Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Full Length Review: The Remedy "Sore" (The Triad Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: The Remedy
Country: Italy
Genre: Progressive doom-death-thrash
Full length: Sore
Format: Digital
Label: The Triad Records
Release date: October 25, 2024
The stripped down urban setting in The Remedy's promotional video for "Fog of War" was intended as a metaphor for the world crises they wrote about. There was a prophetic quality to the atmosphere and setting where they decided to film the video, as the bleakness was transcended by the human spirit symbolized by the melodic riffs and clear cut lyrical delivery.
The band has stated the video conveys a theme of optimism and hope against seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The other songs recorded for "Sore" express this mindset just as well as "Fog Of War" at a time when it seems more relevant than ever.
Since their early material was influenced by the lockdowns taking place during the Covid pandemic, The Remedy appears completely prepared to use their songwriting as a vehicle to portray brightness amidst endless gloom. Writing with multi stringed instruments, The Remedy has an intensity pushing the limits of vintage seventies rock, doom metal, modern metal, old school thrash and death metal, and dark alt rock from within. Having gotten to know one another as musicians and avoiding labels for what they strove toward while composing the album, they’ve combined their abilities to convincingly play with groove, dissonant chords, and doomy sounds.
Vocalist Ilenia "Fenis" possesses a voice that’s both melancholic and strong, somewhere between Doro Pesch, Cristina Scabbia and Alissa White Gluz. She constantly emotes while alternating between clean and throaty voices, with clear diction and a hint of raw sensuality. For intensity and passion, she can easily compete with, if not surpass, well-known female singers from the eighties. The track "One with the Sun," most exemplifies this as she harmonizes lyrics and extended notes with the guitar lines.
With guitar, bass, drums, and vocals, she and the band often transform metal into something traditional and cross-cultural, frequently evoking Arabian and Middle Eastern atmosphere. I’d find it intriguing if the band expanded to include additional ethnic influences from China, India, and Africa in addition to vibes of folk and worldbeat, even pop to a certain extent. Going by the metal I've heard from far-flung nations. I’d think The Remedy could pull it off while keeping their heavy elements.
The band shares its inspirations on a profoundly emotional level as well as intellectual, which makes "Sore" unique in and of itself. They have no intention of bragging about their versatility or showcasing their work as the next great thing. They want to touch the listener on the same level as they touch each other, allowing their thoughts and desires to connect to speak for themselves. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:
Ilenia "Fenis": Vocals
Andrea "Rust": Guitar
Enrico "Jack": Guitar
Daniele: Bass
Ale "The Sword": Drums

Track list:
1. The Remedy
2. Not Again
3. You'll never die
4. The Speaker
5. D – Die
6. Invisible
7. Fog Of War
8. One With The Sun
9. Ill Lumination
10. S.T.O.M.


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