Dominium Noctis (Nekromantik Records)

 Finally the first full length of this Italian band is released! “November” was their first work, and also was an interesting exhibition of their musical quality and original proposal. For those who missed their first work, let me tell you Ecnephias plays and interesting blend of Doom, Death and Black Metal, but including several pseudo Gothic Atmospheric elements, maintaining its sound far from today’s cheap Sympho-Gothic shit Metal clichés… Well, “Dominium Noctis” brings to us their more evolved facet, maintaining their bizarre mix of extremity and melody, but some of this melody seems to have been reduced in favour of a more obscure approach. But, at the same time, this album seems to expands its music in all directions, including straight brutal Death Metal passages in the finest vein of bands such Incantation (just listen the initial riffs of “Burn Witch Burn!”), lugubrious Doom/Death passages (somewhat reminiscent to old Paradise Lost, “Gothic” era sound), Goth-tinged mysterious Black Metal parts to tranquil guitar driven sombre, almost religious passages (improved by some deep, solemn and eclectic vocalizations). Although the band mixes several, sometimes quite dissimilar styles (such straight Death Metal with Goth Black Metal), those always sound perfectly amalgamated by their trademarked mysterious ethereal atmospheres. This time the band proposal make me thought about a well structured version Luna Field’s “Close To Prime" album, but more inclined toward the obscure atmosphere than to the extreme brutality, and unlike the German band’s first album, Ecnephias delivers here a continuous and coherent work, a complex, solemn yet brutal and obscure album… If you enjoyed “November” you’ll certainly enjoy this one too. “Dominium Noctis” is an album that deserves attention… (AP)