Band : Klimt 1918

Album title : Just In Case We'll Never Meet Again (Soundtrack For The Cassette Generation)

Label : Prophecy

Distributor : Suburban

Release date : 23/06/2008

Release : CD

In my mind, the thought that this exquisite Italian band had gone to meet their maker had grown more and more with each month that separeted us from their previous release, April 2005's Dopoguerra (posted on the 15 th of that month and still available for your scrutiny), which was recorded during a long and strenuous month during the hot Summer of 2004.

The Dopoguerra sessions with renowned producer Guiseppe Orlando came out so good, the band was given a chance by their newly signed label Prophecy to go back into the studio a few months later (after re-write time) to re-record songs in an acoustic or electronic version for an additional CD, which was brought with the double-disc luxus edition of the album. Not surprisingly (at least not to yours truly), the album caught the attention of the media on a large scale, their name being heralded in several printed magazines and on Internet websites! With their profile hightened by the signing to German label Prophecy came the possibility for the band to do their first European tour, which spread their name to previously unconvinced audiences all over the continent. But then, in September and October 2006, the band is yet again faced with changes when guitarist Alessandro Pace decided to leave the band. In his stead came Francesco Conte, whom had to make a rush job of learning the Klimt 1918 catalogue, or at least enough for a gig, in a rush time...as he did his live debut on Oct. 21 at Prophecy Productions'tenth anniversary festival. After that, the band retreated into their rehearsal room, working in the new guitarist into the writing process of new songs, and slowly but certainly recording and mixing the 11 songs that were to make up the track-list of the new album!

And I'm glad to say the Rome based bandhas changed its sound very little as compared to Dopoguerra: the obvious The Cure influences still blend perfectly with the Avant Garde sounds of modern Anathema or Katatonia to make for a perfect melancholic mixture of Post-Rock, Indie, Wave, Shoegazer, and Alternative Rock! To convince yourself of that fact, check out the two new songs "Skygazer" and "The Graduate", posted at myspace.com/klimt1918 (where you'll also find two tracks off Dopoguerra, plus an additional song in reworked version from the luxus edition of the album). The quartet have obviously found themselves a comfortable musical corner, and so has singer/ guitarist Marco Soellner. Just like on other Klimt releases, you can héar his native heritage in the slightly accented English, but it actually works to give his voice a warm charming touch in all that depressive music of his!

Well, it's time for the end evaluation...which was actually formed at the very first listening session some three weeks back. Since then, I must've heard the 50-minute album at least 10 times, and still there's no annoying feeling of getting used to the offerings. Nay, each listening session has repeatedly brought me in this comfortable state of trance, and in spite of feeling sad due to the melancholic feelings conveyed in both the music and lyrics, I've found myself feeling joyous, revelling in the band's musical prolifery! So, are you amazed about me throwing Just In Case... into that "Best Albums Of 2008" list of mine? Are you, really?

98/100

Tony.