Their debut CD The Absence brings a lot of different styles to the table. There are progressive elements to Luna Mortis' sound, in the vein of groups like Dream Theater. They also bring a heavier, more epic sound with lots of dual guitar shredding.
A couple of tracks are very accessible musically, with ample hooks and catchy melodies. You'll also hear Luna Mortis compared to Arch Enemy because of Mary Zimmer's vocals. She's classically trained and isn't an operatic soprano, but more of an alto with a great voice.
She alternates singing with death metal screaming, hence the Angela Gossow comparisons. She's equally adept at both styles, and they are split pretty evenly throughout each song. Her versatility gives Luna Mortis a powerful weapon that's difficult to duplicate.
The Absence is an excellent debut. Luna Mortis has already developed a balance between the complexity of prog, the melodies of mainstream metal and the riffs of thrash metal. That along with Zimmer's vocal prowess makes them a band with a huge amount of potential.
(released February 10th, 2009 on Century Media Records)
