DECALOGUE OF DARKNESS

There are great news for the Daal, one of the best realities, at this moment, of the Italian prog: there are as 2 new records for the group of the keyboardist and genier Alfio Costa, also known for the activity with the Prowlers, and drummer Davide Guidoni, here helped by guitarist Ettore Salati and bassist Bobo Aiolfi. It is "Decalogue Of Darkness" and "Navels Falling Into A Living Origami": they are, in reality, two very different but complementary works that demonstrate the eclecticism and the wide range of views of the Daal. This "Decalogue Of Darkness" is linked, in some way, to the previous things and, in particular, to an album like "Dodecahedron" while the other is more experimental and less conventional but no less valid. "Decalogue Of Darkness" has a solemn and regal atmosphere that will make the symphonic lovers happy. There is a great deployment of keyboards: those who love the sound of Mellotron and the vintage settings will find bread for their teeth. From the cover we are projected into a dark and gothic universe populated with shadows. We are facing a thick work that could be the ideal soundtrack of a horror and esoteric script of the '70s as "Il Segno del Comando". The cd is divided into 10 chapters all without name, that lead us into a maze from which there is no exit. The interplay between the musicians is perfect: Alfio Costa's elegant and evocative keyboards are well accompanied by Davide Guidoni's jazzy drums, while the "floydian" guitar embroidery and the pulsating bass contribute to enriching the sound. The highlight of the disc is the second chapter, over 16 minutes long: the initial part, introduced by the piano and the mellotron, immediately immerses us in an ancient and gloomy dimension, where untold rituals are performed in ruined castles. Then the sound becomes imposing and magniloquent to then fall back towards quieter and more mysterious sounds and then continue again towards more frenetic atmospheres: the ending is stupendous and horrifying. But this is a feature that we also find in the other chapters of the disc. The beginning of the last chapter is very evanescent and cosmic: I came to mind the Tangerine Dream period "Phaedra" and "Rubycon": then the beautiful guitar of Ettore Salati paints poignant embroidery of atmosphere while in the second part the music becomes obscure and evocative. "Decalogue Of Darkness" keeps on excellent levels in all of its 71 minutes duration and confirms the whole Daal class.