Sick N'Beautiful - Horror Vacui (BLKIIBLK)

Italian horror metal ensemble Sick N’ Beautiful is poised to unleash their fourth studio album, Horror Vacui, via BLKIIBLK, the heavy music imprint of the ever-expanding Frontiers Label Group, later this month The album’s title, translating from Latin to “fear of emptiness,” encapsulates the band’s ongoing obsessions with themes of horror, dystopian sci-fi, and the supernatural—territory they’ve long explored but now with renewed intensity. And, on the evidence of standout cuts like Haunted, with renewed skill and verve too.

It’s the band’s heaviest album yet—raw and unrelenting, yet leavened with just enough of an eye on the mainstream to keep things fresh n’friendly for what’s left of hard rock radio. Hate Manifesto adds an almost Southern-fried rowdyism to the usual mix of Lacuna and Manson that’s a real surprise. It shouldn’t work, but it does, very well indeed.

Album opener (Human Is) Overrated sets up a relentless pace that doesn’t waver for the rest of the record. Tracks like My Wounds and Death Police showcase the band’s signature fusion of hard rock and modern metal, enriched with industrial and punk nuances. The album’s lead single, Haunted, stands out (as already noted) with its hypnotic blend of crushing riffs and haunting melodies, narrating a ghostly tale of obsession and the inescapable grip of the past. The band describes it as “a powerful anthem for anyone who’s ever felt trapped by their own demons.” I don’t fall into that category, but even I can relate to the ethereal power inherent in Herma‘s vocal performance.

The band’s continued – and continuous – evolution since their 2014 inception is evident right across Horror Vacui. Their tried and tested blend of hard rock, modern metal, industrial, and punk elements, combined with sci-fi and horror influences, has drawn comparisons, quite rightly, to acts like Rob Zombie and Lacuna Coil, and will probably continue to do so wherever lazy journos congregate to cogitate, but front woman Herma Sick leads the charge with such captivating conviction that, along with the band’s elaborate costumes and stage productions, the band quickly leave behind those comparisons to occupy a space in the metal landscape that’s becoming uniquely their own.

The album’s production, helmed by bassist Big Daddy Ray at Kinorama Studios in Rome, captures the raw and unrelenting energy that defines Horror Vacui. The band’s commitment to delivering a live experience in the studio is palpable throughout the record, with tracks designed to resonate powerfully in a concert setting.

In Horror Vacui, Sick N’ Beautiful has crafted an album that not only pays homage to their roots but also pushes their sound into heavier and perhaps more uncharted territories. It’s a bold statement from a band unafraid to explore the depths of horror and the supernatural, inviting listeners to join them on this dark and thrilling journey, and as a pointer to the future, it absolutely crackles with possibility. A band on the up.