Novembre
Materia

THE REVIEW

There was a tension in the air welcoming the fifth studio album by Novembre. Tension caused by a silence lasting 5 years (if we exclude the reissue 'Dreams D'Azur', the last album was 'Novembrine Waltz', from 2001) and by the desire to know what path this time would be taken by a band that in 12 years of career has proven to be one of the most versatile and inspired of the Italian scene, unfortunately more appreciated abroad than in our own country.

And Novembre are back. And as usual, they did not disappoint. 'Materia' is a dreamlike album as 'Wish I Could Dream It Again' but more refined. Sophisticated as 'Arte Novecento' but less melancholic. Complex as 'Classica' but less aggressive. Inspired as 'Novembrine Waltz' but more straightforward. From the first track, you realize that something has changed. The style remains unmistakable among thousands, but there is something that makes them different from the Novembre we knew.

In 'Materia', as in 'Arte Novecento', there is a complete absence of growl singing, save for a few brief hints: a choice that might disappoint fans closer to the purely metal universe, but that shows the band's willingness to detach themselves from any label and definition and seek approval from a larger audience. I press the play button and am immediately catapulted into the authentic gem of the CD: "Verne" is probably one of the best tracks composed by Novembre, a melody that gets inside from the first listen, with Carmelo Orlando's warm voice blending perfectly with the power of distorted guitars. Then a pause, as the echoes of the guitar in phaser resonate... and I wonder if I can trust my ears. You can trust them: the second part of the song is entirely sung in Italian (the extensive use of our native language is another of the novelties introduced in this work), and showcases an incredibly inspired lyric.

"Dreams are children of the heart/Created in so much pain/Stripped of reason/For this, sent to die".

And slowly Carmelo Orlando's voice blends with the melody of the first verse, supported by guitars and second voice, to savor a genuine rock gem. Who said you can't make beautiful music in Italian? It is followed by "Memoria Stoica/Vetro", a smooth and immediate track, one that wouldn’t be out of place on an FM station. Here too, there is a second part sung in Italian... a melancholic lyric, lost love... emotions that only Novembre can convey. A melody entwining two acoustic guitars introduces "Reason", a melody that then makes way for a sharp distorted riff supported by a complex bass line and a clean voice that blends perfectly with the band’s sound wall. A sudden pause: a slower melody emerges from the acoustic guitars, again accompanied by distorted guitars, following the compositional scheme of the first part, then giving way to a tempo change and a new theme, more solemn in nature, from which the carefree melody of the first verse resurges like a phoenix: welcome to the most complex seven and a half minutes of the album. Applause for the creative ability of Novembre.

The fourth track is "Aquamarine", a sample of which had been available for some time on the official Novembre website. A song with everything it takes to get into your head from the first listen, with that captivating and sunny melody of its first part. Another pause (several of this album’s songs are distinctly divided into two parts) and Carmelo's voice grows more melancholic, once again supported by the band’s instrumental interplays and slowly builds up, culminating in one of the rare growl episodes on the album. But it's only a brief episode: the growl soon gives way to clean singing and a reprise of the first verse that closes one of the album’s best tracks. A Spanish-like guitar introduces "Jules", as the rest of the band builds up, accompanied by the double bass drum of the good Giuseppe Orlando (a constant in this song is precisely the massive use of double bass drum by what is undoubtedly one of the best Italian drummers) sustaining Carmelo's melancholic voice as he sings in Italian again. "This past will return/Only one day...". Then there’s the guitar embellishing an ethereal melody while the vocals return to English, only to slow down, stop, and give way to the second part of the song, which is nothing short of a development of the first where more space is given to the technical skills of the band members. Another pause and an acoustic guitar enters to accompany the voice toward the end of the song. And here we are facing another gem of the album: "Geppetto" opens with classical guitars drawing a melancholy motif in 3/4, then accompanied by violins. Then the drums and bass enter, the rhythm changes to 4/4, and Carmelo's voice sings an almost entirely Italian lyric that seems straight out of The Old Man and the Sea story. The song grows with the entrance of distorted guitars, the rhythm changes again to 3/4, then again to 4/4 to introduce the second verse. The melody flows smoothly, catchy, then becomes more solemn, slow paced, giving way to a more intimate section, again in 3/4, and to a brief guitar solo. It slows down again to introduce a coda punctuated by a solemn, majestic rhythm: a song capable of moving as few can, in its tenderness, its complexity, its so Mediterranean yet original flavor.

A death metal double bass drum and distorted guitars introduce "Comedy" (and here again note the almost inhuman performance of the drummer): an almost unusual intro given the atmosphere of the album. But slowly the fury calms, giving way to another highly successful track: melodic yet powerful, in pure Novembre style, containing a beautiful guitar solo. The voice is melancholic, winds through the band’s sound machinery like a poison, explodes in a long scream, returns to its timbre: an excellent display of vocal flexibility. And here we are now at another gem of the album: "The Promise" opens with a synthesizer (which accompanies the whole song), overlaid by an ethereal guitar, and Carmelo's voice confronting even with falsetto in the wonderful chorus: a track that instantly gets under your skin, and you'll want to listen to a thousand times. The title-track opens with a solemn, almost doom rhythm (perhaps intending to recall Novembre's metal roots), then accelerates in the second part, momentarily handing over to violins that resume the melody of "Memoria Stoica/Vetro", then to the second growl episode of the disc which closes the song. Now it's the turn of that jewel that is "Croma": a 3/4 serenade marked by the classical guitar, violins, and Carmelo's voice which seems distant and evanescent, while singing in Italian: a first part that gives simply shivers. The song grows slowly, with the rest of the band entering, reaching its climax in an intimate refrain, where the voice again confronts the falsetto, and then, to the notes of the snare drum, suddenly veers: changes tempo, becomes less dreamy, more direct. In the last part, we find an almost unexpected but not improper growl, while the guitars draw the melody leading to the last track, "Nothijngrad". Introduced with an almost medieval flavor, it starts with a strong rhythm marked by the drums, one of the most complex moments of the album, with its time changes, numerous riffs, and intricate rhythms. Spine-tingling is the part where the double voice (one clean, one in growl) sings the same verse. Examining in detail all the moments of this song is an impossible undertaking, so I’ll just say: listen and be amazed.

Just as, whether you're a fan of Novembre or not, I recommend listening to this album in its entirety. Maybe even several times: because it's one of those albums that, in its complexity, doesn’t immediately unfold, and never fails to hold surprises for subsequent listens. It's an album that can evoke different emotions in everyone, different reactions, but not leave indifferent. Another masterpiece signed by Novembre.