Hitting it out of the park with their debut, U.M.A., the cosmic themed black metal group Progenie Terrestre Pura had no trouble coming up with a sci-fi vibe that perfectly suited the jaw-dropping artwork that adorned it. The band’s follow-up EP experimented with only ambient sounds, so it should come as no surprise that the band isn’t going to go the easy route and make U.M.A. part two. But it may still surprise some nonetheless.
While U.M.A. floated in some of the same waters as say, Mesarthim, oltreLuna does no such thing. The biggest change that fans will have to come to grips with is that this album doesn’t have the same, space-y, chill vibe that the debut got lost in. That’s not to say they’ve abandoned their core though. You’ll still hear some ambient sounds and cosmic vibes here and there, as well as some of the more potent black metal origins, but oltreLuna has a vastly larger scope than its predecessor. On first listen you may not get it, particularly if you were expecting something more familiar but there’s a richness that draws you back. One hates to use the term ‘folk metal’ to describe some of the new elements, but there’s a tribal sense in the title track as well as the opening number “Pianeta.Zero” that does have a more “earthy” sense than a cosmic affair. Also noticeable is a jump in energy – when the band decides to go all-in, there’s a ferocity that was lacking in the band’s repertoire. “Deus.Est.Machina” is a good example of this, as it effectively merges the space vibes with a more epic and full sound (including some powerhouse melodies) that is quick to get your attention. Lastly, there’s more of a playfulness to the synths and electronics, going so far in the finale (“Proxima.B”) to include more harsh industrial and dubstep-ish sounds into the medium.
Admittedly, some may be turned off by some of Progenie Terrestre Pura’s advances but they continue to evolve themselves into something even more unique. oltreLuna is still a voyage, but with a different destination and equally deserving of accolades.