From Bandcamp, “TETHRA is a Melancholic Doom Death quintet active since 2008 and based in Milan. The band plays a particular mix of Melancholic Doom Death, where the evocative atmospheres of Gothic/Doom Metal blend with the aggressiveness of Death Metal. On this new album, the lyrics are more intimate than ever, touching on very personal topics such as loss, the need for solitude and feelings of rejection, while the music has changed skin once again, becoming warmer and deeper to better tell the emotions that permeate these eight songs. Like a sonic needle that stitches the wounds of a bleeding heart.”

The album has eight songs, and “Liminal” is first. Smooth and somber tones come out of the clean guitars, and although there is a hardened riff, the melodies are not sacrificed. Still, some of the riffs are a bit predictable. “Gaslighting” has some charming melodies that seem to rise above the weight of the song. There are two types of vocals…the cleans bring somber tones with them, and the harsh ones anger. “Days of Cold Sleep” has more tender opening notes and then in comes the weight once more. This time, there is a nice balance between the two, as well as the various vocal styles. The harsh ones in the chorus are augmented with female cleans. The title track has some seriously sober tones, and the clean baritone vocals are the perfect companion for the music.

“Like Water” has devastatingly crushing tones from the clean vocals, and you can feel the pain for sure. The harsh vocals rise up like a coiled snake and take as many bites as they want to, and the saxophone notes are surprising as well. “Behind the Scars” is another lesson in the dichotomy of two different vocals styles. The cleans bring depressive tones, and the harsh ones pure rage. For me, it’s a reflection of the dichotomy of life itself. “Nightime Surrender” has darker and firmer tones, but again, not at the expense of the melody. The harsh vocals are very strong here, and if you let them, they could rip right through your flesh. “Commiato” closes the album. The piano notes drip with emotion, and they give me a clean sense of closure.

Overall, this was an excellent album. There was a contrast between the clean and harsh vocals, as well as a nice balance between the emotions of anger and despair. I loved the female vocals especially, and would have liked to have heard more of them. The album brought up conflicting feelings for me, and that is always the mark of an interesting listening experience.