Sunterra: “Reborn” – a marriage of metal brutality and pastoral elegy

After a 10-year absence, Austrian independent metal legend Sunterra celebrates their reunion, presenting a new and innovative EP, entitled “Reborn”– which marks the logical conclusion and resurrection of the band. Sunterra with members, Lilly (female vocals), Carlos (male vocals) Ivan (guitar / programing) and Chris (bass), combines Industrial Metal, Gothic and Electro with some kind of Dubstep and are creating their own, distinctive sound. The new EP “Reborn” will be released through NRT Records in early 2017.

To simply call Sunterra “metal” is lazy and does them no justice. The band is better described as the bizarre marriage of metal brutality and pastoral elegy. Without a doubt, “Reborn” is full of crashing guitars and brutal growls, yet Sunterra balances this with melodic passages and vocal deliveries with icy beauty.

Often, these elements are encompassed entirely by one song. The EP opener, “Reign Supreme,” begins with flaming guitar riffs and moves onto bestial vocals, but as you approach the middle mark, the heaviness allows clean soaring singing by Lilly to creep in. Even at its heaviest, Sunterra remains surprisingly melodic, with fluid guitar lines and ear-catching riffs.

Sunterra is clearly more about dynamics of light and shade than the conventional sonic mire of other similar bands. “Shadow in the Dark” is gorgeous, layers of guitars, sparkling overlays of keyboards and electronic chords, and the chilling, beautiful vocals of Lilly. It’s probably my favorite song on the album.

The escalating tension of “Lord of Lies” explodes into the most demonic of riffs and growls by Carlos. But the melody, so seductive and oddly soothing, epitomizes true darkness before the light of Lilly’s vocals comes to the fore.

This band surpasses musical genius by honing the exact ebb and flow of extreme opposing human emotions. The dark and haunting musical poetry that flows from Sunterra’s pen does not paint a scenery before you, on “This Is W.A.R.”, but instead envelopes you in that scenery.

This EP has the screams, it goes as heavy as Sunterra can go, but this EP is also has very beautiful softer parts both alone or in the middle of all the growls and distortions sometimes you can hear how the electric blends with the electronic, evolving into beautiful music made by geniuses.

This is perfectly depicted on the double-edged, “Ministry of Thoughts”. Bristling with incredible electronic overtones, moments of quiet reflection, heavy guitars, and cleverly composed bass movements, “Shut Up!!!” will overwhelm you, your palms will sweat. When the last note has sounded, and you reluctantly open your eyes, the world will have changed, as it has for Sunterra since they started their musical journey in 1998.

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