DECODING THE EMPTINESS

Daal are an excellence in the modern Italian Progressive scene that is now recognized all over the world. They fully embrace the essence of the term "Progressive", that is, that of structural and sound research, never banal and supported by a great personality. All this makes listening a unique experience, and it happens album after album, considering that since 2009 they have released seven studio albums as well as box sets compilations, EPs and singles. Davide Guidoni is known in the circuit for having been part of the works of bands of the caliber of Taproban, The Far Side, Gallant Farm, Nuova Era, Ozone Player and others, while Alfio Costa has several projects, Tilion, Prowlers, Colossus Project, and Dark Session. Davide Guidoni is also the author of the beautiful covers that accompany the sound support and that well represent the music proposed in images. This time too they avail themselves of the collaboration of Ettore Salati on guitars and Bobo Aiolfi on bass, a winning team that cannot be touched. This year they made two different but somehow complementary albums, "Decoding The Emptiness" in the studio with new songs, and "Live: Waves From The Underground". "Decoding The Emptiness" is the title track that opens the album, nine minutes of heavy Psychedelia in which the notes of the sustained guitars give breadth to the listening. The comparison with the sound of Pink Floyd probably comes spontaneously, in reality during the journey the notes change with the contribution of the change of rhythm. Fluid sound and embellished by the openings of Costa's keyboards. Timeless music."Attic Clouds" is almost a soundtrack with a seventies feel, a sort of lullaby that chases itself in a loop based on a harmonic rotation that changes tonality. The winning card is in the final crescendo of impact. Piano and voice open "Twilight", melancholic just like the twilight, introspective in the search for the colors of the soul. Halfway through the song opens into the instrumental phase in classic Daal style in which the Psychedelia has a calm pace, the one that makes you half-close your eyes while listening. In "Horror Vacui" the band creates atmospheres thanks to background sounds, but it is Costa's piano that brings a ray of sunshine. The piece is well arranged, envelopingly lost in the void. From this moment on the remaining songs are instrumental. "Simulacra" does not interrupt the heavy flow of the compositions, monolithic and Crimson-like it is articulated in a state in which darkness remains in the background. These sounds cannot help but bring to mind some sound approaches of purely Nordic bands. Electronic sounds open "Mademoiselle X", another movement that comes close to the intent of "Attic Clouds", here developed in a better way as regards intensity, once again close to Pink Floyd especially for the use of Salati's electric guitar. "D.o.o.m. (Mortuarii Octavarii Obscuri Declamatio)" is a mini suite nomen omen. The pace increases, Daal put on the table all the arsenal at their disposal. Thirteen minutes in which each component lays bare their whole soul for an absolutely engaging result for emotion. The album ends with a bonus track entitled "Return From The Spiral Mind" where electronic noise plays an important role. "Decoding The Emptiness" will surely delight those who love these sounds and bands like Pink Floyd, Anekdoten and everything that revolves around Psychedelia.

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