DANCES OF THE DRASTIC NAVELS

Italian instrumental duo DAAL's preceding album Dodecahedron (2012) was inspired by twelve Gothic mini tales written especially for the project (if I remember right), and was pretty dark in atmosphere. Already by looking at the cover, one is not expecting lightness from this recent fourth release either. The poetic title is strange, probably not meant to make much sense in the first place. In the leaflet Alfio Costa tells how he started composing the music in an isolated, "slightly unnerving" cottage in October 2013.

There are only five tracks. The 10-minute opener 'Malleus Malecifarum' is a Crimsonesque, threatening slice of modern Eclectic Prog with some retro feel. Mostly it goes in a fast tempo but several slower sections build the dynamics effectively. I like the PINK FLOYD reminding part starring a wailing guitar and a delicious bass. 'Elektra' is in Costa's words "a thoughtful, electronic piece with a strong rock aspect, dedicated to a friend of the night who's not with us any longer". The electronic side is alluring while the sinister, heavy mourning of low-toned guitar repeating its pattern is to me mostly tiresome.

The shortest track 'Lilith' ("a hypnotic lullaby", well said) is quite beautiful and brings more emotion to the relatively *cold* album. The nearly 24-minute ambitious title composition is the undisputed central piece. Again there are lots of low guitars creating a sinister mood. The unpredictably progressive structure prevents the epic to become boring (well, perhaps it does that occasionally...), but to me it functions better as a background listening than as an object of full concentration. Interestingly, around the 14th minute there's a section that sounds like the Stratosfear-era TANGERINE DREAM.

The tender, though rather sad, final piece 'Inside You' features the vocals of Tirill Mohn (comparable to the likes of Stina Nordenstam and Julee Cruise). In my opinion the elegant song brings the very needed contrast to all the alienating coldness of this album, and it also features violin played by Letizia Riccardi. All in all, a strong album in the chosen (depressing) atmosphere, but personally I'm not getting very deep pleasure out of it. Hence my 3½ stars are rounded down.