, with Alessio once again delivering infernal riffs perfect for Alessandro to growl manically, whereas investing in a more ferocious sonority, the heavy-as-hell The House of Thousand Screams will hammer your head while the band makes sure there’s a lot of groove added to their sound, courtesy of SK’s infuriated bass, plus of course Alessio’s soulful guitar solos. The second to last deadly attack by The Tomb comes in the form of Delirium, showcasing Alessio’s usual riffs and solos and the menacing roars by Alessandro; and last but not least, the duo will crush our souls with the title-track The Valley of Despair, delivering one final round of savagery, heaviness and deep roars to close the album in great fashion.

You can enjoy Valley of Despair in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, follow The Tomb on Facebook for more details about one of the heaviest duos hailing form Italy, and above all that, grab a copy of their wicked album from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp page or from the Despise The Sun Records’ BandCamp page, keeping the fires of Italian Death Metal burning while you enjoy an album of pure aggression and savagery that will surely inspire you to break your neck headbanging like a true metalmaniac.

Best moments of the album: Horror Painted in Your Eyes, Entranced by the Smell of Death and The House of Thousand Screams.

Worst moments of the album: The Rise of the Ancestral Forces.

Released in 2024 Great Dane Records/Despise The Sun Records

Track listing
1. The Gates of Suffering 3:50
2. Horror Painted in Your Eyes 2:38
3. In the Twilight 2:46
4. Entranced by the Smell of Death 3:18
5. The Rise of the Ancestral Forces 3:18
6. Buried Alive 3:51
7. The House of Thousand Screams 3:02
8. Delirium 3:12
9. The Valley of Despair 3:15

Band members
Alessandro Nunziati – vocals
Alessio Bucci – guitars

Guest musician
SK – bass, drum programming