BLACK THERAPY is an Italian Melodic Death Metal band.  "Echoes of Dying Memories," is their third full length album; they have also released one EP and a demo.  So how is it? It blew me away. With this album, the band has really created something special and lasting.  This is in no small part due to their unique sound-the music contained within these nine tracks isn't flashy or in your face-the compositions, the notes, and everything that makes up each individual song is very subtle.  It is like walking around in the dark without a light...you can't see at first but as you adjust to your surroundings, more and more becomes aware.  "Echoes of Dying Memories," is an album that is immediately satisfying but contains a lot of depth to keep you coming back-and to keep you discovering new things.

The overall atmosphere of the album is very warm...the music, and the emotions that accompany them, sort of just wash over you in waves.  Their melodies and harmonies are more like a natural progress from one instant to the next because everything flows so well; it's more like the birthing of some musical apparition than song structure.  It is so different than most other MDM, you could probably put the word "Post" in front of it or even called it Atmospheric Melodic Death.

"Phoenix Rising," is the opening track and lays the ground work for the rest of the album. Guitarists Mataloni and Celletti begin the track with melodic riffs entangled in rich melodic lines. Giorgio's voice approaches and it is nothing short of perfection: the perfect balance between growling/screaming and still understanding what he saying, similar to DARK TRANQUILLITY's Mikael Stanne or old school IN FLAMES' Anders Friden.  He just has this real heavy voice, but it carries so much emotion.  I've loved MDM because I love the contrast between the melodic music and the heavy vocals.... "Echoes.." as this aspect in spades.

The title track, "Echoes of Dying Memories," is a rhythm-based track-a very crunch main riff and bass/drum combo that hammers it in but, as it should be, the stone heavy foundation is balanced by beautiful melodies.  The guitar solo towards the song's end is short but extremely sweet.  In fact, every guitar solo on this album is impressive-they aren't used to bridge any gaps in the song or to show off.  They are there to add to the song, just one part of many that moves this celestial giant along.

The album is consistently mind blowing all the way through-some of the best tracks appear on the bottom half, "Scars" and "Ruins" being the two cases in point here. "Scars" immediately offers up melody stacked upon melody, with the drums and bass driving the song forward to an amazing chorus, so catchy and with lyrics that make an impact. "Ruins" is a track that really displays how much energy the vocals have; the growls are spit out left and right while the guitar just picks them up and carries them effortlessly.  The last minute and fifteen seconds alone, with its very moving finale, make a strong argument for MDM being the best subgenre in Metal.

BLACK THERAPY's "Echoes of Dying Memories," is one of the most impressive Melodic Death Metal albums I've heard in some time.  Not only does it honor the style, but it pushes it forward in terms of song writing.  If you gave up on the genre, this will probably pull you back in.  If you haven't listened to the style before, prepare to have your musical life changed.  If you already enjoy the genre, you just found one of its future royalties. It's a modern-day Melodic Death Metal classic.