DEL PERDUTO CORAGGIO

MARY NEWSLETTER is a band i've looked into more than once over the years but I could never find much in the way of reviews so I always passed. Then tszirmay came along praising this Italian Psychedelic band which coincided with the "Mellow records" sale, so I got this one and the followup fairly cheap. I'm so glad I finally pulled the trigger. I was able to find an old interview with this band which was enlightning because all the info and lyrics are in Italian in the liner notes. Mario the drummer says "We tried to compose a dark, psychedelic, minimilist album. We chose sounds able to drive the listener into a mental trip". This is a concept album about the incapacity of human understanding when it comes to infinity, nothingness, death, eternity etc. The title "Del Perduto Coraggio" stands for "Losing hope". The idea is that this (losing hope) is the final consideration of the human mind that struggles with these concepts (death, eternity etc.) and gives up.

"Atomic Deja Vu" is silly and seems so out of place on this album, especially as the opening track. The band even called this "a stupid song about death". It's only 2 minutes long and is quite catchy. "Ah...sssch!" is atmospheric with sparse piano. This becomes haunting as other sounds come and go. Drums before 3 minutes out of nowhere. Vocals and a powerful soundscape follow. I like the guitar before 5 minutes. Vocal melodies then synth-like sounds follow. "Andrea Emo Nel Suo Studio" opens with these experimental sounds that are repeated over and over as synths play in the background. I like it. Vocals 1 1/2 minutes in come and go in a relaxed manner. It's experimental again. It kicks in around 4 minutes. A calm before 6 minutes as it turns spacey with vocals. Piano before 7 minutes to end it.

"Dovuti Effetti Du Una Sola Causa" is my favourite and it features fast paced spoken words with a haunting background. Sounds like footsteps coming and going. The song turns into sounding like a cross between FLOYD and TANGERINE DREAM. Vocals 4 1/2 minutes in and it becomes louder after 6 minutes. "Neon" kicks in with a good rhythm before 2 minutes. Nice guitar too. "Del Perduto Coraggio" opens with pulsating sounds as other sounds come and go. It's eerie and dark. A beat comes in. Spoken words after 2 1/2 minutes or is it yelling. Haha. The raw guitar before 4 minutes is cool.The pulsating sounds of the intro return to end it. "Amica Venus" kicks in around a minute. Great sound ! Guitar solo 3 1/2 minutes in. Nice. Atmosphere to end it as it blends into "Wittgestein". The atmospheric synths continue. A beat comes in then vocals. "Deja Vu Reprise" is next. Why !!? Haha. "Prospettiva Nevski" features FLOYD-like bass as vocals come in. It turns powerful after 1 1/2 minutes as vocals continue. It ends as it began.

I think there's enough here to give it 4 stars.