A re-release from 2005 with bonus tracks, Italian horde HomSelvareg’s debut album is far from melancholic ambience. Instead, once the requisite acoustic intro is out of the way Capitalo I: Nelle Api bursts through with all the traditional fury that the War Metal genre bears. Unlike most, however, there’s an almost Grindcore sense of dynamics at play here that makes these tracks genuinely interesting, and the subtle Folk influences give something twistedly melodious to the heaviest of torrents.

Pretty much everything about this album is designed to appeal, from the interwoven acoustics of Capitalo II: HomSelvareg to the early-Enslaved fury of Capitalo III: La Caccia. You can blame the fact that this is remastered for much of the unkvlt clarity, but it’s amazing how upfront and gripping this makes the album. The fact that the band clearly has a pretty darn good drummer in Bazzyb helps much, as his capable backing is what propels the diverse likes of Capitalo IV: Fuga Del Selvaggio and Capitalo VII: Ascesa to the impressive heights that they reach.

With the inclusion of all-acoustic instrumentals like Capitalo V: Agonia, HomSelvareg are clearly going for some big statement here, yet disappointingly the longest track on the album, Capitalo VI: La Morte, isn’t as good as shorter tracks. There’s still work to be done before the band gets into the frontlines of the Italian Black Metal movement, but in the meantime HomSelvareg is a very promising statement of intent that makes the band’s name one to watch out for.