No More Fear
Malamente

Years ago, I reviewed "Mad(e) In Italy", an album that elevated the Abruzzo-based No More Fear to an interesting entity in the national death metal scene. Since then, there have been fewer and fewer updates on the band's projects, until today, the day our guys return to the fray with a new sonic blow titled "Malamente". By now, the formula is well-tested: Italian bad habits (as well as some typical instruments of the national folkloric tradition) are the foundation of their records, and this new chapter does not fail in this regard. The underworld is at the center of their lyrics (as highlighted by titles such as "The Boss Letter," "A Sinister Murder Case," and "Lady Ndrangheta"), with more or less direct references to situations known to many and to events that truly happened. Musically, don't expect to find any groundbreaking improvements or strokes of genius; No More Fear is the classic band that aims for results, even at the expense of a beautiful play—hard and pure, so to speak. What certainly stands out about them, in addition to the good technical ability of the individual musicians, is the unity of purpose that emanates from the album, which shows no signs of weakness nor the classic quality highs and lows. The decision to focus entirely on seven tracks highlights the artistic maturity of the quintet, which, instead of risking perhaps a predictable ending, chose to play all their cards in a rather compact batch of songs. Standing out in the tracklist are the fury of "Mare Mortum" and the lightning-fast riffing of "Tre Cavalieri," certainly the best calling cards for yet another finely crafted album. The singing is once again "extreme" enough to be loved (or hated) after just a few listens, as direct as a blow to the face. "Malamente" is an excellent work that undoubtedly leaves a bittersweet taste for the band, which unfortunately has had too little luck compared to the inexplicable success of much less prepared colleagues. Horns up!