The music industry has its coincidences believe it or not, though, personally I don’t believe in coincidences. As I said before, it seems record companies accord on a day to release bands with the same thematic or other features in common. Well, coincidence or not, this January we had two bands with lyrics in Italian, themes related to Italian history or folk stories with a highlight in Roman tradition and tales and with Extreme Metal influences. We had Hesperia with “Fra Li Monti Sibilini” with more clear liaisons with Black Metal and now we have Selvans with “Saturnalia,” which is the ancient Roman festival of Saturn in December, which was a period of general merrymaking and was the predecessor of Christmas.
To an Italian descent as I am, “Saturnalia” is a travel through time, therefore a bringer of many childhood memories when my mother used to listen to some traditional Italian songs. “Saturnalia” put me in the middle of a street full of Italian immigrants. The chants on the sixth minute of “Fonte dei Diavoli” color this pretty well. Of course, any of these were in Selvans mind when he wrote the songs of the album. When an artist produces art, there is no predicting the outcome. I mean, the artist knows what he/she means, but it’s impossible to oversee what people will feel. I felt this, for instance.
Truth be told, “Saturnalia” is a nightmare for the reviewer with only labels in mind. It’s an album that made itself impossible to be labeled, that’s why I prefer to say it’s part of the huge Metal family with strong ties with Extreme Metal due to vocals and themes. On the other hand, it’s a fantastic album for the ones with an open mind to the extreme diversity of Metal music.
The fan is welcomed by intro “Necromilieu” with a sweet, and dark, piano introducing the atmosphere the album is going to take. It goes as an operetta from the early 20th century until the guitars burst. Then comes “Il Mio Maleficio V’incalzerà!” adding layers and more layers of instrumentals and vocals. The guitars are furious playes as if the world were about to end. Vocalist Selvans showcases all the reaches his vocals can take and his vocals are the thing that makes the song even more delicious. Italian language gives the song the additional debauchery and mockery the artist planned to the song. But it was “Madre dei Tormenti” that took to the time travel I aforementioned. De rigueur, it’s not a Metal song, but a song with Metal inspiration due to its proximity to traditional Italian music. But it was the one that touched my heart strongly.
“Saturnalia” is an album to be heard with open mind. Enjoy!
Selvans “Saturnalia” will be released on January 30th via Avantgarde Music.
Track Listing:
- Necromilieu
- Il Mio Maleficio V’incalzerà!
- Madre dei Tormenti
- Pantàfica
- Il Capro Infuocato
- Fonte dei Diavoli
Watch “Il Mio Maleficio V’incalzerà!” official music video here:
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!