Album Review: Supernaughty - Apocalypso
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
For a band who’ve been going since 2014, this is the first time I’ve heard of Italian stoner metal group Supernaughty, more fool me really, as they play music that I love and adore. Now they are signed to my favourite label, Ripple Music, hopefully they will start to get more recognition across the globe.
They’ve got a range of decent influences, namely, Kyuss, Orange Goblin and Alice in Chains, and have a singer in Angelo Fagni, whose storytelling is vivid and a joy to listen to. It begins with “Poseidon” when a thumping drum from Alessio Franceschi is joined by the explosive guitars of Filippo Del Bimbo and heavy bass of Luca Raffoni, for a pleasurable and easy to listen to track. The opening riff of “Black Witch Mountain” lays a formidable base for them to work with, and it will get your head banging along in no time.
I would be intrigued to see these perform live, as the songs have lots of energy about them, and the solos just glide off Del Bimbo’s fingertips. It sounds sleazy in parts but has a sway and swagger that lots will enjoy, and in “Amsterdamned” you get this in abundance. They vary the tempo a bit more in this one, with the bass a bit higher in the mix at certain points but makes for a powerful track. “Weird Science” carries that Kyuss type groove, and the rhythm section allows the guitar to flow freely, with a cracking solo midway through.
“Queen of Babylon” has a down tempo sound, slower, softer in its approach, before they up the pace, but not too much, so that it distracts from the song. There’s a crunchy little riff before the vocals take off, and the six minutes fly by. Midway, I did think the track was about to end, but the softer side shines here, with little cymbals taps, solo guitar and delicate vocals, before they up the ante and power towards the ending. “In(O)culation” hails the power of the riff once again and adds so much to the overall album content, especially with those little bass licks from Raffoni.
There’s a huge doff of a cap towards Layne Staley and Alice in Chains in “King Again”. In fact, at one point I stopped and looked at who I was listening to just to make sure is was Supernaughty, but it’s a delectable track, with an impressive vocal performance from Fagni. They end with the raucous album title track, “Apocalypso” and you can hear dark melodies cascading throughout. Their sound whirls around your head and your feet won’t stop tapping anytime soon, as this is not an album filler, but more a nod towards what is yet to come.
