THE MOOR is a Progressive Metal/Rock band hailing from Italy. Formed in 2009, this is the band’s third release, and it has eleven songs. “Intro - Il tema dell'Ombra” is first. It is very melodic with a full backing symphony of sounds, and the chord progressions suggest a band that knows exactly what they are doing. When the opening song is as bright as this one, the listeners know they are in for a treat. “The Overlord Disease” has a strong backbone seasoned with dark melodies and a combination of sturdy harsh vocals and bright cleans. The lead guitar notes are very well done, and they play in the sandbox with the song closely.

The title track takes a little time to develop, with a melodic introduction of guitars and keyboards, and when the main sound hits, it hits hard, but the melodies remain. It’s another dark and cloudy offering with harmonized vocals. “The River Spoke” indicates that the band is fairly set on a lamenting sound. I have mentioned before that I rather enjoy these types of songs, but not an album full of them. We will have to see where the band is heading with the rest of the album. “Withered” has another dark and lamenting sound. As I said, these types of songs are better sandwiched between some positive songs.

“Our Tides” starts off strong, but falls into a familiar trap. The band seems to have a versatility when it comes to songwriting, but they abandon it at just the wrong times. For example, this song relies on too many open notes and the melodies between passages don’t connect well. “Passage” is yet another slow and lamenting offering. The acoustical passage is quite nice, however. If the band could just find a way to transition in and out of these elements more smoothly, their excellent musicianship would take them far. “Vitreous” has another promising entrance that just goes by the wayside too quickly.

“Thirst” closes the album. Although the song has a sturdy entrance, it soon becomes overly lamenting once more. I don’t believe I have ever heard any album with so much wasted potential. The band uses a lot of different sounds, but always falls backwards after several bars. They also have talent, but their approach to songwriting is akin to not being able to dig yourself out of a hole that is shallow, and should present only a minor challenge.