•
Rating: "It is said that in the 1500s, a group of extraordinary talent roamed the streets, but at the same time led a dissolute life. This group was so talented and hypnotic that they attracted the attention of every people; their influence was so powerful that it even drew the attention of the Church itself, which, fearful of this potential threat, decided to discredit the orchestra by spreading horrible rumors about them. However, this stratagem did not produce the desired effect; on the contrary, the sinister fame they had acquired made the group, until then nameless, become the Devil's Orchestra. Aware, however, that their rise would not last long, the group lived their last weeks on the edge, until the Church resorted to strong measures and arrested them for blasphemy. The members of the group, before dying by hanging, made a pact: they would write a letter in which they would tell their story, and 500 years later, that letter would reach each of their descendants, asking for the Devil's Orchestra to return to activity."
This is the somewhat far-fetched story that accompanies the Diablo Swing Orchestra, a Swedish band that for some years now has been in the spotlight for their style: their music is indeed among the most original you can find on the scene. Rock, Classical, Russian Ballet, Progressive and Opera blend, split, and recombine to form an explosive concoction. If their debut album, despite containing great ideas, was rather confused and immature, this "Sing Along Songs" represents the group's achieved maturity.
The album is a hallucinated journey into a cartoonish and bizarre world, almost frightening; somewhere between Mechanical Poet and Danny Elfman, between avant-garde and complete madness, the 10 tracks that compose the album would be perfect for a Tim Burton movie: just like the director's films, the songs of the Diablo Swing Orchestra convey to the listener contrasting and ever-changing emotions; if, at first glance, the music may seem overly grotesque, almost caricature-like, in reality, they possess a significant emotional charge, and in every track, hatred, love, violence, irony, sweetness, and melancholy surface and captivate those who listen to the album. Piercing guitars, powerful basses, and extraordinary vocals (thanks to singer Annlouice Loegdlund) accompany the listening experience of what could be both a child's dream and nightmare. Or even an adult's.
The original offering from these gentlemen most likely represents the future of music: after Pink Floyd, Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa, King Crimson, The Who, Black Sabbath, and many others, perhaps one day the Devil's Orchestra will also earn a place among the pillars of music.
Loading comments slowly
