Afterhours
Hai Paura Del Buio?

THE REVIEW

With the release of the new Afterhours album, I go back to listen to some of their old ones. Naturally, I stop at their best work: "Hai Paura Del Buio?"
Corrosive irony and nihilistic cynicism on a backdrop of melancholic existential boredom pervade the sharp yet engaging atmosphere of the record. Rock, pop, but above all grunge (in my personal and debatable opinion, the only answer to the '90s in Italy alongside Massimo Volume). Fresh guitars, minimal rhythms, never too much "noise", always convincing and catchy. This is definitely the extra weapon of this group: simple, immediate melodies, based on a few chords playable even in front of a bonfire. All this is made sophisticated by a jagged voice, lyrics that approach the "Anglo-Saxon" flavor: easy to read and perfectly adapted to the "song" structure, as hadn't happened in Italy since the days of the much-mourned Lucio Battisti (he actually loved to write pieces in English...).

Moving on to the track list, we identify the "manifesto of Italian grunge" in "Male Di Miele," too early preceded by the naïve masterpiece that is "1.9.9.6.". "Rapace" is a surreal chant, with an unjustified choice of angry screams: all the more attractive for it! "Elymania" is adolescent, a synthesis of hopes and frustrations. "Pelle" is a non-sense of allusions and declarations, as a love that has ended or never started can be: it's the magical moment of the album. "Dea," in its frenzy, is the turning point of the album. "Senza Finestre" is experimental, fluid, perfect soundtrack, ideally connected to the following track, "Simbiosi," a delicate, irrational, acoustic disturbance. "Voglio Una Pelle Splendida" is my favorite: romantic, harmonious, restful, a light touch and away it goes. "Terrorswing" is noise, syncopated, a jazzed blues à la Nick Drake. "Lasciami Leccare L'Adrenalina" is useless, it breaks the enchantment. "Punto G" presents with a gloomy gothic chant the inertia of today's generation: banal but effective. With "Veleno" we return to pure rock, fiercely screamed and strummed. "Come Vorrei" is carefree and childish, a music box to fall asleep lulled by music (too similar to "She's A Rainbow" by the Rolling Stone). "Questo Pazzo Pazzo Mondo Di Tasse" reprises the noise experiment, dark and serious. "Musicista Contabile" is a description-attack on the strenuous profession of the artist: delirious images, a useless song but much liked by us youngsters! "Sui Giovani D'Oggi Ci Scatarro Su" shoots disdain at 180 per hour, but the album's target enters into contradiction: nonetheless, a great song for a mosh pit! The album could only close with a beautiful and poignant ballad for making out, which inexplicably turns into a dissonant pianistic stupefaction: "Mi Trovo Nuovo."
It's great to experiment, but if you're not capable, better rely on your strengths...

The boy in me would give this album a 5 with honors, the adult growing inside gives it a 2=... Rounded up because, in the end, I grew up with this album, and goodbye to everyone!