CAUTION RADIATION AREA

AREA were a band who's lyrics were often political. Certainly the title of this album, and the back cover (which has a picture of two soldiers with guns scaling a wall) are objects of their protests. I was surprised at how dissonant, experimental, Avant-garde, intense and dark this album is. It's like they're trying to convey through musical experimentation how abhorant radiation and war is.

"Cometa Rossa" opens with synths as drums and then a full sound arrives.This is outstanding. A calm descends when the vocals arrive before 1 1/2 minutes. Demetrio gets a little theatrical here before it kicks back in after 3 minutes. Nice. Powerful organ to end it. "ZYG (Crescita Zero)" opens with strange experimental sounds. Spoken words come in before we start to get a beat and melody. Lots of dissonance with the piano and guitar. Check out the guitar playing 2 1/2 minutes in. Quite unique and far fom pleasant. Haha .It's jazzy at this point as bass and piano with light drums provide the backdrop to these raw guitar sounds. Piano takes over for the guitar after 3 1/2 minutes. Some dissonant horns follow. You can hear Demetrio in the background making strange vocal sounds. Synths 5 minutes in.

"Brujo" opens with a multitude of sounds that are coming at us from all angles. It stops before a minute as we get some sparse piano and a haunting background. Outbursts of drums and other sounds come and go. It turns jazzy 3 minutes in with uptempo drums and keys leading the way. This goes on and on. Amazing section ! A calm arrives before 6 minutes with some heavy breathing sounds followed by delerious vocals in a haunting soundscape. Brilliant !

"Mirage !" is the longest track at 10 1/2 minutes. This has a dark, spooky, atmospheric beginning. Outbursts of deranged vocals as bass clarinet comes in and other weird sounds. This reminds me of "Heresie" by UNIVERS ZERO. Drums and percussion join in. We get some sort of a melody 4 minutes in although the eerie sounds continue. It all stops 6 minutes in as whispered vocals can be heard and then strange vocal sounds. It's scary again. Dark as hell. Incredible ! Dissonant sounds before 8 minutes create confusion. It kicks back in after 9 minutes. Vocal melodies 9 1/2 minutes in. It's creepy to end it. What a trip ! "Lobotomia" opens with ear piercing sounds. It's like a warning or alarm. It lets up but it's still like being showered in acid rain. Disturbing is an understatement.

This is an outlandish musical statement by a band that i'm sure caught people's attention back in the day. Again I think the music is perfect for the subject matter.