ATMF are investing all their energy into a possible renaissance of the Italian Black Metal scene – a country which is still in some way the European Power / Heavy Metal fortress. Their latest output is the third release of ABSENTIA LUNAE – a band which is playing more or less a very typical high speed Black Metal. The album starts with a long dark ambient / electro intro which gives the listener the impression that ABSENTIA LUNAE should be named in one sentence with one of the leading Italian acts ABORYM. But these tendencies are only vague influences – the band is concentrating during the remaining playing time on their Black Metal roots. You can find some very limited avantgarde parts with a certain military touch on "Historia Nobis Assentietvr" ("History Will Prove Us Right") but the very heart and soul of the release is honestly speaking standard Black Metal. And even if the band gives their tribute to MAYHEM with an extreme inspired introduction to their fourth songs – a very mild formulation for such a copykill – not a single song is in the position to kill the listener at first sight. I really appreciate the efforts of their label to introduce the good Italian scene to a wider audience but this release is not in the position to impress anybody / anywhere. www.atmf.net, www.absentialunae.com