Antonius Rex
Anno Demoni

Between doubt and silence, Antonio Bartoccetti has left us, or perhaps not. In the folds of time, no official news of his departure can be found online, creating a veil of uncertainty that envelops this musical creation like an evanescent shadow.

Amidst the folds of silence and within the recesses of musical darkness, we immerse ourselves in the enigmatic sonic ritual of "Anno Demoni" by Antonius Rex, a creation that calls upon the nebulous shadows of the arcane. Antonio Bartoccetti, shrouded in an aura of mystery, guides us through a musical experience resonating with the dark magic and sublime unease typical of an unknown art form.

In 1992, "Anno Demoni" came to light in a limited LP edition, and subsequently on CD through Mellow, with the erroneous moniker "Jacula" instead of "Antonius Rex". The CD version published by Black Widow is a remarkable work, enriched with unreleased tracks, with the epic "Gloriae Manus" extending for almost eight minutes, revealing new sonic horizons of Antonius Rex's art. As with "In cauda semper stat venenum" (a historical forgery), several restoration interventions of the original master were also made for "Anno Demoni" to make the sounds "current."
In this intricate marriage between notes and the occult, "Anno Demoni" unveils its essence as a horror-tinted symphony, woven with dark arrangements and rainy atmospheres descending like tears from the unknown.

"Jacula The Witch" emerges as a moving invocation, a sad and penetrating wordless chant, a dance suspended between the hereafter and the abyss. Delicate and spectral chimes float in the ether, while a reflective and somber piano melody merges with ethereal Mellotron nuances, creating an ethereal atmosphere. The title track, a 12-minute epic, stands as the pinnacle of this mysterious musical ritual. Ominous synths, a macabre organ, and acoustic guitar alternate with Mellotron, electric violin, and tribal percussion, guiding us through a sonic fog where reality merges with the unknown. Mocking voices, coming from immeasurable distances, add a sinister and threatening tone, transporting us to a realm beyond the thresholds of understanding."Soul Satan's" manifests as a wavering Italian prog/pop melody, with light disco rhythms permeating the atmosphere. Despite the shrill male voices, the experience is elevated by an infinite dirty bass solo, a call to the pure dark essence of Antonius Rex. "Missanigra" continues on similar sonic territories, plunging into spectral keyboard effects, chanting Latin voices, bat sounds, and unsettling synth patterns, creating an atmosphere of pure mysticism, as if the notes themselves were evocations of ancient entities. With "Ego Sum Qui Sum," the slow organ unfolds like a temporal flow, well emphasized by a violin from beyond the grave. The journey closes with the "malus tracks", reworkings by Invisible Force, a final ritual that leads us into a time vortex of eternal darkness.

"Anno Demoni" by Antonius Rex, restored and enriched in its original master, reveals itself as an invocation beyond the veil, a dance among the shadows of unfathomable creativity. In this symphony of the ineffable, we lose ourselves in the darkness of musical art that rises beyond conventions, defying time and dimensions.