Review | Terra – Terra

Independent Release

Italian progressive metal band Terra first reached the masses supporting Soen on the `Memorial 2023’ Tour. They made a huge impact for their unique blend of musical styles. Describing their sound as a combination of tribal drumming, classical rock and cinematic music, mixed up with a dose of alternative metal, constructed around a heavy progressive metal carcass, the Italian quartet creates a symbiosis of that is distinctive and instantly nesting. 

EARWORM MELODIES

The foundation for that impressive potion of danceable beat-skipping metal is forged by drumming vocalist Daniele ‘zed’ Berretta and Stefano Alfonsi on bass and percussions. With all members handling tribal and percussion duties, the mix is heavy and grooving, without leaning strongly on the alternating distorted riffs and fine melodies of rhythm guitarist Lorenzo ‘JB’ Saponetta and lead guitarist Paolo Luciani. Intensifying Terra’s earworm melodies the band’s vocal harmonies and trade off lyrics are at the center of the songs with their self-titled debut as an instant benchmark for fans.

The recently re-issued version of `Terra’ consists of a 2^nd disc featuring almost the entire debut performed acoustically, proving the music’s smoldering intensity from their ‘plugged’ version holding up in this intimate version, emphasizing the wonderful depth and rich texture of the compositions.

Rather late for a review? I hear ya!

Well, with their one-off appearance at this year’s Progpower Europe festival on the October 6^th, it isn’t more than justified to dive into their intense and soul stirring melodic prog record `Terra’ and the (word played) `Errat’ acoustic release. 

INDEPENDENT ENTITY

As we haven’t reviewed the magnificent debut `Terra’ previously, it is about time we set things right. Covered in an impressive hand-crafted wooden cd-case with burned in logo, the magnet’s closing it are as heavy as the band’s music. Terra’s songs encompass the previously mentioned influences somewhat reminiscent of classic Pain Of Salvation releases, leaning towards late eighties alternative grunge rockers Tribe After Tribe. What stands out when listening to tracks like ,,The Scent’’, the aforementioned ,,The Sea’’, or ,,Sirens Call’’, is the elegance and musical quality of this quartet, full of dynamism and intensity, conveying emotions that reach deep inside and make you feel.

Each song stands as an independent entity contributing to the overall coherence of the album. There’s a synergy in the album’s flow benefiting the listener. The dynamics of the tribal and percussion work resonate intensely while injecting an impressive groove that has you unintentionally shaking your tail feathers. Colorful and tastefully arranged songs like ,,The Sea”, the hauntingly beautiful acoustic ,,Sirens’ Call”, and the exquisite ,,Slow Fall” with its great drum and percussions at the center, are all intensely cinematic, coloring a vivid picture of sounds and emotions. Blending the tribal parading beats with alt-rock and avant-garde segments, ,,Save our Ship” is a standout track that fires on all engines. 

NEIL PEART

The tribal beats on the more ominous tracks evoke sinister rhythms straight from Neil Peart’s novel ‘Drumbeats’, poignant and evocative. Roaring with guitars dominating and keys welling, ,,This Scent” displays the bands vitality. Lush atmospheric sections and melodic chants intertwined with ponderous grooves and intricate vocals. The roaring silence captured is drenched in melancholy with Zed’s vocals ranging from frail and timid to melodic lamenting, with a weeping guitar theme atop. Counterbalanced by intense guttural growls, the song is terra firma for the band. Bringing the tribal beats and rich percussion forward, ,,XII” opens in Floydian tone to the hammer track ,,Create Mutate Erase”, tapping a different vein. 

Percussions maintained; it folds back on its intensity before gradually building back. Impressive are Zed’s vocals that elude in the amazing nesting chorus. Pitched Phrygian guitar themes are laced atop, with drums in powerful groove switching progressive. Heavier on the gut is the alternative rocking ,,Close Enough”, blending Temple of the Dog with the lamenting melodic R.E.M signature vocals and Tribe After Tribe’s danceable strut. The beats are constantly shifting, and the interplay of floors, toms and drums is insanely catching. It is an energizing crescendo of beats and hooks thrown at us. The chorus nests immediately while the vocal bounce off one another constantly. Harmonious, switching guttural, and deeply emotional. 

EXPERIMENTAL AND MENTAL

Clawing down on emotions ,,The End” is cinematic as Floyd’s finest, with its weeping themes and free-hand sweep picking are injecting variety while drums blast it into the breakdown, building back into its scenic soundscape for the epic 19-minute ‘instrumental’ ,,Mantra”. It’s experimental and mental.

Experimenting more, ,,Walking on Sand’’ grows around a catchy and sonorous chorus with doubled voices, intrinsic guitar licks and elemental rhythms pressing. The harmonies are welling and dwelling. Raucous outcries tugged in the back of the mix stir up its low droning groove. Grooved up even more is the jagged ,,Father”, leaning on melodic vocal sections and raw grunts propelling it. Drums full tribal, the guitar is tinged Gilmour-ish with rousing chants in the back. The dynamics are impressive.

Emphasizing why Soen invited them to join on their tour, ,,Rise” presses with Soen-like phrasing and motion, magnified. Drums packing a prog-punch, the chorus is insanely nesting while the song keeps alternating time signatures and emotions.

ERRAT

The wordplay of `Errat’ is a play on the band’s debut’s title, while touching deeper. Not spelled backwards (HA!), the term ‘Errat’ is fundamentally linked to the concept of error and correction, both in its original Latin context (‘Errata’) and in modern applications. Digging deeper, it also is an active indicative form of the verb ‘errare’, meaning “it errs”, translated “it strays”. The latter is on target!

Leaning heavier on beats and percussion work, the songs flourish with intensity while maintaining a grounded essence, conveying an almost supernatural earthy presence. The tracks, seem originally composed in an unplugged style, benefitting from these acoustic recording. ,,The Sea’’ remains close to the original, while ,,Walking on Sand’’ stands out with its intense vocal harmonies and layered vocal exchanges, enhanced by string sections and violins for added impact. ,,XII’’ is enriched with strings and heavier drum rhythms, and the strings on ,,Sirens’ Call’’ and ,,Slow Fall’’ evoke the presence of Warren Haynes. ,,Save our Ship’’ combines Haynes’ influence with 80s alternative structures and grungy vocals, delivering a rootsy Americana-styled performance.

TERRA – THE CONCLUSION

,,Create Mutate Erase’’ and ,,Father’’ emphasize Terra’s primal rock roots, while ,,The End’’ takes on a much heavier tone. Some tracks gain texture and complexity with the addition of flutes and wind chimes. ,,Rise’’ exemplifies this with its grand arrangements, while ,,Close Enough’’ presents a different soundscape, toned down but heavier in throughput. Rich percussion and powerful instrumental performances maintain a radiant celestial quality.

,,Losing my Religion’’ is a standout cover version, with its throbbing low bass lines and flutes enhancing the cascading melody, as Zed explores his emotional register. The mix features subtle elegance with harmonized vocal chants and flourishing strings, leading into the chanted intro of ,,The Seed’’, which builds on the same foundation with more appealing orchestration. Aurora’s track also benefits from a Terra makeover, gaining cinematic and epic fervor, injecting a deeper and grounded earthy sound.

`Terra’ and `Errat’ are two intertwined albums that see the band’s creative prowess on display. Both, the electric and acoustic, albums are intense and very experimental, without losing sight of the song’s strong arrangements and instrumentation. It is creativity that baffles the listener, seamlessly blending styles into a gracious and unique cinematic style of attractive and gripping songs. The discs fly by like a freight train and make you feel like losing all track time and space. 

PROGPOWER, here’s TERRA!