Tenebro marches proudly towards its second album.
After a difficult start, the band whose first traces go back to the 2000s created by Il Becchino (all instruments/vocals), and finally joined in 2019 by Il Beccamorto (bass/drums, Celebrarian, Engrosso, Sepolcro…) continues its collaboration with Xtreem Music for the release of Ultime grida dalla giungla.
The album opens with Ferox and its introductory sample, which evokes cannibalism before a groovy bass/drums duet offers heaviness, followed by the screaming guitar that quickly becomes catchy. The few growls fit in well with the wave of rage that leads into Lo Squartamento della Tartaruga and its relatively more energetic, jerky approach, letting the duo evolve at a fairly high tempo. The track is short, forcing the band not to leave us a single lull before Feto Strappato e Gettato nel Fango takes its place, also bringing its dose of crushing saturation and horrific sounds, whether through samples or vocals. The track progresses fairly steadily until Khakhua, which takes advantage of raging drums to trample us while the riffs remain effective, slowing down to accommodate sampled screams before moving on to Ultime Grida dalla Giungla, the eponymous track, and its playful patterns despite the assumed Old School approach. The sound becomes much heavier, then more ominous with the terrifying and dissonant elements, then the riffs explode again before Pellicola Maledetta takes part in the slaughter, first at full speed, then with a solid but more measured rhythm. Il Ritrovamento della Donna Impalata begins with more haunting riffs, disturbed by a devastating double kick and blast, providing a contrast to the rest of the track, which will remain rooted in dissonance with A Caccia… di Umani., before speeding up to become much more brutal. The band keeps its pachydermic approach with Il Paese del Sesso Selvaggio, a relatively effective composition that places wrenching harmonics in its march, then with Massacro della Trouppe and its wilder, more diversified vocal interventions. On the rhythmic side, the band sticks to raw under-tuned efficiency, as on Oscuro Rito Sessuale, the final track, which offers a more aggressive, stirring approach, while remaining within the fat tones.
Ultime Grida Dalla Giungla is the perfect compromise between a gory horror movie and Death Metal. Although this is not Tenebro‘s first album, it easily appropriates both genres and delivers a welcome slice of grease and violence.
85/100