So you’re in a dark place. A place of illusion and Brothers Grimm style fairy tales and all you have to keep you company is your trusty iPod but what, oh what, do you play to keep those demons from transmuting your spirit into eternal nothingness?
You would need something deep and meaningful with a twisted yet ecumenical perspective on the musical firmament. I ramble enigmatically, of course, but you have to wonder if darker forces were indeed at work in the creation of “Sophia Verloren” by Italian band The Somnambulist. I mean, it’s been a while since I heard a theremin used in anger by any band of note but said instrument unmistakability makes its presence known throughout this album. Likewise, Rafael Boro’s violin adds immeasurably to the grinding precision of this post rock band whilst providing a playful counterpoint to Marco Bianciardi’s intense growl of a voice.
The songs, as you might now imagine, are dark things with “Logsailor” sounding like an escapee from The Threepenny Opera and the title track equally seeking to break free from a life of soundtrack slavery in expressionist cinema.
Albums like this take a bit of getting used to. There is so much going on that you have to listen again just to make sure that you got the most from each and every song and, as I am fond of saying, that complexity is the mark of quality in any band. The Somnambulist are certainly one such band.
The album is available from Bandcamp.