Dances
Of The Drastic Navels is the fifth album by Daal, a project that
began life in 2008 on the initiative of composer and keyboardist from
Bergamo Alfio Costa and Roman drummer Davide Guidoni. It was released
in 2014 on the independent label Agla Records and confirms all the
good qualities of Daal's previous works. During the recording
sessions Alfio Costa and Davide Guidoni were helped by some guest
musicians such as Ettore Salati (guitars), Bobo Aiolfi (bass), Tirill
Mohn (vocals), Letizia Riccardi (violin) and Guglielmo Mariotti
(vocals) and the final result is an interesting, well balanced mix of
vintage sounds and electronica, classical influences and an
experimentalism that never falls in the trap of self-indulgence and
never loses touch with melody and rhythm.
The
dark opener "Malleus Maleficarum" is a long epic that could
recall Goblin or Antonius Rex. The title refers to The Malleus Maleficarum (Latin for “The Hammer of Witches”), one of the
best known medieval treatises on witches whose main purpose was to
challenge all arguments against the existence of witchcraft and to
instruct magistrates on how to identify, interrogate and convict
witches. Although officially banned by the Catholic Church, it soon
became a kind of handbook for witch-hunters and Inquisitors
throughout Late Medieval Europe. So you can imagine charms and
spells, wicked monks and exorcisms conjured up by the music... This
track is completely instrumental but for the murmured narrative
vocals in Latin provided by Guglialmo Mariotti and it goes through
many changes in rhythm and atmosphere. Anyway I can find in this
piece also a pinch of light irony that every now and again makes me
think of Good Omens, a funny
novel written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman about the birth of
the son of Satan and the coming of the End Times...
Next
comes "Elektra (An Evening With...)", an eerie instrumental
piece that, according to Alfio Costa, was inspired by the memory of
a dear friend of the night who's not with us any longer. It
features an exotic, disquieting atmosphere and alternates calm
passages to sudden surges of electric rage. The title and the music
could recall Elektra, a 2005 Canadian-American superhero film
directed by Rob Bowman... It leads to the following "Lilith",
a short, delicate track filled with a nice sense of ethereal
romanticism. According to Alfio Costa, it's an hypnotic lullaby
that was inspired by the carving on a tree...
 |
| Davide Guidoni and Alfio Costa |
"The
Dance Of The Drastic Navels" is a long, complex suite that in
some way summarizes, develops and concludes the story begun on Daal's
debut album Disorganicorigami and its sequel on the following Destruktive Actions Affect Livings. It's the story of a man
from the future bewitched by a strange, beautiful creature half-woman
and half-robot. Eventually the unfortunate man becomes just a toy boy
in the hands of the cybernetic witch but most of the narrative is up
to your imagination that the music just tries to inspire and stir...
On the conclusive track, "Inside You", Tirill Mohn's
suggestive vocals in some way give shape to the witch, a dark angel
in a dream that becomes nightmare, a magic dancer able to drive you
insane and to damn your soul... "We'll never be the same / We'll
never see this light / Your sun will fall in my dark sea / And my
drastic navel will dance over your soul...".
Well,
probably the beautiful art work by Davide Guidoni describes better
than all my words the spirit of this excellent album. Anyway, have
try and judge by yourselves: you can listen to the complete album HERE
Daal:
Dances Of The Drastic Navels (2014). Other opinions:
Michael
"Aussie-Byrd-Brother": With it's sinister and unsettling
cover artwork to the Gothic inspired creeping suspense with the music
itself, DAAL's fascination with real mood and black atmosphere
ensures the album is their most cultivated and mature work so far.
Those who find darker Italian prog artists, as well as the poetic
sadness of bands like My Dying Bride will very much relate to this
one, and even more adventurous metal and Gothic fans will find plenty
to interest them here... (read the complete review HERE)
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