GOMMA
Sacrosanto

A necessary preface: this is my first review on this site, which I've known for years but only decided to join now; I hope you find it enjoyable.

I want to start my DeCareer by reviewing one of my favorite Italian rock albums of the 2010s: "SACROSANTO" by the Caserta-based band Gomma, released on January 25, 2019, by V4V-Records, a label known for releasing many Italian emo projects of the last decade.

The album arrives after "Toska," which in 2017 generated much interest in the band thanks to the mix of Midwest-emo and alt-rock, particularly in the single "Elefanti" and the beautiful "Vicolo Spino." For this second work (in addition to the short EP "Vacanza," also from 2017) Gomma almost completely abandon the Midwest influences, to aim for more strictly punk sounds, as evident from the opening song and second single "Fantasmi," where aggressive guitars accompany the voice of singer Ilaria, deeper and less youthful compared to the previous album. The album lasts just twenty-eight minutes and consists of only ten songs, but the variety of styles that characterize the various tracks makes listening a full experience; consider, for example, the poignant ballad dedicated to distant memories "Quarto piano" and the aggressive chorus of "Balordi."

The emotional climax of the work, however, comes with the penultimate song, "Tamburo," a short and heartfelt dedication to a person whom they were unable to help or even understand; in the finale, Paolo Tedesco's fast drums and Giovanni Fusco's striking guitar accompany a promise of personal improvement.

"SACROSANTO" is a strong work, though not yet fully mature musically, and emotionally loaded from a lyrical standpoint, showcasing the growing compositional ability of what is, in my opinion, one of the most promising groups of the new Italian underground.