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Translation by: Christine Parastatidis (veilgr.gr.st/)
Do you remember that phrase... to Rome like the Romans, like Asterix said
being in disguise?
Well, anyway we have here a very interesting proposal from a new band from
Rome. Their name is MESCHALINA and once again is proven that rock music is
always correctly combined with history and tradition. What it is all about?
The more adjectives you use...the more you try to prove how many things you
know... So, the guys from the band say they play Electro Rap Core and after
listening to their work which is entitled SOMETHING 2 DIE 4, I have no
reason to argue with them. I will only add that this 3 piece band, which
will soon release their full length cd, rocks!
A recipe with good amounts of synths, drums and bass, along with some loops
and electronic craziness. Lots of power, harsh guitars with a lot of speed,
electronic passages, intense keyboard action and rap vocals, which almost
reach the nu metal boundaries. The quite many instrumental passages are
equally satisfactory to our ears, despite the fact that they last for less
than a minute. If you are in a search of some radio "action" something like
the Italians Infinity Mass, you will find it here. From the more classic
elements and a Rage Against the Machine, and Aragonians Doble V and a
Godsmack's carpet behind, you will have pretty much the MESCHALINA sound.
The final result, however, has an indentity of its own and it constitutes a
really fresh proposal from Italy and I recommend you to taste it! After a
couple of years, we might be able to attend to one of their shows, here in
Greece. Top moments for this album according to me and my taste is the song
Glitter and Something 2 die 4 with Chiara Ferralis' voice in a beautiful and
melodic intepretation. Do you want me to tell you a secret? The 11 songs
last only 19.24 minutes, but the repeat button can cover the need for more
hours of hearing and this is what makes them even more special.
Kyriakos Skordas |
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It would be easy to brand Meschalina as Italy's answer to Rage Against the
Machine. Their anti-capitalist, anti-globalization, pro-revolution rap-metal
sounds a lot like Tom Morella and Zach de la Rocha's old band. But
Meschalina craft their ferocious anthems using drum machines and liberal
amounts of electronic tricks, so it's not really fair to compare them to a
straight-up rock band. More like a disco hybrid between hardcore and early
'90s House music, with bits of hip hop thrown in for good measure.
The English-language lyrics are at times awkwardly delivered, ("Dismal bells
are tolling/The earth'll be your bed!") but the Stefano Teatino's innately
rhythmic cadence and textured screams are absolutely hypnotizing. Guitarist
Matteo Valente's expert use of feedback, distortion and bent notes is
refreshingly concise, leaving no doubt as to who's the strongest
instrumentalist of the band. And Francesco Grieco's bass wraps it all up in
a shiny, rubbery bow. A great little package from our forward-thinking
friends from the Mediterranean.
Rating: 3,5/5 |
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MESCHALINA "Something 2 Die 4" MCD
Electro Rap Core
Italy
Mark: 76/100.
"Like many Metalheads, I've always been allergic to Rap and all related
styles. With both time and the arrival in full force of Nu Metal, I first -
nearly unavoidably - strengthened my hatred against them, but strangely -
unconsciously again - I eventually opened myself to a couple of Rap/Metal
hybrids and began to appreciate them. Call me brainwashed, I don't care...
Fact is that it's not the rap itself that I appreciate in bands such as
Meschalina but the whole musical ensemble. Moreover, when you hear such
stuff, you can't deny that the melodies are strong, that the songs groove
like hell and that the overall feeling is anything but unpleasant. So,
concretely, what we get here is a band that sounds a bit like Linkin Park
without being just another copycat though. Key songs are way too numerous to
mention them all and, when all is said and done, the only thing one can feel
unhappy with is the short duration of the disc. We definitely need more than
just 20 minutes of Mechalina..."
by RNO (www.beyondwebzine.com) |
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Meschalina is an interesting new band coming from Italy. They are only three
strong comprised of Francesco Grieco (bass), Stefano Teatini (vocals,
samples) and Matteo Valente (guitar, samples). The whole idea behind
Meschalina is that they eliminated drums, bass and keyboards in favor of
loops, synths and samples. So what we get is a complete crossover rock band
that hardly sticks to any standards. The songs are in English and Italian as
well as a couple of instrumentals (We could have done with out the track
called "Opium). Something 2 Die 4 is a fairly strong debut but it is rough
around the edges. I think it's mostly to do with production and finding
those hooks that grab the listener. I listened to the album a couple of
times and was impressed but nothing really stood out and grabbed me. The
guys call their amalgam of music "Electro-rap-core". It reminds me a bit of
311 without the reggae tinges. I think with a bit of refinement we may see
Meschalina reaching out of their home country and diving into a global
market.
