Karmamoi are an Italian progressive rock band, inspired by the progressive rock music of today and the past. There has been so much new, innovative progressive rock coming from Italy, that it is no surprise. They have released their new album, Strings from the Edge of Sound on September 1st, 2023. “Strings From The Edge of Sound contains four brand new songs plus five songs from the previous albums rearranged and revisited for orchestra, that give them a new powerful sound, and a new vision of Karmamoi’s music”.
Karmamoi is made up of: Daniele Giovannoni, on drums, keyboards and backing vocals; Valerio Sgargi, on vocals, backing vocals and keyboards; Alex Massari, on guitars; and Alessandro Cefalì, on bass.
“Black Hole Era”, opens this fantastic album, with soft acoustic guitar, until Valerio Sgargi, sings the immortal question that we all ask, from time to time, “Who am I? Where am I going? Who is drawing me into a place without a blaze, I can’t flee anymore?” Orchestration with keys and strings overwhelms the soundscape, like a wave of ocean flowing. Sgargi continues, “Aware that I was a ray of light through the cosmos. There is no sound in the moving. And there is no doubt in my intense breath. I can feel peaceful. Inside the fleeting and cold seize of this space-time. In The Black Hole Era, a fading red sun. Dim light still burns up”. Imagine being swallowed by a black hole or feeling the effect of that kind of surrounding element, in the people you meet or the society as a whole. Wow!
“Nashira”, traditionally, “the bearer of good news”, opens with beautiful piano, before Sgargi sings; along with stringed accompaniment, “Turn out all right. Foreign Sky. White warm giant. Shine high. Safe from harm now. Won’t they trust? Sea goat’s tale star. Burns fast”. The orchestration is magnificent on this one. A soft melody, which picks up pace later on; in the song progression. More instrumentation and orchestration is added as the pace picks up. The guitar music during the ending, is simply awesome! Over 9 minutes of musical wonderment.
Soft, but bold piano opens, “Take Me Home”. Sgargi sings, what sounds very much like a refugee song. He sings, “March has blossomed. 15 days of light. Easy living. Mother says it’s all right. Out of these walls. Hail the man in charge. Ain’t no freedom. People cry from far. Take me home. Run from all. Guns I’m not made for. Gather all we need to go. Hit the desert. Syria has left in and out. Moving forward. Our new life to come”. An over 8 minute orchestrated song filled with deep passion.
“Tell Me”, opens with cool keyboards and guitar, with stringed orchestration filling the soundscape. Sgargi sings, “Tell me about your ragged nails. And your weary hands. Tell me about the tender wings that cannot fly now. Lalala. Tell me why I’m gasping into a sad goodbye. Tell me where I meet your breath. And if we go beyond our fate. Beyond our love. Beyond our time. Tell me you’ll recall my face. Even if I’ll be sealed inside my tiny box. At the mercy of the waves”. A very deep emotional song, and one of my early favorites on the album. Over 6 minutes of dreamy, Pink Floyd-like singing, set to somber lyrics; with great electric and acoustic guitar support; surrounded by a soundscape of orchestration.
“Room 101”, almost reminds me of the famous, first Twilight Zone episode, “Where Is Everybody”. A man deserted and left alone on a planet. Sgargi sings, “You are a man. You’re the last. You are lost. In your failures and self-destruction. You’re at the end. You’re alone. You can’t oppose reality now. It’s our truth”. Then, suddenly beautiful piano and stringed orchestration rises, before, Sgargi sings, “Blame, Shame, Weak, Brain, Hate, Life, Love, God. Two plus two adds up to five. We take control purifying you. And your memory. Ripping minds. Wreaking pain. Restoring thoughts. In this room you can. Redeem yourself and pray”. That takes the song in a completely different direction. One of mind control. And the music mirrors the darker lyrics; with a macabre tinge. The lyrics then take a far darker turn, as the song progresses, “You cannot believe. You cannot perceive. You cannot desire. You cannot exist. You cannot complain. You cannot enjoy. You cannot escape room 101!” The orchestra and lyrics remind me of some of IQ’s “Ryker Skies”. Deep and very dark.
