LIVE: WAVES FROM THE UNDERGROUND

This happens from time to time: when a band we like releases two albums at once. This year, DAAL did just that, and unlike Echolyn, whose double release didn't entirely convince me, DAAL delivered two powerful and contrasting works.

DAAL has been one of the most consistent progressive bands of recent years. Since 2018's "Decalogue of Darkness," perhaps their masterpiece, they have maintained a high standard, with previous works like "Dodecahedron" (2012) also standing out. Their music is hard to define: dark, immersive, and primarily instrumental, built around the sonic vision of keyboardist Alfio Costa, with support from Davide Guidoni, Ettore Salati, and Bobo Aiolfi.

Live: "Waves from the Underground" was recorded in 2023 at Studiosette in Rome and consists of improvised sessions. It includes reinterpretations of older tracks like "Brain Melody" and "Decalogue Part I," but in this live jam format, they take on a new life. The tracks on "W.F.T.U.," each referencing a specific historical date and geographic coordinate, add a conceptual layer, making the album more than just a typical live album.

Musically, this album explores a rawer, more experimental side of DAAL. It leans toward late-'60s German electro-prog, space rock vibes reminiscent of Hawkwind, and the avant-garde tension of bands like Art Zoyd. It's the perfect counterpoint to the dense and claustrophobic Decoding the Emptiness. Where that album plunges you into darkness, this one offers energy, risk, and freedom.

In a year in which DAAL has already released one of their best studio efforts, Live: Waves from the Underground arrives not as an afterthought, but as an essential accompaniment: an expansion of their sound and spirit. Personally, I've been listening to it more often. I enjoy the exploratory, improvisational side of progressive music, and this album fills that need perfectly.

I really enjoyed this record even more than Decoding the Emptiness, I'm more into the experimental side but both records are truly outstanding.

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