Stigma

Just by looking at the cover of Stigma's latest disc, Concerto for the Undead, it's obvious that these Italian metal heads have yet again created an amusingly horror-themed album. The artwork features an illustrated zombie orchestra, resembling Tales from the Crypt Creeper, fitting perfectly with the band's love for all things undead and fantastical. Right from opener "Chop His Head Off!" to closer "Doctor Skeleton," vocalist Stefano "Vlad" Ghersi is ferocious in his delivery, with guitarist Andrea Bailo constantly shredding, while drummer Stefano Ghigliano, by far the most talented of the lot, pounds his skins mercilessly. The end result is ten tracks of seamlessly blended, finely tuned thrashing metal, with lots of heavy layers. An album bonus is the ten-frame comic strip accompanying the disc's insert, with each panel depicting a different illustrated scenario for every track.