THE BLACK - Gorgoni

Well, the outfit The Black…oh yes the Swedes Black metallers right? WRONG!!! The Black is one of the longest running Italian heavy / doom / prog metal outfits of Italy, having their first release “Reliquarium” E.P. back in 1989 and till now count 7 full length releases (“Infernus Paradisus Et Purgatorium” – 1990, “Abbatia Scl. Clementis” – 1993, “Refugium Peccatorum” – 1995, “Apocalypsis” – 1996, “Golgotha” – 2000 and two LP’s / One CD set , “Peccatis Nostris” και “Capistrani Pugnator” in 2004)
\r\nSo The Black is the brainchild of Mario “The Black” Di Donato, ex member of the Italian legendary outfits Requiem and Unreal Terror and his achievement with The Black was and still is to combine the Italian Heavy Metal, (Paul Chain, Requiem etc) with the classic 70’s prog rock bands of his country, bands such as Jacula, Le Orme, and all this outcome baptised in a dark eerie atmosphere, a path has been open so bands like Akron , Malombra etc.
\r\nSix Years after the latest release by these Italians, Mario and Company have returned at last with their eighth release entitled “Gorgoni”. Gorgoni means Gorgon and the concept abviously deals with Ancient Greek Mythology and the Gorgons (Steno, Euriale and Medusa).
\r\nNow from the musical point of view this release must be the best effort from The Black, very inspired, with many doomy parts, as well as speedy bridges and progressive cuts, many melodic bridges also exist plus the trademark voice of Mario singing once again in Latin, a fact that maybe made this band not to become wider known, as well as many other Italian bands but for as the Italian metal fans is just great.
\r\nSo this was the objective part of the review and now starts the fans point of view that cannot hide his love for this band…So to all of you that your mind stuck to the latest Maiden album, just DON’T purchase this album, don’t even bother to listen, stay focused only on your 30 years old LP’s or to your NWOAHM piece of shit that labels feed you. Keep on avoiding those bands that never made money out of their work just because music for them means the expression of their feelings and not money…Personally I d like to thank amongst others Minotauro Records, The Black and Black Widow Records for delivering us all these years real music and not “products”…As Mario would said “Metal Mentis”
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\r\nLampros “Witchfynder” Tennes\r\n