After two impressive self-titled EPs, countless standalone singles, and split releases with bands such as Amitiè, Lytic, Pique, Suirami, and Reste, Chivàla released their highly anticipated full-length album several months ago. Published by Dresden-based record label PIKE Records, this Italian band coming from Bari stacked seven incredible compositions that will not only appeal to underground music fans but also those enthusiasts who appreciate perfectly assembled and flawlessly performed music. With a comprehensive collection of different yet complementary styles on their disposal, these experienced musicians have created one of the finest albums you’ll hear in a while. Perhaps post-hardcore comes to mind first, but you’ll undoubtedly notice how some of the finest properties borrowed from screamo, emo, post-rock, math rock, and melodic punk rock found their way into this sonic equation. Chivàla’s sound mostly leans towards all those sonic qualities that meet all the trends in modern post-hardcore music yet there is a vividly hearable touch of nostalgia that makes this amalgam of fascinating post-hardcore songs so catchy, irresistible, and memorable. These highly skilled musicians thought about everything while writing, composing, arranging, recording, and producing this material and their passion and dedication to the craft are vividly hearable from scratch to finish. They poured heart and soul into these tracks, making one of the finest post-hardcore albums in recent years.
“Boato” is packed with so many qualities that make this record such an incredible addition to any record collection. Each vocal, sonic, and rhythmic maneuver is carefully considered yet it feels spontaneous thanks to Chivàla’s emotional output and raw, unpredictable performance. Each track arrives with a perfect structure, garnered with profoundly detailed segments, brilliant ideas, and superb musicianship. You’ll notice how impressive vocal arrangements define the emotional output of this record. The fascinating barrage of screaming, shouting, and clean singing techniques elevates every segment to an entirely new level, commands attention, and guides the listening apparatus from scratch to finish. This marvelous vocal performance seamlessly balances all those low, mid, and high notes with such precision and finesse, emphasizing everything Chivàla intended to achieve with this material. Besides decorating all those segments and instrumentations, these soulful, passionate, sincere, confident, powerful harmonies contribute more than necessary emotional depth while adding complexity to an already intricate song structure. Atop the lead vocals come additional layers, back vocals, and singalongs. They provide even more power, rawness, and aggression to these songs yet you’ll find so many melodic chants along the way. Their usage depends on the particular mood and situation, but they always sound divine and on point.
Guitars reign supreme here, with all those cleverly arranged interplays that shape a perfect backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon. Whether resonating with catchy, memorable, engaging, raw, abrasive, gritty, generously distorted riffs or shining with jangly, angular, ethereal chord progressions, these guitar works always create a one-of-a-kind ambiance that immediately grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go long after this album ends. Of course, there are many leads, themes, melodies, harmonies, accentuations, and other sonic maneuvers included over the top that make this material even more emotional, complex, and pleasant to the ears. This dedication to the craft is rarely seen in the post-hardcore, screamo, and emo scenes nowadays, and Chivàla brings back all those qualities that made these genres so unique and hypnotizing back on the map. It’s nearly mindblowing how all these layers articulate without overwhelming each other, proving that Chivàla left no stone unturned while working on these songs. Of course, these tracks wouldn’t sound this powerful without the rock-solid rhythm section. You’ll notice how all those expertly assembled, profoundly detailed, vividly hearable, warm-sounding basslines rumble beneath all mentioned orchestrations, providing more than necessary heaviness, clarity, and depth while simultaneously acting like a glue that binds all those guitar layers with rhythmic patterns. Like the remainder of the instrumentations, the drums also play a significant role in this sonic equation. You’ll stumble upon all those tastefully arranged, flawlessly performed, well-accentuated beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics, keeping everything in line while dictating groove and pace.
“Boato” shines with so many impressive moments worth repeating over and over again. This album is stacked with many standouts like “Oggetto di scena,” “Far tremare il corpo,” “Cuore di pietra,” “Non diremo,” and “Alla fine della corsa.” Still, you should pay attention to the entire album, because the remainder of these songs is equally mindblowing. These folks poured heart and soul into this material and their dedication to the craft is vividly hearable from beginning to end. It’s a highly recommended listen to anyone who appreciates impressive modern post-hardcore, screamo, and emo music garnered with a subtle touch of nostalgia. With the splatter vinyl variant already being sold out, you can still score this epic gem on beautiful red vinyl. Head to PIKE Records for more information about ordering. Don’t miss it!
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