EP Review: Tenebra – A Death Chant (New Heavy Sounds)

Italian hard rockers Tenebra will release their new EP, A Death Chant, on 9th October via New Heavy Sounds.

Following 2022’s Moongazer, a fantastic mix of hard rock, psych blues and proto-metal, Tenebra are taking a very different approach with A Death Chant, exploring a more avant-garde, experimental, psychedelic and electronic side of their sound. Made up of just three tracks, A Death Chant was recorded and mixed live by the band alongside Bruno Germano, with extensive use of synthesizers, acoustic instruments and sound manipulation. The EP explores the theme of death and its acceptance across three chapters, creating an atmosphere that is deliberately detached from the band’s usual musical trajectory while still retaining the heaviness that Tenebra are known for.

Tenebra have a new album pencilled in for 2027 and A Death Chant offers a little taster of what is to come. One that might seem detached from their normal sound but that is still a vital piece of their story so far.

Tenebra is Silvia Feninno on vocals, Claudio “Mesca” Collina on drums and percussion, Claudio Troise on bass, and Emilio Torreggiani on guitars and synths.

The first track is the title track, A Death Chant. It’s a slow burner with that psychedelic sound at the forefront through the intro. Gentle drum taps with lots of echo, a thick bass line and a vibrating guitar tone pull you into the atmosphere very quickly. Layers of melody join in and the beat grows, just a touch. Occasional vibrating synth sounds add a layer of depth and a little surprise. It’s an interesting combination, very layered, packing plenty of atmosphere and the sort of sound that has you closing your eyes and swaying along to the soothing but surreal sounds. There are some vocals that come in after around four minutes, very faded and echoing, more like background effects, but they are nicely layered and really bed into the track well, adding yet another layer of depth to this impressively composed song.

Drugs Are Overrated is a very short, just under two minutes long, track that has a bit more of a bouncy beat to it through the drums and hopping bass line. It kind of sounds like an erratic heartbeat, which might make sense as the song itself represents the confusion felt by those left behind. It’s an interesting song, very atmospheric, but I don’t really get it. I do like it though, but the effects sound like a siren and the single spoken line of “this is going to be great television” doesn’t compute with me and the topic. Creative and cool, yes, but also odd.

Tell Me What You See leads us in with a subtle effect bubbling away and some slow guitar chords. The soft approach turns a little meaner as the drums and guitars take over, pushing the effect further back. I like that approach. The vocals come in early and are really great, bringing power, depth and emotion through while the drums, guitars and bass lay down thick, grooving riffs and beats. There is a bit more of a normal song structure to this one, which helps my simple mind follow things more clearly. I really like how the song flips back to cleaner melody, then really ramps up the distortion, showcasing conflicting emotion through contrasting sounds. It’s clever and is a very good song.

A Death Chant is certainly a different side of Tenebra and one that takes a little time to fully settle into. The psychedelic, experimental and electronic elements create something atmospheric, strange and often quite beautiful, with plenty of layers to discover across these three tracks. I don’t fully connect with everything, but I still appreciate the creativity behind it and the willingness to explore something so different from their usual sound.

Track List:

1 – Death Chant

2 – Drugs Are Overrated

3 – Tell Me What You See

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