I'm making this post/upload because I was just listening to the F.O.D. (Flag Of Democracy) LP 'Shatter Your Day', and some of the songs (especially from side B) made me think "hmm, this sorta sounds like Negazione". There's an insight into the mental processes that lead to new posts...
Download Negazione: Lo Spirito Continua here.
This is a great record, don't believe any one who tells you otherwise. While probably not quite as good as their masterpiece 'Condannati A Morte Nel Vostro Quieto Vivere', this is definitely my 2nd favourite Negazione record...I prefer both to 'Tutti Pazzi'. Anyway, Negazione were, in my opinion, one of the best Italian hardcore bands... just ignore their later records (basically anything after this one) because their songs gradually got longer and the metal/hard-rock influence took over. Slapshot even covered a fairly bad later Negazione song 'Back To My Friends' on their shitty album 'Unconsciousness'... weird eh.
Up to this point, Negazione just played perfect high energy hardcore. They were inventive and unpredictable, with constant time changes and odd guitar progressions. Furthermore Zazzo's voice is just WILD. The perfect example of how intense and unhinged-sounding vocals can carry along a good hardcore record. Fuck, all those monotone sing-by-numbers hardcore bands should take a lesson from the Italian masters (see Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers, Chain Reaction and Declino as other great examples of crazy vocalled greatness). Plus, like many great Italian hardcore bands, THEY USE A COWBELL (to great effect).
Back to the guitar work; Roberto is another one of my favourite hardcore guitar players, and his riffs are instantly memorable. They take just the right amount of metal/crossover influence, echoing US bands like The Accused, Suicidal and Adrenalin OD, and more straight forward hardcore bands like Verbal Abuse... Overall it's clear that Negazione were taking their cues from what was going on in the US rather than the UK/Europe, in terms of hardcore (fellow Italians Wretched were diametrically much more influenced by UK bands). Nevertheless, Negazione still sang in Italian for the most part and, along with Spanish, I think Italian really is one of the best languages for hardcore - the way it flows, its stucture and its speed just suit the style perfectly...
Anyway, listening to Negazione brings to mind the image of a huge 80s Italian circle pit with bandanas, checkered shirts and homemade sleveless US hardcore shirts aplenty...What more do you want?
DID I MENTION THEY USE A COWBELL?
