Area International POPular Group
Maledetti (Maudits)

A year after the live album "Are(A)zione," in 1976, Area composed their final masterpiece. This record would be the last created by the most iconic lineup (Stratos, Fariselli, Tofani, Tavolazzi, and Capiozzo) due to the departure of guitarist Paolo Tofani from the group.

This album is the only concept album by Area, described by the band as a "socio-political fantasy concept-project." The lyrics (written for the second time by Frankenstein, aka Gianni Sassi) envision a future society divided into corporations. The consciousness of the world is a liquid plasma, stored in a bank's computer. Due to a malfunction, the liquid spills, resulting in humanity's loss of consciousness ("Evaporazione" and "Il massacro di Brandeburgo"). Thus, three different evolutionary hypotheses are theorized:
1) Power to the elderly, because they possess the memory of the past ("Gerontocrazia")
2) Power to the women, because they provide energy and new ideas ("Scum")
3) Power to the children, because they are capable of ensuring freedom and reinventing history with imagination ("Giro, giro, tondo" and "Caos").

Musically, this album blends the experimentation of "Caution Radiation Area" and the more direct sound of "Crac!" with Middle Eastern and Balkan soundscapes.

The first track is "Evaporazione," a mini piece where Stratos says "We have lost the memory of the 15th century" playing with his extraordinary voice. It is followed by the instrumental "Diforisma Urbano," where funky keyboards and a prominent bass create the ideal backdrop for an outstanding guitar solo; halfway through the piece, Stratos' vocalizations appear over a piano base and then conclude with another great guitar solo. Endless emotions, and we're just getting started. Next is "Gerontocrazia"; the first 2 minutes are occupied by Stratos reciting a lullaby of Asia Minor over a txalaparta background, then other instruments join in to create an Oriental melody that evolves into a mini jam with uninhibited keyboards. At the end, there's even time for Stratos to showcase his voice again and then finish beautifully. The fourth track is one of the most avant-garde of the CD: "Scum." It consists of a long piano solo (over 3 minutes of the 6-minute total of the piece) with everyone else accompanying and a final part where Stratos quotes a phrase from Valerie Solanas ("To all women who are not afraid of either responsibility or overwhelming emotions, there is only one thing left to do: overthrow the government, eliminate the monetary system, install complete automation and destroy the male sex."). A fragment from "Il Massacro di Brandeburgo" by Bach and "Giro, giro, tondo" with a wild Stratos and Fariselli follow. The album closes with the 9 minutes of "Caos (part two)" which, just by the name should give an idea of what it entails (and performed live in the posthumous "Event '76").

This album represents for me the swan song of the best band Italy has ever had.