DECALOGUE OF DARKNESS

I really like the drumming here. Since drummer Davide Guidoni is half of Daal, it's not surprising that he's much more prominent in the mix than drummers usually are. On songs like "Chapter VIII" his kit is cranked up while the listener must strain to hear the guitar (played by a sideman) - - it seems a little odd for rock music. But Guidoni's position in the mix works here because he's not showy. On some Emerson, Lake and Palmer albums it seems obligatory that Carl Palmer have a showcase every so often, whether it's demanded by the material or not (OK, to be fair, the material is sometimes arranged so that a drum solo seems necessary). Guidoni seems content to play second fiddle, so to speak, to pianist/keyboardist Alfio Costa. Costa composed the entire album and even gets a track ("Chapter XI") to himself. Most likely Guidoni shares the drummer's trait of humility (he does get full responsibility for the art direction, though).

For his part, Costa dominates the proceedings but doesn't hog the limelight. Many instrumentalists have been much less central on projects billed as solo albums. But Costa is no Wakeman; Decalogue of Darkness isn't about him, it's about... well, actually, it's not entirely clear what this album is about. The song titles provide no obvious clues, nor does the title or the cover art. Of course, as the cliché goes, the songs should speak for themselves, and that's evidently what Costa and Guidoni intend.

Given that Decalogue of Darkness is entirely instrumental, and that each song seems to evoke a different mood, it could easily be a popularized film score. Adding to this sense is the use, especially earlier in the album, of classical motifs.

Overall, this is a good instrumental album, heavier on the atmosphere than the melody, which is why if I heard randomly-chosen 30-second passage from Decalogue of Darkness, I'm sure I couldn't tell you what song it was from. The exotic "Chapter VII" is probably the best track here, although the 16-minute "Chapter II" is nearly as good and perhaps more representative of the whole.

Decalogue of Darkness is also accessible, à la Trans-Siberian Orchestra, though it's less overtly commercial and has much less guitar. Put another way, those who like their symphonic prog with a bit of metal will enjoy this album, as will prog-rock fans in general. (For what it's worth, Prog Archives users rank Decalogue of Darkness among the best albums of 2018.)

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