Mark: 3/5
by Dennis Scanland (www.musicemissions.com)
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Tutto Musica - reviews, Oct. 2003 |
MESCHALINA returns to our pages after their Rock TV Tour performance of
last spring. Their style has surely improved and the 3 young men present 11
short tracks, mixing, in an original way, different musical genres (jungle,
drum 'n' bass, techno) with a rage which recalls such bands as Limp Bizkit.
The songs (some in English and some in Italian) are all united in a
continuum which makes the project much more compact. "Bleeding U.S.A." is
magnificent: an electro-rap worth the best Rage Against The Machine. Opium
is a psychedelic techno ballad. To impose oneself on the Italian musical
market, every musician needs to have good stuff and this band has a lot
Production: excellent.
Mark: 3/4
by Michelangela Vecchia (Tuttomusica n° 10 ottobre 2003) |
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The Italian Mad Capsule Markets?? Maybe. MESCHALINA is a trio from Rome
which plays a particular kind of metal/crossover mixed with many elements
which evidently come from electro music and hip/hop. The EP contains 11
songs, many of which are short remixes which have the role of intermezzos
between one song and the next. The basis of the EP is entirely made up of
samples and loops and it s mixed with crossover-like guitars (it s easy to
recognize the various similarities with this or that band). The final result
is simply astonishing for an unsigned band. The title track could become a
hit everywhere (every kind of disco) if someone will promote it well, but
also the rest of the EP demonstrates a remarkable musical maturity and a
noteworthy taste for a debut-band. The most evident influences are those
from Rage Against The Machine, Orange 9mm, Atari Teenage Riot, but those who
listen more carefully to MESCHALINA s EP will find many more influences:
Jungle, Drum 'n' Bass, Techno and hip/hop. If Mad Capsule Markets come in
Italy, they will have to share the stage with MESCHALINA.
Mark: 4/5
Noteworthy songs: Something 2 Die 4, Bleeding U.S.A.
from www.taxi-driver.it |
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Electro rap core from Rome, that's the description I read
before listening to this cd. I must say that this was not a very attractive
promise for me, but when hearing the music of Meschalina it was not as bad as
I feared. The Italian band mixes all kinds of styles in one big crossover sound,
from drum & bass to rap, from hardcore to dance. 11 songs in 19 minutes, including
some short intermezzos.
Various songs, like 'Something 2 die 4', made me think of Rage against the Maschine
though its style and aggressiveness. The music of Meschalina is not something which
I like personally, but I think they must be able to reach an audience with their
music, they are enthousiastic and powerful, and are probably at their best on
stage. |
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Something 2 die 4 is a really incredible EP! If someone previously had the
fortune of being present at one of MESCHALINA s concerts, he surely
remembers them as an interesting rap-metal band. If it s your case, then,
prepare yourselves: many things have changed. Their music has moved to an
extremely experimental crossover with a radical change in the line-up of the
band which has twisted the rhythmic section by substituting the bass-player
with another human and the drums-player with a drum machine. MESCHALINA has
undertook a personalized and original quest in the sound field: in the same
song they manage to find place for elements which come from dub, jungle, hip
hop, hardcore (not only punk hardcore, but, in some cases, even
techno-hardcore!) without furthermore distorting the nature of their songs,
which are very enjoyable even if the song-writing is very refined.
