Gus Defelice – The Sound of Inevitability (Album Review)

If you’ve never heard of a sound that combines the ferocity and aggravation of rock and metal music with deep, dark and existential ambient undertones, now’s your chance to meet the artist Gus Defelice.

Gus Defelice, originally Gustavo De Felice, is an Italian musician, multi-instrumentalist and producer. His forage into the world of music through his own artistry deals with the quest for looking for new sounds bouncing between the genres of progressive, classical and futuristic music. Of all the instruments that he plays, his main instrument is the guitar.

His introductory album to this platform, titled ‘The Sound of Inevitability’ is his latest release, comprising 7 absolutely mind-blowing tracks that possess a sense of familiarity but also a sense of venturing into the unknown all at the same time.

Frankly, the album is quite riveting to listen to. I notice that a central feature of most of the tracks is the use of counterpoint within multiple lines of the voicings between the guitars. Another thing that I think is quite interesting is how Gus Defelice oscillates between different scales within some of the phrasing of the melodies, making it so that, as a listener, you never truly get bored with any of these compositions. There’s always an interesting aspect interwoven into the track that gives it a sense of character to it.

In terms of the way the music presents itself with the thematic scope of the album, I think it gives off a very existential feel, and that is quite compelling. Beyond the abstract pleasures of perceiving the complexity of this album, its ambient undertones and synthscape can definitely help to give it an eerie yet realistic feel in relation to the ‘inevitability’ of the harshness of reality.

Some of the most interesting tracks to me in this album include the track ‘Desert Dunes‘ as well as ‘Starlight‘. Each of these tracks employs a fascinating song structure, making use of the intersection between the texture of the electric guitar with the smoothness of synthesizers. Another thing is the variation between the lines of melodies, making it so that there are stories within stories in each of these tracks.

I think if you’re into the more abstract edge of rock, such as works like ‘Would?’ by Alice in Chains, this body of art will definitely be appreciated by you. I personally feel like I have to praise this project for being so multifaceted and engaging. It is also excellently mastered, with each track being layered just-perfectly-enough to fit the whole scope of the album. A tantalising journey into the void, if so.

Score/Excellent: ‘The Sound of Inevitability’ is a completely holistic and multi-faceted work of art, engaging the listener with an interpretation of rock and metal music that is elevated by ambient and technological sounding synths. I highly recommend this album for one simple reason: it is complex, proficient, and exhilarating.

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