Metal Metal Land: Demons in the Vatican: A Look at Italian Heavy Metal

 Heya folks! Before I get started, I'd like to apologize for my lack of activity on this blog these past few months. Basically, I've been puking since the end of August and had some awful gut pain that caused me to drop out of college and had me go back home to California. I'm literally just barely 100 lbs, so I won't be hitting a show anytime soon, though I should be getting some good treatment and the doc has narrowed down what he thinks this bullshit that's wrecking my insides is; hopefully I'll regain some strength by February to catch At the Gates when they're down here. In the meantime, I'm attempting to find a way to get into the music biz-- namely promoting-- as well as brainstorming ideas for a festival. More on that in the future, hopefully...

Anyway, back to Metal Metal Land. So I got to thinking, "huh... I did the birthplace of metal. Now where's a place that doesn't really spring to mind when it comes to scary devil music". Lo and behold, I get a message from a little death metal band called Hideous Divinity and I was blown away. Gut-wrenching growls, skull-shattering beats, and masterful riffs are abundant on their newest release, Cobra Verde. Looked them up and it turns out they're Italian (in case you couldn't tell from the title of this piece).

I had only heard of five Italian bands before these dudes came into my life: Rhapsody of Fire, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Lacuna Coil, Elvenking, and Bulldozer. I had a chat with a representative of Hideous Divinity and he told me the Italian scene favored more melodic bands and that shows from my limited knowledge. Bulldozer aside, these bands attempt to crash into your skull with riff after riff, but rather bring you in with complex structures and harmonies. Often times, the great Italian tradition of opera is implemented into the music, either in the form of soaring vocals or orchestral sections in the background to give a sense of grandeur to the music.

As a scene that prides itself on its anti-Establishment and-- for the most part-- anti-religious stances, metalheads in Rome find themselves a hop, skip, and a jump away from the seat of power of the world's most widespread religion. With 90% of the country being Catholic and the Pope being a constant presence, I'm curious to see how a black metal gig plays out; I'm sure most people in Italy are cool with it, but you just know there's gotta be a few fanatics picketing every now and then.

Now let's take a look at some of the bands the country that gave us artists like Michelangelo, da Vinci, and Rafael has to offer. Enjoy!

Ufomammut

Tortona

Stoner Metal

Nero di Marte

Bologna

Progressive Metal

Death SS

Firenze

Speed Metal/ Proto Black Metal

Cripple Bastards

Asti

Grindcore

Bleeding Eyes

Treviso

Sludge Metal

Kanseil

Treviso

Folk Metal

Natron

Bari

Technical Death Metal

Sadist

Genoa

Progressive Death Metal

Doomsword

Gallarate

Doom Metal

Tombstone Highway

Piacenza

Southern Metal

 A Virgin Burial

Rimini

Deathcore

Krampus

Udine

Melodic Metalcore

White Skull
Vicenza
Power Metal

Demiurgon
Modena
Death Metal

Ooze 
Trieste
Sludge Metal

 Theatres des Vampires
Roma
Gothic Metal

Illogicist
Aosta
Technical Death Metal

The Foreshadowing
Roma
Gothic Metal

Eldritch
Firenze
Progressive Power Metal

 Necrodeath
Genoa
Extreme Thrash Metal

Destrage
Milan
Progressive Metalcore

Extrema
Milan
Groove Metal

Black Oath
Milan
Doom Metal

The Juliet Massacre
Vasto
Deathcore

Berith's Legion
Vigevano
Technical Deathcore

Ecnephias
Potenza
Death-Doom

Forgotten Tomb
Piacenza
Black Doom

Antropofagus
Genoa
Death Metal

Vision Divine
Massa
Progressive Power Metal

Domine
Firenze
Power Metal

Macbeth
Milan
Gothic Metal

Krysantemia
Modena
Death Metal

Pulvis et Umbra
Soncino
Deathcore

 
Crown of Autumn
 Milan
Melodeath

 
Stormlord
 Roma
Symphonic Black Metal

Eyeconoclast
Roma
Thrash Metal

 
Demonomancy
Roma
Blackened Death Metal

Carnality
 Rimini
Technical Death Metal

Hour of Penance
Roma
Technical Death Metal

 
Ancient Bards
 Rimini
Symphonic Metal

Graveworm
 Brunico
Blackened Doom Metal

 
Novembre
 Roma
Technical Death-Doom

Fides Inversa
 Roma
Black Metal

Labÿrinth
Massa
Progressive Power Metal

Secret Sphere
 Alessandria
Progressive Metal

Mortuary Drape
Alessandria
Black Metal

Aborym
Roma
Industrial Black Metal

 
Cadaveric Crematorium
Brescia
Deathgrind

Opera IX
Biella
Melodic Black Metal

Necromass
Firenze
Black Metal

Neurasthenia
Blogna
Thrash Metal

 

So what do you guys think? Digging Italy's sweeping symphonic soundscapes? Or are you more into the brutal blasts and ravenous riffs by the more extreme bands? Anyone else I missed? Let me know!

Stay heavy, my friends!