Verdena
Canos EP

THE REVIEW

"Create a compilation only with their b-sides (and they'll spit in both your eyes)..."

Deliberately, I quote this relatable comment by Purpulan, from which I take my cue to talk about this EP released a few months later, trailing "Requiem".

Previously, Verdena had released EPs before their albums. If before we had appetizers, now we have the dessert that comes after a full and calorie-rich course like the aforementioned. This is also the last true EP of unreleased tracks, considering that from the Wow period, "Radar" is a mix of everything: demos, live tracks, alternative versions, and some unreleased pieces.

The EP opens with the well-known "Canos" where certain parts of the lyrics stand out, reaching quite impressive peaks of ambiguity.
"Malaga" is a short instrumental divided between electronic samples and percussion, which leads us to "L'ora è buia", which, like the subsequent tracks, deserved a much better fate. This track borrows the stoner guitars from Requiem, with a mood, however, more melancholic than most of the tracks on the LP.

The shadow (tribute!) of the late Stefano (D Rad) of Almamegretta hovers over the 6 minutes of "Parabellum", a mix of psychedelia and electronics, developed by the Ferrari brothers on a track by the late programmer.
The classic rock 'n' roll of mister Elvis Presley "His Latest Flame (Marie's the Name)" competes by itself, with a pleasant vocal interpretation by Alberto, leading us to another trip called "Fluido", a piece that was a regular stop on the Wow tour, during which the trio from Albino used to open their concerts. It could have easily been included in Requiem, maybe at the end, replacing "Sotto prescrizione del dottor Huxley".

You cannot talk about "Canos EP" as a container of second-choice leftovers, being qualitatively at the same level as Requiem, perhaps even daring to say superior, as it takes its ingredients and alchemy and mixes them in an even freer key, without giving up on some experimentation.

The strength of a great band lies also and especially in these lesser-known minor releases, anything but a mere divertissement, however.