Ontborg – Following The Steps Of Damnation
Origin: Italy
Release: 24.02.2023
Label: Black Lion Records
Duration: 55:53
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
When I look at the metal landscape in South Tyrol, the melodic Schwarzheimers come to mind first Graveworm a. The melodic deathrs Unsecured from Trentino, I had no idea until now. When I read the line-up, I was surprised to find that with Florian Reinerguitarist, even has a direct connection with the Black Metallers.
The Debut Within the Depths of Oblivion was released in 2019 and got consistently good reviews and their style is the Swedish HM-2 death metal forefathers Dismember and At the Gates to assign. How much Swedish death lead is still in your latest work? I’ll just say so much, it swedel in mid-tempo mode!
Heavy metal times two
Steps of Damnation HERE opens the album with a first class melodic death metal banger. Personally, I’m missing a bit of pepper in the sound, but the number rolls neatly into the auditory canals. As with their predecessor, the northern Italians put their foot down on the HM-2 guitar pedal and rely on catchy melodies. With Echoes of Time the boys also swim in the stylistic fairway Dissection. The reef of Nightfall is similar to that of a well-known song by Theater of Tragedy called “Dance of the Shadows”, though it is Lukas Fladerer the vocally deeper opposite of Life Kristine.
Ballads and bombardment
I like the different variations of songwriting, in To the North the band fires the finest Death Doom out of the tubes and above all the basic melody with its sawing guitar sounds sticks. I caught myself humming them happily two or three times.
What the boys can really be proud of is the glorious ones I am the Night and the strong The Tower. Here we can easily speak of small Melodic Death Metal masterpieces. Here they show exactly the power and energy that I missed at the beginning of the album, which is needed for this kind of music.
I find the sound from Following the Steps of Damnation balanced and handy. A more powerful song design might have tickled the tracks even more. You’re welcome HERE even a picture.
Conclusion
Unsecured know how to convince me with their second work. Following the Steps of Damnation possesses a strong foundation of Melodic Death Metal songs in a Swedish guise. It’s more independent than its predecessor and is a little insider tip for everyone who wants to venture into the melodic style of Death Metal now. These references leave me generous 8,5 / 10 forgive.
Line Up
Lukas Flarer – vocals, guitar
Florian Reiner – guitar
Christoph Gufler – Bass
Christopher Flarer – drums
Tracklist
01. Steps Of Damnation
02. Purgatory
03. Echoes Of Time
04. Nightfall
05. To The North
06. Underneath
07. I Am The Night
08. Ending Path
09. Old Mother Frost
10. The Tower
Links
Facebook Ontborg
Instagram Ontborg
Bandcamp Unlocked
Also on Soundmagnet.eu
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