Tenia
Bianco Per Sottrazione, Nero Per Composizione

I decided to review an album by an Italian band.

tenia is a band from Benevento. The Ep "bianco per sottrazione, nero per composizione" consists of three tracks. In one of these, the third to be precise, there is the participation of Umberto Palazzo.

Palazzo is the man behind, and in front of, as he is the frontman, the project Santo Niente.
The reason that prompted me to purchase this album, which is not easily available because it's without distribution and in a very limited edition, was precisely the presence of one of the members of Santo Niente, a band of which I am a fan, even if I think that by now it was clear.

I press play on the cd player and immediately select the third track, Palazzo's contribution is minimal and balanced. Recognizable, it maintains the same color of the track in a sort of call & response with the now filtered singer's voice. The band's sound is dark, built on heavy interweavings of three guitars that in almost all tracks maintain a prog-like feel strongly accentuated in the progression. The rhythm section consists of continuous phrasings between bass and drums that emphasize the use of breaks.

Upon first listening, the tracks seem to have the classic structure of Italian alt-rock, but upon closer attention, one realizes that the structural definition of the track is less direct, the changes are sometimes sudden and aim to tear, often completely, the precarious balance achieved, other times they are slightly perceptible and guided by accentuation. The voice has minimal input on the tracks; it either bounces with its melody alone or drags the whole piece; the final effect is almost as if you are facing the De Glaen with the bass less in the foreground.

The EP is varied and is a product of a certain way of making music that owes much to the rock deconstruction from across the ocean. One track in particular, "la stasi", stands out immediately because it has a more minimalist aggressive touch than the others.

Try to get your hands on it, I assure you it's not easy, my copy is number 173.