Chiatro

Having formed in 2016 in Potenza, southern Italy, Effess have already released their debut recording "Chiatro" and it's a fiery and energetic sermon on life in Potenza - not too exciting, it seems - and takes aim at the Roman Catholic Church's more sordid side as well. The guys sing in their local dialect as well as in Italian and the lyrics cover local customs and traditions as well as the big problems of life like depression and the purpose of existence.

First track "L'Altare della Sausizza" bolts out of the starting gates and sets the pace for the most of the album so listeners better be prepared for a wild and crazy ride. Harsh tremolo guitars steaming out raw old school BM riffs along with blast-beat percussion dominate, with grim raspy vocals chanting the lyrics with blood-curdling relish. "Tutta Quanda" not only picks up the speed and bristling approach but lifts it to another hyper-manic level; it's still very melodic no matter how fast the band goes, which shows what a tight unit these guys are. The drumming here is the main highlight of the song, especially near the end where it brings in a thunderous tom-tom rhythm while guitars provide a droning riff backdrop.

Some relief from the confronting aggression comes from the band's cover of a Moonspell song "Alma Mater" in Italian. The song is much more melodic and sedate than what's come before and includes a mix of clear-toned and raspy vocals, and additional instrumentation that gives Effess's rendition a mediaeval folk air. After this bit of relief, it's back into the deep end of fast-paced and frenzied melodic BM, probably even faster and more manic than before. The musicians pack so much into their original songs that they lose any individuality they might have promised and end up sounding like variations on a very dense structural theme.

At least the guys prove they've got the energy and stamina to race and rip through a whole bunch of riffs but they have some work to do in pacing the music and giving it some drama and more substance. While they have some good riffs and the music has a lot of power, Effess need to back up the music with steadier and more distinct songs, and maybe add some atmosphere and a more expressive range of emotion. Final track "Chiatro" shows some potential for greater emotional expression and the band might consider going further in this direction.