Italy’s Radura Deliver Poignant ‘Cosmic Screamo’ On Compelling Latest Record

The Italian group Radura — who describe themselves as performers of “cosmic screamo” on their Bandcamp profile — deal with a consistently shifting mist of unsteady emotion across their compellingly poignant new full-length record, Effetto Della Veduta D’Insieme. The complicated nature of the emotional states reflected across the album seems like an overarching theme of the trek, which largely sticks to a mid-range but contemplatively inclined pace.

Radura explore the tension of inward unease, as though suddenly becoming awash with metaphysical ache. The instrumentals reflect this feeling, shifting between more straightforwardly oriented emotional outpourings and increasing restraint, as though somehow lifting up towards the heavens before crashing back down below or like suddenly finding the strength to keep moving before getting overcome by debilitating emotion once again and crumpling to the ground.

Standing alone in the rain while feeling like weeping yet struggling to sensibly formulate and express the emotion — that’s right where Radura operate, shining a light on lonesome and pained moments.

The group takes a starkly pointed approach to the precarious mental ground that they venture across — their melodies prove captivating, and Radura often stick to a kind of punchy post-hardcore, with emotively thudding, shiver-inducing tones. It’s like listening to an evening storm rattle a rooftop, with occasional stark claps of thunder. The music is relatively formidable, with strong songwriting overlaid by occasionally searing passion. “Araucaria,” among other highlights, features a moment of jarringly brisk instrumentation, although more meditative vibes quickly return.

Generally speaking, Radura are direct, and their music sounds catharsis-inducing, although more than sudden relief, they deliver something like the warmth of understanding. Their music — which sports an impressively broad dynamic range from spoken word-like passages to intricate moments somewhat on par with math rock alongside points when floodgates totally break — imparts a sense of honest acknowledgement of the scope of emotional turmoil.

Ultimately, that feeling seems freeing, even if that freedom doesn’t exactly lead to an overwhelmingly brighter horizon. The music is nonetheless refreshing, as the shouted passion communicated by both the instrumentals and the emotively wavering vocals provides a jolting look at life amid the tumult-inclined haze.

The record’s textural range includes acoustic guitars that appear across album opener “La Luce Che Copre Gli Angoli,” which — rhythmically speaking — consistently pushes forward, as though capturing urgent and increasingly desperate longing for some kind of relief. Meanwhile, “Tutto Il Tempo Che Ho Passato A Non Vedere” (which features almost nine minutes of music) has a bit more overt drama in some of its overall forceful rhythms.

Notably, this album repeatedly seems a bit quieter than one might expect. When a resounding crescendo might appear, Radura instead revert to subtler emotion, keeping the focus personal, and — in a way — peaceful. The album’s environment seems quite overcast, with a moderate blanket of hazy atmosphere settling in across the mix, but there’s a kind of security in the rhythmic restraint. It’s not overwhelming. Instead, Radura sound like they find a path out from the metaphorical fog, like the musical equivalent of a steady embrace.

Effetto Della Veduta D’Insieme by Radura is available via an array of record labels from around the world.

5/5 Stars