For whatever reason, the Italian La Quiete is supremely underrated. They've been putting out releases since 2001 and for whatever reason dudes and dudettes alike are sleeping on them. Well, now's your time to wake up, because their newest release, Tenpeun '01-'05 is a discography of sorts that includes their OOP (out of print) material. Included are their song(s) from their split 7"s with KC Milan, The Pine, Catena Collapse, Apoplexy Twist Orchestra, and Acrimonie, compilation contributions, a demo, and two previously unreleased tracks. Time to nerd out on La Quiete or begin a lovely listening relationship.
From the get go there's a ferocious sound that quickly springs into your pores and rattles your skeleton around walls like frozen flakes in a snow globe. While this chaos reigns, bands like Orchid and Pg.99 are reminiscent. This ain't no normal shaking, there's a raw driving feel similar to Portraits of Past crushing those plastic walls into these disturbed waters. Then when you feel the jostling has had its toll, the melody seeps into the lead with the kind of beautiful/epic guitar work that makes Envy so beautiful. And just as you're getting used to one rhythm, one melody, or one mental explosion, La Quiete uses the dynamics that you might find in a Circle Takes the Square song.
Now you're all, "Oh, what the fuck, La Quiete sounds like another wanker screamo band that rips off the crucial 90's bombastic emo explosion." But you're so wrong! So fucking wrong!! La Quiete has become one of the most quintessential hardcore bands that currently breathe. If the word hardcore scares you, track eight is so purdy that it's become a relationship song between my girlfriend and I. More bands need to have piano parts with mob screams.
It's incredibly difficult to be intense and gorgeous at the same time without exuding the cheese factor. Well don't worry; just like Sigur Rós, the singer of La Quiete has made up his own language called "Italian" that he sings to us in. Unlike Sigur Rós, instead of cooing us with soft whispers, we are treated to harsh screams instead. Here's a sample of this "Italian" language (taken from the liner notes), "Tu sel l'arma migliore." La Quiete decided to help us all out and offer translations for all the made up words. The previous quote is translated as, "You are the best weapon."
Let's explore the two possibilities with your relationship with La Quiete. If you've never heard them before, this is a great place to start. Even though this release doesn't offer the songs from their full length or the split with Louise Cyphre, the nineteen songs it does offer will make your face flow through every emoticon in your aim emoticon playlist in a true manner of inner happiness! If you have heard La Quiete before, check this knowledge I'm about to drop. You either have mp3s of the OOP releases or you own the releases. Either way, the songs on this album are re-mastered and sound a million times better than the best vinyl rips you can download or do yourself. In addition, the unreleased songs and mini-documentary-lite video (which is actually good) will tide you over.
In conclusion, if you don't check Tenpeun '01-'05 out, you are racist and you need to realize that the Italians are people too.
