Sabotage
Rumore Nel Vento

Today we talk about an album born in the early 80s, released in 2009, and discovered by me, unfortunately/fortunately, in 2020. Sabotage is a Florentine metal band known and appreciated even abroad, with good albums in English produced between the late 80s and late 90s, led by Morby, recognized as one of the best vocalists in the genre. However, their story begins in the early 80s, after a bit of hard work and lineup changes, they find a singer: "Giancarlo Fontani," and the band decides to record a demo of four songs in Italian: "Rumore nel Vento." We're in 1984, a bold and perhaps slightly risky choice for the time, indeed it seems that everything stops there. They decide to change frontman and sing in English, achieving good success, respect, and regard from all lovers of the genre. Let's fast forward over twenty years, the always attentive label "Jolly Rogers" digs into the band's old recordings with Fontani on vocals, and those 4 tracks become 10 and see the light on CD. The lineup besides the aforementioned includes: Dario Caroli (drums) Enrico Caroli (bass) Andrea Fois and Leonardo Milani (guitars). I've always loved bands that have the courage to use our language in hard & heavy, and then if we come across an album like this, we have nothing left to do but applaud. All ten tracks are beautiful, owing to the great English tradition of Saxon, Maiden, and all of the NWOBHM. The musicians' technique is of very high level (let's not forget it was the 80s and in Italy, they were making a whole other kind of music). The lyrics are those of classic rock themes: rebellion, women, engines, but also social ecological themes as in the fantastic "Indios" or "War Machine" with time changes and spectacular guitar solos. The song that gives the album its title could be an anthem for bikers! "Ombre" with its 7 minutes is truly heroic, the dueling guitars are spine-tingling! "Bella di notte" is a bit more pop but holds its own! "Eroi del Tempo" starts as a ballad and then transforms into a ride worthy of the best Judas. The work concludes with "Signore della Morte" and "Killer della Notte," and listen to how Fontani sings! Unfortunately, it didn't have a follow-up. A masterpiece of Italian metal! I'm sorry to have discovered it late but at the same time happy to have discovered it!