Today, Italian sludge unit MAGNITUDO are premiering their forthcoming new EP, "Scotoma", at No Clean Singing. Stream it HERE. The EP is due out on September 22nd, 2023. The band's new chapter, follow-up to "Men Against Fire" (2018), was recorded, mixed and mastered by Danilo Battocchio, sound engineer for Tons and Imperial Triumphant, among many others. The EP displays a more metal approach, compared to its predecessors: the heavy and expansive sounds make way for more violent and incisive tones, with very few moments of atmospheric ambience.
The band's signature wall of sound, which has always characterized their style (influenced by sludge/post-metal bands such as Neurosis, Ufomammut, Lento, Cult of Luna, etc.), is still present, but it's darker and more angular than before. The drumming, once slow and rhythmic, has become faster and more pounding, with the bass called to support the structure with a highly distorted tone. Despite two-thirds of the lineup being replaced, “Scotoma” reflects the band's desire to maintain a stylistic coherence while not forgetting its classic extreme metal roots. The common thread of the tracks is "scotomization": the mental ability to delete and forget a trauma or an overwhelming event, the concept of exorcizing evil through various distractions - alienation, sex, death.
In short, these four songs are the offspring of our time. The track "The Algorithm" features Michele "Mike" Basso from Viscera/// providing backing vocals and adding extra layers of discomfort to a claustrophobic and distressing atmosphere. Tracklist:
1. Monument 2. The Healing 3. The Algorithm 4. Rebirth
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