Italy has always been known to have a small, but pretty progressive and fine Metal scene with bands like BULLDOZER, ADRAMELCH or SADIST. Now ACROSS THE SWARM from Bologna are here to add their part to Italian Metal history. After three (to me unknown) demos under the name of LACERATED resp. LACERATER, the four piece changed its name to ACROSS THE SWARM last year. This self-titled EP is their first release under that moniker. And “Across The Swarm” is really interesting, yet very stressing. Five rather short songs full of breaks and technical frills are only the base for a pretty inventive style of extreme Metal. The band describes this as “Shove Metal”. This means that certain Metalcore and some Industrial influences are present all over the EP. But that’s not all. ACROSS THE SWARM included such “unmetallic” influences as Hip Hop, Tekkno, Drum’n’Bass or even a little Gabba to their style (whatever that may be… Frank). On the one hand, these influences make songs like ‘Just Bodies’ with its Hip Hop breaks or ‘Cynical Eyes’ that features Tekkno elements sound rather interesting. On the other hand, the music of ACROSS THE SWARM needs getting used to. For some they might be the new hot shit, for others (like me, I must admit), this EP is too distressing. But if you’re looking for something special, check them out, before they become big! Visit: www.facebook.com/acrosstheswarm to find out more about them, or check their bandcamp: http://acrosstheswarm.bandcamp.com