Insidia - Litfiba
k thomson | Kirkhill, Scotland | 12/04/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I came across Litfiba for the first time on a recent trip to Italy when they were promoting this, their eleventh, album on the local M.T.V. Most people would seldom use the words 'Italian' and 'hard rock' in the same sentence, but one listen to this masterpiece should change their preconceptions. Litfiba have been around for about 20 years, giving them a tightness and coherence reminiscent of Crazy Horse at their best. Anybody who loves 'Nevermind' by Nirvana,'Floodland' by The Sisters of Mercy and the Neil Young/ Crazy Horse collaborations should love this: monstrous, slashing power chords married to melodic subtleties, pushed along by a driving backbeat,with powerful vocals; these guys must be amazing live.
The disc kicks off with 'Mr. Hyde' which has all the finesse of a bulldozer being driven by a lunatic. The title song, 'Insidia'[snare,trap] maintains the intensity, then come two of the standout tracks:'La stanza dell'oro'[The golden room] and'nell'attimo'[At the moment]. There is not a dud song on the whole album. The closer'Oceano' shows the band in a gentler, more reflective mode.
Don't let the fact that you don't speak Italian put you off - how much of the lyrics do you understand on the average rock album? The texts are strong though, dealing with themes of alienation,desperation and the final moments of a man facing the electric chair, but the sound is never maulin. Expect no music to slit your wrists to here. I know precious little about Italian rock, but this album must be one the high water marks of the genre, because it's as good as anything made by the best English language bands. The album is awesome and improves with every hearing. It belongs in every collection of hard rock music. If you thought Italian music only meant opera, think again."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1