Italy’s Bedsore (formed in 2018) finds the perfect balance of ’70’s prog and death metal on their sophomore album entitled Dreaming The Strife For Love. The album, released via 20 Buck Spin, consists of six lengthy songs in what I would call a successful blend of progressive death metal/progressive rock/black metal especially in the vocals and riffing department. But, before we move on with this particular review I would like to make a short description behind their moniker. The name Bedsore, beyond its medical meaning, is used by the band as a blend of the words ‘bed’ and ‘sore’ to symbolize a dreamlike state filled with visions and hallucinations.

People behind this sophomore creation are; Stefano Allegretti (guitars, synths, mellotron, organ & keys), Jacopo Gianmaria Pepe (vocals, electric guitar & 12-string guitar), Giulio Rimoli (bass) and Davide Itri (drums). Furthermore following guest musicians contributed to the creation of this album; Kariti (vocals on the opening track), Giorgio Trombino (saxophone & flue on first three songs) and Giulio Guidotti (trumpet & trombone on first, fourth and sixth track).

Back to the album itself; Dreaming The Strife For Love arrives four years after the release of band’s debut Hypnagogic Hallucinations. Vocals are mostly harsh and deep, manic dark and blackened metal riffs, copious use of synths, mellotron and organs, fretless bass, and extended use of horns and percussions – all these ingredients are blended nicely together. The album overall sounds coherent, well written and perfectly mixed and produced, where the production is deep and loud; leaving the space to let the instruments shine creating this sonic cacophony of different influences.

There’re three stand-out splendid and excellent tracks (which is basically half of the album) that I would like you to pay attention to, are namely album’s centerpiece, the nearly 12-minute long – “A Colossus, an Elephant, a Winged Horse; the Dragon Rendezvous” – whose title might be the proggiest thing on the album, then the following “Realm of Eleuterillide” (listen to the track below) and the epic closer called “Fountain Of Venus”.

Album as a whole marks a huge step forward into bold new territory from Bedsore, and like a lost gem of obscure 1970’s prog rock re-discovered in modern times. Thus, Dreaming The Strife For Love is an undeniable achievement for this Italian quartet, and an example of how ’70s prog can be, successfully and beautifully, merged with death metal.

Final verdict; Dreaming The Strife For Love is an album that demands the attention of any adventurous prog fan, especially those into the likes of Opeth, Genesis, Jethro Tull and Popol Vuh, but also the more extreme acts as Blood Incantation, Edge of Sanity and Death etc.

For further information on this second full-length from Rome’s Bedsore visit https://bedsoredeath.bandcamp.com/music