Klimt 1918
Just In Case We'll Never Meet Again

The Roman band Klimt 1918 has been, for me, a true revelation in the Italian metal scene of the 2000s. Fellow citizens of the much better-known Novembre (as well as other bands that revolve around the Roman metal and non-metal scene), the group is here with its third work after the astonishing "Undressed Momento" and "Dopoguerra". The present "Just In Case We'll Never Meet Again" represents a solid point of contact with what was heard on the previous album. The Romans' recipe has always been more or less this: some death elements (especially in the early tracks), clear nods to the more acoustic Opeth and Katatonia, winks to the same Novembre (latest period), guitars with a distinctly '80s flavor (typical of a certain new wave and young U2) that often indulged in beautiful open riffs "à la Dredg". Since 2003, the year of "Undressed...", things have changed, however: the death soul seems to have practically disappeared (perhaps except in some more driven drumming), replaced by a perhaps never thinly veiled love for My Bloody Valentine (and for shoegazing in general) and by echoes of Interpol and Editors. What emerges is a complex work, which grows with each listen, but which nonetheless sounds perhaps a bit like déjà vu, probably due to its close ties with the previous "Dopoguerra", which already hinted at where the Romans were heading.

Let's address the issue head-on, the album is beautiful and worth it, and although with some flaws, it represents a confirmation for Klimt, a metal band perhaps only for the record label (Prophecy), but in fact far removed from this genre. The course of this work is dreamlike and melancholic, constantly tinged with a sense of unbridgeable distance and nostalgia for something irretrievable (whether it's the "cassette tape generation" described in the second title or something else entirely). Marco Soellner's voice is always very evocative and engaging, able to touch the deepest strings and move with its languid and at the same time sharp timbre.

Moving on to the most representative tracks, we can mention the first track, "The Breathtaking Days". The start is entrusted to an arpeggio heavily indebted to Dredg, over which the singer's voice spreads like morning fog. The track grows as the minutes pass, swaying between rarefied atmospheres and typical shoegaze explosions.

"Skygazer" is a kaleidoscope that recalls compositions like "Pale Song" from the first album, a sunny, warm, and dazzling anthem, although bathed in sweet melancholy; noteworthy as well is the subsequent "Ghost Of A Tape Listener", an incredibly emotional post-rock fresco, which in its second part reaches the true peak.

As the album progresses, shoegaze becomes increasingly present ("The Graduate" and "Just An Interlude In Your Life"), with layered guitars that surprisingly also call to mind the French Alcest (also the creator of a masterpiece, that "Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde", undisputed offspring of this genre).

"Suspense Music" raises the tone, a ride that displays the band's muscles and directly links back to signature tracks from previous albums like "We Don't Need No Music", "If Only You Could See Me Now", and "Lomo". A beautiful track, certainly one of the best on the album (which would probably have been perfect with more inserts of "power" and sonic aggression).

The subsequent tracks perfectly align themselves with the coordinates described so far, alternating more dreamlike and sweet pieces with others more lively yet rarefied in their swirling and complex progress. It all ends with the intense "True Love Is The Oldest Fear", melancholic to the extreme and animated by a verve found only in "Suspense Music". Ultimately, it is the classic closing piece of a Klimt album, perfect for power, emotion, and epicness, able to tie together the entire narrative (also recalling "Stalingrad Theme" and "Sleepwalk In Rome", which had the same role in their respective albums).

The challenge of the third album has been overcome splendidly. However, do not expect another "Undressed Momento", as today's Klimt 1918 is different. To get an idea of the new work, one can refer to "Dopoguerra", aware though that the aforementioned album is superior (albeit not by much) to this, and that certain elements, still present there, have either been implemented or even replaced by others. Nonetheless, it remains a beautiful release from a band that is at times surprising for its innate ability to move and make one dream.