Deviate Ladies
Religious as Our Methods

With the Romans Deviate Ladies (today Deviate Damaen but that's another story), we are faced with people who are truly fascist! No, there is no punk-situationist provocation, no fascination with the aesthetic aspect of totalitarian regimes, like that which characterized industrial, none of that. They truly believe they know how the world turns and which historical era was the best for the entire boot.

As a former grindcore bassist, I absolutely cannot sympathize with those who beat up workers, who wanted to break Greece's backs, and who enacted racial laws due to the supposed demo-pluto-Jewish conspiracy. So take these words as those of a simple listener who attempted (and sometimes, believe me, it proved to be a really difficult operation) to give an objective judgment on the album in question.

Let's clear up any misunderstandings: there's no blatant racism here like Skrewdriver's, also because we're talking about a genre light years away from that of the obnoxious Ian Stuart Donaldson, nor the Nazi-esotericism of the neofolk current.

Here, rather, we witness a hand-to-hand assault against the progressive world that today, for convenience, we call "woke."

The album, released in 1997, is considered a sonic masterpiece of that gothic rock that owes much to Sisters Of Mercy and Christian Death. All seasoned with an attitude reminiscent of black metal but also with moments of authentic spoken word and various gimmicks.

Hallucinatory, to say the least, is the first track! "N. Anathem" starts with a prank by a band member on an unsuspecting priest in the secrecy of the confessional. The actor-musician claims to be a devout Christian but practices erotic acts with his sister after reciting the rosary. The priest tries in every way to comfort the sinner, but he, desperate, claims not to find peace. After this scandalous dialogue, an ultra-metal piece begins where Volgar, the band's singer, spits verdicts against the academic world. Twenty-one damn minutes of madness!

"Lyturgical Obsession" is a much more musical track and reminiscent of the Sisters of the good Andrew Eldritch.

More theatrical, but still gothic, is "Under The Elation's Drape."

"I Want Hate," once again, is indebted to the Sisters. It resembles a bit the tracks from "Vision Thing" mixed with significant metallic echoes.

There's also room for a cover. No, don't think of stuff for goth lovers. This is "White Venus" and it's a remake of the most famous hit by Bananarama! Rock, gothic, and electronic rhythms blend to give us a demonic version of the famous pop track from the '80s.

Closing the show, and really this time, is "Un mondo senza stelle." A recital that elevates the uniqueness of the individual, their strength, and the rejection of "plebeian" conventions to indisputable values.

Over time, the Roman collective has ventured too far into monologues and noise. But, trust me, this first official chapter is shrouded in a dark and controversial aura! Not even Marduk and Mayhem managed to be so mephistophelic.

Recommended. Even to those who see fit the bald guy upside down.