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PROGENIE TERRESTRE PURA
U.M.A.

Avantgarde Music (2013)
Rating: 8/10

It’s no wonder this duo were signed to the aptly titled Avantgarde Music label, such is their cosmic sound. Progenie Terrestre Pura is the weird brainchild of Eon[0] and Nex[1], who are clearly cyber geeks of the highest order. This Italian pair have been active since 2009 but U.M.A. is their debut platter, and what a strange one it is.

Of all the albums I’ve written about over the years, I’d say that the sound of Progenie Terrestre Pura is one of the only ones I’ve heard that actually lives up to the cover art. These guys are the musical equivalent of an Isaac Asimov or Arthur C. Clarke novel, such is their vast sound.

At times U.M.A. acts as an icy soundtrack to a world that we can only imagine, with this peculiar realm being wrapped up in five mesmerising tracks that run for over 50-minutes and reek of mystery and space-age mythology. Progenie Terrestre Pura defy categorisation, but if you’ve ever seen the 1989 sci-film The Abyss, then U.M.A. could easily have been the soundtrack to that watery landscape.

U.M.A. isn’t strictly metal, and yet it boasts so much metallic music. For every crunching guitar or swirling solo though, there’s a veritable feast of eerie effects and sci-fi meanderings, laced together by Nex[1]’s distant vocal rasps. U.M.A. is a wondrous kingdom that bridges the gap between ocean and space; as a listener I only get the suggestion that I’m along for the ride, but never once get to reveal the otherworldly secrets of this celestial plateau.

Album opener is the cascading ‘Progenie Terrestre Pura’ which mixes icy yet remote guitars with hidden, garbled vocals and a meddling of progressive arrangements that could be dubbed as self-indulgent nonsense. Even so, U.M.A. makes for a splendid time out from the stresses and strains of life. Not once does it loiter in the realm of the depressive, instead opting for more palatial visions like this in the 13-minute ‘Sovrarobotizzazione’, a track which offers us a black metal approach within jazzed up elements. The vocals are still relatively sinister, although come across like some black wizard announcing his population of amphibian-looking martians.

There is nothing accessible about the record, simply due to the fact that it’s such a sprawling mass of underwater theatre. I’ve often heard this band referred to as atmospheric black metal, but it’s nothing of the sort. Despite the occasional frosty guitar arrangement, this is more of an experimental style of music that has no limits. There is a lot of melody here, but also it takes us through the boundaries of inaccessibility, and yet without jarring the listener. Instead, U.M.A. is a sum of so many parts. Think Cynic, but merged with a far greater premise. Think Dream Theater mixed together with hints of black metal, and coupled with orgiastic sci-fi twiddling – all plastered with futuristic pastures, and layered with interstellar absurdity.

Those expecting some type of Burzum ambience will be greatly disappointed, because comparing this to Burzum is like comparing a high gloss, big-budget sci-fi blockbuster with a Carry On movie, such is the superiority of this gargantuan debut record. It certainly won’t appeal to everyone, but those that are brave enough to paddle in such waters will find it a breathtaking experience.

Neil Arnold

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