I would love to visit Turin, Italy. Besides hosting one of my new favorite punk bands (The Turin Horse) who released an album with truly inspired artwork, the city’s cultural exhibits include the controversial Shroud of Turin, an artifact which may or may not have graced the dead body of Jesus. In many older cities throughout Europe, religion still plays a central role either explicitly or implicitly in the culture, even if just through the existence of tourist-fixating fixtures like cathedrals and dead guy blankets. In construction too, the opposite of holiness exists, such as that of the ponte del diavolo—the “devil’s bridge”—a medieval stone arch bridge, usually a severe arch at that. Perhaps inspired by one such feature that crosses the stura di lanzo, and a healthy fascination with the Devil, Ponte del Diavolo summons a tongue-out punk attitude with black metal and occult rock leanings to stir Fire Blades from the Tomb into existence—a new attraction for the fine city of Turin.
Having spread the spectrum of their influences across a few EPs, Ponte del Diavolo reigns in the fettering ambience and shriekier black metal extremes of their formative work for this debut full-length. In this regard, these witchcraft-worshipping Italians come across like a punk-edged, tremolo riff-informed Sabbath Assembly, with mic-echantress Erba del Diavolo capturing the same essence of cult-fearing warble that a fervent Jamie Meyers possesses. Except Meyers doesn’t speak Italian—Ponte del Diavolo leans on their native tongue for a majority of the album, and Miss Diavolo feels even more wild in expression on those tracks as a result. Though, the departure from that on the closing cover of Nick Cave’s “Weeping Song,” an unexpected duet with Shores of Null vocalist Davide Straccione, lands just as effectively. Oh, and did I mention this band has two bassists?
Don’t fret though, mood is the name of the game here. Ponte del Diavolo’s double low-end assault doesn’t render as jazzy madness so much as it creates the kind of effect that a band like Kylesa desires with two drummers—a doubled rhythmic presence that splinters in warped ways. While one bassist keeps a rock steady thump, the other might flit about in higher string fills between tremolo guitar runs (“Covenant,” “La Razza”) or recall a riff after it snakes down a different path (“Nocturnal Veil”), all recalling the bouncing energy of post-punk swings. And when these swelling tunes take a turn down the path of echoing occult rock refrains, guest instruments like a bellowing bass clarinet (“Red as the Sex of She Who Lives in Death,” “Nocturnal Veil”) or a screeching Theremin (“Covenant”) cut through the incensed air to increase the atmospheric hypnosis.
But more than just these eclectic touches, though moments across Fire Blades can ring self-similar, Ponte del Diavolo expresses tone in shifting, subtle ways to maintain freshness throughout. In many songs, this comes down simply to vocal choices that add character to the already snarling and charming tones that del Diavolo conjures. Quick swings into sharp highs (“Covenant”), the sardonic “la la la la la la la la la” of “Red as the Sex…,” whinnying inflections that pepper verses (“Covenant,” “Zero”)—her bags of tricks gives and gives. Conversely, guitarist Nerium stitches together phrases from a more limited repertoire but with tones ranging from chiming and wobbly (“Red as the Sex…”) to twanging and weighty (“Nocturnal Veil”) to cutting and frosty (“Demone”) to give each song a its own little wrinkle.
Ponte del Diavolo focuses foremost on the sultry, slow burn that they can imbue amongst their various identities. In its focus on tension and release through call and ritual, Fire Blades from the Tomb can hit a bit understated when it’s not in full punky black metal mode—but then again it’s not really much of a black metal album. The album’s aggression functions merely as a link between its trembling croons and its ungodly incantations with Ponte del Diavolo aiming for a jam-laden, occult doom akin to their countrymates Messa.1 And while this full-length debut may lack the intensity of success for true greatness in its six original statements and one borrowed tune, stepping away from its mystic grip never crosses my mind. Can someone please buy me a ticket to Turin already?
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Season of Mist | Bandcamp
Websites: facebook.com/pontedeldiavolo | pontedeldiavolo666.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: February 16th, 2024
