Heartache
Apophis

18 minutes. What are 18 minutes? A drop in an ocean: the ocean of our life. And what if I told you that these 18 minutes, those of the first EP by the young Roman band Heartache, are not just a simple drop of water in the ocean but a drop of ambrosia, the sacred drink of the ancient Greek gods?

It's no coincidence that I mention Greek mythology: in fact, Apophis (this is the title of the EP by the Romans) is a suite divided into 4 acts, through which the story of Pandora's Box is told. Once opened, it releases all the evils into the world, leaving only one gift at the bottom: hope. Four tracks, those of Apophis, which in some way retrace, in a very concise way, the history of the genre in which, in my humble opinion, Heartache is destined to leave an indelible mark: progressive. Indeed, throughout the 18 minutes, you can hear nods to the classic progressive rock of the '70s (which, as far as I'm concerned, is the most evoked genre in this work), smiles to the more modern progressive metal "à la Dream Theater" (listen, for example, to the third part, Oblivion, which features a very similar opening to A Nightmare To Remember) and winks to the neo-progressive scene of the '80s.

All five musicians prove to be very skilled, with a technique that many could (and should) envy:

- on the keyboards, Giancarlo Vizzaccaro stands out from the very first seconds of the EP with a truly well-executed soundscape, which successfully evokes the idea of creation suggested in the title of the first chapter, Creation, indeed, and maintains an extremely high quality level (as do his four adventure companions), without any lapses in style. Personally, I adore his performance in Awareness;

- the six strings of the guitar, masterfully plucked by Matteo Palladini perfectly complement his colleague Vizzaccaro, weaving cosmic musical textures, never getting in each other's way or overshadowing one another but rather becoming co-protagonists. His solo in Oblivion is memorable, showcasing a stunning technical ability perfectly serving compositional quality;

- the drums are entrusted to the founding member of Heartache, Alessandro Giordano, whose technique, in my opinion, primarily recalls that of Phil Collins, a true legend, one of the best ever, but also, in some passages, that of Johann Langell from Pain of Salvation, a band to which he certainly owes much. Great skill and sensitivity in touch are the defining elements of his style that immediately stand out from the first listen;

- along with Palladini and Vizzaccaro, Paolo Di Gironimo, on bass, manages to enrich the melodic textures with very elegant lines, perhaps not technically complex, but always highly effective: after all, in this first effort by the Roman band, the watchword seems to be "elegance in composition," not "speed and technique for its own sake."

- on vocals, Thomas Gabriele delivers three breathtaking interpretations (the first part, Creation, is instrumental), displaying a vocal range at the limits of human ability, reaching a high note in Opportunity that has little to envy to the famous ones of Rob Halford from Judas Priest.

And so, at the end of the fourth part, what remains in the listener's mind? Just like in the story of Pandora's Box, hope. Hope in the rebirth of progressive made in Italy, in a return to the glories of the past, those dominated by PFM or Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (to name just a couple). And perhaps, the choice of the story of Pandora's Box as a concept can be read as a metaphor for contemporary music: in a technological era dominated by quick but not lasting success, the internet is Pandora's Box, the various Justin Biebers and the like are the evils unleashed when it's opened, and groups like Heartache the hope that remains at the bottom...