Carboniferous by ZU

After years of wild tours and collaborations, Zu landed on Mike Patton's legendary Ipecac Recordings label (Faith No More), a very important step for the Roman trio that gave life to an album born from the desire to bring their sound beyond the acoustic "jazz-core" of previous works to darker, more electronic and powerful areas.

Zu maintain the original line-up with Luca Mai on baritone sax, Massimo Pupillo on bass and Jacopo Battaglia on drums, but the history of the album is intertwined with that of exceptional guests. King Buzzo (Melvins) adds his "dirty" guitar, while Mike Patton lends his voice in some songs creating a schizophrenic and disturbing atmosphere.  The mixing and mastering were handled by Giulio Ragno Favero (Teatro degli Orrori), who managed to give Pupillo's bass a very heavy distortion.

"Carboniferous" is a journey into the deepest darkness, both that of the earth and that of the mind.  The title is inspired by the geological period of the Carboniferous, 300 million years ago, when the large coal reserves were formed.  The album is like a descent into the bowels of the earth, where organic matter is crushed by crazy pressures until it turns into rock and fuel.  The sound of the record reflects this pressure: it is heavy, dense, underground. In fact, many song titles speak of the underground world and the infernal deities (Chthonics).

The album is full of esoteric and alchemical references (a passion of Massimo Pupillo).  The passage from carbon to diamond, or from raw matter to spiritual matter passing through pain and sound pressure, is the red thread that binds everything and the album describes it through the violence of sound.

Carboniferous is the definitive manifesto of a genre that Zu helped to invent, an explosive mix of genres that seem to have nothing in common.  There is Free Jazz with the baritone sax that does not sing melodies, but shoots improvised and powerful notes.  Then there's Math-Rock, with complex rhythmic structures, full of odd time signatures and sudden changes.  There are Noise and Industrial, with distortions and feedback that create a wall of dense and dirty, almost oppressive sound.  And finally, there are Heavy Metal and Sludge, with heavy riffs and bass tuned very low. A mix of different influences that give life to a unique and powerful sound and that define the Brutal-Prog genre as combining together.

My copy is by Subsound Records (SSR047), a limited edition "Red/Black Splatter" reissue with new graphics made by the Roman artist Scarful.  This 2024 reissue has been remastered to optimize the sound for vinyl.  The list of 10 tracks is the same, with no bonus tracks.

"Ostia" opens with a solemn and mysterious atmosphere, a slow and cinematic song that conveys a sense of great melancholy. Luca Mai's sax intones long, ghostly notes, almost a lament, while Pupillo's bass vibrates with a deep, distorted hum, creating a palpable tension. Battaglia's battery, with its sharp and spaced shots, marks the time in a hypnotic way. This piece is a somber homage to the place where Pier Paolo Pasolini died in "Ostia" near Rome and connects the concept of geological depth to the depth of Italian history and human pain.

"Chthonian" is a pure Sludge-Noise-Metal song, one of the heaviest on the album. King Buzzo contributes with a dirty and full-bodied riff, typical of his sound. Zu responded with a powerful rhythm section that transformed the sax into a second rhythm guitar. The title refers to the subterranean deities, and the music perfectly evokes the descent into the abyss of the earth.

"Carbon" is a Math-rock piece that conveys a sense of obsession and claustrophobia. Jacopo Battaglia takes center stage with a precise and repetitive drum pattern. Mai's saxophone intertwines with Pupillo's bass in a series of very rapid rhythmic joints. The song evokes the physical pressure of carbon compressing, resulting in a mechanical and ruthless composition.

"Beata Viscera", a piece in the style of Avant-Garde-Drone Music, is an abstract song in which Giulio Ragno Favero's electronics weave a tapestry of dissonant noises, while the baritone sax ventures into unusual, almost alien registers. This moment of quiet, mystical and disturbing, interrupts the overwhelming energy of the previous songs.

"Erinys" is a fast-paced Jazz-core track that highlights the punkier side of Zu. Mai's saxophone emits an almost screaming sound, while the rhythm section moves on odd tempos, characteristic of the most experimental prog. The song evokes the Erinyes, the Furies of Greek mythology, thanks to its frenetic and vengeful nature.

"Soulympics" is a Schizo-Noise-Industrial style piece, the first in which Mike Patton appears using his voice as a synthesizer, going from sighs to screams and sound manipulations. The band accompanies him with a fragmented and spatial rhythm.  It is one of the most experimental songs, where the group's identity blends with Patton's creativity.

"Axion" is a minimalist yet powerful track, with Pupillo's bass hammering with a cyclical and heavy riff, creating a dense and intense sound atmosphere. The sax adds a touch of drama with sound broadsides reminiscent of alarm sirens.  The main goal is hypnosis, a total immersion in the physical impact of sound, a visceral experience.

"Mimosa Hostilis" blends Tribal-Noise and Dark Psychedelia. Battaglia's drums become more tribal, while the effects on the sax and bass create a hallucinogenic sound. The title is inspired by a plant used to prepare Ayahuasca, and the music itself evokes an intense ritual journey.

"Obsidian" is a Post-Metal-No-Wave piece, with a dark and dense atmosphere, similar to volcanic glass. Pupillo's bass is elaborated to emulate the sound of an industrial machine, while the saxophone weaves dissonant harmonies. The song is cold and sharp, ruthless, devoid of human warmth.

"Orc" is an Extreme Avant-Garde - Final Explosion song that closes the album with the participation of Mike Patton.  In this piece, his voice is dominant and hoarse. The trio pushes on the accelerator, creating a crescendo made of noise and precision together. It represents the creature awakening from the depths. It is the culmination of the orchestrated chaos that characterizes the entire record.

Zu's sound has rightly been compared to a "powerful scream" or a "war machine", and I have to say that I agree with these descriptions. The band has a unique talent for blending structured, obsessive rhythms with free sax improvisation.  The skilful use of effects and overdubs adds great density and modernity to their sound.

This powerful and expressive album established Zu as one of the best experimental bands in the world.  A work that describes a world where nature manifests itself in its most violent and indifferent form.

An uncompromising musical experience, a must-have! Essential

My Version

Label: Subsound Records (2) – SSR047
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Remastered, Stereo, Red/Black Splatter
Country: Italy
Release: 2024

Tracklist

1. Ostia (4:55)
2. Chthonian (6:48)
3. Carbon (4:24)
4. Beata Viscera (3:57)
5. Erinys (3:43)
6. Soulympics (5:05)
7. Axion (5:21)
8. Mimosa Hostilis (4:09)
9. Obsidian (6:29)
10. Orc (5:20)

Duration 50:11

LineUp

- Luca Tommaso Mai - baritone sax
- Massimo Pupillo - bass
- Jacopo Battaglia - drums, electronics, Mellotron

With:
- King Buzzo - guitar (2)
- Alessandro Rossi - percussion (2,10)
- Mike Patton - voice and electronics (6,10)
- Giulio Favero - bass (7), guitar (9), electronics (10)

Listening link on the main streaming platforms at the following links:

Spotify: Listen to the full album on Spotify.

Bandcamp: Listen to and buy the album directly from the band's Bandcamp page.

YouTube Music: Available to stream on YouTube Music

Note: All links to the musicians’ works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists"