Ponte del Diavolo
Fire Blades From The Tomb

These Ponte del Diavolo are really great!

This is their first album dated 2024, they are Italian, and I find dark-wave, post-punk, doom metal, and black metal influences in their work, a truly interesting and well-crafted mix of genres. The singing of Erba del Diavolo, the pseudonym under which the group's singer hides, is captivating, halfway between Italian and English. It starts well with the first track “Demone” with an opening blast beat in black metal style, then calms down to reveal the band’s dark-wave influence with enchanting and seductive Italian vocals.

In “Covenant,” the vocals are reminiscent of Siouxsie, with the ever-present post-punk and dark-wave influence, along with a hint of guitar riff with a vague doom metal flavor. “Red As The Sex Of She Who Lives In Death” truly recalls the studio works of Siouxsie and The Banshees, although the black metal outbursts in blast beat add liveliness to the whole sound ensemble, leading to the piece's finale with tribal and doom metal-flavored instrumental parts, making for a really successful piece.

“La Razza” lasts 8 minutes, and the beginning has a psychedelic loop which is replaced by a furious black metal part until the singer, the priestess Erba del Diavolo, makes her appearance to perfect the dark-wave guitar textures. The blast beat parts certainly don't end here; the influence of extreme metal is well-present, so I would say that Ponte del Diavolo’s proposal is truly original and peculiar.

“Nocturnal Veil” features an almost stoner guitar and bass riff, with the singer rising in her melodic singing, sometimes replaced by a hint of growl that gives impact to the whole song. The melodies are truly captivating, and the chorus of the piece provides that aura of mystery that reveals an archaic and occult ceremonial music, making them very similar to the other Italian band with a female singer that the world envies us, I’m talking about our own Messa.

“Zero” is a powerful, dark piece with its changes in doom metal, at times sludge and stoner riffs. Erba del Diavolo sings in our language, and it proves to be the right choice! Nothing to envy about the English language. Around four minutes, her verses become declamatory, and the music turns truly extreme with blast beats in the foreground.

And we come to the last piece, “The Weeping Song,” a cover of Nick Cave and Blixa, a truly original and successful reinterpretation. “This is The Weeping Song!” our priestess proclaims, and she does so with truly exciting emphasis and transport. Post-punk and dark-wave wonderfully blend with stunning guitar riffs and fitting male vocal counterpoints with a gothic and ancestral flavor.

“Fire Blades From The Tomb” ends here after 42 dreamlike minutes but always with the features of extreme music embedded, never heard anything like it. A particular and attractive offering that only confirms that the Italian underground is endowed with great bands and great hopes for the future.

Unreservedly passed with flying colors and eagerly awaiting a second chapter from this great band.