Punto Omega- Noche Oscura del Alma

ARTIST: Punto Omega

ALBUM: Noche Oscura del Alma

LABEL: Vendetta Music

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 8-30-09

Club-ready, aggressive, metal-tinged, atmospheric...the new album from Argentinean industrial act Punto Omega covers all the bases. It's got more than enough of a thumping EBM groove to keep bodies sweating on the dance floor; just listen to the classic beats and robotic vocal effects of "Palabras Muertas." It's also more than heavy enough for rock fans; the beats on "Fabricantes de Miedo" might be electronic, but it's the searing heavy metal guitars that give the song its punch. There's a lot more to Punto Omega's rock side than just a few metal riffs for extra punch, too. Title track "Noche Oscura del Alma," the album's centerpiece, is an epic that combines urgent trance leads with the slow thunder of doom metal guitars, all topped off by gravelly vocals, while the gothic guitar crescendo, crunchy chords, and dance beats on "Eterno Presente" come together like Killing Joke's heavier '90s-era work. If that all sounds unmercifully heavy, that's not entirely the case. While it's true Punto Omega probably won't be recording a piano ballad any time soon, that isn't to say that their music is all grunts and power chords. As a matter of fact, there are some gorgeously atmospheric moments on this album. "Camino a la Unidad" stands out the most; though it's a brief instrumental interlude, it's incredibly memorable if for no other reason than its incorporation of bagpipes with industrialized orchestral ambiance. Even more powerful is "Promesas Lejanas," which brings a cinematic majesty to the band's blend of electronic and hard rock elements with judiciously placed symphonic patches. Heavy enough for mosh pits but possessing an unexpected grace, Punto Omega will appeal especially to fans of such electronic/metal crossover acts as KMFDM, Steril, and fellow South American act Vigilante.

Visit the band's official website at www.punto-omega.net.