Vel
Demo

THE REVIEW

The Vel is a group from Jesi that disbanded almost a year ago, whose only recorded testimony is this self-produced demo recorded by Fabio Magistrali (already a guarantee of quality) in 2003: just listening to it once, the main sensation you feel is a sense of loss for an innovative, amazing, and original group that could have made a good impression even beyond the tight and limiting regional borders.
It is a crippled and sick rock, with crutches, full of tense and uneven rhythms and drugged guitars, characterized by visionary lyrics worthy of the best Afterhours (those beautiful distant times of "Germi"), sung with a tremendous pathos and suffering, straight-jacket and asylum level.

Seven tracks, each crazier than the next, among which 5° Incomodo and Estivo stand out with their swaying, drunken rhythms, the schizophrenic Buco, and the dark and soporific M.O.A.N.; 26 minutes for a journey into the most distorted sides of the human psyche, sharp and morbid nightmares in this raw gem where finding concrete references is not simple: in addition to the aforementioned Afterhours, echoes of Jesus Lizard and Black Eyes can be found in the sharp shifts of the sound, and an Old Time Relijun-like attitude emerges especially in the lacerated and strangled screams of Francesco (the Vel's singer).
Who knows, over time all this mental insanity could have become just a façade brand, perhaps this subversive and anarchic charge would soon have been lost... but I would have loved to hear something else from the Vel... if only... okay, enough.

PS: For those interested in this nice little disc (instead of listening to the usual pseudo-alternative braggarts who make loads of money like Afterhours, Marlene Kuntz, Verdena, and the like...), I don't know if it's still available, try contacting Alessio, bassist of Sedia and Gerda (former bassist of the Vel), the email is capestro@katamail.com, or look for contacts on the website www.friendly-records.com.