Vanessa Van Basten : "La Stanza Di Swedenborg" (Radiotarab)

Vanessa Van Basten hail from Genoa, Italy and are bizarrely named after the wife of Dutch footballer Marco Van Basten. This duo operate somewhere between the heavy post-rock world and the experimental metal tendencies of Neurosis. La Stanza Di Swedenborg is a beguiling mix that is augmented by God Machine-style distortion and occasional Mike Patton-esque vocals.

Using a glut of electronic, distorted and acoustic instrumentation, it all starts with the impressive title track. A tense 3-minute build-up of Italian spoken word and apocalyptic synths soon explodes with some tremendous, melancholic guitar work and industrial-sized drums.

This album flows seamlessly, with some tracks being interspersed by ambient drones, cinematic passages, and eerie sounds. On “Dole”, however, Vanessa Van Basten again opt for those pulverizing distorted riffs, this time overlaid with superior acoustic guitar work and blended with gigantic drumming.

The percussion is particularly impressive throughout, but is most notable on “Giornada De Oro”, which is surely the world’s first industrial/folk song. Combining echoed harmonica, acoustic guitars and elephantine rhythms, it is a highly original and surprisingly contagious piece of work.

“Floaters” provides La Stanza Di Swedenborg‘s best moment. Recalling Faith No More at their finest, the crystal clear melody soon erupts into a collage of euphoric sounds and Patton-esque vocals, the distorted guitars becoming denser with each passing second.

"La Stanza Di Swedenborg" is a welcome shot in the arm for the world of intelligent metal. Combining moments of true beauty with head-shattering drums and monolithic distortion, it provides a refreshing snapshot of emotionally heavy music.


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Rating = 70%


"Dole" mp3 - Vanessa Van Basten

Points of Interest...

1. Thom Yorke has posted sporadic lyrics from a new song
entitled "Burn The Witch".

2. Brainwashed has details of three very, very anticipated albums. Fridge (featuring Four Tet; Adem etc) will return with their 5th LP "The Sun" out through Temporary Residence on May 15th(Details). Another TR band, Grails, will unleash "Burning Off Impurities" on May 1st(Details). While, Yellow6 will release his first recording with Resonant, "The Painted Sky" on March 19th (Details)

3. According to The Silent Ballet, the entire ranks of Romance of Young Tigers have joined forces with Kenoma. No official word from ROYT as of yet.

4. It seems Massive Attack have been gone for a long time. Well they are set to return, here's an interview with The Guardian.

5. Tobias Lilja's "Time Is On My Side" has created quite a stir across the web. n5md has collected all of the reviews together. Also read Brett Spaceman's thoughts on this album.

6. The Vanessa Van Basten review I wrote has been selected for Italian webzine, Rockit's, The Foreign Legion column. Check the site out there are a few other reviews too, they are printed in both English and Italian. It would also be great if any Italian speaking readers could translate what they have said about me in my profile.

7. Arcade Fire's forthcoming album, "Neon Bible", is shaping up to be equally as good as "Funeral", if this live performance of "Intervention" is anything to go by.

8. Herb Recordings has revealed details of two new signees, who will release material later this year, they are Scotland's Engine7 and USA-based Skytree.

9. Pitchfork has an mp3 and details from Calla's forthcoming "Strength in Numbers" album, out February 20th. Go here.

Points of Interest

1. Big news at Herb Recordings, the Shamanic Techology album "Doorways" is available to order. Meanwhile, it seems Herb will be releasing Engine7's forthcoming "Me, But Perfect" album. The track "Tempertantrum" can be heard here, while the album is scheduled to be released in "the not too distant future". You can also download the opening track, "Sunrise Catalonia.." here.

2. You can read a review of Italian post-rockers Vanessa Van Basten, I wrote. It's posted on Opuszine.

3. Mogwai have been included in the ATP Vs The Fans line-up. This festival must surely have been selected by God himself with other acts appearing including Shellac, Alexander Tucker, Explosions In The Sky, Do Make Say Think and The Notwist.

4. The terrific Thee More Shallows have signed with the ultra-cool Anticon Label, home of 13 & God. "Book of Bad Breaks" is due on April 24th with some European and North American live dates expected. To say I am looking forward to this album, would be an understatement. If you haven't heard Thee More Shallows yet, get the four mp3's from 3hive. There's also a brand new track at myspace.

5. The UK's next big post-rock noise, The Pirate Shipe Quintet, have their ep available to pre-oder at Sound Devastation. For a limited time only, it costs only £4.50 (that's about $9 for North Americans..). Read this favourable review.

6. Indie For Bunnies has published the top 100 albums of 2006 after surveying several hundred blogs. I took part but only 2 of my top 20 made it in. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing?.