Secret; The: Solve Et Coagula

If the political, religious and social state of Italy can be judged by the ferocity and brutality of the albums it has inspired, then I doubt very much that I will be visiting the land of my forefathers any time soon. Having signed with Southern Lord for their third full assault, The Secret have used the above topics of their home lands plght as a basis for the anger and hatred they've created on Solve Et Coagula (which translated to dissolve and coagulate). The end results being an album of full on, no compromise grindcore that leans into black metal territory.

Opening track "Cross Builder" begins the album with droning, feedback swathed menace, before the attack begins proper on "Death Alive", where guitarist Michael Bertoldini makes his intentions of steamrolling over everything in his path perfectly clear. If there was to be a criticism of The Secret, it is in fact that they don't quite add enough variety into their music to make the onslaught they provide as effective as it could be. That said "Bell Of Urgency" does slow things down a little and offer a change of focus and it has to be said that it is something that this Italian quartet should possibly explore further. Vocalist Marco Coslovich has a great blend of growls and gargled screaming and it is something he manages to do without ever sounding like he is anything but in full control of his surroundings. A great deal of credit also goes to drummer Christian Musich and Enrico Uliana who along with Bertoldini provides bass as well as jagged shards of organ to the mix. It is their tight rythym structures that allow the songs to breath with such mind numbing intensity.

There is some room for improvement on Solve Et Coagula, however there is more than enough shown here to suggest that with The Secret, Southern Lord have another winner on their hands.

Track Listing
1. Cross Builder
2. Death Alive
3. Double Slaughter
4. Where It Ends
5. Antitalian
6. Weathermen
7. Pleasure In Self Destruction
8. Eve Of The Last Day
9. Pursuit Of Discomfort
10. Bell Of Urgency
11. War Desire
12. 1968

Added: January 21st 2011
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Southern Lord Records
Hits: 1800
Language: english

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