Dark Lunacy
Devoid

Do you think Death Metal can be paired with a string quartet?
This band from Parma is convinced it can, and the result is, to say the least, surprising.

"Devoid" is the debut album of Dark Lunacy (released in 2000), and it was created after a couple of demos and after the split with Infernal Poetry. But let's go back to the initial question; you must have wondered, for instance, how is it possible to reconcile the ferocity of Death's rhythms and guitar with the melancholic melody of a violin, or the growl voice (detested by many) with a background of strings and piano. Well, in this album everything seems possible because Dark Lunacy wants to convey strong emotions, mainly through the contrast between string melodies and Death Metal progressions.

Do you want some examples? Here they are: "Dolls" begins with sweet violin notes that will pierce straight into your soul, which are then contrasted and, at the same time, accompanied by powerful Death riffs. The lyrics of this song talk about the illusions of love: try to imagine and draw your own conclusions.
Haven't I convinced you? Maybe some of you think that the underlying idea is good, but that Death Metal has big gaps purely on the emotional side. Well, do you believe me if I say I've never heard such a passionate, expressive, engaging, and theatrical Growl voice? And then, do you believe me if I say that during the finale of "Varen'ka" (in which they blend: bass and drums rushing at breakneck speed, slow and sad string melodies and a voice that seems to announce the death of hope) I was literally losing consciousness?

For those who still haven't been able to grasp this album, I add that here metal and chamber music are only tools in the hands of human emotions, and through them, heartbreaking and blinding howls of anger, pain, melancholy, sadness, illusion, and hope alternate.

At this point, let's move on to the merely technical part of the disc, which is almost trivial in the face of such sensory ecstasy, but explanatory regarding the completeness of this work. Dark Lunacy are technically very skilled musicians, in which drummer Baijkal's surgical precision and the aforementioned singer, Mike, stand out. A big recognition also goes to guitarist Enomys, who wrote all the music for this album, including those timeless melodies; while the whole band deserves great applause for the immense variety of arrangements which, among other things, feature dreamy acoustic breaks, piano bases, and Russian choirs.
The lyrics are all by Mike, who never falls into banality or, even less, into blasphemous bursts typical of certain Death Metal; instead, his lyrics are pure musical poetry with strong melancholic and very profound tones, in which the struggle between utter despair and hope is very alive.

In conclusion, "Devoid" is a rewarding and engaging album beyond any metal standard, ideal for breaking down barriers of skepticism towards metal in general, a genre that is sometimes really gaudy and repetitive, but often knows how to deliver great emotions.