“I Will Come in Your Dreams”, is a lyrical song, mostly composes of , Sgargi singing to soft piano. Sgargi sings, “I’d love to find you far from here. Where a breath will never turn into a gale. I’d love to embrace you far from here. To draw the shape of your face. To stand still and feel your soul. And instead, I find myself walking aimlessly. Chased by the passing time, chased by fear. I’ll lose you. Feed my love. Craving our secret world. As a safe place, call me in your dreams”. Finally brighter skies ahead, I hope. Even the orchestration shines like a bright light.
“Your Name”, opens with violin and the flight of strings, before drums and guitars join in. Sgargi sings, “Say your name. On 3, ready? Stay with me. Clear Pressure gauge. Need him stable. Stay with me. Nowhere to run and clouds pouring out. Some fuel from above. Then fire on the walls. (Just like ), Hell on the earth. Your name, your name. Hands off him. You cannot talk the choice you ain’t taken”. A powerful rocker with solid orchestration.
“Zealous Man”, is the biggest, and longest track on the album, at over 11 minutes. It seems like this was meant to be the closer or the most important track on the album. It opens with soft piano. Sgargi sings, “You are stunned now lying down on a cold cot and you are feeling in shock listening to his voice”. Slow guitar chords and riffs enter the soundscape. Drums are added, as string orchestration begins to fill the air. Sgargi sings, above the growing symphonic orchestration, “He is not your father. He is not your mate. He is a zealous man. He’s watching you. He is not your guide. He is not your truth”. He completes the painful truth telling. You drank his wine in the rebel’s chalice. By then, he knew, he took your soul. He is not your father. He is not your mate. Forlorn, you need to review your doubts. Which ones must you now erase? You are an ordinary man and he betrayed you, why?” Maybe it is a dictator, like Mussolini. He is indeed evil.
“Strings from the Edge of Sound”, opens with keyboard effects and Sgargi singing ‘Feeling cold, Embraced by the wormhole. Can we still sense the pace? Strings from the edge of sound. Into the void. We have to travel like the Hawkwind guys. Sound’s so tiny and far away. From the edge to the other side”
Strings from the Edge of Sound is a profound album of orchestrated music, filled with a moral story of resisting a con, brainwasher, or a dictator’s cult of personality/charisma. It is a solid soundscape of fantastic Italian progressive rock music that I recommend you try. Put on your headphones and escape the daily grind. Enjoy music full of over 67 minutes of symphonic treasures!
Track List:
1 Black Hole Era (7:39)
2 Nashira – Orchestra Version (9:09)
3 Take Me Home – Orchestra Version (8:27)
4 Tell Me (6:03) 5 Room 101 – Orchestra Version (8:36)
6 I will come in your Dreams (5:23)
7 Your Name – Orchestra Version (8:17)
8 Zealous Man – Orchestra Version (11:52)
9 Strings from the Edge of Sound (1:57) Total time: 67’53”
Strings from the Edge of Sound , is produced by Daniele Giovannoni and Valerio Sgargi. The album was co-produced by Mark Tucker. It was arranged by Daniele Giovannoni and Valerio Sgargi Orchestra. Additional arranging by Emilio Merone. The album mastering was completed by Fabio Ferri. Drums and vocals recorded by Fabio Ferri @ “Millenium Audio Recording” – Rome (IT). The album was mixed by Mark Tucker @ “The ARC ” – Eynsham (UK) and Fabio Ferri @ Millenium Audio Recording – Rome (IT). Graphics, photography and artwork, created by Joel Barrios. The music was composed between July 2022 and January 2023. It was recorded between February 2023 and May 2023. All music developed by Daniele
Giovannoni, Valerio Sgargi and Emilio Merone. Lyrics were written by Daniele Giovannoni and Valerio Sgargi except song 2.
Karmamoi’s discography includes the following albums: KARMAMOI – 2011; ODD TRIP – 2013; SILENCE BETWEEN SOUNDS – 2016; THE DAY IS DONE – 2018; ROOM 101 – 2021, STRINGS FROM THE EDGE OF SOUND – 2023.
Website and Social Media Links:
Bandcamp: https://karmamoi.bandcamp.com
Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/karmamoi
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karmamoi
Instagram: www.instagram.com/karmamoi
Twitter: www.twitter.com/karmamoirock
Music Videos and YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/thekarmamoi