DIGITALIS PURPUREA - "Emotional Decompression Chamber" - REVIEWS

[DIGITALIS PURPUREA]

Review on STORMBRINGER the austrian heavyzine!

http://www.stormbringer.at/reviews.php?id=6126

Es ist immer wieder erstaunlich, wie gut aufgestellt die italienische Gothic- und Industrialszene eigentlich ist. Acts wie LACUNA COIL, die genialen HELALYN FLOWERS oder die Teilzeititaliener und Industrial Black Metaller von ALIEN VAMPIRES stehen im krassen Gegensatz zum Italo-Rave, der vor allem in den Neunzigern über die Grenzen geschwappt ist. In diese Riege dürfen sich neuerdings auch DIGITALIS PURPUREA einreihen.

Die Band, die ganz der alten Schule gemäß aus gerade mal einem Mitglied – Pi Greco – besteht, legt mit „Emotional Decompression Chamber“ ein Konzeptalbum vor, das geradezu mustergültig ist. Die Scheibe bietet Midtempo-Industrial mit allem, was dazugehört: atmosphärisch dichte Klanglandschaften, Details und originelle Sounds an allen Ecken und Enden, die aber trotzdem in tighte Rhythmuskorsetts verpackt daherkommen. Gitarren gibt es auch, und zwar im Desertrockstil, der ausgezeichnet zur Ausrichtung der Platte passt. Die Produktion ist erstklassig gelungen und verleiht den Komposition den nötigen Nachdruck.

Ein wenig schade ist nur, dass Pi Greco auf „Emotional Decompression Chamber“ keine Uptempo-Tracks verbraten hat – ein paar Echte Club-Kracher hätte die LP in jedem Fall auch noch vertragen. Richtige Hits gibt es dementsprechend nicht zu vermelden, da die insgesamt zehn Stücke allesamt inhaltlich und musikalisch zusammenhängen. Als Soundtrack zu einem imaginären Film – also genau so wie angedacht – funktioniert „Emotional Decompression Chamber“ aber ausgezeichnet.

Selbst für eine vier- bis fünfköpfige Band wäre „Emotional Decompression Chamber“ eine beeindruckende Leistung. Industrialfans kommen an dieser Platte kaum vorbei, und all jene, die sich zumindest ansatzweise für Industrial der Marke NINE INCH NAILS, SULPHER und Konsorten erwärmen können, sollten bei DIGITALIS PURPUREA auch mal ein oder beide Ohren riskieren.

 

[DIGITALIS PURPUREA]

ITALIA DI METALLO

http://www.italiadimetallo.it/recensioni/4345/digitalis-purpurea/emotional-decompression-chamber

A due anni di distanza dal precedente lavoro la one man band Digitalis Purpurea torna sulle scene con questo Emotional Decompression Chamber. Attivo dal 2000 il torinese PiGreco factotum della band propone un industrail/metal molto elettronico e discretamente piacevole. Un concept basato sulla storia di Junichiro ed Ishtar dei moderni Fando e Lys dalla prima opera di Alejandro Jodorowsky, e PiGreco ne vuol fare una moderna colonna sonora di un immaginario film. A mio avviso ci riesce anche abbastanza bene, nonostante alcune pecche che si riscontrano durante i brani, in primis un cantato in inglese non perfetto, ma che comunque riesce a coprire dignitosamente con la voce malefica e cavernicolare che spesso aleggia nei brani, ottimo esempio ne è "The Shedding", che si pone anche come uno dei brani meglio riusciti dell'album. La musica proposta si incrocia tra Marylin Manson, Nine Inch Nails e Das Inch, ma vorrei anche sottolinerae una certa impronta compositiva data dal nostro artista. Buoni anche gli interventi vocali femminili che si affacciano su alcuni brani, e aggiungono valore agli stessi e in questo porto ad esempio "Fall of Rimmel" altro discreto episodio. Un'altra caratteristica che mi preme evidenziare è la assoluta mancanza di annoiamento durante l'ascolto, cosa che nelle band di riferimento sopracitate è molto più facile incontrare, perlomeno per quanto mi riguarda. I ritmi sono abbastanza sostenuti, anche se da metà disco in poi, forse seguendo il concept della storia si fanno più cupi e rallentati, creando delle atmosfere niente male. "Blear" in questo contesto cupo si pone come brano di punta e mi ricorda almeno nella voce e in certi frangenti i Death SS più moderni. Ossessiva e conturbante con quel rumore di sottofondo che ci ricorda i nostri vecchi cari vinili è "Scotch-Taped Hours". Malefica e marcia è invece "Horror Pleni" nella quale al tono marcio della voce fa da contraltare l'inserimento della voce femminile che stempera la song e la alza di livello qualitativo, senza dubbio la mia preferita. La chiusura è invece assai particolare, il brano "Venus Eclipse" parte con quasi 3 minuti di silenzio e poi sfocia in un lungo brano acustico e melodico niente male. Complessivamente questo lavoro si può considerare valido, e il lavoro di tanti anni messo a frutto, in futuro può riservare ottime soddisfazioni a PiGreco ed ai suoi Digitalis Purpurea.

