Now it’s time for something a little different. And when I say different, I mean a cacophony of obscure musical genres ranging from Dark Ambient, experimental, noise, dark folk, and any twisted ritualistic audio terror that you may not think of, to form an integrated euphonious choir of melody. Welcome to the distinct world of Boschivo, where anything goes and there are no borders for harmonic tastes. On ‘Bardo Dell’Autodistruzione’, elemental bizarreness is pushed to the limits as magnetic drones are accompanied by acoustic guitar, clean & harsh vocals, various synths & pads, and an array of styles to keep things interesting from song to song. Although this may be a challenging listen for some, it’s without a doubt, a rewarding experience for most others. Let’s dive right in.
“Pozzoscuro” starts with a single droning sound and some ceremonial overtones before a grim acoustic guitar riff takes over. Priest-like chanting accompanied by some eerie background noises blend well with the music. Soon the chanting is replaced by distant sounding vocals, but just for a few bars. The track ends with multiple guitar effects playing altering notes. “La Dania Perversa Delle Falene” is all over the place as it begins with cathedral-style organs and strange vocal effects before giving way to a deep guitar and bass riff that is played over a narration. Soon, that is followed by some harsh vocals while the guitar tone becomes more distorted. About halfway through the track, sampled effects and whispers mesmerize the listener before a frightening organ sound once again infiltrates the airwaves. Like a disharmonic orchestra, this part of the track is like listening to the dead come back to life. “Il Rituale Delle Mosche” features dissonant guitar riffing and haunting narrations, as well as industrial ambient noises. Additionally, soothing guitar riffs and clean vocals come from out of nowhere, almost seemingly out of place but fitting right in at the same time. “Essenza Di Te” continues with the clean vocals, but the guitar riffs are played on on an instrument that seems out of tune. Interestingly, it sounds rather awesome – especially for this album, and I wouldn’t expect to hear anything less. This track also features a great bass line as well – that is played in tune. “Distorta Luna Sterile” is a dark folk track with some excellent droning going on in the background, as well as some creepy sound effects. “Venere D’avorio” has a dark pop vibe to it, albeit with a very discordant sound effect in the foreground. The vocals are very clear on this track but there are echo effects in use to give it a grim feeling. “Quando La Morte Verra’” is a beautiful, dark acoustic passage with whispering narrations and deep droning in the background. Although this is a short and simple piece, it’s one of my favorites on the album. The final track on this underrated masterpiece is the title track, “Bardo Dell’Autodistruzione”. At almost eighteen minutes in length, it’s the longest track in the album and definitely shows what Boschivo is all about. Starting with background drones, ringing bells and simple percussions, other samples and effects are thrown in along the way, including deep, death metal like growls. As these heinous growls continue, church organs begin to play, adding another element of surprise to the album. Eventually, multiple loud bells begin to ring at different tone levels for a divergent sound mix.
Boschivo is an interesting artist that knows no boundaries. Combining all sorts of obscurities to produce a compelling musical experience, this album demands your full attention – and multiple listens – to really appreciate the value of the art for which it provides. ‘Bardo Dell’Autodistruzione’ is an addictive album that doesn’t reside in a particular genre, however it belongs everywhere. If you have an open mind for challenging, but rewarding music, look no further than Boschivo. The album is available for FREE DOWNLOAD from the link below, so check it out.
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Links:
https://totenschwan.bandcamp.com/album/tsr-112-bardo-dellautodistruzione
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