SATORI JUNK is a four-piece psychedelic doom band founded in Milan, Italy, back in 2012. Their music delves deeply into the classic elements of stoner doom metal, as diverse as they can be, with a massive psychedelic twist given by singer Luke‘s approach to synthesizers and the theremin, providing a distinctive vintage flavor reminiscent of names such as THE DOORS and early PINK FLOYD. The riffs are always the main staple in their tunes, masterfully created and executed by guitarist Chris, whose main influences are clearly BLACK SABBATH, ELECTRIC WIZARD, and SLEEP, among others. Thick basslines provided by Lorenzo, and a crushing drum work offered by Max make the band’s overall sound properly heavy. After their self-titled debut album released in 2015, their second opus, “The Golden Dwarf,” released in 2018, and a good number of live gigs in their home country and in Europe, they came back with an unexpected and barely promoted single-track album, “Venezia,” which was released on February 23rd, 2024, via Industrial Ölocaust Recordings, on CD and tape.
“Venezia” [Italian for “Venice”] has a quite interesting backstory. The tune was composed back in 2018 and played live for the first time in October 2019 when the band was supporting BONGRIPPER as an opening act in Milan. The 33-minute-long suite is inspired by the plague of 1630, which had a devastating impact on Europe and became a quite popular topic in literature. Venice – as many of you may know – is a unique city in Northeastern Italy, whose peculiar structure and vibe make it unique and beautiful in a somewhat eerie way. Hence, it was chosen as the perfect setting for narrating the plague by many authors throughout the past centuries.
The eerie coincidence is that the recordings of the tune started on the very day when everything got shut down in Italy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in early 2020. Just keep in mind how bad it was in the area where the band members live, as that part of Italy specifically suffered a lot of devastating consequences from the very beginning. Imagine how it would have felt to record a tune inspired by the plague while wearing facemasks for one’s basic safety… it surely felt like they had a premonition, the worst one. But, in the end, the song turned out pretty good, maybe also because of that weird energy. Who’s to say?
Rats, crows, the wind blowing, and the waves are the noises the song begins with, and they really succeed in creating a fairly desolate and scary soundscape. Someone is approaching, as footsteps, whispers, and laments are audible as well, making everything feel like a movie soundtrack. The obsessive guitar intro, joined by bass and drums, and eventually by synth, morphs into a heavy, crushing riff. A piano part follows, providing a massive amount of classy gloominess, but just for a few seconds, as another fuzzy riff and a nostalgic ’60s-flavored keyboard part are ready to give shape to a grandiose yet scary musical nightmare.
A spoken-word part in Italian, provided by guest vocalist Alex Mura (singer in LAW 18), enhances a dreadful feeling. It roughly translates to: “Streets in decay are rotting under every step, slow, majestic, relentless figures commit heinous crimes in the shade. The stench of sorrow and mold comes from murky tides, as black as hell, infects the alleys. Deafening silence, and laments, and souls take their last breath.”
The following part has quite a dramatic flavor, clearly reminiscent of progressive rock from the ‘70s, due to the centrality of the piano elements that lead the flow in a full-fledged cinematic way. I believe instrumental tracks can be tricky, but they also give composers the chance to explore their creativity and prove their ability to convey a message or a feeling in the absence of words. It is a more instinctive and primordial way of communication one should not underestimate, as it can be even more effective.
An ambient, more experimental part takes over, and we’re not even halfway through the whole song. It made me feel like I was completely lost in a brand new, unknown, extremely dangerous situation, so let’s say that they nailed it in describing that weird feeling we all shared at the outbreak of the pandemic, even if they could only have imagined it back when they composed the tune. On a side note: in order to better understand Luke’s musical inner world, I’d recommend listening to his solo project LUCA FERRO, as well as the three-piece I GIARDINI DI BOSCH.
Back to the tune: the rhythmic section did an excellent job in the next part, with its obsessive pace and eerie vibe eventually making room for the beginning of the closing section, where the progressive and cinematic features are at their best. The solemnity of the main melody reaches very high peaks when the guitar solo, provided by the greatly inspired Chris, takes over. This truly makes “Venezia” a little gem I’m glad I didn’t miss out on in the vast sea of albums that are published every day.
All things considered, when compared to their previous albums – which I warmly suggest listening to – “Venezia” represents a significant step forward for SATORI JUNK. They’ve ventured beyond their comfort zone, fearlessly exploring a new approach to composition, as risky as it may be. Moreover, they’ve managed to retain their trademark sound, making it recognizable even within such an unconventional composition. I genuinely wonder what their next step will be after embarking on such a complex, flavorful, and beautifully eerie journey.
Written by Licia Mapelli
Tracklist
- Venezia
Lineup
Luke – Voice, Synthesizer, Theremin
Chris – Guitar
Lorenzo – Bass
Max – Drums
Label
Industrial Ölocaust Recordings
