| Pomaly si
zacínam mysliet, že najkreatívnejší
hudobníci žijú v Taliansku.
Nemyslím tým nejaké
prevratné techniky hrania na nástroje
alebo tak (tým však nechcem
povedat, že nevedia hrat), ale originalitu
štýlov. Keen je totiž štvrtá
elektronická/industriálna
metal skupina, ktorá sa mi dostala
do rúk. A vôbec sa nepodobá
ani na jednu z prechádzajúcich
Talianskych skupín. A najlepšie
na tom je, že skupinu tvorí
Power metalista, Death metalista, Heavy
metalista, Nu-metalista a Industrialista.
Týchto pät ludí sa dokázalo
spojit dokopy a vymysliet originálnu
hudbu. Trochu ich bližšie predstavím.
Skupina pochádza z
mesta Sulmona a na to, že spolu hrajú
tri roky majú za sebou velmi bohatú
minulost. V apríli 2003 vydali singel
„Nailing Keen“, ktorý
bol zaslaný Marilyn Mansonovi. Ten
bol hudbou ohromený a okamžite
si vyžiadal aj ich EP s názvom
„Love With Bile“. 10. decembra
2003 boli Keen predskokanmi na koncerte
M. M.. V lete 2003 a 2004 skupina vystupovala
na I.TIM Tour – koncert amatérskych
skupín. Boli vybraný z 5000
skupín TV stanicou Rock TV na lokálnom
kole a zúcastnili sa finále
v Miláne, kde vystupovali pred zhruba
desattisícovým publikom.
CD, ktoré budem recenzovat
je ich double EP „Love With Bile“.
Prvé CD obsahuje songy z originálneho
EP, druhé dva nové songy +
dve live videá, z toho jedno je z
I.TIM Tour 2004.
Rozmýšlam, ako
by som charakterizoval ich hudbu, kedže
žiadnu podobnú skupinu som ešte
nepocul (a myslím, že ani nebudem).
Dá sa však povedat, že
každý hudobník prináša
zo svojho hudobného prostredia nejaké
tie prvky, ktoré tam jasne pocut.
Nemyslite si však, že to je nejaká
výberovka a jeden song je nu-metal,
další death, další
power. Je to proste ucelená zmes,
ktorá si vás hned získa.
Ak by som to mal porovnat s nejakou inou
podobnou skupinou, tak by to bol Rammstein,
ale to prirovnanie je asi také, ako
ked prirovnáte muchu k vcele. Len
miestami má spevák Shirley
hlas ako Till Lindemann a pesnicka „Mr.
Blind“ sa bicími a gitarami
trocha na tvorbu starého Rammsteinu
podobá. Avšak toto nie je žiaden
klon, ani nic také.
Ešte by som sa chcel
vrátit k tej kombinácii štýlov,
respektíve variabilite songov. Aj
ked je každý song ucelená
zmes, je iný. Úplne. V jedinom
songu nenájdete ani najmenší
náznak opakovania songu predchádzajúceho.
A preto je vlastne každý song
mojím oblúbeným. Jeden
však trošicka vycnieva a to je
„Ars Amatoria“. Ale to je len
môj osobný pohlad. Každý
song má však nieco spolocné,
a to je to, že sa tam kombinujú
bicie trocha vystupujúce z industrialu,
tvrdé gitary, distorted hlboký/škreklavý
vokál a elektronické sample/slucky/klávesové
podmazy a vyhrávky a miestami výraznejšie
pocut aj basu.
Jediná vec, ktorá
mierne znižuje kvalitu songov je Shirleyho
anglictina. Je velmi ostrá a velmi
Talianska. Po pár vypocutiach si
síce na takýto prízvuk
zvyknete a nebudete si vediet predstavit
iný, avšak myslím si,
že trocha by na tej svojej anglictine
mohol popracovat. Inác proti jeho
výkonu nic nemám. Ani proti
hlbokému vokálu, ani proti
vysokým škrekotom.
Túto skupinu
definitívne odporúcam. A nie
len zarytým fanúšikom
elektroniky a industrialu. Myslím,
že sa bude pácit každému,
až na ortodoxných metalistov,
ale tým sa nepáci nikdy nic
okrem ich vlastného štýlu
:-). Avšak táto skupina je dôkaz,
ako sa pät štýlov dá
spojit dokopy a vytvorit neuveritelne dobrú
hudbu.
10/10
ENGLISH VERSION
I am slowly starting to think
that the most creative musicians live in
Italy. I don’t mean some revolutionary
instrument playing techniques or stuff (but
I don’t want to say that they can’t
play their instruments) – I mean the
originality of genres. Keen is the fourth
electronic/industrial metal band which came
to my hands. And it does not resemble any
of previous Italian bands. And the best
of all is that the band is formed by Power
Metalist, Death Metalist, Heavy Metalist,
Nu-Metalist and Industrialist. These five
guys managed to get together and come out
with original music. I will introduce them
little closer.
The band comes from town
called Sulmona and for the fact that they
only play together for three years they
have quite history behind themselves. In
April 2003 they released single called “Nailing
Keen” which was sent to Marilyn Manson.
He was stunned by the music and immediately
requested their EP called “Love With
Bile”. On 10th December 2003 Keen
was opening band for M.M.’s gig. In
Summer 2003 and 2004 the band was playing
at I.TIM TOUR – gig of amateur groups.
They were chosen from 5000 bands by Rock
TV in local round and they took part in
final round in Milano where they played
in front of ten thousand people.
CD which I am going to review
is their double EP “Love With Bile”.
The first CD contains songs from the original
EP, the second one two new songs + two live
videos – one of them is from I.TIM
Tour 2004.
I am thinking about how to
characterize their music since I haven’t
heard similar band before (and I doubt that
I ever will again). It can be said that
every musician brings something from his
musical style which can be heard on this
EP. But don’t think that this is something
like compilation and one song is Nu-Metal
like another is like Death metal and stuff.
It is solid mixture which will immediately
catch your attention and ears. If I had
to compare it to similar group I would choose
Rammstein but that comparing is like comparing
a fly to a bee. In some parts singer Shirley
has voice like Till Lindemann and song called
“Mr. Blind” is little similar
to old Rammsteins’ production with
it’s drums and guitars. But Keen is
not a clone or anything like that.
I would like to return again
to combination of genres or better said
variability of songs. Even that every song
is solid mixture it is different. Completely.
You will not find any sings of repeating
from the songs before. And because of that
every song is my favorite. But one just
little sticks out – “Ars Amatoria”.
But it’s just my personal view. Anyway
– the one common thing between the
songs is the style – combination of
drums which are more variable than industrial
kind of drums, hard guitar riffs, distorted
deep/growling vocals and electronic samples/loops/keyboards.
The only thing which little
lowers the quality of songs is Shirley’s
English. It is very sharp and very Italian.
You will get used to it after few hearings
but he could work little more on his English.
Apart from that I don’t have any other
objections. Neither against his deep vocals
nor against his high growls.
I definitely recommend
this band. And not only to convinced fans
of electronics and industrial. I think that
everyone will like it except the orthodox
metal-fans – anyway they don’t
like anything but their own style :-). But
this group is proof that five styles can
mix up together and create unbelievable
great music.
10/10
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