Some time ago, a friend of mine who knows a lot about Italian punk rock told me that there are now some very good young bands that show that punk in Italy is not dead yet.
In general, punk was never really dead, but young bands that made it to Germany were rare. NH3 is one such band, although the guys from NH3 are not exactly young anymore, but they have been around for a few years.
A band that was founded in 2015 and translates to “The Hyenas” is LE IENE.
LE IENE come from Ferrara, which is in Northern Italy, specifically in Emilia Romagna.
The band already released their first album last year, but since not everything can happen immediately, the review comes a good year later.
LE IENE play ska-punk that, upon first listen, understandably reminds one of bands like the aforementioned NH3 or TALCO. The band itself cites these bands as musical influences. These influences are unmistakable. So, for someone who likes TALCO or NH3, this is a safe bet.
On “Immaginazione,” there are twelve songs that drive forward with energy and power. The two brass players, Gulio on saxophone and Simone on trumpet, do an excellent job. Marcello on drums provides a powerful rhythm, and Eugenio on bass supports him. Singer and guitarist Matteo's vocals remind one of Dema from TALCO, both in style and in the fact that he plays guitar and sings.
However, this should not imply that LE IENE are a copy of TALCO. They have their own ideas, such as pure instrumental pieces and generally longer sections where the vocals take a break.
Of course, ska-punk can hardly be reinvented, but LE IENE enrich it with their very powerful ska-punk sound. For a debut album, they have done a lot right in terms of recording quality. The energy comes across well, and one can already imagine a concert of the five Italians. Last year, they were on tour a lot, including in Germany. It is to be hoped that they can do so again soon, because such music, no matter how great it sounds from the speakers and how much fun it is, is best experienced live. Until then, I can only recommend purchasing the band's first album. The album was released on KOB Records, the label that also releases albums for bands like LOS FASTIDIOS.
