There’s not much that I can tell you about Drella as all that came with their EP “Once I Had A Heart” was a one liner that read “punk rock ‘n’ roll duo from Rimini”. That was, however, plenty enough to pique my interest so, without further ado, let’s find out what kind of music comes with anonymity.
You get four songs that seem far more civilised than you would expect of a punk rock ‘n’ roll duo from Rimini (or anywhere else, for that matter). The expected drums pound and the grungy guitar riffs are powered by some sort of chemical reaction that renders them heavier than metal yet underpinning this noise machine is a curious degree of subtlety. There are, for example, musical flourishes and melodies hiding away in the background that seem quite at odds with what should have been a four part sonic assault on the senses.
That makes Drella something of an anachronism. The simplistic riffs and percussive machismo suggest a duo with straightforward – and beer fuelled – intentions yet that underlying maturity of musical expression suggests that Drella are actually a duo with ambition to be more than a Friday night band. I like ambition.
Best song? The purposeful “Angelene”.
The verdict? Having both brains and muscle makes Drella special.