Tystnaden
Sham of Perfection

The Tystnaden, despite their challenging name (which means "Silence" in Swedish), are 100% Italian. Just know that the singer's name is Laura De Luca.

Halfway between death and gothic metal, Tystnaden emerge with their first CD "Sham of Perfection" and seem to promise good things. The album, well-produced for a debut, starts off with a bang with the track "First Embrace", one of the most engaging, where the powerful and melodic voice of the singer blends with the dry male growl, giving a pulsating rhythm and excellent interpretation. The second song, "Münchausen Sindrome", is one of the best tracks, where Laura's voice shines for sophistication and technique, and the drums and guitar create a pleasing mix that engages the listener until the last seconds. The third track "Tystnaden" is also beautiful, offering unusual interludes adorned with violins that then lead to a pounding chorus accompanied by the electric guitar. The next step is "Metaphora", with a nice almost electronic introduction and a growl that immediately asserts itself together with the screeching guitars and omnipresent drums before giving way to Laura's strong voice.
The following track is "The Foolish Plan", which, unlike other songs, starts with the piano and soon blends the two voices (the clean female and the "rough" male) in a waltz of transitions that are at times graceful and at other times brutal. Track 6 is "Hamlet", which immediately makes room for the guitars and the growl, which in turn gives way to Laura's interpretation before regaining control and disappearing in a series of alternating surprising passages. "The Joke" kicks into gear immediately with some electronic effects and the two voices blend with the guitar, which in turn dances with the electronic passages, until arriving at a kind of interlude where Laura showcases all her abilities to the beat of the drums. The next track, "Rewards", once again unites the two voices alternating slow passages with extremely fast ones; also nice is the guitar solo that is offered. "The Vanishing" is one of the best tracks on the album, because it allows Laura to best express her vocal potential in contrast to the male voice, which here plays a secondary role; the part where the singer pronounces the album's title is enjoyable, overshadowing the various keyboard effects and then picking up the initial phrases once again demonstrating great skills. The last song, "Pride vs Intellect", naturally transitions from the piano to a frenzied rhythm with Laura's voice comfortable with the various sudden changes, while the growl once again serves as a backdrop.

Undoubtedly a great album, perhaps still a bit immature, but surely the group will have the chance to prove their skills in the future; the lyrics should not be underestimated, carefully written, and especially do not forget the fundamental role of the singer, who is the main composer of the band and greatly elevates Tystnaden compared to other debut bands.