Calligram, as many of their peers, are a multinational band with members from all over the globe. This entity has been here since 2011 and has released two full-lengths which are 2020’s “The Eye Is the First Circle” and today’s review “Position | Momentum.” The band has been shifting from a D-beat Punk sound on the first album to a Black Metal sound on this one. I’ve got to say that this genre change made Calligram’s approach more palatable to metallers’ ears giving the band a kind of cult act as minimalist Matteo Rizzardo’s vocals steal the scene. Though, to a pair of ears more used to other kind of Black Metal vocals, it seems a little out for the better or for the worse. I mean, the term vocals here is a matter of speaking because are little moments when it’s possible to understand the words. Yeah, words because most of the time the entity yells or screams incomprehensible things. In fact, it is the desired effect Calligram desire to pass the fan.
“Position | Momentum” is a mix of the aforementioned minimalist vocals with neat instrumentals which bounce from the very well known fast-as-hell machine-gun drumming and blasting guitars as album blaster “Sul Dolore” to sweet and cold atmospheres as in “Seminario Dieci.” Bottomline, Calligram are able to instantly change from a frentic guns blazing to cool moments of emptiness and nothingness as album booster “Sul Dolore” and its following “Frantumi in Itinere” deliver. Here vocals have a great part on creating the musical chaos my dear child of the night listens. They give the impression of a crazed entity vocalizing a strike. As I said, vocals here are for the better or for the worse. These are the best moments of the album. Instrumentals, more notably the guitars, also help creating this atmosphere of total insanity. My dear child of the night mind think that all things change when ghouly “Eschilo” commences. It’s true that the track breaks the attack somehow. However, not the insane moment because as soon as a blink of an eye the track changes to an insane variety of insane. Redundant I know but it is what it is.
I suppose “Position | Momentum” isn’t for the weak at heart metallers. It takes more from the listener to understand Calligram position.
Calligram “Position | Momentum” will be released on July 14th via Prosthetic Records.
Track Listing:
- Sul Dolore
- Frantumi in Itinere
- Eschilo
- Tebe
- Per Jamie
- Ostraninie
- Ex-sistere
- Seminario Dieci
Watch “Frantumi in Itinere” official music video here:
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I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!