Klaus Petrovic

 

[DIGITALIS PURPUREA]

GRAVE CONCERNS

http://graveconcernsezine.com/revie...purpurea-emotional-decompression-chamber.html

Christian Marovino aka Pi Greco got his inspiration to this album from the film Fando & Liz by Jarodowski. (The film that provoked an whole world of film enthusiasts 1969 and caused a riot at the film festival due to its sadistic sex and vampire scenes.) In the intro track of “Emotional Decompression Chamber” we hear the sound of when Liz is eating the white rose in the beginning of the film. This album is an updated version of the story. Pi Greco is Black Metal from the beginning but he seems to have evolved into electro synthetics blended with real analogue sounds into some indie style for this album. (Yes, I know he is in the Italian EBM scene, called IBM there.) The only thing that seems remaining from black metal musically speaking to me is his voice which he uses in a Marilyn Manson inspired way. I noticed his vocals in the first couple of tracks “Muscle Bound” and “Dust Devil”. In the “Magic Cube,” there is nice intro of drums that thrills me. I see before me a drummer hitting hard as hell on them. “I am a looking for a job because I need an alibi,” is a catchy refrain. “The Shedding” also got a nice intro to the song and then it turns in to a Marilyn Manson rip off. Perhaps Pi Greco is updating Manson too and doing a Manson on Manson (Marilyn Manson did this with old music once.) “Fall of Rimmel” is about a slut vamp and is very suggestive. It makes me wonder if he met a digital mistress that freaked him out or perhaps it is Fandos frustration over Liz, when he torments her and abounding her on and off again and again, that gets it's updated version this way. It is here where we meet the secret singer girl and her voice is very distinct. I am hoping that someone will unveil this mystery pretty quick. The way Pi Greco sings “Decadent Glamour” here the pronunciation of “glamour” makes me wonder what hidden code that is about since he has told he is doing this “hide and seek” for us in the album. “Blear” is another Marilyn Manson reference to Antichrist Superstar album and it reminds me of Tourniquet song, but here Pi Greco sings about “another kind of gloom.” This is about when Fando tries to find the hidden town they search and never found. Just when we think this song is over, the Marilyn Manson sound disappears and we get a nice clear piano that ends this track. “Scotch-Taped Hours,” has a back ground sound of coming from an old vinyl player like the gramophone Liz brought with her into the desert and the guitar in this one is so beautiful. There is also a mystery sound as if from an ocarina with his heavy breathing at the end and the distorted sounds. He really captures the feeling from the desert scene in this one. Horror Pleni begins with whisker drums, then the girl and then him, in digital voices. It is like being brought into a video game. “The tears on my dress are same as on my heart” the girl tells with a giggle. This is what I call the feeling of “noir” and it makes me smile. This song mixes digital sounds with analogue ones in a very cool way. Devote - respirator breathing with drum stomp, then piano and guitar. He sings very close to the microphone and to listen this one took too much of my energy. Here, I lose interest even if I was curious. This man demands attention and you get a treat if you give this a listen. Black Metal still remains in its own way on this album. “Venus Eclipse.” ends the album and I feel like I have been to the cinema. I am leaving excited and want to buy tickets to next show right away. I am not done with this.

Reviewer: Nineiz

 

[DIGITALIS PURPUREA]

Another excellent review on GREEK REBELS - EXTREME MUSIC WEBZINE!!!

RATE: 8/10

http://www.greekrebels.gr/component...ecompression-chamber-aural-music?directory=57

Έχω πάθει μεγάλη ζημιά με αυτή τη μπάντα. Που δεν είναι καν μπάντα, είναι one-man project και μάλιστα έχοντας το όνομα ενός όμορφου αλλά πολύ δηλητηριώδες λουλουδιού. Δεν έχει σημασία όμως, εγώ την ζημιά την έπαθα. Διαπίστωση πρώτη: έχει περάσει πολύς καιρός από τότε που άκουσα κάτι αξιόλογο να έρχεται από την γειτονική Ιταλία. Για κάποιον ανεξήγητο λόγο έχει μια ροπή στην κακογουστιά αυτή η σκηνή. Διαπίστωση δεύτερη: ένας άνθρωπος μπορεί να κάνει τη δουλειά τριών χωρίς πολύ κόπο αν μιλάμε για τον συγκεκριμένο καλλιτέχνη. Για να μην σας κουράζω με τις διαπιστώσεις μου, έχουμε να κάνουμε με έναν δίσκο ψαγμένο ως το κόκκαλο: κατ’ αρχάς μουσικά. Είναι η πρώτη φορά που ακούω μια electro-rock δουλειά να μην παίρνει μόνο Rammstein στοιχεία αλλά να θυμίζει ενίοτε και Clutch! Southern ρεεεεε! Επιπλέον, συνδυάζει τόσο στοιχεία με τόση δεξιοτεχνία που σχεδόν δεν το καταλαβαίνεις, είναι δίσκος που πρέπει και αξίζει να τον προσέξεις. Η φωνή συχνά χρησιμοποιείται σαν όργανο, είτε με μεγάλη παραμόρφωση, είτε κάνοντας διάφορους ήχους, πράγμα που προσωπικά εκτιμώ πολύ. Μια δουλειά που όσο προχωράει προς το τέλος, τόσο καλύτερη γίνεται. Τέλος, προσωπικό αγαπημένο το ψυχωτικό ‘Devote’. Δεύτερον, είναι ένας πολύ θεματικά προσεγμένος δίσκος, καθώς είναι μια σύγχρονη μεταφορά της πρώτης ταινίας του Jodorowsky, ‘Fando y Lis’, ένα ‘παραμύθι’ με αρκετά άρρωστο concept και ακόμη πιο άρρωστο φινάλε, όπου οι 2 ήρωες ψάχνουν στα ερείπια μια παρακμιακής πολιτείας την μυθική πόλη Tar, όπου όλες οι ευχές γίνονται πραγματικότητα. Ακόμη και το εξώφυλλο είναι εμπνευσμένο από μια σκηνή της ταινίας, όπου η Lis τρώει ένα λευκό τριαντάφυλλο. Πολλά ναρκωτικά… Εγώ γούσταρα ασχμήμως πάντως και το προτείνω ανεπιφύλακτα.

8/10

Αγγελική Καπίρη