Italy's "The Secret" sign to Southern Lord Records

Italy’s The Secret took a more blackened approach with their sophomore album “Disintoxication” which was quite a change from their brighter, metal-tinged hardcore debut. I guess some jail time, drug abuse, depression, and suicide attempts will do that to you. We’ve seen a lot of success with this approach before, last year Tomb’s black metal-meets hardcore Relapse release “Winter Hours” gained them much critical praise and Atlanta-based Withered’s blackened sludge sound gave their 2 releases quite a buzz.

The Secret combine all of the above with a little Grind to make their own unique blend of blackness that caught the attention of Southern Lord Records, who just recently signed the band. They are on my list of bands to watch and if their growth on their next album compares to the evolution heard on Disintoxication then this band may finally shrug off all the Converge comparisons. With the exposure gained from signing to Southern Lord and production (ironically) from Kurt Ballou/Godcity Studio this band will definitely become a problem and a force to be reckoned with. Here’s the official Southern Lord Press Release:

“Southern Lord is proud to announce the newest members of its coven, brutal Italian group: The Secret. These days Its extremely rare that we receive a demo submission that blows us away. This was the case with the demo that the Secret had sent us. Their sound is relentless, uncompromising and extremely lethal. Anti-melody, pro-cacophony!

Born and shaped in 2003 within the motionless city of Trieste, Italy, The Secret come to life as an output for rage, darkness and negativity. The Secret combines elements of crust/grind, primitive black metal, dark soundscapes and monolithic riffs to take the listener by the hand through an hallucinated trip towards a foggy and yet invisible tomorrow. After their 2003 Goodfellow Records debut album “Luce”, the band goes through countless line up changes and finds its own new incarnation in 2008 when their second full length “Disintoxication” was released.

Since then The Goodfellow label has unfortunately ceased to exist. The Secret have now found shelter within Southern Lords’ bleak caves. This April The Secret will enter Godcity Studio in Salem, MA with producer Kurt Ballou to record their Southern Lord debut “Solve et Coagula”, their sonic interpretation of a total loss of faith in social system, religion, personal redemption and every institution.

You are forewarned of a approaching monolithic steamroller whose destiny is to flatten all in its path!”
The Secret’s Myspace Page
Southern Lord Records