NEL BUIO – Nel Buio

The further you look, the more the Italian metal scene keeps expanding. Projects that merit the word “interesting” emerge constantly. Among them is Nel Buio, a Lombard-Emilian trio formed in 2023, who finally made their debut with their self-titled album at the close of a particularly fruitful year for the Italian underground.

 

The first thing to know about this band is the members’ backgrounds. None are newcomers. Founder Claudio De Rosa, aka Clod the Ripper, spent years in bands like Septycal Gorge, Nuclear Devastation, and Blasphemer (which he is still part of). Guitarist Neil Grotti and drummer Francesco Vella have collaborated with acts such as Neurasthenia and the legendary Electrocution.

 

Their resumes are already impressive. There’s a notable detail: all the bands mentioned are death metal, some of them highly technical and brutal. This makes it more surprising when, with this project, the three musicians shift toward black metal influenced by ’80s darkwave.

 

Of course, traces of death metal remain. The dominant elements, however, are of a different nature. This shift emphasizes the central concept of urban alienation through a two-part poem. This is evident in the way the track titles are interwoven to create an overarching narrative.

 

The opening tracks (Un tempo…, Splendeva di vita, Sguardo innocente, Col cuore puro) alternate melodic tremolo riffs with mostly mid-tempo drumming. Synths take a central, rather than ornamental, role and lay down retro-tinged notes that make the album’s story tangible. Oramai… acts as an atmospheric interlude, breaking the linearity and marking the transition to the second act. From Il buio l’avvolge onward, the album grows denser and more oppressive: guitars get heavier, rhythms tighten, and electronics become structural, often doubling or contrasting the melodies. Non v’è più lacrima is the peak of both instrumental intensity—now almost entirely black metal—and vocal performance, with Clod shifting between growl and anguished screams. Finally, Eppur perdona closes the album with intense bursts throughout, carrying a strong emotional tension.

 

Judging the album by its cover or track titles alone would not do it justice, though even these first impressions leave little doubt. Nel Buio’s self-titled debut surprises with its solid structure, deep substance, and personal nuances. Finding a band that can truly call itself “pure Italian darkwave” is nearly impossible—this is a term of belonging, almost a motto, coined by the band themselves through this album. One meant not only to be heard but to be experienced from start to finish, with full immersion.