One Dimensional Man
You Don't Exist

Pierpaolo Capovilla has just reached the milestone of half a century of age, continuing to split his time democratically between the two main projects of his now long career, both successful; One Dimensional Man and Il Teatro Degli Orrori.

Seven years after the previous “A Better Man,” the former returns to the scene with this new “You Don’t Exist,” once again released by La Tempesta Dischi and enriched by a renewed lineup (Bottigliero and Ragno Favero out, Franz Valente and Carlo Veneziano in); a work that comes after two albums with Il Teatro and the intriguing Bunuel project (together with Eugene Robinson, Xabier Iriondo from Afterhours, and the loyal Franz Valente).

And it is precisely this latest project, as well as what was done with Il Teatro (listen to the progression of “In The Middle Of The Storm,” between sung and spoken, while the furious “Alcohol” comes very close to Bunuel-like atmospheres), that may have inspired Capovilla to propose a much rougher sound again, closer to the hardcore noise beginnings of the band, certainly not more polished as in the previous studio effort. This turn is evident right from the first two tracks on the list, the clanging “Free Speech” and the more “melodic” (in giant quotation marks) title track (and first single).

Tracks that set the coordinates of a pounding, raw, and intense work, interpreted by Capovilla with renewed verve and more than good inspiration; Valente does his part by pounding on the skins as he should, Veneziano shows himself to be perfectly integrated into the trio's sound. We find a beautiful “Crying Shame” splitting the album in two with a subdued sound sweetened by a female vocal counterpart; for the rest, it's relentless pounding (above all the pill “We Don’t Need Freedom” and the more developed “No Friend” and “In Substance,” the latter more accessible).

In closing, we find “The American Dream,” a piece almost à la Nick Cave that in its lyrics lists all the names of the Presidents of the United States; a way to encompass past, present, and future within a few minutes, and perhaps a critique of a parabola deemed a bit too downward.

A great return for ODM, almost bordering on the surprising; a great way to continue a discourse interrupted seven years ago.

Best track: Alcohol