The Watch – “The Art of Bleeding” | Progressive Rock Central.com

The Watch are back, with their latest album, The Art of Bleeding, which will be released to the world, September 24th 2021.

It has been a long time, but this time the band has created a concept album for the ages. Their first true ‘concept album’. It features, as they state, “Five stories that revolve around the idea of cathartic violence. A musical theme developed in various ways to create different atmospheres. A disc to immerse yourself in and let yourself go”.

The Watch is: Simone Rossetti, on lead vocals, mellotron, synthesizers, and flute; Giorgio Gabriel, on electric guitars, 6-12 strings acoustic guitars, and classical guitar; Marco Fabbri, on drums and percussion; Mattia Rossetti, on bass guitars, bass pedals, 6-12 electric guitars, and vocals; Valerio De Vittorio, on keyboards, Hammond L122 organ, mellotron, and synthesizers.

The Art of Bleeding was recorded and mixed at TW Studios in Milan, Italy. The album was mastered by Cristiano Roversi at LaSala1 Studios at Mantua, Italy. The cover artwork was created by Andrei Nicolescu. Illustrations were created by Mattia Rossetti.

“An Intro/Red”, are two of the best tracks on the album. The opening, ”Intro” is a laser-focused synthesizer and keyboard extravaganza, that will have you playing it on repeat. Excellent, then “Red”, begins, Simone sings, “Afternoon, working day is over. In her eyes, hay from the bush clover. Dusty air, shows that it’s late summer”, (same time I’m writing this). Just perfect, with this wicked synth and bell – like keyboard masterpiece on repeat. Then, things take a different course. Deeper keyboards. Darker sounds. Heavy labored breathing from Simone, as he sings, “Darkness, blackness, I’m so blind. I try to spot some shapes. Probing fingers on the wall. I should know this room. Sticky flooring it doesn’t help at all. I’m about to fall”. Like a Hitchcock movie. Or a little like Peter Gabriel’s “Intruder”.

“Abendlicht”, is another interesting story. This one, takes place in the future. From the band’s lyrics sheet, we read, “It is the year 2065. Someone commits suicide because the earth’s situation is desperate. Water is scarce. Food is scarcer. The air is filthy. Men no longer trust men”. Yes, this is Gustav Abendlicht’s exit. Simone sings, with keyboard, organ, and guitar accompaniment, “I thought it would have been much easier. In movies it’s not so hard. Steady hand with blade and respire. I’m ready, I removed the guard. But inside, I’ve already died, when you look at this Earth of mine. Forests burn, fury churns inside me. Blood flows faster now. Some people think I’m a coward. But I’ve made a sane choice. We can’t go on with our heads in clouds. Take heed when you hear my voice”. The track opens with those glorious Hackett-like guitar sounds and wonderful strings, surrounded by thunderous keyboards/synthesizers. Simone’s singing on the ending, “I have loved you, world”, brings back memories of the “Lamia” on Genesis’ The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, with a different spin on the lyrics.

“The Fisherman”, is my favorite song on the album. The sound of the sea at the opening was enough to capture and hold my attention until the lyrics began. Simone plays flute, adding to the drama of the sound, and then sings, “And the days are sliding away. I can feel their gloomy sad trail. I believe in unchangeable time. But the time has changed myself. It is stealing my memories. The colour of all that has been”. Those beautiful flute sounds intermingling with the classical guitar and the sound of the sea, surrounding. The perfect soundscape. How could I not like this one? Simone continues, “A thousand times a wave rolls to the shore. A thousand times the fisherman is stirred. A thousand times a wave rolls to shore. A thousand times the fisherman sails alone. In this night longer than life. In this night sharp as a knife. Where we go, we’ll never know. We can’t control the flow. The waters lead us where they will”. Absolutely brilliant! The sounds in this track, will take you right back to all of your classic Genesis favourites.

“Hatred of Wisdom”, has a Hitchcock – like opening synth that is very memorable. Then powerful electric guitar and heavy bass, followed closely by eerie string-like keyboards, and steady drums. Simone’s voice also sounds altered. He sings, “She deserves this. Voice from the saloon. Ignorant seers. Get away from here. String her up and burn her gears. She stands fierce then. Seems that no one cares. The law of men. Then time passed by. That was the wrong time. In our days and for a lot of us she’s still alive”. The spectre of witches, fascism, inquisitions, and above all ignorance and prejudice. Witness: The Supreme Court recently making choices for women. We are no longer burning women; however, we are trying to control their personal body decisions, and ultimately, their lives. Maybe they were thinking of Neil Peart when they wrote this, “ignorance and prejudice they walk hand in hand!”

The band has just released an animated video created by Maare Liiv and Marje-Ly Liiv, of the classic, “Howl the Stars Down”. It is the second single from the new album, and the band states, “It is from our good friend and great composer Nick Magnus, with lyrics by Richard Foster”. “The idea of revisiting this beautiful piece of music came up after Nick and Simone’s live performance in London, some years ago. This is our version; we hope you like it!” Well, it is wonderful. Full of powerful music and lyrics. It opens with a regal start. Then deep solemn keyboards that fill the soundscape. Slow acoustic guitar plays as Simone sings, “See me sailing through the air. In silence secret as a prayer. Petals of blood flutter to the floor. Arms open wide in empty embrace. A single bullet to the face. Counting out its slow ricochet. My feet dance a crazed ballet. Fingers spin ribbons of sinew and gore. Red sighing ribcage bursts apart. A second bullet to the heart. As one stood, we all. As one now we fall. So, howl the stars down in collective pain. For ten lost and found – and lost again”. Like a trip back into the days when Nick Magnus worked with Steve Hackett. I have listened to the performance of Simone and Nick, on YouTube. It is excellent. I am happy, the Watch decided to help make it their own. The most beautiful song on the album. Drifting after death, “To a place where I can be me”.

“Black is Deep”, is full of powerful fall – like piano, sounding like leaves falling. The cool synths are wonderful. A wonderful instrumental, full of synths, keyboards, bass and solid drums. The guitar and keyboard work is monumental. Takes you right back to all of your Genesis favorites in one song.

“Red is Deep”, is the closer and my second favorite song. The spacey opening keyboards are unbelievable. The stellar keyboard melody that follows is also perfect. This is the island of New Guinea, and an ancient people has had more than enough of modern man’s destruction of their land. Simone sings, “Sky is grey. Company’s crew guides. Long journey, it’s almost over. In the bay. Helicopter’s ready”. More from the band’s lyric sheet, “The indigenous people, the Korowai, are natural hunters and it is said that they still practice cannibalism. When a small group of workers is left behind, the dynamic changes. Alone, they hide, they wait”. Simone sings, “Paint on their face, bones on the ground. Once again, this old ritual, the hunt of rivals. Foggy glades, shadows stirring fast. Foam cascades and then spears. In the ground, and lot of skulls. Lot of skulls. A survivor, a bitter lesson. Modern men should say sorry. Civility, we should learn it. The art of bleeding”.

This is a modern masterpiece for The Watch. Their first concept album is a smashing success! The lyrics are necessary to truly understand the full metal of the inner meaning of the stories. Simone has the ability, like Peter Gabriel of adding elegance to the sounds of words throughout this album. He takes his time and perfects the sounds and meaning of the words. Adding the right attention to each detail. The music has never been better. The sounds on this album take you back to a place in time where I, and I am sure many other prog fans wish we were today. The Art of Bleeding, came along at just the right time. Absolutely brilliant! Add it to my top five albums of the year, without question.