Thelema
231

Those who do not know Thelema do not know the history of Italian dark music, that is for sure. The group was formed in 1984 in Modena by Massimo "Stuart" Mantovani (vocals and guitar), Giorgio Parmigiani (bass), and the great Gregorio Bardini (keyboards), the latter also a member of the great and fundamental T.A.C. of Simon Balestrazzi and a musicologist. Later, drummer Marco Bucciarelli joined. The Thelema, as one can easily infer from their name, were initially heavily attracted to esoteric and occult themes and, in particular, devoted themselves to the work of the great guru Aleister Crowley, somewhat like the early Current93 did, although, musically, there is no connection between the two groups. In fact, the Thelema were influenced by the classic English post-punk and dark wave of bands like Joy Division, Sisters Of Mercy, and Bauhaus but, far from being a faded copy of these models, they interpreted an original and energetic sound characterized by sharp guitars and sinuous keyboards supported by a tribal rhythm section. In 1986, their legendary first album titled "Tantra" was released, recently reissued and considered a cornerstone of Italian dark music. After disbanding in 1989, they reformed in 1993, releasing their second album "The Vision And The Voice" in 1994, followed by "Night Of Pan" in 1997 and "Burnt Memories" in 2006.

Now, the long-awaited new album titled "231" is released, featuring the two historical founding members Massimo Mantovani and Giorgio Parmigiani. Musically, the coordinates are in the classic Thelema style: we can hear such impetuous and rough post-punk tracks as the opener "Edge OF Nothing", the more subdued and decadent "Waiting For The Sun", the electric "Abyss", with a bass line that will delight post-punk enthusiasts, and the disruptive "Punk-Rocker". However, there are also moments where Thelema approaches neo-folk (which is not surprising given Mantovani's great love for Death In June) on "Not Anymore", a small gem of the genre, and on "Shine". "Who Are You" is instead derailing, not far from Killing Joke. The title track is epic, while the concluding track "Time" returns to attack with the usual soundscapes with the guitars prominently featured.

"231" is essentially an excellent album that reconfirms the full value of Thelema, who, after many years, have not forgotten they are the champions of Italian dark music.