Logic Il Logic 2018
Dreamy Reflections
Artificial rage and pretentious anguish from Appenninian ensemble who seem to misplace their leanings but are still able to locate their wings.
Debut albums don’t have to be perfect, although they usually define artists’ personality in terms of style, but “Dreamy Reflections” somehow struggle to present this Italian band in the light the quintet deserve to be seen in – perhaps, living up to the record’s title or finding it hard to look beyond the gloom the group create. There’s a lot of arresting moments here, only the path leading there seems rather crooked, so one may need more than a single spin to become familiar with the ensemble’s world and get rewarded.
As a result, the answer to the suitably christened “Do You Like This?” – quite an unusual query from a young collective – must be affirmative, given how powerful is pure metal propelling the piece forward. Still, if “Into A Sick Mind” has a serrated edge to its angry roar, the cut’s chthonic throb feels too histrionic to impress, despite the fierce action of Jury Costantino’s bass, and this alienating alternative angle is very prominent in the album’s second part, with “The Wall Of Stone” an epitome of such an approach – set aside for the exquisite acoustic fringe of a three-part “Just One More Day” which would help the listener focus on the molten message of the epic’s central section.
While the multi-layered “Rapriest (Stolen Innocence)” is righteously aimed at holy hypocrisy, folk choir and David Bongianni’s guitar capturing all the anguish there is, the likes of “The Storm” demonstrate a slight prog sensibility without applying emotions in a proper way. More melodic, yet equally riff-driven, “Flyin’ Soul” fares much better, allowing a glance into the group’s genuine spirit, and Gabriele Di Caro and Dimitri Bongianni’s vocal dialogue on “Leave A Light On” displays perfect desperation, but it’s the sweet AOR styling of “Awake” that will reveal where their hearts truly are. Taking this path can be a better way to win the day than dream reflectively.
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