Malombra (Black Widow, LP limited BWR 003) are one of a couple of new Italian progressive rock bands that seem to have little to do with many of their contemporaries. While the great majority of the new Italian bands seem to fall in the symphonic rock vein, Malombra rotate around a different axis. The band's music is a weird hybrid of influences. Probably closest in many ways is Slovenia's Devil Doll with their penchant for dark overpowering lyrical pomposity, but Malombra seem to develop their themes a little more. It seems to me that Malombra listened to a lot of space rock and it's interesting to hear the Ozrics starting to influence some of the newer generation, but it's often difficult to concentrate on the music due to the strange vocalizing (sort of a Roger Waters at his whiniest). The way they put it all together with the unusual cover, packaging, and equations (???) adds up to a most unnerving yet unique experience. Try it if you need something different.
(originally reviewed as part of The New Italian Progressive Rock Scene
(part 1), Exposé #3, p. 8, Edited for Gnosis 3/24/01)
