This Italian band is not unlike a darker version of Pentagram. They employ more sound effects and are doing more drugs than the dudes in Pentagram. Where Pentagram works more rock n roll boogie, these guys have a psychedelic crunch. They are certainly more prone to add synths and organs, which works well to add other sonic colors and expand their sound. They are also not just trying to relive the past but have riffs that work into the bigger picture of where metal is at today. The vocals are arguably the most dated element of what is going on here. They are sung in a manner that reminds me of Hawkwind at times. There is an off-kilter-crazed quality to warble in his voice.
I like how the song "Anima" which is mostly an instrumental jam session, also manages to retain a dark and foreboding sense even in the jam's most proggy moments. There is some great guitar playing going down here. "Heaven Side" is more doom-focused with a foreboding lumber. The vocals feel a little weary and worn on this one. I think a lower range might work better, there seems to be a great deal of grasping for notes rather than controlling them When they pick up the pace things build to a raw energy that is closer to Motorhead than anything doom-oriented. Much like Motorhead there are also traces of punk in it's DNA.
The title track that closes the album finds the band at their peak. They are jamming things out, but still carrying a brooding darker mood with them on the journey. The vocals even climax into more of a snarl. It is an unexpected shift and I can appreciate them using it sparingly. I will give this album an 8.5 not something I expect to feel compelled to revisit but I enjoyed the time I spent with the album. These guys know what they want to do and execute it well, they jam while still being aware they are writing songs. I imagine this would be a fun act live.
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