Agghiastru + Inchiuvatu
Live @ Rende - BSide (CS) 25/03/07

A historic event, of enormous proportions given the chronic shortage of significant musical events in the south and especially in the ill-fated land of Calabria. Ill-fated because it does not always possess the courage, charisma, and strength to present artists like Agghiastru: 360° artists, complete, who refuse to passively assimilate trite and repeated formulas. Capable of demonstrating fierce experimentalism, sonic violence that emanates from a distorted guitar as well as from a lugubrious piano.

Consider that in the first part of the wonderful concert, he presents pieces from Inchiuvatu in a pianistic version, accompanied by an atmosphere explicitly reminiscent of Sicilian tradition. And while he succeeds in astonishment and delighting the ears of dozens (unfortunately few) of attentive and warm listeners, we must note the shameful "protest" by other supposed fans of "True Raw Black Metal," humorously mocked by Agghiastru himself: "and now I will do a piece of brutal svergination" (and everyone laughs). Because it's unthinkable that there are still "adults" who reason like a 13-year-old: "enough," "go away," "we want black." So much so that without getting upset, perhaps for diplomacy, perhaps for convenience, perhaps simply because that's the way it is, the second part of the concert shows the other side of the coin.

In the face of those who thought it wasn't possible: Agghiastru takes the guitar and shows hell on earth. About an hour and a half of grim and extremely fast black metal which garners a tremendous following from the more "open-minded," while unfortunately, the "protesters" stubbornly turn their backs, refuse to mosh, stand at a distance from the stage. It's a pity because they would have seen the charismatic leader of the band play guitar and piano rhythms simultaneously, with the addition of clean and growling vocal parts.

It's a pity that some people simply do not understand, given the high artistic value of the music presented: also because Inchiuvatu are Sicilian, and if the Sicilian singing may sound atypical, it is certainly a more coherent choice than (a quote from Agghiastru) "certain Neapolitans singing in Norwegian." And so, in the shadow of the tree of evil generated by the Sicilian wild olive (most gracious with the fans who stayed with him until the venue closed), we can finally enjoy a concert worthy of the name, which we increasingly need.

We hope, as always, that these evenings do not remain oases in the desert…