Black Stone

Shadows

Texas Queen

Hide

Luca Minichello - bass

Nicolo' Donati - guitar

Francesco Castoldi - vocals

Luca Umidi - guitar

Giorgio Costa - drums

produced and mixed  by Danilo di lorenzo at Moonhouse Recordings June 2003                        

review  by dalia "gryphon_spirit" di giacomo____   

Agreeable and lively  Melodic Hard-Rock from Italy  with American influences but with much of Gotthard too

I'm on the road again. Clearly the legend of Rock  still appears irresistible and able to cast a spell on the new generations. And new and very promising is this Italian band that is gifting us with a very agreeable melodic Hard Rock that has many American influences, anyway  well balanced with musical phrases in full European style, so that this act could quickly find listeners not only in Italy but also throughout the continent beginning from Switzerland , where a natural tendency to a  Melodic Rock of class with romanticism and large breathe tensions finds its indisputable European  fatherland and seat. And indeed the third  trace Texas Queen , in spite of the title,  reminds me so much to some Gotthard sonorities:  a winning catchy ballade with temperament , ready to be performed at the Rock Alpen House of Zürich more than at the Transivalnia Live of Milan. But, just  born in October 2000, in only 3 years of activity,   this band is indeed at the prestigious Transilvania Live that has already played , and not only, cause  Rolling Stone , Indian Saloon, Binario Zero and La Sfinge stay also on their personal carnet of conquered places. Maybe it's the Italian mentality to open doors to very talented newcomers ( cool thing indeed)  , but fact is that The Pythons really deserve it, beyond any other consideration.  The national contest Sund'n' Sound , organized by the   newspaper Corriere Della Sera, saw them charted in the third place among ten finalists.  In few words , cleverness is rapidly rewarded and once again i only can remain astonished in realizing how much enthusiasm and professionalism dwell in  the new underground bands . It's up then to the labels to make the right choice among so a sparkling field.   

Propelling engines of The Python's  music are a great, precise , highly rhythmic and intense bass work (and indeed to be slightly  downtuned is one of their characteristics) , an also  precise drum performance (featured by   Giorgio Costa   who is Bloody Mary 's skin-man too). All in all their rhythmic has a touch  of force typical of the Heavy Metal . Very nice is also the discrete and, again, a bit downtuned lead that, though not launched to clamorous solos is able  to raise waves of emotionality, both  accompanying the phrases, like in  Shadows,  and  during the solos where  also  effects are present together with  and short but good loops in progression. Francesco Castoldi's vocals are energetic enough,  and  his timbre reminds that of Def Leppard's Joe Elliott. The only thing is that he should increase and "reinforce" his voice thickness  and much more cause we deal indeed with a predominating bass soundscape. 

 The musical scheme are not much innovative but they match all rules of the melodic Hard Rock , there is no technique chord or  passage that is not respected: all ingredients are perfectly offered and mixed coherently,  sign that The Pythons  show  anyway an  identity of their own . All songs are really pretty,  strong and absolutely catchy , they impact well immediately , the production is satisfactory.  Like mentioned before Texas Queen is really in full Gotthard style.  The lively opener Black Stone is a lively old school.  Shadows combines rhythm with a nostalgic melody ending with a distortion à la Def Leppard . The promo ends with another lively ride:  Hide.  

Now the band is currently recording new material, which will deliver even darker atmospheres (thing that can make me right happy) and from the moment that our five artists come from a varied musical background  ( Heavy metal/Gothic rock/Prog  and Rock_Blues) they can  prepare an upcoming original and rich  product.

Dressed for success The Pythons can only walk their way with self-confidence. The road is wide open in front of them.

Rating: 7.8/10

presentation|news|reviews|interviews|live reports|specials|f**king bollox|tours|dates

  upcoming releases|underground|artwork|videoclip|MP3's|venues

     links|contacts|gryphonbook

[I Despair]