Stormo – Tagli/Talee | Album Review

Stormo’s latest album Tagli/Talee has landed and it’s here to bring some new exciting contaminations while at the same time confirming the band as masters of post-hardcore.

Stormo have been a prolific post-hardcore  band for the past two decades, creating a name for themselves in the European screamo scene and gaining many loyal fans who are accustomed to their chaotic noise, fast blasts, poetic vocals and overall unique take on the genre. With this last record the band has added some interesting contaminations and elevated their music into something even more captivating.

Tagli/Talee”was written exclusively whilst travelling across Europe while touring with their album Endocannibalismo. It symbolically collages and embodies the transient surroundings and characters that has filled their last few years, with Norway’s extreme metal scene seeping into their sonic assault. The pacing and structure of the songs themselves also inspired by their contemporaries whilst on the road, with vocalist Luca Rocco taking a keen interest in unifying the sequencing of a live set to that of the band’s recorded output.

The title Tagli/Talee, translating into “Cuts/Grafts” also portrays this idea of fragmentation perfectly. At first impact you can’t help but notice that the tracks are pretty short compared to what we are used to get from them. However, each of these 11 songs are intense enough to fill you with plenty of different emotions, transporting you into new environments and experimenting with diverse sounds. 

The first three tracks of the record roll by themselves. ‘Tagli’ is a perfect intro to introduce you to the band, you can almost see them all together in a van low-key trying something out on a guitar. But those soft emo chords are only a prelude to ‘Sabbia’ which steps in harshly with cathartic noise, classic Stormo style, with incessant drums, echoing vocals and fast melodic guitars. Everything sounds pretty regular until the end, when industrial sounds insinuate into the song and launches you into ‘Sabbia pt.2 Ghiaccio’. We’re on the other side now, in a world filled with drones, stomping drumming and cracking white noise.

The fourth track ‘Kallitype’ can stand on its own as a post-hardcore gem. The syncopated rhythm is mixed perfectly with chanty riffs and Luca Rocco’s vocals jump in bringing you a sense of longing but also comfort. The guitar layers in this song are pure emo genius. Their new guitarist Michael Barletta has truly brought something special in the writing process and it’s recognizable throughout the album.

‘Rami’ also stands out for Federico Trimeri incredible distorted punk bassline fused once again with melodic riffs. This song could sound pretty straightforward until the light-speed drum rolls by the super talented Stefano Rutolini transport you back to a chaos where vocals and instruments are in unison. 

‘Talee’ soft chords allows you to recollect your emotions, taking you right back to the starting point, almost as to define the middle of the record and a new beginning, only this time with added fuzzy layers, damaged vinyl sounds and distant agonizing vocals.

The next final tracks are a whirlwind. ‘Bordi’ has definitely an extreme metal side to it, taking you to the cold lands of Scandinavia where majority of the tracks of this album were written. On the contrary, ‘Riva’ almsot seems to drag you back to the  Northern Italy Alpine environment and its foggy mornings. The sound of this track is just what Italian screamo is all about and encapsulates Stormo in all its glory: a wall of noise, melodic guitars and heartfelt lyrics that screams of grief.

Ultimately we are met with ‘Come Fauce Che Divora’ as the final burst, a true cinematic experience for your ears. Drones, synthetic noise and dissonant sound leaves you with a perfect open ending that makes you crave for more.

Stormo has definitely stepped up with this album, they took a risk and it paid off, while ultimately also confirming their indisputable talent as songwriters. Sometimes it’s true that what comes out of the most uncomfortable of times also turns out to be the most authentic piece of work you could ever write. They managed to take us with them to those desolated cold lands and at the same time warmed our hearts with a more melodic sound that made the experience of listening to this album very smooth and comforting regardless of the perpetual turmoil.