Krowos ‎"Verbum Luciferi" CD Digipack

Digipack CD Released by Nigredo Records - Limited to only 500 hand-numbered copies

Southern Italy and its isles gave us some surprises in the past, among them Vulture and Ugluk. When the request for a review from the black metal band from Catania Krowos — which I didn't know — came, I challenged my fate. The four-piece started in 2011, and its members also played in other bands at the time. Are these good enough premises for "Verbum Luciferi"? The first listening impressions are really positive, in respect of the bare Youtube stream. In these songs, hysteria clashes with calmness, the run is opposed by measured steps. Some homemade touches made me think of Abysmal Grief and others — sorry if I'm wrong — to Sicilian folklore peeping between the lines. At the end of the record I felt as if I had just heard the musical summary of "The Name Of The Rose". Although the idea is legitimate, it would be trivial and rude to diminish Krowos' sound by presenting mere parallels with good old Norway. After many listenings you can appreciate the musical landscape of "Verbum Luciferi" in all its abundance and theatricality. The concept reminds a little of the modus operandi of the German Grabnebelfürsten on "Von Schemen Und Trugbildern", marked, however, by reflexive tones, almost depressed sometimes and with some ritual cadences. The impact caused by the contrasts on the listener is enormous. The speeches in Italian and Latin between shrieks and clean vocals accentuate the intensity. Also the attention to details is impressive. Not only do we find progressive nuances, but — going deeper — even some finesses in the drumming or in the riffs chosen to highlight some paragraphs. Savvy inserts of keyboards complete the panorama of the effects employed. "Verbum Luciferi" is a clever work, full of talent, with a clear head and tail, completing a sturdy body. I can just recommend the purchase of the CD.

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...