MANO AI PULSANTI

A trio of three young Italian musicians from Sardegna, established in 2000, moving to Bologna a couple of years later, searching for some success.Adharma consisted of multi-instrumentalists Simone Ena, Riccardo Aresti and Jacopo Incani and, after several lives, they signed with the Jestrai label, on which they recorded their debut EP ''Risvegli''.The following year they recorded their full-length debut ''Mano ai pulsanti'' at the MagazzenoBis Studio in Bologna during the Easter time.Failing to secure a deal, which would lead to the official release of the album, they disbanded in 2008.However ''Mano ai pulsanti'' was offered as a digital download via the site of trovarobato.com, featuring a few guest musicians on sax, guitars, drum machine and theremin.

Adharma were definitely an original group.The vocals of the lead singer Jacopo Incani had a strong, theatrical edge akin to Nicola Randone and parts of the album even resemble to the sound of its own RANDONE band, having an epic, Italian flavor with orchestral overtones and decent melodic lines.However musically Adharma were much more varied than RANDONE, mixing Heavy Rock, Pop Rock, Avant Prog and Fusion stylings into one, attractive and very dense package of solid musicianship.They went from frenetic, fast grooves with a high level of energy to furious interplays with dominant use of guitars and lots of keyboards around, while some tracks had a jazzier edge with sax in evidence.Even so this effort seems quite balanced with rich instrumentals parts constanly followed by deeply atmospheric soundscapes, always supported by Iacopini's excessive vocal performance.Very modern and stylistically competent material, which often seems to break new grounds and that's because they combined unrelated paths in a clever way, starting with dark piano themes and sinister narrations and ending in powerful interplays and ecstatic vocal/music interactions with the 3-part ''La gabbia nel mare'' being the absolute highlight, sounding a bit like BIRDS AND BUILDINGS.

From the band members, Jacopo Incani continued a career on his own under the name of IOSONOUNCANE, exploring more Alternative/Indie Rock territories.

The sole document by Adharma is a solid album of consistent, captivating and schizophenic Progressive Rock with numerous, different influences and every listening unveals something new, making the demise of the trio a letdown.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.