Lahmia
“Into The Abyss”
2012
It takes an ambitions band to attempt to cross metal genres within one record. It takes a capable band to be able to pull it off. It takes an extraordinary band to pull it off well. Lahmia is that band. They flawlessly mend metal styles and the result is an absolutely astonishing full-length from this Italian band. It seems these days Italy is delivering us some incredible death metal acts, and Lahmia is easily sitting at the top. The bands 2012 release Into The Abyss is a marvelous achievement that the very best in the metal community should take notice of. Into The Abyss is sort of a hybrid of gothic metal, power metal, and melodic death metal. This is a moving, evolving, and powerful fifty-three minutes of music. The opening song titled Drag Me To Hell starts out with a mix of power metal and death metal. Francesco Amerise is a phenomenal vocalist that can perfectly pull off anything he needs to, while staying within the limits of death metal. As the song plays on it comes time for guitarists Flavio Gianello and Samuele Piacenti to show their amazing talents for playing huge, emotionally heavy, sweeping riffs. Every song is very deep. When the goth shows up in the mix, it is done equally well. Songs like Glass Eyed child and Grinding Dreams have a very somber feeling to them. Glass Eyed Child especially with its cello intro. The songs slow things down and almost change the direction of the album, in a good way. Singer Amerise gets better and better as the record plays on. While every song is brilliant, the stand out for me has to be the song called My Crown. At eight minutes it is the records longest song. It is interesting to me that these songs seem long because each one is so dense and meticulously crafted. My Crown epitomizes everything this band has to offer. Amerise is just terrific. With his singing on this song he reminds me of Mikael Stanne from Dark Tranquility. This album is just remarkable. I will have this on repeat in my collection for a while after this review is done. Take a bow Lahmia. You have made the album most bands try their whole careers to make. And on your first try you guys nailed it.
Tracklist:
1. Drag Me to Hell
2. Nightfall
3. Silent Through the Screaming Crowd
4. The Tunnel
5. Into the Abyss
6. Glass Eyed Child
7. Grinding Dreams
8. Strength from My Wounds
9. My Crown
10. Ab Aeterno
https://www.facebook.com/lahmiaofficial
Members:
Francesco Amerise – All Vocals
Flavio Gianello – Lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Mathias Habib – Rhythm guitars
Corrado Ciaccia – Bass
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
~Kris