Inchiuvatu
Addisiu

The metal in Italy, as we well know, has never had a clear path, but any genre here, if it doesn't rhyme with sun/heart/love, has a tough life. With death metal, let's not even talk about it; it's represented by little groups that do nothing but emulate bands like Mayhem or Morbid Angel, without ever actually becoming unique. However, would you believe there is a band at the extreme south of our country that combines metal guitars with tarantellas and sings in a very pronounced Sicilian dialect? Never heard of them? Then it means you don't know Inchiuvatu.

Inchiuvatu is a group created by Agghiastru, who is also the only member, composing all the pieces himself (only a real group joins him live). This first official album (he actually made several demos before) is, in my opinion, one of the most original CDs that our Italian metal scene has ever had. Around Agghiastru, other metal formations circulate, which he created or contributed to, the so-called Mediterranean scene — a sort of contemporary Euronymous but Sicilian, whose intent, particularly with the band Inchiuvatu with which everything began, is to showcase metal reminiscent of bands like Cradle of Filth, Deicide, etc., personalizing it with ballads typical of Sicilian folklore.

"Addisiu" opens with the ballad "Veni" which, with its piano melodies (an instrument Astra prefers in his songs), invites us to enter his world populated by fairies and devils; at its end, we are welcomed by an infernal orchestra made up of very sharp guitar and a drum machine blasting at 100 an hour, with a death voice singing "Inchiuvatu". Almost halfway through the song, you can hear the folk influence I mentioned earlier, provided by a Sicilian flute. After a short pause, a furious whirlwind drags us into the 3rd track, "Cu Sangu A L'occhi", where the guitar and drum machine reign supreme once again, blasting like demonic furies. In "Ave Matri", the keyboard is in command with a flute in the background and a guitar echoing in the choruses, and Astra's voice, as always, is phenomenal. The next song "Addisiu" connects directly to the previous one through the story they narrate, but I won't spoil the surprise for you; listen to it and see what they're about. Continuing to listen to the tracks, you can notice how Agghiastru likes to experiment with his music, mixing genre upon genre, like "Lu Jocu Di Li Spiddi", which sounds like a children's song, of course sped up and chaotic, the malevolent and gloomy lullaby of "Nenia", and then suddenly playing melodic pieces solely on the piano like the poignant "Unia", a reflection on the artist's inner self, or the instrumental "Quiete Morente".

One thing that won't go unnoticed by the listener is how Astru transitions from a slow music where the role is entrusted to the piano to extreme metal outbursts of guitars and drums, the flute hops between the passages almost like a link between the two genres. The most significant track is "Cristu Crastu", which almost seems like the soundtrack to a horror film; indeed, the piano part reminds me of the film "La casa dalle finestre che ridono". "Lu Jaddinu Di Lu Piaciri" and "Luciferu Re" are the tracks that close the album and are very reminiscent of those experiments of uniting various genres under the dominant current of metal, but in my opinion, they are the least successful.

In conclusion, "Addisiu" is an album that deserves to be on the shelves of anyone who loves this genre. I don't believe any Italian band has ever managed to individualize itself in style and sound like that of Agghiastru and all the other bands born around it, which also deserve to be listened to. It's a pity that in its homeland, it doesn't receive the proper recognition it deserves. I give it 5 stars upfront for Astru's skill in composing lyrics and songs alone.

A piece of advice for metalheads who aren't Sicilian: when you listen to the songs, keep a Sicilian-Italian dictionary next to you, as he sings in a thick dialect with a few phrases in English.