The Big Jazz Duo
Enemy

LA RECENSIONE

Alessandria, as we know, is not Venice Beach. There's no summer all year round, no girls in bikinis nor breathtaking parties. There's the Rabaton, Marengo chicken, and The Big Jazz Duo. Yes, The Big Jazz Duo. Five crazy metalheads, tired of the grayness surrounding them, have secluded themselves in the studio, giving vent to their anxieties. And so, let the dance begin with “Enemy,” a work that has merged their passion for deathcore with a symphonic side that I honestly found tasteful at alternating phases. Let's make it clear: the Big Jazz Duo is a band with a low average age, but that doesn't mean we are dealing with immature musicians—quite the opposite. Technique and knowledge of what they are proposing are the foundation of the project and the fact is easily noticeable within their tracks, which have nothing to envy from anyone. The nine songs are definitely inspired; the new wave of American death metal bands has given Big Jazz Duo the necessary input to build them without falling into the genre’s clichés, helping them find a starting point to build everything upon. The most enjoyable aspect of “Enemy” is undoubtedly the more “heavy” side, and for this reason, I still struggle to come to terms with the frequent symphonic incursions we find within the songs. A choice that fits well in some moments but, every now and then, dampens the tension a bit too much, which instead should remain at its peak in my opinion. A youthful “mistake” that does not tarnish much the excellent fabric of “Enemy,” an album that goes far beyond the rosiest expectations and has, as its highlight, a single - “The Haunted” - characterized by a fun video that emphasizes the genuineness of this incredibly interesting made-in-Italy reality.