Like the artist who inspired their name, Klimt 1918 can combine pain, death, solitude, despair, and longing into one cohesive body of work.
Many bands are capable of creating their own worlds and navigating through them with ease. Sigur Rós and Mono would be good examples of this trait. These Italian shoegaze sculptors or painters, since they’re named after Symbolist artist Gustav Klimt (1918 marks the year of his death), accomplish a similar feat. And show no signs of creative stagnation on this, their latest full-length release. Much like the work of said painter, so these musicians weave a tapestry of sound. They seamlessly combine the soundscapes of art-rock with the avant-garde’s experimentalism and shoegaze’s sentimental delivery. By now, they’ve shed all remnants of Paulo and Marco Soellner’s melodic death metal past in their previous band, Another Day. Mick Harris from Napalm Death was not the only one to leave extreme metal behind! And even Michael Bolton was once a hard rocker.
Although those heavy influences are certainly missed, they do not hamper the proceedings in any way, shape, or form. You have ethereal, quasi-orchestral keyboard passages of angelic beauty. Cold, bordering on nihilistic guitar riffs. All this is glued together with military precision, bass guitar, and pulsating drum accents. The saxophone flourishes featured on one of the tracks can make the song torturous and uplifting in equal parts. Ominous vocals that can be threatening in one instance and strangely beautiful the next.
The album comprises eleven songs. Yet they are so expertly composed and balanced that they connect almost on a subconscious level. So this could almost be perceived as a symphony in eleven movements. The production is flawless, giving the music the space and aural beauty that it warrants. Each track flows seamlessly into the next, which can be daunting and challenging. Alas, ultimately, you can reap its rewards if you are patient.
This is not, and it should not be perceived as a traditional rock album. But if you are willing to navigate the textures and ambient Klimt 1918 creates, you’ll feel like you’ve achieved catharsis in the end. The music is so layered, it begs for repeated listens. It is virtually impossible to grasp all the nuances, details, and musical shifts the first time you listen to this record. Rarely has raw emotion sounded simultaneously so poignant, eerie, and engaging. If Manowar are the kings of metal (at least in their own heads), this band is the Dream Core savants.
Àmor is set for release on June 12th.
PHOTO BY: Marzia Troiani
