### In Tha Umbra: Noire

#### 07/03/11 || revenant

Genres can be a bitch of a thing at times. We all like to put bands and their music into their designated genre or sub-genre. It’s easy. It’s safe. We all know what we’re going to get, whether to ignore straight off or whether to take further interest. Then some band comes along and defies our system, sprawling across multiple genres and pissing over our neat, clearly defined boundaries. Enter In Tha Umbra.

OK, if pushed for a definition, I’d loosely put them under a progressive death metal banner, but this really doesn’t encapsulate what they do. The “Noire” EP features four tracks, each distinctive in style and approach to the point you could almost subcategorize each into a different sub-genre.

The first track opens atmospherically before kicking into alternative rock before sliding across into melo-death territory, all the while giving off some serious Moonspell vibes backed with Doors-esque keyboards in the background. You still with me? The next track strays close to black metal territory, though it suffers from over-repetition of the main riff. The third track is a slower, more progressive track with heavy blasts and clean vocals, though for the most part it sits comfortably under the progressive death metal banner. Finally, closing out the EP is a gentle mellow instrumental.

There are, however, two things which all tracks have in common: great atmosphere and shitty vocals. The atmosphere itself is terrific, particularly in the opening passages of the tracks. Vocals, on the other hand, are at times a real setback for what the band delivers. The main vocals are a high pitched growl, and the vocalist sounds as though he yelled himself hoarse before entering the studio. Somebody give the dude a cough drop or something, can’t you see he’s suffering? Compacting the issue is the major shitness that are the clean vocals and pained cries on the third track, which are truly, truly appalling.

Overall I can’t say I was completely taken by this EP. It’s not something that wowed me, but nor did I find it dull. What In Tha Umbra has delivered is an interesting and diverse EP that defies simple categorization without breaking too many boundaries. Shitty vocals aside, this is a decent listen.

- Information
- Released: 2011
- Label: Independent
- Website: In Tha Umbra MySpace
- Band
- Bruno J. S. Correia: vocals, guitars
- Bruno Miguel Bernardo: guitars
- Ruben Sardinha: bass
- João Marques: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Intangível
- 02. Shadow, Caressing Shadow
- 03. The Weight of Fire Shall Harvest the Wine of Twilight
- 04. Alva Angústia