RSS Feed


INTO DARKNESS
Cassini – Huygens EP

Unholy Domain (2023)
Rating: 8.5/10

Not to be confused with the German act of the same name, this particular Into Darkness is from Italy and dabbles in old school death metal. Although forming back in 2011 the band has suffered several hiatuses and as yet is to record a full-length album, but since their inception several impressive demos, a couple of split projects and an EP have been released, and I’m glad to see the Milan-based outfit back and doing what they do best.

Five tracks are offered up here, with all having that primitive glint in their eye where occasional doomy drifts are introduced which add extra layers to the already ashen approach. Upon first listen the most notable details are blazing riffs and the hideous vocal spits of Doomed Warrior who is quite the volatile force.

Much of the EP is delivered with pace, but when you hear the opening strains of a track such as ‘Crossing The Asteroid Belt’ you get engulfed by those grey, gnawing doom dynamics which leak into the utterly ghastly oozing of ‘Journey’. At their most aggressive however, Into Darkness brings a sort of Dutch vibe to their brand of raw death metal where flashes of Asphyx and the like drift in. But there is always that layer of freezing fog to contend with too, such as on the beginnings of closer ‘Grand Finale’ which eventually unravels as an aggressive streak of hammering drums and foaming riffs.

Taking inspiration from the brilliant but long since defunct Mythic, Into Darkness clambers into the eardrums like a wispy parasite and inhabits its host by feeding off their doom. Clammy and cold, doomy and hostile, Into Darkness is my band of the month.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share