Preti Pedofili
L'Age d'Or

After the first two demos/EPs and a split which, in my opinion, brought a breath of fresh air to the underground scene of Foggia, Preti Pedofili return with their first true album.

Let's start by saying that the atmospheres sometimes may seem less doomy compared to the past, but by listening to the album carefully (especially with headphones), one will immediately notice that the record still presents the gloomy and obsessive sounds with which the trio delighted us in the past.

It starts with "Iride", a fast piece and a truly excellent opener that towards the end, in the spoken part, highlights Andrea's excellent performance both as a lyricist (composer of all texts except "C'est femme l'autre nome de Dieu", a piece by Nastenka Aspetta Un Altro) and as a vocalist (with his sometimes grating screams). Then comes "Mavis" (a track from which a video clip was made). The song goes over what was heard in the split with the aforementioned Nastenka: a progressive, psychedelic metal (Andrea's six-string creates incredible atmospheres) and sick. Since there is never enough psychedelia, Preti gives us "Self Made Man", a six-minute track in which gloomy atmospheres and dissonant melodies dominate. Part of the lyrics of this song must absolutely be reported to understand how atmospheres and lyrics represent the band's strong suit: 

Even the myth of De André sang it,he too stole texts from Brassen.He also stole and yes, he knew it,he too stole, and he had bread.

Next comes the samba-metal (as defined by the band) of "Cancro", a convulsive and at times chaotic song that projects us into a vortex of hate, rage, and pain, between spoken parts with a baritone voice and Andrea's usual heart-wrenching screams, seasoned with Enrico's thunderous bass and the unleashed Francesco, who literally devastates his drum kit. The noise/lo-fi finale is very beautiful. "Dies Irae" instead starts with a bang with a nice riff that immediately makes us understand the band's intentions, which are not just to go at full speed, but also to immerse us in slow, dark, and catatonic atmospheres. When the song seems to want to brighten up towards the middle, here we are again suspended in the void like Alice chasing the White Rabbit. A mini drum solo at the end is noteworthy.

And  it's time for a cover, or rather a total overhaul of "C'est femme l'autre nome de Dieu", a song by another Foggia band, Nastenka Aspetta Un Altro. And here is the samba-metal of "Cancro" returning forcefully. There is a bit of repetitiveness in the main riff compared to "Cancro", but considering it's an experiment, we can say that it is really well done. And we start again with "Vio-Lento" (which reminded me of the thrash metal band Vio-Lence). And once again, Andrea is in great shape, supported by rhythms at the limit of "Please stop, I'm going crazy!" alternating the "usual" baritone vocals with the equally "usual" screams. By this, I don't mean that the song sounds familiar; in fact, by continuing to listen, one probably realizes that the piano and lo-fi effects are not just useless flourishes, but part of a "plan" well orchestrated by Preti. If we then add some hardcore punches in the rhythms and a nice noisy ending as I like it, here the dish is served.

The following "Begotten", struck me a lot because of the title (for those who don't know "Begotten" is one of the most twisted films in the history of cinema), and it certainly didn't disappoint me when I listened to it. This time the atmospheres become almost sad and melancholic rather than gloomy. And the "chant" sung by Andrea in the central break almost resembles a mass, the mass of Preti Pedofili singing the evils of the world, the hypocrisies, the mistakes, and the vices of mankind. "Primo Sangue" instead surprises us with a start based on old-fashioned electronics that will continue to accompany us for the rest of the track! Really a strange choice considering the rest of the album. Surely a nice experiment (quite successful too) but it certainly stands out in terms of sound from the rest of the album. Not a bad song, but I found it a bit out of context, if it weren't for the usual sulfurous atmosphere that nevertheless returns forcefully in the second part of the song. An indie track in the modern sense of the term.
To close this work is "Hate", a track that slightly follows the indie (in a good sense) line of "Primo Sangue", but the more melodic and intimate atmosphere (the piano notes will accompany us during the almost three minutes of the track) gives the track that extra gear. I believe entrusting the closing of the album to this piece was a wise choice. It gave the listener the chance to relax after an infernal vortex that lasted over three-quarters of an hour.

The album's artwork by Trivo (another well-known musician from the Foggia scene) is really very beautiful and "weird" as per "pretofilian" tradition.
The production has significantly improved compared to the past: the lyrics in the screamed parts are more comprehensible, and the instruments are equalized to give an extra boost in the purely instrumental parts. The work can be a bit heavy to digest in some parts (more so for those not familiar with a certain genre of music), but it cannot be said that Preti did not record a quality work.  A band that always tries to offer something new and above all is always keen to blend old and new sounds. Certainly, not in all tracks has the experiment succeeded, but the courage of this trio must be appreciated, from which we never know what to expect.

Really a good job.