Apple
Device were a prog Roman band that had been active with different
line ups on the live local scene from 2003 to 2011 but did not have
the chance to record anything but a couple of demos. In 2013, on the
initiative of multi-instrumentalist Marco Berlenghini and vocalist
Flavio Stazi, the band came to a new life as a duo and under a
different name, Inior, and in 2014 they finally self-released an
interesting debut album of original compositions that was recorded
with the help of some guests such as Daniele Pomo (drums, from
Ranestrane), Stefano Marzioni (guitars) and Domenico Dante (bass).
The album is entitled Hypnerotomachia and, according to the
liner notes, it is a conceptual work that tells about the spiritual
journey of a man leading him from the disruption of the
appearances of the contemporary society to the inner self. As for
the title, it probably refers to a peculiar path in the Gardens of Bomarzo that was inspired by a book entitled Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (translated into
English as Poliphilo's Strife of Love in a Dream or The
Dream of Poliphilus) that presents a mysterious
arcane allegory in which the protagonist pursues his sweetheart
through a dreamlike landscape...
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| art cover |
The
dreamy opener "The Paper Ship" sets the atmosphere with a
delicate, waltzing instrumental intro where electric guitar and piano
perfectly interact backed by the rhythm section. Then the hermetic
lyrics theatrically interpreted by the voice of Flavio Stazi draw
visionary images and conjure up a vibrating dance of feelings and
emotions... Back to the liner notes: "An invocation to a
water-Nymph, a propitiatory dance and the journey starts with a huge
stone labyrinth pushing you down. No one can save you from the
motionless cruelty of a slow dying habit and from the tragedy of not
being able to hug anyone else but yourself. And then mirrors, spasms,
jumps, understanding, death, seeds and a flower singing you a song of
lightness and freedom".
Next
comes the beautiful instrumental "Mu.S.E." (Music and
Subtle Ensemble) that leads to the dark, nightmarish "Stain
of Steel" where the music and words evoke a gloomy scenery and a
sense of loss. You can feel the pressure pulsing on your bones and
deep shadows cover your thoughts while crimson monsters of stone
start coming out from your mind as notes from a musical box. You
follow a thread but soon you realize that it is just a false guide
that's tying you down to insanity...
The
melancholic notes of "Worn-Out" take you in a desperate
game of mirrors where the words try to tear apart a veil of solitude
and obsolete attitudes. With the following "From Blue To Red"
the rhythm rises again and the nightmare continues between lights and
shadows, majestic crimson flashes and flat widescreens. The lyrics
draw disquieting, confused images while the music every now and again
seems to bring the echo of distant voices coming from the eighties.
Nonetheless a mighty will is growing...
The
ethereal "Starslave" is like a strange sleepwalk towards
the sky on a dark, artificial curve. Then, on the following
"Resilient", black turns to blue, tension slackens and you
begin to float out of control in the empty space, defying the gravity
force. On "INI.OR" you crawl into delirium, the rhythm
becomes frenzied... Then, suddenly tension melts and the storm calms down
on the piano pattern that opens the final track, "Dust".
Now you're back to earth with a new awareness and a lighter soul...
All
in all, it was just a strange dream. To be honest, the lyrics are not
the strength of this album and the concept might be a bit confused
but the music is excellent and this work is really worth listening
to. Maybe the beautiful art cover by Diego Zura Puntaroni, based on
an engraving of Ole Worm's Cabinet of Curiosity, describes the
content of the album better than all my words... Have a try and
judge by yourselves: you can listen to the complete album HERE.
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