There is one single reason I checked out the promo for the debut from this new Italian Black/Death metal project and that is the stunning artwork from the band guitarist Astahrot. My gosh that is killer- for the love of god, put that on a shirt, please!

Now onto the music. Keres plays a relentless form of militant Black/Death metal in the vein of Blood of the Wolf, Throne, mid-era Behemoth, Hate, and fellow Italians’ Hiss From the Moat. It is tight, vicious, well produced, and delivers just over 30 minutes of impressive music, albeit they aren’t quite there yet with the songwriting, as the album lacks that truly standout riff or moments to get your blood pumping and revisit the album.

There are some natural Angelcorpse vibes throughout as the 8 songs rarely let up from the blistering pace, except for the rare stern march here and there (“Leviathan”, “Oblivion”, closer “Void and Silence”). But its tracks like the opener “Exist for War”,”Immaculate Incarnation of Darkness”,  “Pale Horse of Extinction”, “Until Everything’s Burned”, and “Eradicate the Infected Seed”, where Keres lock into a savagery and tightness that has a lot of promise down the road.

The mix /master from Italian super producer Stefano Morabito (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hideous Divinity, Vomit the Soul, Hour Of Penance, Spiritual Deception, etc) is perfect; sharp and blistering and vocalist Ares has the perfect authoritative bellow and screams.

It all comes together for a very good, almost great album that shows this young band might be a major player in the Italian scene in a year or two.

[Visit the band's website]

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