Label: Masked Dead Records
Genre: Atmospheric Black/Doom Metal
Length: 38:03
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Marea is an Italian one-man band led by Matteo Balzarini, whose debut release The Silence of Rust marks his entrance into the metal scene. This six-track album, released in 2024 via Masked Dead Records, blends atmospheric black metal with doom, offering an immersive and melancholic experience that will captivate fans of the genre.
It's loud right from the first seconds, which says a lot about this being a form of doom metal. There are most certainly elements of melody right from the start, screams of high-pitched, cutting vocals representative of black metal. Then again, it would not be doom without tempo drops; there are some real serene moments, such as in the opening track Riptide Tune. There is a momentary lull in the middle of the album, with an instrumental entitled Chiaroscuro. Melancholic tones are a main point throughout, especially on Rain Colours, where it gets really intense, combining a heavier and instrumental approach.
One of the standout tracks within this album is Siereal, it contains a very dynamic tempo-almost seamlessly going from heavy and plodding to fast, sharp riffs and blast beats. Midway through the song, it just blows up into an instrumental explosion, accented by very insane screaming vocals. My favorite piece is Irreversible, in which the vocals, accompanied by a heavy melody, create an emotional atmosphere that just ends up in intensive drums performance. The Silence of Rust the longest track on the album, starting off loud in rhythm that builds up throughout the minutes, then suddenly changing to a more aggressive tempo as soon as the vocals kick in. It goes back to tranquil sections where the clean vocals are amplified by whispers and shifts throughout to the end.
To Remember :
- Striking contrasts between slow, heavy sections and faster, more intense moments.
- Shifting between raw and melody, the album delivers an intense, emotionally charged sonic journey.
- A must-have for fans of Woods of Desolation.