Natron
Bedtime For Mercy

The album I am about to review is, in my opinion, one of the best brutal death metal works produced by an Italian band. 'Bedtime For Mercy' (released in 2000) undoubtedly holds up against works by more renowned bands and, in some cases, even comes out on top. This album is the third full-length by Natron, the second released under Holy Records, and like the previous platter, it boasts excellent production by Tommy Tagtgren, brother of the more famous Peter (Hypocrisy, Pain) of the Abyss Studios.

What makes the album noteworthy is an uncommon compositional balance and a great personality with which our guys "reinterpret" technical brutal death of American style in a modern way, enriched with typically "voivodian" elements. The nine tracks (one of which is a Voivod cover) that make up the platter alternate a frantic riffing, courtesy of an inspired and precise Domenico Mele, rich in dissonances, odd and syncopated parts (never descending into exaggeration and exhibitionism for its own sake), with "soft" harmonic digressions with a voivod flavor often performed over robust rhythmic patterns, which are not meant to alienate the listener but rather to stun them before resuming the relentless assault. The excellent solos highlight the twisted sound of the riffs but find less space than in the past, which absolutely does not affect the album's outcome.

Max Marzocca's drumming is imaginative and very technical (better highlighted by the production here compared to the previous "Negative Prevails"), a continuous succession of different patterns where powerful blast beats are even more effective because of the varied approach to the tracks. Everything is supported by the robust bass of the excellent Lorenzo Signorile, who skillfully enriches Mele's riffing with precise and virtuosic phrasing.

Completing the work is the outstanding performance of Mike Tarantino, whose growl is powerful, 'thick,' and especially versatile both in tone modulation and the metric with which he perfectly fits the lyrics to the instrumental part. The lyrics, as per tradition, are violent and bloody, best highlighting the negativity and perversion of human nature and the world around us.

In short, the tracks are recognizable, and while they are complex, they manage to be striking and captivating from the first listens, thanks to the maturity and balance I mentioned at the beginning. Worth noting is the highly successful cover of "Nothinface" by Voivod (taken from the self-titled masterpiece of '89), which fits well with the rest of the album, testifying to the fact that Natron's sound owes a lot to the Canadian band. In conclusion, I strongly recommend listening to this album, which I consider the highest point reached by the band from Bari so far, and whose only flaw is being a masterpiece by an Italian band.