MALOMBRA

Italian dark gothic progressive band Malombra were formed in the Nineties, but there was a five-year gap between their second and third albums, by which time only singer Mercy was still there with the rest of the band being a new line-up. I enjoyed that album, 'The Dissolution Age' (I reviewed it when it was released back in 2001), but after that there was no more. Imagine my surprise when I heard that Black Widow Records were releasing a new album by Malombra, which is actually an old album. The initial recordings used here took place between 1997 and 1998 (which was after the second album), but due to various reasons they were not used for the third, and the recording and mixing has now been completed by the current line-up. I actually cannot find details of the current line-up, so do not know who is involved these days, but they have been gigging so hopefully this means that there is a chance of more music on the horizon.

Technically I guess this could be viewed as a third album as opposed to a fourth, given the bones of this was recorded in the Nineties, but it has been completed with 20+ years of more experience. I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Dissolution Age', and as soon as I knew this was being released, I knew I had to hear it as there is something quite distinct and different about their sound, and this does not disappoint whatsoever in that regard. Their form of prog is incredibly dark and gothic, so much so that they even appear on Encyclopaedia Metallum, who are incredibly discerning as to who they allow in, yet also appear on ProgArchives. They have a keyboard sound which sounds as if it has been ripped out of the Seventies, while Mercy has been inspired by Peter Steele, and they combine this with Bauhaus, Nick Cave, and overbearing layers to create something which is dark and timeless, yet never sounding modern.

Malombra have created their own sound, and it is great to hear a "new" album from them after so many years. I am looking forward to hearing what the current line-up is going to deliver, soon I hope.

MALOMBRA are an Italian band who were active from 1993 to 2001 releasing three studio albums. "Our Lady Of The Bones" is the middle album from 1996. I was so surprised to see that they released a new album "T.R.E.S." in 2023 because it's been a while. I have been putting this one off because of it's 78 minute length and also I'm just not into the music for the most part. I laughed at one of the Vendors who was selling this record describing it as music you would listen to while drawing a pentagram on your floor. Yes this is dark with male vocals that shout the lyrics, just not a fan. A rather large band with two guitarists, bass, drums, flute, violin, keyboards and female singers.

The Goth community latched onto this one apparently which I certainly understand, sort of like them latching onto THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS in the 80's. For me this album brought to mind Italians RUNAWAY TOTEM and GARDEN WALL for various reasons like the vocals, dark sound, production and guitar. Others mention DEVIL DOLL as a comparison. The title track is by far the longest at over 19 minutes and there's even a place when Ka-Spel came to mind with the vocals around 12 minutes in. We get some samples added which I like including that squeaky door opening to start the album as the wind blows but this is mostly flute and percussion and a track I like. The only other song I'm into is "Stonehenge" at over 7 minutes. It's mellow and melodic with female vocal melodies.

Funny but I really don't like the "sound" of this one and the two bands I mentioned earlier I would describe most of their albums the same way. 3 stars is all I got.

A dark and interesting record!

This is a band that is new to my ears, though as I've read they are in fact an important Italian band whose first release saw the light in the early 90's, being praised by a cluster of bands who consider Malombra as a cult band. Now in this 2023 they have released an album called T.R.E.S, whose songs were composed in those old nineties years, however, they were abandoned and were never released until now, with a new and fresh lineup.

The album features seven tracks that make a total time of one hour. It opens with 'Astarte Syriaca', whose first 50 seconds are like an ambient introduction that will surprisingly lead to an explosion, where drums and strings sound out loud for over a minute, and then a hard rock and prog structure begins. Vocals in Italian are added as well as keyboards, and all together create a great and interesting gothic rock.

'Baccanalia' has a sinister sound, the atmosphere is full of tension and the voice adds even a darker sound. After a couple of minutes the rhythm changes, drums become harder as well as the bass and we can perceive a predominant sound of guitar which never fades, its present all the time and is great. The instrumental passages are also great, the choral mellotron is outstanding. The last part has a vertiginous sound with a theatrical performance by the singer.

One of the two epic tracks comes next with 'Malombra', which keeps that sinister feeling but in a kind of lullaby-esque sound, the piano and guitar are very delicate, even sweet, but the atmosphere somehow remains dark. The change arrives after minute four when the band introduce a heavier sound with some doom / stoner nuances. Then keyboards take over with a cool and enjoyable solo, and the song flows with its changes in mood and tempo.

'Allucinaziones Ipnagogica' is the shortest track of the album, however, it is quite good. Catchier than the previous and with a sound more alike to our era, not so vintage, you can tell by the drums and some textures released by keyboards. The vocals are deep and heartfelt.

Now the monster epic arrives, the mighty 17-minute 'Cerchio Gaia 666'. As you can imagine, there are several changes within this entity, different faces that in moments share powerful riffs, in other sinister textures, weird time signatures and even moments of tension. The work of the musicians is great because to my ears they are a unity, so nobody wants to stand alone and be the attention epicenter, they need and wonderfully complement each other. I like how this song naturally flows, despite its long length we don't feel tired in any moment because they manage to keep us expectant. There is also an evident Goblin-esque sound at half the song, I am sure Malombra are fans of Simonetti's work.

'Fantasmagoria 1914' keeps that hard rock and gothic essence, the vocals are quite dark and strong, and I like the mellotron sounds as background, because they add a profound color to the track, despite being dark, haha. And the album finishes with 'La Sola Immanenza', a very nice track with acoustic guitar and a great use of keyboards, once again.

So this is a very nice album with that great dark rock sound, it has some vintage flavor, however, it doesn't feel so old.

Enjoy it!

I love this album, it is grating and crashing, progressive rock that is truly striving to be that. It brings together Poisoned Electrick Head with Fields Of The Nephilim and Ultravox in an unholy union that works brilliantly well. It is intense, and needs to be played very loudly to be fully appreciated, and as it swirls in and out of the mind it takes with it more than a few brain cells. It isn't all hard and fast, there is a very reflective and emotional song in "The Duncan Browne Song". This is a fetching tribute to the musician/composer probably best known for his part in Metro, who died of cancer in 1993. This is not prog that sits in the neatly compartmentalised section of wannabes, but music that is trying to create something new and dark. The music is driven along by pounding drums and bass, while the guitars and keyboards do their best to stop the powerful vocals, but to no avail. This is an album that many progheads will shy away from for being too intense, but that is their loss as this is one that I will be playing a great deal. www.blackwidow.it

Originally appeared in Feedback #69, Aug 02

I have had this album in my CD for ages before I declared myself brave enough to review it.

My gripes with this album is longer than my list of friends. The vocals is thin and over the top dramatic. The vocalist tries to imitate an opera singer, but fails miserably. If I only could turn off the vocals......... Which turns the spotlight on the music. That is a bad idea, in fact. The music is a blend of horror movies influenced heavy rock and neo-prog. A pretty bad combination which massages my ears like an ice cube covered with barbed wire.

There are a few good melody lines here and the keyboards are good. The guitars are pretty generic. Both the solos and the rhythm guitars. In short, this album sounds too theatrical and forced. It is simply too much when subtlety would had been just the thing.

2 stars (barely)