Area
Chernobyl 7991

"Caution Radiation Area." It's almost like saying, "beware of playing with fire." If in 1974 Stratos and his associates, thanks also to the brilliant insights of Gianni Sassi, placed on the cover of their second album a phrase as unsettling as it was reflective of the "explosive" climate of the period, twenty years later they could do no better than to title their comeback album "Chernobyl." Or rather "Chernobyl 7991," to be exact. As if to say: "didn't we warn you?"

But let's proceed in order: for those who might have missed a few episodes, with the departure of Demetrio Stratos first and then his death, an event that quite literally placed a tombstone on any rethink or reunion, Area had effectively lost their initial momentum and disbanded after some time. After all, it was undoubtedly difficult to come up with something on par with their first unattainable albums, and perhaps it was better for each member at that point to pursue their preferred artistic path, especially considering that the unique mixture of rock, ethnic music, political song, and jazz was hard to replicate without one of its main interpreters. In the mid-nineties, however, the flame was rekindled, or at least part of it, and the name Area began to circulate again.

And here, perhaps, it would be appropriate to make a series of considerations: a brand like this, by necessity, imposes responsibilities, if only for the affection that thousands of people feel just hearing it mentioned. You can't want to be Area and not be up to Area, is the concept clear? Another thing: of the historical lineup, only Fariselli and Capiozzo remain, presenting themselves effectively as a duo accompanied by Paolino Dalla Porta and a plethora of session musicians. Initially, there was also the good Ares Tavolazzi, but he quickly backed out; he wasn't convinced at all. And at this point, one wonders: is it really appropriate to resurrect such a glorious name, with all it entails, if by now a significant part of the protagonists of that era are gone? We've unfortunately lost Demetrio, Tavolazzi has left, and for years Paolo Tofani was interested in other contexts, musical and life. The prerequisites for a flop were frankly all there, but the acclaimed Fariselli-Capiozzo pair got to work and delivered an album that silenced those ready to speak of a predicted failure.

"Chernobyl 7991," connecting back to what was said at the beginning, is presented as an imaginary soundtrack of the world we will have left thousands of years from now to the descendants of our descendants, when we will have long since turned to dust and the various radioactive particles from our disasters will still be robust and roaming in the air. In other words: welcome to the future we've created. It is thus clear that certain themes, like the denunciation of capitalist barbarism or the role of man in society, are still present and could not be otherwise, considering this is one of the most politicized ensembles Italy remembers.

Fariselli's touch is recognizable from a mile away, while Capiozzo sometimes seems a bit in the background but nevertheless provides vigorous support to the intricate keyboard textures of his friend. Dalla Porta, for his part, does an excellent job and on more than one occasion manages to carve out his own space, forming with Capiozzo a rhythm section of substance. Fariselli's keyboards are the undisputed protagonists of the work, managing to alternate between cold, dark, and claustrophobic atmospheres and more sunny and pleasant melodies, contributing fundamentally to a certainly varied work.

The initial "15.000 Umbrellas," divided into two distinct parts, sets the record straight and makes it clear that the Area of the nineties are alive and kicking and have no intention of surviving on nostalgia, and frankly, it's a pity that a piece like this wasn't performed during the latest reunion tours. The synthetic rhythms of "Liquiescenza" bring back memories of that masterpiece "Caution Radiation Area," perhaps their most challenging album, while "Wedding Day" could have emerged from "Crac!," with a rhythm section in a state of grace and keyboards evoking certain Middle-Eastern atmospheres that had brought the group early seventies fortune. If "Efstratios," a piece named after Demetrio's real surname since Stratos was just an Italianization, once again highlights individual talents, "Deriva (Sogni Sognati Vendesi)" guides the listener toward the album's conclusion, ending with the final flourish of "Sedimentazioni," a playful piece that only people like Area could think up, a track that layers and fires at an exaggerated speed all the group's songs, carefully "sedimented" over one another, a summary, in a minute and a half, of years of experimentation and passion.

The years go by, but Area is still around causing trouble, as evidenced by the infamous complaint they received after a concert at Leoncavallo, with the evening concluding with the Carabinieri challenging Capiozzo and associates with "abuse of sound instruments and noise pollution." It's a shame that what started well ended terribly and the sudden death of the drummer once again put an end to the entire project. "Chernobyl 7991" thus returned a group in prime form, still energetic and eager for novelty, certainly mindful of their glorious past but far from intending to live off its legacy. It might not be the most representative work of Area, but still a valuable album, composed by musicians capable of still evoking emotions as in the golden days, and frankly, that's no small feat.