sly

beautiful ;)

Very beautiful and original

I also bought F# A# (Infinity), thus completing the entire discography: Here we find ourselves before another milestone of experimental and orchestral Post-Rock, with dilated and eternal times and a complex structure. A work where a timid optimism emerges beneath the surface, very different from the hopeless apocalypse of the last release in chronological order, and rather more akin to Lift You. Already here, all the trademarks that in one fell swoop create experimental and orchestral post-rock are present, defining its characteristics and bringing it to the highest levels: We have a perfect crystallization of angelic legs of six-string solos, continuous sound effects (from human voices and train tracks to the fresh sounds of trains leading up to carry on), and the usual transcendent strings, ethereal keyboards, and tumultuous orchestrations, which manage to untangle the golden threads of melody on their own. Here, we also find the unmistakable and evergreen crescendos, which in this release reach their dear and customary infinity. This is now an almost imperative album for every post-rock enthusiast.

I finally listened to The Mind’s I, which I had but hadn't heard yet. Many consider it a slight misstep, claiming it has minor cracks due to its more pronounced aggression, and according to many, it is also quite different from the masterpiece The Gallery, being less elaborate. However, I disagree because I find this album, though different, on par with all their other albums, The Gallery excluded of course, and it's the one where, for the first time, the guitars sound slightly out of tune, which is what makes their sound darker from 1997 onward. Here, the tracks are more stripped-down and in-your-face, but that doesn't mean there's a lack of the refinement that has always been a hallmark of their dark tranquility, with songs like Zodijackyl Light, the intense "Constant," and "Hedon," not to mention the gem "Insanity's Crescendo," each chiseled by the microphone virtuoso Stanne. The album is recommended for those who already know the band; for those approaching the band for the first time, I suggest Projector and The Gallery.

I finally listened to The Mind’s I, which I had but hadn't heard yet. Many consider it a slight misstep, claiming it has minor cracks due to its more pronounced aggression, and according to many, it is also quite different from the masterpiece The Gallery, being less elaborate. However, I disagree because I find this album, though different, on par with all their other albums, The Gallery excluded of course, and it's the one where, for the first time, the guitars sound slightly out of tune, which is what makes their sound darker from 1997 onward. Here, the tracks are more stripped-down and in-your-face, but that doesn't mean there's a lack of the refinement that has always been a hallmark of their dark tranquility, with songs like Zodijackyl Light, the intense "Constant," and "Hedon," not to mention the gem "Insanity's Crescendo," each chiseled by the microphone virtuoso Stanne. The album is recommended for those who already know the band; for those approaching the band for the first time, I suggest Projector and The Gallery.

And here it is, with the second "Knell" I have completed the discography of the Swiss band. The combo released this album in 2008, which is indeed more heterogeneous, challenging, complex, and ambitious compared to its younger sibling "Nihil," but qualitatively on par. As always, we have a thousand influences, expertly blended, but the core threads are certainly the timid Neo-Folk, the vital Metal, and the refined avant-garde. The album is like a symphonic work divided into four movements and is the first concept album by Maria D'Alessandro & friends, in which the strings are at times even tortured in a visceral way, and where it tells the story of a man who must find his beloved. The simple noun would be inappropriate to describe the good "Knell," but I sincerely recommend it only after the first "Nihil," which I suggest everyone listen to without hesitation, and then approach the second one with more conviction if "Nihil" has been to your liking. Has anyone heard anything in the meantime?

Why do the best always leave us? This is the sad fate of The Provenance, who disbanded at the peak of their career, leaving us with their excellent swan song, this "Red Flags." To be honest, I didn't expect such a damn impressive work, considering that the previous album was intense but just good, while this one almost reaches the levels of their earlier works. Their music is increasingly minimal and impactful, more melodic and psychedelic (on par with the second platter), more stripped down and essential, more intimate and cerebral, creating the most challenging piece of their career but also the catchiest. Paradoxical, isn't it? Not less than our society that they portray: abandoned urban landscapes facing decay. Music that is a true gut punch of sophistication, with tracks like the ruthless rhetorical "Crash Course," the suffocating "Thanks To You," and the stunned "Second And Last But Not Always." Recommended for men, women, old folks, and children, and I will never tire of repeating how underrated this band was. Give them a chance.

Why do the best always leave us? This is the sad fate of The Provenance, who disbanded at the peak of their career, leaving us with their excellent swan song, this "Red Flags." To be honest, I didn't expect such a damn impressive work, considering that the previous album was intense but just good, while this one almost reaches the levels of their earlier works. Their music is increasingly minimal and impactful, more melodic and psychedelic (on par with the second platter), more stripped down and essential, more intimate and cerebral, creating the most challenging piece of their career but also the catchiest. Paradoxical, isn't it? Not less than our society that they portray: abandoned urban landscapes facing decay. Music that is a true gut punch of sophistication, with tracks like the ruthless rhetorical "Crash Course," the suffocating "Thanks To You," and the stunned "Second And Last But Not Always." Recommended for men, women, old folks, and children, and I will never tire of repeating how underrated this band was. Give them a chance.

I've always wanted to delve deeper into Tool, and listening to their debut, "Undertow," allows me to do so in an even more profound way. An album that already showcases the band's trademarks, but with influences, like grunge, that reflect the year of release, which is quite distant today: 1993. An excellent work, fast, intense, and intelligent, but less fundamental than the subsequent ones, even though it features great tracks like the explosive "Bottom," the grandiose title track, the highly refined "4 Degres," and the absurd "Sober." A great work, especially considering its status as a debut.