Monday 15 September 2014

L'Ira Del Baccano - Terra 42 (Album Review)


Album Type: Album
Date Released: 15th September 2014
Label: Subsound Records

Terra 42 - track listing:

Phase I – The Infinite Improbability Drive Part 1-2-3 (32:05 min)
Phase II – Sussurri…Nel Bosco di Diana (11:20 min)
Phase III – Volcano x13 (14:34 min)

Bio

The project, originally formed as LOOSIN ’O’ FREQUENCIES (and released a mini CD produced by doom guru Paul Chain) was born from Alessandro ”Drughito” Santori and Roberto Malerba. In 2006 they decided to turn it into an instrumental band and call it L'IRA DEL BACCANO, melting doom influences as Black Sabbath with the 60’, 70’s psychedelia of Pink Floyd and Hawkwind, the heavy-prog vibes of bands like Rush, as well as the performing freedom and attitude of jam bands such as Grateful Dead. The result… long tracks, in constant evolution and movement on every concert.

In summer '08 the band released it's first album – “Si non sedes is…Live”, 56 minutes of live performance in concert. They decided to let the album be available as a free download from their official site and very soon many reviews started to appear on the web. During the following two years they played many gigs in Italy, having the opportunity to share stages with bands like Nebula, Witchcraft, Doomraiser, Vibravoid and La Ira de Dios. In the spring of 2010 the band released a split CD with different version of songs already released on the first album, once again to show their way of conceiving music in "never ending movement". In the fall of 2013 L'IRA DEL BACCANO recorded the second album, no longer on stage as with the first album, but this time in a studio......

Members

Alessandro “Drughito” Santori - guitar/direction and architecture of Baccano
Roberto Malerba - guitar/synth
Sandro “fred” Salvi - drums
Luca Primo - Bass

Review:

Let’s go back in time to 2008 before The Sludgelord even started. I came across a band called L’Ira Del Baccano who had just released their debut album to the world. Si Non Sedes Is Live was a 55-minute live album featuring these cosmic space doomsters in fine free-flowing form that won them a loyal following. It’s an album that has slowly started to attain a cult following within the Stoner/Doom Metal Community over the years. 6 years since its initial release I consider it one of the best live albums currently within the underground scene. It showed the arrival of a great band. I couldn’t wait to hear what album No 2 would sound like.

Time passed as time does and there was still no sign of a new album from L’Ira Del Baccano. I was beginning to wonder if we would ever see a new album from the band, as it had been too long since their celebrated debut album. Then earlier in 2014 there were rumbles of a new album from the L’Ira Del Baccano camp. Really?!! The guys had finally finished recording their new album and it would be released soon. Could this actually be true? I waited with excitement and anticipation. Low and behold L’Ira Del Baccano has released a new album – Terra 42.

Terra 42 is heavily influenced by the works of Douglas Adams so the science fiction factor is a big part of this album. Terra 42 can be classed as one huge musical science fiction lesson and L’Ira Del Baccano drown you with epic psychedelic doomy cosmic riffs that will take you to the far reaches of space. The album is split into 3 phases with oneh of them being the epic 'The Infinite Probability Drive' which lasts for a mind-expanding 32 minutes. The album itself runs for 57 mins and it is a big risk to devote about 60% of the album to one epic song. However, L’Ira Del Baccano pulls this off with ease, as this song will entertain the heck out of you from start to finish.

It’s a sprawling epic that combines Doom, Stoner, Space Rock and elements of trippy Trance based vibes all wrapped up in one delicious and addictive jam-based package. With this being an entirely instrumental album it is still a highly intelligent and exciting album as it contains quite a few ambient-based noises to make you question the world around you. It can be very peaceful and tranquil at times which leaves you in a small state of bliss before unleashing epic sonic blasts of spacey riffs for you to contend with.

I would review the other two tracks but Alessandro told me recently that this album should be experienced as one epic 58-minute track with no breaks in-between. And he’s right. That’s the best way to experience this album as one huge spaced-out trippy journey where these cosmic mavericks act as your guides and pilots to the far reaches of the galaxy. I can see why this album took so long to release and record as it’s a huge sounding record, which you will need to take a few listens to experience the full powerful effect.

L’Ira Del Baccano are a different band to the one that recorded Si Non Sedes Is Live, they have progressed into better musicians as their music is a lot more complex on Terra 42. It’s a sign of a great band that does something different with their music, compared to their previous album and that’s what L’Ira Del Baccano have accomplished here. Terra 42 is a success on every level. The production is flawless throughout and L’Ira Del Baccano sound incredible from start to finish. It’s a very expansive album with the emphasis on volume and Terra 42 packs quite an emotional punch.

Terra 42 is a must have album. You cannot pass this one by. An incredible release. Let’s hope the guys don’t leave it another 6 years for album no 3.

Thanks to L’Ira Del Baccano and Subsound Records for sending me a promo to review. Terra 42 will be available to buy on CD from September 2014 and Vinyls will be shipped out from October 2014 via Subsound Records.

Check the Band from Links Below

You can download their incredible debut album for free from their official website.

Official 

Written by Steve Howe

Check the video for The Infinite Imprompabilty Drive Part 1