I have the same problem with this Italian band as with In Battle, Tsatthoggua and many similar 666 mph, hyper-speed black metal groups. That is, the speed tends to obliterate all other substance in their music. Or rather, these bands have very little to offer besides the speed factor. Mater Tenebra are as fast as a fucking cruise missile, and their high-end sound is as noisy as several dozen buzzsaws whirring around all at the same time. That, however, is also the source of their entrapment. By being so fast and noisy the band build a brick wall around themselves. Once the initial astonishment at these guys' intensity and endurance passes away, you are left with nothing. Everything turns into a blurry cloud of noise, a fleeting burst of cacophony. There is absolutely nothing memorable about this at all. The band do slow down once in a while and feebly attempt to do something interesting with their rhythms, but that changes nothing. Once the CD is over, you will feel battered, but you won't remember a damn thing. Maybe that's the whole purpose, I don't know. Once again, speed freaks might like it. I, on the other hand, keep this CD in my collection as a mere novelty item. For the time being, that is. And we all know how long that's going to last. (Answer: not long.)

© 2002 boris