At the end of last season, Emergenza produced some CD compilations of some of the best bands that took part in the Festival in the last few years. And, like always, our Wiz of Oz took the time to review them! In particular, here are his observations about the Emergenza bands’s material appearing on the CD EMERGENZA 2K3 STAGE DIVE and EMERGENZA 2K3 SOUND BITES. In the next issue of this Web Magazine (October 15th) we will inform you about the possibilities to get your MP3 songs directly online in a special part of our Website and how your songs can be reviewed by our critics. Cheers! SINCERE – KILLERBOYS ON ACID- Antwerp, Belgium This Belgian group gives me the impression of a solid ensemble, tough, and even more importantly, with a lot of experience. They know what it takes to reach the listener’s ears. The voice is excellent, as it sings over the harmony “ripped apart” by breaks and unisons, to only come back and “hit the target” in the chorus. It’s not a completely original song as far as the composition goes, but in light of the considerations I’ve mentioned, it certainly is notable. ZEN – CHOOSE TO LIVE- Rome, Italy ZEN show with this song that they have reached a certain level of cohesiveness and mature expression as a group. With a top rate production, their rock is played dynamically, and the various moods of the song are skilfully blended. The voice is almost a “whisper” at points of the stanza, supported by the bass playing mostly on the “off beat” only to then “explode” with a captivating melody in the energetic refrains. An excellent piece of work! DIRECT LINE – SAY IT LOUD - Montreal, Canada I can’t hide that this is one of my favourite groups! I am always amazed at the fluidity with which DIRECT LINE are able to cross the boundaries of different genres, showing talent, technique, but also dynamic force. What’s left to say? I have previously expressed my admiration for the band in this column, decidedly they are ready for the international scene – and once again I am convinced of this. Enjoy the song!!! EMIL BULLS – PARANOID LOVE AFFAIR - Munchen, Germany Here we have exactly the opposite of what I’ve just said about DE LOMO……here there is something to worry about, and then some! Sinister, urban atmosphere, notes that predict something unpleasant, gloomy voice, schizophrenia let loose……in this song the EMIL BULLS evoke empty, cold rooms, where existence is lost in the abyss of our own interior conflicts, without hope for the future, simply because the mind isn’t able to conceive of the idea that there is anything beyond tomorrow, that it will (unfortunately) be just the same as yesterday and today………truly remarkable! ITCHY POOPZKID – ONE DAY – Germany Here is another group whose CD has recently passed through my “clutches”, and once again I find myself enveloped by the same sensations. Their music – light pseudo-punk, fresh and enjoyable, played well and with everything in place, but a bit too 2-dimensional, closer (to put it in visual terms) to the clean-shaven faces of the early BEACH BOYS rather than that of the pissed off J. LYDON & CO………but seeing that these guys are still young and, even more importantly, talented, they have all the time in the world to constrict those muscles before they set sail for more mature waters. LA SUITE MOSQUITO – SINGLE – Spain This Spanish band serves up a buffet of rock rhythms, guitar effects, and electronic sounds. I was also really taken by the singing, the melodies are sung in a way that seems almost “bored”, with the “indifference” typical of a certain dandy type of expression from long ago, which gives the song a very distinct flavour on the compilation. WILLOWTREE – SIGNS – Sweden What we have here is probably one of the most awesome musical realities to hit the EMERGENZA stages. WILLOWTREE plays a song full of mood and expression, full of melody that moves ov