As I've re-iterated several times in the past, Italy is one of the shining lights of the Death Metal scene at the moment. However, the Black Metal scene over there seems a little sparse. But the genre definitely has a presence; from Blackened Doom acts like FORGOTTEN TOMB through to Symphonic Black Metallers like OPERA IX, this country is definitely not lacking in great Black Metal acts. And there are definitely several bands forming that are going against the grain, opting to produce dark, eerie Black Metal as opposed to the over the top heaviness and extremity of Death Metal.

One of these newest bands making a name for themselves are Como based Blackened Death Metallers IGNOTUM, who have made waves within their countries scene since their formation in 2011, followed by their debut, self-titled demo in 2013. Now, the band have returned with their first full length, "Laravas Mortal God", a song which sees not only re-recorded versions of the four tracks from their first release, but also five new tracks that are sure to have die hard fans excited. The first two songs, "Through Madness Reminiscent" and "Soul's Self Mutilation", should be songs the bands fans are familiar with, as they both appear on the aforementioned "Ignotum" demo. Both are razor sharp, ferocious statements of intent, with interesting guitar hooks, intense drumming from Frederico and some very cool vocals. The music has plenty of melodic touches to both, which work very well on these offerings. At some points, the music is much closer to Melodic Death

Metal, such as on the second track, and it's done very well, interlacing these great riffs with some Black Metal flourishes that work incredibly well together. And then the listener is treated to the first two new songs that this band have produced in two years, "Inhale The Void" and "The Circle's Kiss"; the first being a very melodic, mid-paced affair with some cool Black Metal tremolos and harsh, rasping vocals that complement the guitars greatly. It has some really catchy riffs that grab the listeners attention and maintain your interest. Also, the piano section at the end of the track fits perfectly, and adds a whole new dynamic to the song. It's a shame it wasn't used earlier, or even more often. "The Circle's Kiss" is yet another melodic track, which starts out slower and then gets fast and powerful. This is a classic Melodic Death Metal track, and it sounds great. From the insane, technical guitar lines through to the vocals, this is sure to be a fan favorite in the future. Next comes another old track, "Mary L", which has plenty of Melo-Death twin guitar lines, and plenty of speeding Thrash Metal rhythms. Some cleaner guitar tones get utilize at this point on the record, and they help break this song up and make it sound great. This song has definitely benefited from being re-visited and re-recorded. The vocals on this particular track are amazing, and really help bring the track to life. "Abyss You Shine" is a pretty good modern Black Metal track with plenty of twists to it, from the progressive approach to the music through to the sweet guitar lines that slide between the melodious and the heavy seamlessly. It's not the longest song on the record, but it definitely leaves its mark on the overall album, and sound brilliant from start to finish.

The Blackened elements that are thrown in really make this track as good as it is. "In Skinless Dream" the final song on here which features on the bands self titled demo, is one of the darkest songs on this record, with plenty of great vocals topping the equally great music. The albums penultimate track, "Hecatomb Memories", opens on a very nice clean guitar piece that really helps to build the track up, before it descends into a very catchy Melo-Death track, with some much harsher riffs thrown in that are more in tune with a classic Black Metal guitar line. This, apart from perhaps the opening track, is one of the best songs on this record, standing head and shoulders above many of the others. Most likely, it will be songs like this that will be the cornerstones of the bands live set for a while. The final track, "Clown With Crown", is a very solid closing track, bringing in all the aspects of the bands sound and throwing them together, to great effect. It's not exactly the strongest closing track, but the guitar lines and impassioned vocal delivery make it a good way to finish this record off nonetheless. This is a decent album on all fronts, from musicianship to production. It shows a band who are slowly but surely straying away from their core sound and heading off in a completely new direction, hoping to carve out their own niche within Melodic Death Metal scene. The old songs stand well alongside, which is a testament to their appeal, and the new songs are likely to mark the foundation of a long and successful recording career. If IGNOTUM build upon this sound and try to add their own unique touch to it, I could see this band going far, even perhaps to the point of worldwide recognition. I'd definitely urge Melo-Death fans to check this band out.