The debut EP from Italy’s Storm Cry does exactly what any indie released EP should do: whet the listener’s appetite for more without giving too much away. The band establishes a certain quality threshold that, while showcasing serviceable licks and a proper grasp of their genre’s conventions, leaves room for the band to breathe and grow into themselves.
While there is nothing here that stands out as particularly new (this ground has been largely conquered by Soilwork and other Swedish melo-death troupes), Beginning of Darkness is nevertheless an enjoyable spin. It showcases some solid work from vocalist Roberto Bindi and a good sense of dynamics from the rest of the band that will definitely serve them well as they move on toward bigger things.
The cover art and overall digital presentation is nothing to sneer at either. Storm Cry present themselves very professionally on all fronts and are definitely setting their sights high. Melo-death fans, keep your eyes peeled for these guys in the coming months.