Mistonocivo
Virus

Mistonocivo? BizarreVirus yet equally frequent is the change of opinion we experience over the years about an album (and many other types of items) that we own. And of course, that’s exactly what happened to me with this album. Passed on to me by a friend who is slightly more updated than me on the non-strictly commercial side of Italian music, the CD seemed to pass by almost unnoticed, if it weren't for the extreme quality and personality of the sounds, particularly the drums. It ended up in that forgotten corner that everyone has at home, ready to collect albums and exes, until it returned to the stereo and BAM! I like it. I like it! I LIKE IT!!!

Yes, it is truly a great work. Not only for its excellent production and mixing (especially within the Italian scene), not only for the illustrious "credits" (Virgin distribution, recorded at Plant Studio in San Francisco), not only for the courage to adopt solutions that will inevitably not catapult the group into the mainstream, but above all for the SONGS. They are fresh, convincing, aggressive yet never rebels without a cause, captivating and unique in their uniform flow; the vocal melodies are always very catchy and only through a focused, retrospective analysis can the listener realize how many small touches of originality are hidden within the 12 songs of the album, thanks mainly to the overall skill of the instrumentalists and the sound and mixing technicians; particularly to the mastery of keyboardist Paolo D'Ambrosio, skilled in managing to be more rock-oriented than the average keyboardists in the arrangements and in fulfilling his role of harmonic reinforcement and timbre invention.

The first track, "X," is his, a one-minute intro made of a synth-bass carpet accompanied by a perfectly effected piano chord progression; it all flows into "Acrobati," a true punch in the teeth by bass-guitar-drums (Alberto De Rossi, Davide Pezzin, Davide Devito); next is "L'Arma Giusta," which we could classify as one of the quieter songs on the album, although the chorus is quite intense. We then move on to "Blackout," the single. Rightfully so. Singable, a catchy guitar riff that moves you immediately, enriched by sampled sounds, an AMAZING groove, and a chorus that opens your heart (even the wounds, if you have any?): "Away from the eyes, away from my heart, away from the head because it hurts? You are the passion, the temptation, the dirty oxygen that suffocates. But without you, my soul struggles.". Here emerges one of the peaks of Cristiano Cortellazzo’s poetic lyrics, decidedly unusual and sometimes a bit cryptic but ready to reveal their meaning (at least the most probable among the possible ones). After "THE BIG SINGLE," the show detours for a moment presenting us a small electronic interlude where a background made of drum machines, very light electronic insects, and chirping bits supports the verse of "Shvrentz," the only decidedly non-commercial piece of the album yet certainly very interesting and beautiful, with a sudden and isolated bridge where heavy metal-influenced distorted guitars are not spared.
The tracklist flows smoothly and every track is noteworthy; however, "Cuore" stands out with its chorus capable of releasing all the anger and adrenaline accumulated in the verse (or throughout the day, your choice), "Radioattività," "La Vita In Cui Credevo," and "Pelle," which is the grand-finale despite being the penultimate track. It's a great album, and I only give it a 4 because otherwise, I would compare it to "Dark Side Of The Moon" and "Scenes From A Memory," which would be nothing short of blasphemous.

It's a pity that these youngsters from Vicenza haven't been granted much space in mainstream channels yet, despite having already released another album (Edgar, 2004), but opening for Limp Bizkit and participating in the Flippaut Festival in 2005 gives us hope (?).