Ritmo Tribale
Psycorsonica

The nineties were for Italian rock, years of alternative abundance against the overwhelming power of the "sold" rock from the usual Saturday afternoon supermarket names. I deliberately skip the list of the names from both sides and focus only on one name that with this album marks the end of the first part of their career: RITMO TRIBALE.

Started in the eighties as a hardcore group, they matured over the years into warmer and hard rock sounds and especially saw the singer Ed’s voice become their unmistakable trademark. With this album, they close the splendid trilogy that started with the crossover-metal of "Tutti vs. tutti", continued with the grunge-like "Mantra", a true masterpiece that rightfully deserves a spot on the list of the best Italian rock albums. This "Psychorsonica" fits right in the middle road between the two previous works.

With a line-up that has now been honed from concerts around Italy and the world, featuring guitarists Scaglia and Rioda, bassist "Briegel" Filipazzi, drummer Marcheschi, keyboardist Talia, and the aforementioned Edda on vocals, Ritmo Tribale succeed in perfectly combining never banal lyricism, and it is known how singing in Italian never marries too well with the rawness of rock.

The opening track Oceano, which over time will become a staple of their live sets, is somewhat the epitome of the album, psychedelic guitars and a pulsating rhythmic base on which Edda Rampoldi's voice stands out, a charismatic and unique singer, with Scaglia's second voice providing a counterpoint as in the following Base luna where the guitarist prepares for his future as the group's vocalist, but that will be another story.

"Who am I who I was where am I going what do I do how are things how aren't they that you've already got tired of her, of her Italian family project, you and your kids playing in the street…"_{(from "Base luna")}

A circular riff with electronic effects from keyboardist Talia are the coordinates of "Yamuna" while the fast-paced "Disencintivato" brings back the Tribali to their early sounds. Hard rock moments continue with "Invisibile", a song almost stoner in structure and with "Jesus", a crossover that harks back to the times of Tutti vs. tutti.

Acoustic and atmospheric moments are not missed, bringing back memories of their previous ballads like "Uomini", "Amara", and "Sogna". Though "Nessuna scusa" cannot match them in pathos and poetics, for me "12 Linee" remains the masterpiece of this album. A song for mental trips with Edda showcasing all his charming and hypnotic charisma.

"…You who are the most willing to anything, suddenly without words you would do it, you would sell your mother, to enter the realm of my utterly silly tales. This is called human revolution and it is not easy to win…"_{(from "12 linee")}

This was the last album with Edda as lead vocalist. After the consequent tour, he left the band to enter a limbo of mystery lasting more than ten years.

Then suddenly, two years ago, two sensational news: Ritmo Tribale, disbanded after the unfortunate "Bahamas" in 1999 with Andrea Scaglia as singer, reformed and did a handful of concerts to support the release of a greatest hits album. Edda was seen again posting some homemade videos on YouTube.

At this point, everyone hopes for a reunion between the two parties, but instead, two more sensational news.

Year 2009: in September, a solo album by Edda will be released while Ritmo Tribale temporarily (or not?) loses Rioda, replaced by ex-Afterhours Xavier Iriondo, and transform into a new band, NOGURU.

We shall see.