Catacomb
Unreal

There is nothing more unsettling than a dark night, without stars, and you alone, helpless, in front of your deepest nightmares, accompanied by thoughts and fears that disturb your soul and feed on you from within.

Diving deep into the November discography, I happened upon a 1991 demo titled "Unreal," which could be the musical embodiment of all those nightmares that more or less haunt every one of us: this "Unreal" still appears under the moniker Catacomb, which, as previously mentioned in the review of "The Return Of The Ark," was the name adopted by the Orlando brothers in the era before 1993.

Composed of seven tracks, this demo is perhaps the last record by the Catania brothers to be firmly anchored in death metal, and while there are some solutions reminiscent of gothic metal or progressive, do not be misled; what you will find in these tracks is a violent march, a frontal assault of unheard-of savagery.
From the melancholic intro "Intro/Tearing", through "Foreseen Epitaph" and reaching "Chrysantemus", up to the final trio composed of "Insect", "Cemetery Of The Leaving Ones", and "Outro/Ruins", the 19 minutes never manage to convey a moment of hope, it feels like falling into a completely black world, where only death, fear, and nothing else reign.
The riffs are real boulders, repeated several times, the rhythm section is furious, extremely fast, precise, never missing a beat, and on the music lies Carmelo’s impetuous voice, a desperate growl that leaves no room for thoughts of serenity.

Nothing inside this brief demo should bring to mind what Novembre is today; here only the most tormented aspect of the human figure is reported, which can be inferred not only from the music but also from the lyrics focused on the theme of death, with numerous references to cemeteries, dedications to the dead, chrysanthemums; perhaps all of this may not be relatable, I am the first to acknowledge it, yet in front of a work so naive yet so damn fascinating, I think one can close an eye and let oneself be carried away for once in this long winter journey.

I would like to say just two words about the cover, which alone could briefly describe what you will encounter in the album: it is a black-and-white representation of the famous "The Nightmare" by the Spanish painter Francisco Goya, a work as fascinating as it is grim, which in its own way contributes to making this work even more delightful.