METAL REVIEW Not to be confused with Austria’s melodic death metal group Lacerator, this bunch of Italians churns out a pummeling brand of brutality akin to Deicide. Nessun Urlo Nell’ombra is a self-released four-song demo, and with a total running time of fourteen minutes, it’s a short but effective demonstration of the band’s abilities. Opening with the chugging “O.S.S.A.,” Nessun wastes little time in establishing their game plan. Antonio Susco has a powerful voice, and he mixes up his approach by alternating between a low grunt and a higher-pitched scream. Yeah, I know you’ve heard all that before, probably on any number of records in your collection… Honestly, there are no points awarded here for originality, but this is a job well done, even if it isn’t breaking any new ground. The lyrics are entirely in Italian, so I have no idea what the songs are about, but if I cared what most songs were about, I’d have to toss out half my collection anyway. The production is top-notch, especially for a demo. The guitar tone is great — the riffs are distinguishable, not too muddy or too thin. Marco Zirondelli’s bass is crisp and audible, and it adds a nice touch to the proceedings, sliding along underneath the guitars. All of the songs are well-written, with the riffs flowing properly and enough variety in tempo and attack to keep the listener interested. Musically, my sole complaint with the disc is this: although the performances are tight and the riffing solid, there’s only one brief guitar lead, and then the lead guitarist is never heard from again. Not that I’m advocating willy-nilly guitar noodling all over this, but I do think a few well-placed, well-played leads would really kick it up a notch. There’s honestly not a whole lot else to say — the record is short, and so is this review. Nessun Urlo Nell’ombra is a good example of a well-done demo — the sound is well above average; the songs are engaging. Perhaps most importantly, with its running time, Nessun follows the golden rule of introductory recordings: leave the listener wanting to hear more (or at least willing to). I really can’t ask much more from a demo. I know Lacerater is in the market for a label, and based on the performance here, I’d say that’s a very attainable goal. I’ve heard less talented bands on some of the biggest labels around, after all… By Jeremy Witt MARK: 4,5-5/6