IN.SI.DIA
Istinto e rabbia

THE REVIEW

There are musical movements that catch on all over the world, while others remain confined to the collective imagination of certain scenes or nations; this is the case with first wave thrash metal. With the exception of Sepultura from Brazil, who achieved international popularity in the late eighties, the genre in question mainly developed on a large scale in the States (initially) with bands like Metallica and Slayer, and in Germany (later) with bands such as Kreator and Sodom. In Italy, during those years, a band called Inviolacy was formed, inspired precisely by those overseas bands; this group caught the attention of Omar Pedrini, guitarist of Timoria, who, surprised by their unusual style in Italy at the time, decided to help push them toward notoriety. Thanks to all this, in 1992, after a name change, their debut album Istinto e Rabbia was released, and from that moment on the group changed its name to IN.SI.DIA. By then, other rock and heavy metal groups had already made their mark in the Italian underground music scene, but these IN.SI.DIA managed to bring originality to a genre that came from a completely different background; in fact, unlike other Italian metal bands that sang in English (Necrodeath, Bulldozer to name just two from the same scene, as well as the even more historic Vanadium), their entire repertoire was sung in Italian, making this album a real slap in the face to Italian music of those years. If Litfiba and Timoria could be considered revolutionary thanks to their influences from British and American music, this band gave an even stronger jolt to the musical landscape of the peninsula. The album starts with the track “Fuggire”, whose lyrics deal with themes of youthful rebellion, accompanied by equally aggressive riffing and rhythms; this feature is at the heart of the whole album, and it’s no surprise that the title Istinto e Rabbia (“Instinct and Rage”) proves so fitting, both in form and in spirit. The second track, “Sulla Mia Strada”, introduced by an instrumental intro, throws us into a vortex of metal, epicness, and a wall of sound worthy of the best Testament albums, continuing with “Grido”, inspired by similar sounds (as is the whole record, after all). The latter, especially for its irreverent lyrics explicitly against the church and society, can be considered one of the album's best moments. The following tracks, including “Il Tempo” and “Satanka”, venture into more melodic territories, yet without ever letting the listener's attention drop; indeed, the guitar parts are elaborate and never pointless. This union of thrash metal and melody culminates in “Solo Solitudine”, where the group's two souls seem to merge perfectly, before ending with “Tutti Pazzi”, a song where all the rage is unleashed without compromise, both musically and lyrically. So what can we say in conclusion? Unripe? Maybe a bit, Relevant? Absolutely. What differentiates them from other thrash metal bands of the peninsula is precisely their choice to sing in their native language, an element that has given them a true sense of identity. Although it may seem a bold statement, if IN.SI.DIA had been an American band, this album would probably be considered today on a par with classics like Anthrax's Spreading The Disease or Testament's The New Order.

Best tracks: “Sulla Mia Strada”, “Grido”, “Solo Solitudine”