•
Rating:
The only band capable of creating hype in Italy. The greatest contemporary Italian rock group. These are just two of the various definitions given to Verdena, which inevitably make them even more intolerable in the eyes of detractors.
"Endkadenz Vol.1" is the grand return of a band that, with each album, has managed to reinvent itself, and for at least two albums (since Requiem) has produced records that surpass almost all musical offerings from the so-called Italian alternative scene. “Endkadenz” is another double album, just like “WOW,” which in 2011 definitively established them (also achieving a certain level of sales), but divided into two volumes.
This first volume stands as an even more heterogeneous and multifaceted record compared to “WOW,” which already showcased a great variety of styles. But it is above all an album of songs that hardly leave anyone indifferent, demonstrating how Verdena never rest on repetitive productions and arrangements to make up for compositional shortcomings. On the contrary, in every track, one can find continuous and sudden melodic changes.
In the 13 tracks, pop melodies composed on the piano ("Vivere di conseguenza"), the psych-pop "Puzzle" and the Battisti-inspired “Contro la ragione,” where the influence of “Anima Latina” is evident, alternate. The guitar takes on a larger role compared to WOW, offering the doom atmospheres of “Derek” and the stoner vibes of “Ho una fissa,” as well as the acoustic “Nevischio,” masterfully produced by Marco Fasolo of the underrated Jennifer Gentle. And never mind if in the first minute of “Un po’ esageri” they sometimes sound like Weezer; it's forgivable when they come up with tracks like those mentioned above.
What serves as the common thread throughout the album is the constantly distorted voice that accompanies us on this crazy, hallucinatory journey, never becoming static.
Awaiting the second volume, this first volume is the album that not only reconfirms them but (for now, and hopefully for much longer) makes them one of the few certainties of the Italian music scene.
Tracklist and Samples
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By zaireeka
If your CD player puts it, as the authors intended, after a track like "Derek," it's a completely different thing.
This album contains a lot of mellotron, which I, as a progster, adore.
By genre
Endkadenz means and justifies Wow, in its fragmentary experimentation and its 26 tracks.
The drums are often electronic; choirs and piano have now been sanctioned and assimilated.
By Allegretti
Once their show is over, it’s the turn of the 'hosts,' who immediately make it clear that they haven’t abandoned their sound violence after Wow.
The new CD might not be on the level of previous works, but live, the three (four, given the addition of a new touring member for this tour) never disappoint thanks to their energy and the sonic impact of their pieces.
