Into Darkness – Route to the Outer Side Review

[Cover art by Claudio Elias Scialabba]

Italy’s Into Darkness has been a band for approximately 15 years but is just now releasing its first full length album, Route to the Other Side, but all that time has been greatly beneficial to their growth. Over the preceding decade and a half, they’ve put out some EPs, splits, and demos, while undergoing various lineup changes (the current lineup carries the pedigree of both Thulsa Doom and Araphel members). They’ve also evolved from more of a death/doom band – likely gaining their moniker from genre legends Winter – to what appears at first blush to be a more down-the-middle style of death metal.

But dig deeper and you’ll realize how well-rounded a sound is achieved on Route to the Other Side. Sure, there’s plenty of the death/doom of the band’s roots, but much of the album is also quite thrashy and fast, and they also don’t shy away from a little melody when things call for it. Add in a largely natural production and mix, and you get a rather balanced sound that benefits from stout songwriting, but also from a nice nasty streak in the vocals of lone original member Doomed Warrior. Her throaty rasp carries with it more than a touch of Martin Van Drunen, helping to emphasize the touch of Asphyx already present in Into Darkness’ sound.

You’re also likely to hear some early Pestilence, Sinister, Beneath the Remains-era Sepultura, a touch of Finnish death, and various other influences depending on your particular listening history. This is not to insinuate that Route to the Other Side is just a “you’ll hear what you bring with you” album – it is not – but it’s clear that Doomed Warrior and her bandmates are accomplished students of the game.

Opener “Jupiter” shows off both the band’s great sense of balance and just how mean this platter of death can become. It bursts into existence with absolutely zero fanfare, showing off the splashy, punchy drumming, while sections of churning riffs and slower malevolence help to tie it all up. The ensuing “Saturn” then adds to the script with some real melody to cut through the thrashing death before passages of tremolo harmonies really stretch things out. Everything manages both a “serious death metal” vibe and an undeniable sense of escapist fun—not always the easiest feat.

Elsewhere, “Uranus” uses those Asphyx vibes in the heft and more tremolo harmonies to become one of the album’s major highlights; “Halley” pushes the doom side of the band farther than any other tune here; and “Pluto” gives the album a climax that is as swaggery as it is melodic and almost “epic” in tone. Not to belabor the point, but the band’s balance means that you’re likely to hear several influences depending on the passage. At times you’ll hear all that Dutch death metal at the core of this sound, but at others you might hear something like From the Lost Years…-era The Chasm, particularly in how the production gives things just a touch of atmosphere.

The only real caveat here is that some listeners might be looking for something a little less balanced – shreddier, more brutal, techier, less refined, etc. – fans of extreme metal do tend to like their extreme things, after all. But most listeners ought to find Route to the Other Side to be exactly what it is: a particularly stoutly performed and impeccably produced set of very well written death metal. It won’t change your death metal life, but it’ll keep you more than a little entertained over its brisk 41 minutes.