The year 2012 is expected to be terrible, with the difference that the scenario will look different: Two giant female heads with snake tongues will destroy this world (in an unknown way)! The Italian hard and metalcore musicians "Tasters" have catapulted themselves to the status of prophets with their similarly designed cover. I am scared.
Since I have nothing to lose due to this bad news, I might as well listen to music that conveys such a feeling. Coincidentally, the album "Reckless 'Till The End" by this band is lying next to me. So, if I'm already developing morbid theories about this band, I might as well rave about their music.
Truly: "Tasters" are hard/metalcore at its finest! "Apocalyptic mood" was not a poorly chosen term. However, I can't even say with certainty that hardcore or metal is consistently offered here. Of course, I must admit at this point that everything that belongs to a good band in this genre is present: thunderous double bass drums, intense string instruments that create a heavy noise with the aforementioned drums (not "fast," but powerfully punctuated), and of course a singer who really knows how to roar. However, there are also a few nice elements that make the band particularly appealing. First, I mention the singer's abilities, which he uses not only for volume but also phases of "singing," as is the case with some other representatives of this music style. But apart from many other bands, I find this really well done and also fitting to the music. Thus, pressure, aggression, and a lot of feeling come together at once.
This is supported by another band member: the keyboardist. This funny little guy stands a bit further back, tapping his keys in many songs to create a feeling reminiscent of "Rammstein" and enthusiastically roaring along with the singer, which surprised me the most. I am usually used to background vocals from guitarists, but I certainly didn't expect it to come across so skillfully from a keyboardist. But at least: both the instrumental and vocal work fit wonderfully into the picture and complement the rest of the band. Great!
But that's not all: electronic elements are also used. Sometimes, the singer briefly gets an electric voice, only to verbally jump in the next moment to kick you in the face. Otherwise, there are also moments when brief electronic "instruments" come into play and are abruptly interrupted by the band's grand musical backdrop. For example, the beginning of this album is initiated by a small glockenspiel and a creaking door before a true storm of strings kicks in.
There is actually relatively little to complain about, as everything fits quite well. I would only apply the red pencil to individual songs, as they stand out less than the real highlights of the album ("Katherine's Got A Secret," "Please Destroy This World," "Sleeping With Spirits," "How Easy to Die," etc.). While this may not weigh too heavily, it can still cause various tracks to fade a bit. But that's a problem I only have with the guys. Others can't even describe which their favorite song is because they simply find everything awesome!
If you like hardcore or metal, you are well advised with "Reckless 'Till The End" and should take a look at this band. Then it might be possible for the word "Tasters" to join the words "Pizza" and "Berlusconi" in your own Italian dictionary, thus enriching you not only linguistically but also musically.
