KU KLUX KLOWNS

Black Engine is great Italian avant band Zu side project (in fact - Zu in full plus guitarist Eraldo Bernocchi), released till now just one album in 2007.

From very first sounds of this album you will be blown away by deep sound of Luca Mai's baritone sax ! And during all album sax is main soloing instrument, with warm or sharp, but always deep and strong sound. Music in whole is not very different from Zu play on their original albums, but there they gave themselves a chance to go deeper in noise, brutal,even metal sound without restrictions. So - besides of their usual free-jazz noise avant you can hear some really heavy moments here. I really like that low sax soling (in many places,where you expect to hear something like guitar shredding) and that explosive energy.

Being a bit similar to NY downtown free-jazz hardcore or Japanese brutal avant, main difference there is they really have that softer and better rounded Italian sound. Without any compromises though.

Album's music will catch you from very first sounds, but possibly somewhere in the middle of the album's long some of you will be a bit bored - sound is very intensive, but without big dynamic changes.And music is improvised, so no tunes or structured songs could be found there. But for those who can enjoy excellent enthusiastic and complex improvs on the borderline of hardcore and free-jazz, this album is a real pleasure.

It's a pity this release stays in the shadow till now, not too many avant fans know about its existence. I can really recommend it to every Zu fan! BTW, it looks this project is still active today, so it's always a chance that new album will be released.