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Anima Morte - The Nightmare Becomes Reality

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Anima Morte are not a metal band, but they are more metal than most metal bands. While the likes of Autopsy, Cannibal Corpse, and Repulsion can only wish their output is the soundtrack to serial killings and zombie outbreaks, The Nightmare Becomes Reality is what Argento and Fulci’s rotting corpses would be spinning at Sunday brunch. Whereas many bands use samples, stolen bits, or other tired clichés to create a “scary” atmosphere, this Swedish quartet creates a short horror film with each song.

After a short intro, “Corridor Of Blood” sets the tone for the rest of the album. Synths, Hammond organs, acoustic guitars, and Mellotrons swirl within a complementary prog-rock backbeat. Not only does Anima Morte have a strong understanding of cinematic themes and orchestration, they also rock hard. Check out the off-time Neil Peart drums on “The Revenant” or the Pink-Floyd-on-speed eeriness of “Passage Of Darkness”. The title track is the strongest: a soundtrack for the bleak world inherited by survivors of a horrible apocalypse. “Things To Come” condenses an entire film’s score into one 8-minute suite; solid riffs punctuated by ELP/Golden Earring note-bends ease seamlessly into an orchestral witches brew of piano runs and an honest to goodness Steely Dan breakdown.

Once upon a time, “reboot” wasn’t a word and nobody made fake blood with computers. Heavy metal and horror movies have gone hand in hand since the very beginning; it’s no surprise death/doom titans Hooded Menace tapped Anima Morte for a split (covering each other’s songs) last year. Even though no one has come close to recreating the Italian horror film scene of the ’70s and ’80s, The Nightmare Becomes Reality does a damn fine job of keeping the aesthetic alive (or is it undead?) in the 21st century.

— Chris Rowella

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HEAR THE NIGHTMARE BECOMES REALITY

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Anime Morte – “The Nightmare Becomes Reality”

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