Album Review - "Ancora" by Odio

I would like to preface this post by saying that this is my first written album review. I love to write, and I have an unhealthy obsession with music. When I say unhealthy, I mean that I get stressed out when I am unable to listen to an album new to me on any given day, whether it be due to surroundings or lack of content, etc.

So, I figured why not combine the two and attempt to write an album review. Recently a friend of mine sent me an album from a band "Odio", of whom I had never heard.- They are from Oakland, CA, and their page describes them as a "Japanese/Italian style of hardcore", which along with their album artwork, caught my attention immediately.

The album starts with a song entitled "Fabulous Horrific Beast". I put on headphones and thought I had been thrown into an 80's crust-punk scene, expecting to hear ranting about animal rights and the failure of humanity. Admittedly, I could not make out the lyrics on my first listen. However, the sounds resonated, and hard; and I was pleased.

By the time their second track, "Fingers", came on, I had turned up my headphones a few clicks. I had began to sense an energy I haven't felt in years, at least not in modern bands. The chords are hitting hard and I am loving every second. I find myself steadily increasing the volume, torn because of the fact I am sitting in my girlfriends family's living room at 3 AM now, and despite the headphones, still struggling to not let the noise wake anyone up.

Track 3(Non Voglio) is now punching me in the face. I sink into the couch, suppressing my desire to jump around the room and replace the headphone cord with the aux cord for the speakers. I still have not gotten to the point where I fully understand the lyrics, but as a huge fan of Antisect, I am feeling reminded of them, with shorter songs and without interludes.

I am now very much appreciating the fact my friend sent me this album. I've taken off my hat and am moving as quietly as possible, headphones still on, fully disappointed I "listened" to the album when it was sent to me, on half volume on my laptop on which only the left speakers work. The song is "The Snake", and the drums are drilling a god-damn hole in my soul that was so missing before.

I'm getting to the point where I don't even feel the need to continue and fully understand why I was sent this album. This shit is kick-fucking-ass. After appreciating the artwork so much earlier, I now start to relate the artwork to the album, and it is perfect. I'm not a pushover when it comes to music. I listen to all genres, all eras, all countries and all cultures. And this shit is fucking rad.

"Silenzio" starts off with a build up previously unheard on the album. The hardcore crust-chords demonstrated earlier are replaced by a somewhat "proto-metal" introduction, which later in the track reverts back into the 80's crust previously played(god I hate genre labels, but they do make explaining these things easier).

At this point my ear drums are bleeding with pleasure.

"Black Dog" kicks off with absolutely no sign of mercy. I now seriously regret being in this quiet living room and not in my own home, where I could confuse my dog by jumping around like an idiot. As of this point, I'm ready to wake the whole family up and (possibly) apologize in the morning about my ecstatic reception of such a hard-hitting album.

I am now on the title track for the album, "Ancora". The first 18 seconds of the track certainly deem it worthy of a title track, giving way into an ear-splitting, 80's reflecting crust track, with possible hints of tribute to DIRT's "Object Refuse Reject Abuse". That, however, is a simple assumption based on my shitty ears which are always trained to hear DIRT. Regardless, I am dying inside, in a good way.

I've finally made it to the final track, "Dance Grotesque". The track name couldn't be more accurate. My senses are failing as I listen to the finale of an album which was astronomically better than I expected coming into it. Here, I certainly hear a strong Antisect influence, as well as many other bands from that era.

I couldn't be happier I decided to give this album a listen. When I heard it half-ass on my shitty laptop speakers I thought it was yet another middle-of-the-mix punk album, but now hearing it full throttle I wish my eardrums good luck in recovering, because I couldn't stop turning up my headphones as the album progresses.

Above I have also put in artwork for their previous album "Un Mondo Libero Dall'Uomo" with equally impressive artwork, which translates to "A World Free from Man". I have not yet listened to the album, and am about to as soon as this post is done, but I am sure it is just as woefully stimulating as this was.

Keep being yourself, and happy steeming.

Notes from the bandcamp:

Recorded live by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer studios, November 2016.
Art by SUGI.
ANCORA 8 TRACKS EP OUT NOW ON AGIPUNK.

Get your copy here ---> www.agipunk.com
credits
released June 13, 2017

JonCon : Vocals
Christian Reid : Guitar
Giacomo : Drums
Emilio : Basso