AmethistA
Realitale

The Amethista, a band from Turin making their debut, introduce themselves to the metal scene with "Realitale", an album containing seven black gems of symphonic black metal with strongly gothic features. The sound is oriented towards the early Cradle Of Filth and the early Theatre Of Tragedy and Tristania. The true distinguishing feature of the group is the voice of the singer Aeretica, capable of alternating clean and lyrical vocals with fierce growl and scream vocals (and in many parts, one gets the impression that a man is singing).

The work, despite being a debut, is excellent, the production is not perfect but more than good to support the macabre melodies the group is the harbinger of. It does not tire at all, in fact, it excites listen after listen. Additionally, the splendid esoteric-mythological-themed lyrics are worth highlighting, exclusively crafted by the singer. As mentioned, the sound is black metal rich with keyboards characterized by gothic breaks, spoken parts, and sonic extremes. The first track "The Whim Of Rha", concentrates all the elements of the band's sound in 10 minutes, enriching it with Egyptian-style melodies and a solemn yet sacrilegious atmosphere. With the following "Invisible Queen", we enter a crypt where hooded figures murmur sinister invocations. The chorus is incredibly catchy, alternating between sharp screams and operatic vocals. "The Vice" stands out for some power metal inserts reminiscent of Nightwish. "The Beast Within", on the other hand, is a sort of semi-ballad in which the sweeter part of the sound prevails, with Aeretica excelling in expressiveness even with a cleaner style. The song flows into "My Moment Is Eternity", a brief keyboard interlude over which Ae. recites a sort of monologue (in this regard, I would advise improving the English pronunciation). "Soul's Vibrations" is the track I prefer, taking you into a macabre vortex where reality and unreality merge, leading the listener to a mystical ecstasy or madness. The beautiful "Light In The Abyss" concludes, chameleonic in its progression, the ideal summary of all aspects of the sound, ending with a melancholic organ.

Highly recommended for those seeking morbidly dark yet compelling atmospheres. The sole drawback is a very sparse artwork (not even a proper booklet but a sort of poster). Nevertheless, an excellent work.