We believe this is our best release so far, the most complete and the most representative because the band evolved a lot in all these years, without losing the motivation and attitude that fuels us, maybe with some grey hair, responsibilities and some scars, but is through scars that we heal and grow.
The Italian vampires Horror Vacui are finally back with a new great record. “Living For Nothing…Or Dying For Something” is their 4th full length that comes two years after their last record, “New Wave Of Fear” and it sounds like a prophetic title for a record, considering the rough times we are all going through. This new work has been recorded just in time before the Italian lockdown in late February 2020.
In between the last two records, the band toured Europe for the 4thtime, this time together with Bellicose Minds from PDX, took part to some of the best festivals around and embraced an apocalyptic touring experience in Mexico and Colombia in the summer of 2019. “Every second counts” is the last quote in the band’s thanx list, no better words to express how timing can be positive or fatal, in everything: act, live, think, question, take opportunities, feel the tension of time running as if it was the last day on this planet, this might be what the LP title stands for, between the lines.
The new record has been recorded in a studio based in Bologna, a new experience they wanted to try, working on a slightly different sound, clearer and somehow less rough if compared to their previous releases. This totally fits the new songs that are probably the climax of their creative path so far.
A melancholic and hunted leading guitar crawls out from a Roland Jazz Chorus amp and drives the listener through the 8 songs, 2 instrumental, sustained by the sophisticated rhythms of the new drummer Mesca, that joined the band on 2018. The exquisite drum fills and lines are the key to an ensemble that merge all the elements and push the listener back to the ’80s where they seems to be dragged out from. The dynamic vocals add a unique atmosphere and catchy vibes to the melodic lines embittered by a pulsing gloomy bass. An ice cold synth freezes each of the two sides.
The process of making has been quite hard since two of the band members (drums and bass) left the band in late 2017, and the search started. It’s not easy in a small city like Bologna, where everyone is already in some bands or doesn’t fit for the most various reasons. Moreover, not everyone has the same dedication to the band, that requires playing many weekends a month and engaging in long tours every year. Fabrizio played bass for one year and then Matteino joined as a stable member after filling in during the summer tour in 2018. This record has been recorded as a four piece: Koppa, Andrea, Mesca, Marzia.
All these changes affected the writing process, that took time to teach the old songs and write the new ones, but the result worths all the efforts. Lyrics vary from introspection, to self analysis, to life questioning, to (of course) death, but very far from a celebration of it.
The artwork is once again done by the talented Andrea Bonini from the Finnish dark wave duo Aus Tears (check it out), that already realised the previous LP graphics. The lady in the front cover gives a sense of austerity and control over feelings, which is probably gonna represent our immediate future, unfortunately.
The inner poster is delightful, adding some colours to a too grey present.
The European press will be out on Agipunk label.
It will be extremely hard for the band, as for every other band worldwide, to be able to hit the road soon.
