Universal Totem Orchestra
Mathematical Mother

THE REVIEW

The Universal Totem Orchestra is a legendary band that emerged as an offshoot from the mythical Runaway Totem, Italian standard-bearers of Zeuhl. It was indeed founded by the then-rhythm section of Runaway Totem composed of bassist Giuseppe Buttiglione, who later left and was replaced by the equally talented Yanki Lorenzo Andreatta, and drummer G. Golin. The group has made the teachings of Magma by Christian Vander their own. Their debut album "Rituale Alieno" from 1999 is a small masterpiece of the "Zeuhl" genre where the spirit of a milestone like Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoeh by Magma lives again. This album is groundbreaking and filled with an irresistible dark and apocalyptic power. The subsequent "The Magus" from 2008, though a good work, could not quite replicate its splendor. Now, Black Widow releases the new album titled "Mathematical Mother".

Compared to the past, there is a greater inclination to enrich their sound: thus, echoes of Italian prog can be heard, in particular of Area. Having said that, the Zeuhl roots certainly haven't taken a back seat: on the contrary, in the first track, the beautiful and long "Terra Cava," the rhythmic structure is typically "magmian," and specifically, the bass line seems to come directly from Jannick Top. The male choirs are another typical element that imbue the context with a "vanderian" imprint, while the splendid soprano voice of Anna Torres Fraile is able to uniquely characterize their sound. The arrangements are extremely refined and clean and are also enriched by the guitar of Daniele Valle, the sax of Antonio Fedeli, and the keyboards and piano of Fabrizio Mattuzzi, who is a major presence in the aforementioned "Terra Cava." In the subsequent “Codice Y16,” I hear something of Banco del Mutuo Soccorso while "Elogio del dubbio" is characterized by jazz-rock rhythms. "Architettura dell’acqua" begins with calmer atmospheres with Fraile’s voice in the spotlight: the keyboards envelop us in sinuous spirals and then the music delves again into jazz-rock territories. After the incisive "Città infinite," the concluding "Mare verticale" closes the album in an "esoteric" and geometric fashion.

Overall, "Mathematical Mother" confirms the value of Universal Totem Orchestra, even if the splendors of "Rituale Alieno" seem, even in this case, distant. The refined and dark cover is crafted by the artist Danilo Capua.