I come back to an album released in early July 2022 which did not make the buzz on the internet, and which is the work of the Italians of 'Backfire'. For this young group, 'The Two of Us' is a first album at the level of the best progressive metal bands, because, listen after listen, 'The Two of Us' gradually reveals all its density and richness and becomes an album to keep warm in his disco. First, this disc displays more than 80 minutes on the clock which could be considered by a lot of bands as a double CD. Then, for an amateur that I am of varied progressive mixing different styles, the Italians make us travel in multiple musical landscapes which go from a peaceful rock to energetic metal passing by pranks in jazzy atmospheres, all this with many successive tensions and relaxations. Finally, like any good formation of this type, they offer us, not one, but two long developments at the end of the album which together are worth the purchase of this opus.
To whet our appetite, the very short eponymous instrumental title gently increases the pressure with already a glimpse of the impeccable production, the bass lines already taking you to the guts, then, 'Omega', also instrumental, takes the relay for an ambitious first title which already shows in 6 minutes the full extent of the talent of 'Backfire' in an atmosphere unfolding an inventive and energetic first part at will, the guitars and the keyboards filling all the space and with then, two beautiful breaks in intensity, the second of which highlights a very beautiful guitar solo, the end of the title returning to a progressive metal with a swaying rhythm deploying enormous force with a very short but very original jazzy prank: we are already well left ! 'A Mind By Itself' follows suit by displaying a quiet first part, in which we discover the melodious singing of 'Naomi Gemignani', and hardens the subject quickly enough to become much more muscular, Naomi showing that she knows how to adapt admirably to the intensity of the moment, the melodic lines being always very catchy and the finale with Hindu scents bringing the transition to the following title 'Killed Freedom'. The beginning of the track flirts with fairly classic driving symphonic metal and, after 3 minutes, the break in intensity unfolds a disturbing atmosphere which continues on a slow and heavy tempo highlighting again the powerful vocals of 'Naomi Gemignani', the end of the title returning to the starting theme with a new remarkable guitar solo. The level does not weaken with 'A Story to Tell' which is still a digest of alternating intensity and completely addictive rhythms for any amateur or any lover of imaginative and creative progressive with in particular this jazzy section in the middle of the piece, then, we attack two compositions bordering on 10 minutes with, first of all, 'Lex Natularis' (see the video above) which is built in a series of tensions and relaxations and which makes very diversified musical landscapes follow one another who parade one behind the other for our greatest happiness. Follows 'The Illusion Of Life' which takes us into a 'Floydian' introduction which hardens quite quickly with a rhythmic alternating tempos and which introduces the singing of 'Naomi Gemignani' alternating memorable melodic lines and more tormented sections; At 4 minutes, there is a very calm part with a melancholy piano accompanying Naomi's singing which becomes very soft and then rises gradually and becomes extremely powerful and which gives way to a new extremely expressive guitar solo filled with a beautiful emotion, the finale returning to an instrumental part led by a fiery rhythm section with a last masterful vocal section of 'Naomi Gemignani'. To recover from all the energy deployed in the previous title, 'Fade Away' is the power ballad of the album which offers us a beautiful moment of emotion and, at the risk of repeating myself, shows an imperial 'Naomi Gemignani' and a long guitar solo by Alberto Barsi' completely addictive, the title ending in a calm atmosphere with a few piano notes: simply sublime. But, enough talk, I think I've already made your mouth water with the first 8 titles and, therefore, I won't describe the last two titles to you, which would make this column lengthen considerably. If you're still here reading these lines, I'll let you discover for yourself the 13 minutes of 'Ghoulish Sight' and the 17 minutes of Alpha' which contain everything that any progressive fan is looking for and which highlights everything I have already described in the previous compositions.
In summary, I don't need to draw you a picture, this first studio recording of the Italians of 'Backfire will certainly be for me on the podium of the progressive metal albums of the year 2022 and, if you are like me, amateur of a progressive mixing different influences and styles, you should, without a doubt, adopt 'The Two of Us'... | |
