| CD REVIEW Gerda |
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Band : Gerda I’ve found very little info available on this Italian Hardcore band, but I’m happy to share what I found out with you. The foursome of singer Alessandro Turcio, guitarist Roberto Villotta, bassist Alessio Compagnucci and drummer Andrea Pasqualini punch out a violent, noisy, Post-Metal Emo-Screamo with great drum play and lyrics in the native language. No idea where in Italy they’re from. To my knowledge they’ve released a 2001 untitled demo cd-R, an untitled 2003 CD (through the Wallace Records, Shove, and Donna Bavosa labels – may have been re-issued in 2005, but I’m not quite certain) and the 2007 album Cosa Dico Quando Non Parlo (which saw the labels Concubine and Son Of Vesta join the party in the album’s distribution, which was released both in CD and vinyl formats). The info sheet going with this release contains a very nice review by Oli Saunders of Collective Zine, a guy with whom I share the thought that Italian Hardcore doesn’t nearly get the appreciation it should, apparently. Seen as how the label was able to use the review, I suppose it’s cleared for futher promotion of the band, so here it is: “Italy does not get near enough credit for its innovative and raging Hardcore bands. La Quiete and Raein of course get a fair bit of attention, but there are so many others that are pushing musical boundaries. The Infarto Scheisse and Lady Tornado have intense chaotic sounds that stand out and sound unlike most other bands. I recently discovered Lafalce who were pre-The Infarto Scheisse and are also pretty raging. Then there are plenty of great Screamo bands such as Violent Breakfast and more recent ones such as Morning Wood and Chinese Drama. Bands such as A Flower Kollapsed also play this sound but with more Noise elements.” “Somewhere in amongst all of this lie Gerda, playing heavy and chaotic Hardcore that is so fucking awesome and intense. Apparently people who like gerda should also like Breach, Dissonant, Violent and Hard To Swallow. I must admit I’ve not heard of any of these bands so I guess I am not the fountain of knowledge I had thought. Guess I had better check them all out.” “Gerda continue their brand of chaotic Hardcore along similar lines to their previous album “Cosa Dica Quando Non Parlo on this new 12-inch. I only labeled it as “Screamo Post-Metal Noise” in the abstract, because I don’t really know how to define it – I saw a distro call it this and found it quite funny. The first side of this LP is much likee the previous album. It doesn’t really let up at anny point, the vocalist screams away like something tragic has happened and the instruments all combine together to make a noise that I greatly enjoy. To be honest it kind of all merges together and sounds the same but maybe it requires many listens to fully appreciate the chaotic beauty. I like the basic sound that is going on so am happy annyway. Bit of it remind me of Dolcim, just a little slower but just as intense. There are some similarities with The Infarto Scheisse too I think. Maybe some people will find it a bit too samey but it’s hard to remain ultra intense and not have parts that sound similar.” “The second side of the album goes a bit more expeerimental. They even mellow out a bit at times. It still sounds fantastic and so should be applauded that the band are being a bit more original than their standard sound. The lyrics are said to be introspective and desperate but there is no Anglish translation or explanations. Overall, this is great stuff and maybe you will enjoy it too.” Well, Oli, if yoù felt things were a bit disorienting, imagine getting only a cd-R copy of the album with only your review as explanations, not even song titles. And talking about being a “fountain of knowledge”…there’s só many bands out there neither of us ever heard of. For example: although I am a hard-on collector of all Italian Hardcore (amongst so many other things) I cannot say I heard of even óne of the bands yoù mentioned, but in the end I couldn’t care less! Because yes, I dó get the underlaying complexity in the music, in spite of the band’s noisy tactics! And yes, I ám goin’ to order, if available, the LP (or CD) version of this album (and anything else on the band I can get my hands on) next time I pop into the record store! To get an idea of what this band is about, visit myspace.com/gerdadegerda, where the band not only posted 2 songs (one sampled, I’m afraid) of this 5-track, 32-minute EP, but also an additional sample of a track off their 2007 album (actually, móre might be posted at last.fm/music/Gerda). Try to listen with an open mind, and in a state bordering sedation. Whatever else it might bring, Gerda’s music is bound to wake you up and pump you full of adrenalin! To me, obviously, this is food for the “Best Albums Of 2010”-lists! 98/100 Tony. |