DECALOGUE OF DARKNESS

DAAL have become a very complex and sophisticated machinery. The last goal of the duo, composed by the keyboardist Alfio Costa and the drummer Davide Guidoni, is a double publication: two albums built on two styles opposite each other. "Decalogue of Darkness" collects ten chapters, and already from certain details you can see some features similar to their CD "Dodecahedron" (also divided into chapters). The cover, medieval and alchemical, introduces us in the visions evoked by vintage sounds of Alfio, the percussive drawings by Davide, the guitar by the eclectic Ettore Salati and the precise bass by Bobo Aiolfi, the faithful companions of the duo's travels, the assumptions for the masterpiece are all there. "Chapter I" is a dark abyss without end, The music is a kind of noir soundtrack that recalls old horror movies, symphonic, elegant, impressive, and in this context the Mellotron stands out flying high. Steps on a wooden floor, a metronome, a dim candle in the darkness, the elegance of the piano, introduce us to the masterpiece of the CD "Chapter II" a small suite of 16 minutes, where the progression from piano to forte is bursting out, from the gothic mood you go to a typically progressive ride, very seventies, reminded me of something of the old Italian progressive glory like Goblin or Balletto di Bronzo. The imposing sounds of "Chapter III" with a Nordic flavor, with powerful guitars and keyboards, represent 4 minutes of absolute lyricism, too few to fully enjoy the melody of this jewel that could recall an Anekdoten ballad. "Chapter VI" offers even serene landscapes, with a quiet feeling, and it almost seems to go slowly drifting, to the soft throb of the drums, after a road up to now uphill. "Chapter VIII" unexpectedly regains body and power with its most outlined symphonic rock textures, superb keyboard mixes and a chilling Mellotron sound. "Chapter X" is the truly sumptuous grand finale, the result of the meticulous screening of the right timbral colorations, of careful percussive choices, of the selection of specific details. The keyboards and the guitars interpenetrate in a scenario that is always and fundamentally symphonic in which the melody constantly manages, in one way or another, to dominate. The music is dreamlike and manages to materialize fantastic mental scenarios and sometimes has the taste of the soundtrack or the musical story. The various musical influences are mixed here in a very personal whole that oscillates between the ancient and the modern. It was not easy to go beyond what was achieved in the previous album discs but the Daal have succeeded in a very elegant way and certainly surpassing this record will not be a simple game.