PÁRODOS – “Catharsis” Release Party (28/10/2017 @ Mumble Rumble, Salerno)
| Event: | Catharsis Release Party |
| Date: | 28/10/2017 |
| Location: | Mumble Rumble, Salerno, Italy |
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During this 2017 I've attended a certain number of concerts both in Naples and other cities, but I must admit that this "Catharsis" release party, organised by Párodos itself — together with some friends (La Janara and Disturbia) in a placed they could almost call home (Mumble Rumble, in Salerno) — has been one of the best events I've had the pleasure to go to. Why? Well, you'll see…
La Janara
It was almost 22 o'clock when the four members of La Janara walked on stage: the Alchimist sat behind the drum-kit, the Inquisitor took the bass, the Hangman and the Janara came with their guitars and there their ritual became. The band, whose name comes from the nightmarish creature which haunted the folklore of people from Irpinia, has been capable of translating the very same folkloristic atmosphere into their music, that could be easily classified as Occult Rock: although it features some more or less obvious influences coming from Maiden's Heavy and Sabbath's Doom, it never gets heavy enough to become metal.
The Janara's voice is explosive: she sang (in Italian) of ancient horrors that are still alive nowadays, and, like a witch, she both shocked and mesmerised the listener with her magical flow; at the same time, diabolical rhythms insinuated into your mind to force you to shake your head and body on the beat, while the Hangman's six strings work judged and sentenced you to death, winning you over with simple licks and not-that-complex structures, into which ours truly poured some of his blackest magic: and that's how, completely out of nowhere, never annoying Paul Gilbertish soloes appeared, always cool and fresh.
This ravenous creature's haunting ritual continued for almost forty minutes, during which La Janara plays songs from their debut album ("Sul Rogo", "Spettri" and "Cuore Di Terra", among others) plus some extras ("Mater Tenebrarum"). There their mystical hourney stops, between screaming and clapping of the audience.
Disturbia
As Disturbia got on stage, the clock struck 23: the whole atmosphere changed, getting heavier, more intense. The band from Caserta is just made of three people (Slipknot who? Haggard what?), literally the very minimum required: a guitarist with balls, a badass bass player and a drummer who's even worse… Or better, I'm not sure. I mean… These musicians might look like they're rude but they're actually really tight and consistent — and 
their music is out of the box.
Let's put it straight: if Schuldiner wrote Death's music on acid, Disturbia would possibly be their official cover band. That is the very lucid madness ours truly Technical Death Metal is made of: pushed moments alternates with concentric riffing, where the drum joins in with intricate patterns, tight blast-beats and the bass players growls the hell out; guitar/bass tapping sections ("Paradox") are followed to violent moments a la Gojira ("Wrong Or Not").
That's exactly the Progressive mood you love to headbang to — or try to, as you look for a time signature. Maybe that's why mosh-pits rose and fell so fast during the whole band's performance…
And then there was silence.
Párodos
Right after, the main act of the evening, Párodos, played its complete debut record whole, of course! The lights went down, a couple of priestesses got on stage, incense filled the air and the band, dressed with classic theatrical masks, appeared.
The prologue ended, ours truly took their masks off and then the ritual began: "Space Omega", with its magical atmosphere, introduced the audience to catharsis, leading the way; "Catharsis" exposed the whole emotional strength this guys from 
Salerno are capable of and, then, "Heart Of Darkness" kept on walking the same path.
"Stasima" allowed the band to breathe a little: as the instrumental track recorded by Fleshgod Apocalypse's keyboardist Francesco Ferrini filled the air, G. Hybris declaimed some lines from Aeschylus' "Prometheus Bound": it's been the deep breath 
before the plunge. As like as the Greek hero was thrown by Zeus into the Tartarus, the audience dove into darkness of "Black Cross", a song which features a guitar solo by Massimiliano Pagliuso (Novembre) on the CD.
The ritual approached to an end with "Evocazione" and, finally, with "Metamorphosis", after which it's almost illegal not to find oneself singing «I will be fire / I will be air» for the following day.
It's been a definitely magical evening, maybe also due to the proximity to Samhain. Why has that been «one of the best events I've had the pleasure to go to», then? Imagine dozens of people, mostly friends, come to the same place to support their fellows musicians; imagine the musicians themselves come for both playing and celebrating their friends releasing their debut album: that's why. It has been a party in the most literal way possible. How could have otherwise fit the same event an Occult Rock band, a Technical-Prog Death trio and an Avantgarde Black Metal act? Friendship and love, respect and desire to share joy and happiness. Great feelings, great vibes.