The vocals are quite always in hip hop style (the vocals, just like the
other instruments are very variegated using a lot of different styles of hip
hop metrics), but you will find also some screams, melodies and a female
voice featured. The guitars and the bass contribute together to build a very
strong sonic wall which does not lack a bit of melody (underlined by the
samples which complete its definition). It s, without any doubt, a very
elegant EP, and it s easy to listen to, too!!! It s one of those special
works which do not tolerate half-measures: you either love them or hate
them. Try it to choose for yourself!
Mark: 3,5/5
File under: crossover / industrial / experimental
Rsvp: 311, Atari Teenage Riot
by Demian (www.munnezza.tk)
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Need a change in your listenings? Need a chance to explore
new stuff and broaden your horizons? Well, if you keep an open mind then
Meschalina will surely satisfy you with their innovative sound. What they
do is blend in their music a variety of sounds and the final result sounds
very unique and personal. Their compositions contain elements from the
electro scene (samples, loops, etc.) and from the metal-core scene with
a vocalist that sounds enraged. They call their music "electro-rap-core"
and I have to agree with this term, however, the whole result is too "metal"
in its atmosphere and feeling, if you know what I mean. Add to all of the above
the very good production and the really nice lyrics, which are a punch against
those who bear the power... Need I say more? GO!!! *8/10
Christine "azriel" Parastatidou |
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An explosive mixture of electro loops, ultra-compressed guitars and perfect
crossoverstyle vocals, this is what the astounding trio from Rome proposes.
Eleven short tracks which involve the listener from the first moment, eleven
tracks very cleverly structured and rich in elements taken from the most
different musical genres; it s not by chance that the project s name is
MESCHALINA: it testifies that the 3 sinister fellows who feed this bizarre
creature have no limits and their music is simply astonishing and breaks the
monotony which lately torments the international rock scene. All these
things can t leave us indifferent: at least there is still someone who
tries to destroy every stereotype, experimenting alternative solutions and
dropping the usual cliché which are imposed by this or that musical genre.
We are talking about crossover, then. A 360° mix which starts from the
jungle-like rhythms of Digital reality, touch the Californian hardcore of
the title track and ends with the techno-like sound of Opium with a bit of
electro-gothic here and there. Excellent the choice of using the Italian
language in Riflessi. MESCHALINA seems to feel at ease in these
territories, being very convincing and communicative. In "Never" I seem to
hear something which reminds me of Primus and I suppose that this brilliant
band has had an important role in the musical growth of the 3 guys, or, at
least, of the guitarist and this is surely a very positive factor. The
production is excellent, too. I have only a criticism: the synths seem too
plastic, they could have been better... But, the final result is simply
impressive and keeps the
listener s attention extremely high until the last note. We wish this band
all the success it deserves. You are on the right way!
by MentalSiege (www.kaoskulture.com)
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Samples, distorted guitars and a strong dose of rage are the fundamental
basis of Something 2 die 4 by MESCHALINA. The Roman band presents a good
work, compact, well performed and surely very original. After the electronic
intro Digital reality (this is one of the EP s characteristics: to
alternate electro mini-tracks and complete songs) Something 2 die 4 opens
the dance-floor. This is , without any doubt, the song which best
summarizes MESCHALINA s work. The rage, the immediateness and the
impetuousness of the Hip hop vocals and the strophe s samples recalls
such bands as Linkin Park, even if the particular vocoder refrain and the
pure Hardcore-like riffs bring a lot of originality and dissipate every
doubt about the musical quest of the band. Bleeding U.S.A. recalls a
little bit more
Rage Against the Machine, but also Clawfinger, sharing with them the choice
of using only drum machines and their ability in using the samples with good
taste. I want to praise particularly Riflessi, the only song in Italian
contained in the EP, which has a strophe worth the best and most inspired
Casino Royale. It s surely an experiment to be repeated. Never is the
song which impressed me less and it surely has to be listened to more times
than the other songs to be understood. Glitter 2003 is more immediate,
even if it has perhaps a slightly more banal refrain. It recalls Clawfinger,
too. The excellent arrangements are noteworthy and the 3 guys have an
indubitable taste in choosing their samples. Another band worthy of the vast
Italian underground panorama.
Mark: 7/10
by Roberto Ferrari (www.sonicbands.it)
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