When most people think of Italy, the first thing that comes to mind is them sipping wine in a gondola while being serenaded old love songs. I, on the other hand, envision myself drinking whiskey to the ancient hymns of Bulldozer, Fingernails, and Death SS. Though not nearly as romanticized or publicized as other European metal scenes, Italy’s has been going strong for the better part of 40 years. And it certainly helps when bands like Ossario step up to the plate to “defend the faith”.
This Sicilian trio specializes in “putrid black metal”. They live up to the “putrid” part. However, they’re not your typical post-Mayhem copy/paste second wave knockoff band. Ossario takes less from the Norwegian scene and more from the thrashier side of black metal which arose circa the mid/late 90s. Bands like Nifelheim and Deströyer 666 incorporated thrash into the burgeoning black metal sound to create some extremely dark music. Ossario does the same on their self titled debut EP.
“We’re All Born to Die” opens the EP with a no nonsense black/thrash attack. The following song, “Millennial Fears”, goes between this aforementioned style and mid tempo riffing with a Hellhammer influence. Can you say “OUGH!”? “Torment Sweet Torment” is my favorite track. The lead riff and drumming are crusty as hell, further proving the DNA between punk and black metal, but I digress. It all ends with “Rigor Mortis Boner (Necromance)”. Sarcófago called! They want their absurd song title back! All joking aside, “Boner” closes the EP on an infernal note. It combines all of Ossario’s elements into one with tremolo picking insanity, d-beats galore, and an extra dose of those Hellhammer riffs for good measure.
Ossariois one of the more promising upstart black metal acts I’ve heard so far this year. If they continue down this path, their names will be on the lips of trve kvlt connoisseurs in no time.
6 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Black/Thrash Metal
For fans of: Nifelheim, Deströyer 666, Hellhammer