Derivae
Nero Di Marte
•
December 14, 2014

After listening to this album multiple times I could not put my feelings into words; they're not an amazing band but they're not awful either. There's something about them that I can only describe as hearing a dog cry, you don't want to pay them any attention but then you hear the music and you can't help but giving them nothing but your attention. (Thankfully listening to NERO DI MARTE is nowhere near as painful as listening to a dog crying.)
NERO DI MARTE is an Italian band that have been around for a few years. Their work will not amaze you in the way perhaps other artists will, but after releasing their debut album in 2009 they have come a long way. The music penetrates your ears in a way quite unlike anything I've previously found myself interested in, they captivate you and dig over every feeling you've ever hidden. This band is quite remarkable in the way they make you feel, and after listening to their album Derivae multiple times I am still confused as to whether I like them or not despite the fact I've been playing this album nonstop for four days.
The album on the whole is quite good, it is pleasant to listen to however I'm not sure its on the amazing mark yet. There are parts to this album I love and there are parts to this album I didn't love so much and that is why I am as confused as to whether I can actually say I like it, despite the fact I am impressed by this band. You can hear the amount of work each member has put into making this band as good as they can be, but as they are a fairly recent development in the music industry perhaps on future albums there is room for improvement.
The band does offer something new and as I stated there are some parts in which I love, and am infact guilty of having a couple of songs alone on repeat for some of the time I have had this album. Derivae has an almost eerie feel to some of its tracks, this works very well. Everything moves along nicely which I personally feel is a bonus as there is nothing I hate more than tracks that do not lead into the next as if there was a mistake with the line-up.
Number 5 on the album is a song called "Simulacra" and is possibly my favorite song on this album. I love the fact it has a lot going on, but at the same time feels rather simple. It rings in your ears for a moment after listening to it, and that's not just a side effect of the volume. This band connects with you and you will find yourself repeating songs or the entire album time and time again because every time you listen you discover something new. It is hard to take it all in on the first listen, or second for that matter. It takes a while to get used to this band and I'm sure once everyone does finally adjust they will have tons of new fans.
Personally I love the art work for this album, its simplicity amazes me and I think it is perfect for the sound of the band. Not because their music is simple to understand, but because the music washes over you like a wave, occasionally knocking you off balance and after spending four days listening to this album over and over again I found the more I listened the more I was thrown off by something hitting me. This is exactly what happens in the sea; the longer you stand there the more you are thrown off balance and knocked down. I think the use of water and waves on the album cover were a brilliant idea.
I'm still not clear on my feelings for this band, I hope they do end up growing on me as I am very interested to see what they have lined up in the future as I feel they will have a lot of people on the edge of their seats one day, just waiting on the arrival of their latest album. This may not be for some time yet, but I think in time it will come to them.
6 / 10
Had Potential

"Derivae" Track-listing:
1. Le Eclisse
2. Clouded Allure
3. Pulsar
4. Dite
5. Simulacra
6. Il Diluvio
7. Those who leave
Nero Di Marte Lineup:
Francesco D'Adamo - Guitar
Sean Worrell - Vocals, Guitar
Andrea Burgio - Bass
Marco Bolognini - Drums
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