It is fair to say a lot of metal fans like Italian horror films. I’m thinking of atmospheric works like Lucio Fulci’s ‘The Beyond’ or Dario Arngento’s ‘Susperia’, both fine Italian works of art and highly influential and respected. Moreover, Italy is a country with a long and bloody history and the birthplace of the Roman Catholic Church, an organisation that on one hand sponsored great works of art and on the other destroyed it (think of the Bonfire of the Vanities). So, Italy is a treasure trove of history, architecture and inspiration. Thus, from Italy we have a highly original artist like Tony Tears. Atmosphere is what this album is all about.
Musically, the reference points are NWOBHM, Black Sabbath, and I hear Paul Chain there too. Horror film samples add to the atmosphere (including one from 80s Italian classic ‘Demons’), as do the wonderful vocals of Sandra Silver on several songs, which has an effect very much like the female vocals on classic Celtic Frost. (I must pay tribute to the multi-talented Martin Eric Ain, a very special musician taken far to soon. My sympathies to his family and band mates. We will never see another Celtic Frost.)
Tony himself plays guitars, keyboards, moog (a nice nod to Goblin!). Overall, an album created with great sincerity and love, like so much of Minotauro’s output.
minotaurorecords.bandcamp.com/album/demons-crawl-at-your-side
