The ecclesiastical theme is omni-present on this fab release. Black masses, satanic rituals, life after death and the underworld are the main ingredients for this six-piece band. It’s especially the duels between the guitars and keyboards that results in a fantastic debut rightfully situated in the slipstream of "gone by glories" such as Jacula, Antonius Rex, Monument and the label’s BIG example: Black Widow. What you see depicted on the sleeve (a procession of the Ku-Klux Klan) you can also hear in the music. As soon as the sublime church organ opens the title song, you are glued to your chair! It’s sometimes the Black Sabbath inspired "riffs" that place the rock influences next to the classical ones. Sadly I hear a lot of the classic “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” in their original “Messaggero di Pietra” composition, whilst the “Bilitis” melody keeps me enchanted time after time. If you have too much incense and many candles you’ll soon be pleased to hear “La Teverna Dell’Angelo” which opens with a lot of touching Mellotron before it steers the song towards an unpredictable ending. Il Segno Del Comando without any doubt is the darkest revelation in a long, long time!Reviewed by: John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, February 2001Musicians:
Diego Banchero - bass
Gabriele Grixoni - guitar
Mercy - vocals
Matteo Ricci - guitar
Agostino Tavella - keyboards
An excellent blog you've got here. The best I've visited (along with Mysteryposter & Lost in Tyme)! NWW rarities are always interesting. But that Der Golem album sounded too good to be true. And it was, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteIts actually an italian progmetal album from 2002. Not horribly bad or anything, just not the '73 gem you think it is. Its quite easy to hear the modern productionsound. Nothing sounded like this in the 70's.
BTW: Really diggin' Ilitch + Arbete & Fritid. Great finds. Got Igor Wakhevitch: Etre Dieu?
well then...i have to change the date....sorry for that terrible mistake....almost all infos were in Italian and i don't speak Italian...just always see the 1973 writtenand thought it was released in 1973...but this must reffering to the movie with the same name...stupid me...sorry
ReplyDeleteeXCELLENT ALBUM AND SITE.kEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
ReplyDeleteOk..
ReplyDeleteIl segno del comando, name of band, was also a tv series aired in Italy in the 70s.
That's I think where you got confused.
Because Der Golem the film belongs to 1915.
Whereas the album itself came out in 2002 like somebody already said.
The review mentions track that are not on this album, but on their first album.
ReplyDeleteCheck their Discogs page:
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Il+Segno+Del+Comando
Anyway, thanks a lot for sharing, actually it's not that bad!
The album you put the review of is NOT "Der Golem" at all and it doesn't have that cover art... plus, it's not from 2002.
ReplyDeleteYou are clearly talking about the band's self-titled debut "Il segno del comando" instead, with a black and white "procession/ritualistic" cover, slightly different sound and themes, released in 1997 and more obscure/'70s-reminder.