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Dubbed "Italian Goth Rock", my first introduction to Spiritual Bats was their song, Crucifixion, which is included on the Cleopatra compilation "The Unquiet Grave". Crucifixion is a darkly fun tune that whet my appetite for their latest release, a 5 song EP titled "Sacrament".
Sacrament is guitar-laden with spooky wavering synth that makes you feel as if Halloween came early this year. What fun it is to disregard the blazing summer sun and visualize the mists of October wafting through your mind, carried on the strings of Dario's guitar and Matteo's vocals.
The cd artwork for Sacrament (by The Alchemisti Painters) is also quite beautiful, sending me longing for those glorious days of vinyl when you could get the full-scale version of such illustrative delights.
I not only recommend Spiritual Bats, Sacrament; but please do yourself a favor and also listen to the Unquiet Grave compilation by Cleopatra. Cleopatra seems to have sifted through the ashes to dig up some very worthy bands, and Spiritual Bats is one of those unearthed gems.
- In Music We Trust
[...] a new music artist (The Spiritual Bat) who recently mailed to me a fabulous guitar-oriented CD with NO vocals... and I do mean that this has got to be one of the all time best non-vocals music recordings that I've received (since "Well of Souls" by VidnaObmana) to consider for any purpose whatsoever...
Now... I know that SOME people out there will recognise the names of these musicians and think... "Hey, Jett, you got it wrong; the name of the band is The Spiritual Bats."
Suffice it to say that the name has changed and that this EVER excellent Italian music project moves ever forward as a duo.
For me, it's like Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream meets Tolkien's Middle-Earth of Lord of the Rings as interpreted and conveyed via flute, guitar and percussive enchantments that whisk my optimistic mind and spirit into a celebration of hope for futuristic fantasies. [...]" - Nocturnal Movements
As the band name and album title could imply, "Sacrament" from Spiritual Bats is a gothic rock release. With foundations rooted in beat rather than atmosphere, however, this leans more heavily to the rock genre. Based out of Italy (which explains the deviance from general formulaic gothic tunes), Spiritual Bats are a 5 piece group. Drum beats and the crunchy guitar suggest an approach akin to metal, but the light keyboard textures and drone bass guitar compliment the gothic vocals to provide a counter-point to the frenzy. Textures and instrument treatments reinforce the notion that the band is rooted in the metal arena.
Why have I beaten that point into the ground, oh you, the glorious reader may ask? Here's why: that makes this INTERESTING. Interesting is good. There is a distinct flavor to this 5 song EP. The vocals almost hamper the music at times, a bit dull and grainy, but this seems to be intended in a gothic sense. A nice evolution away from the Cleopatra-esque goth rock. - Last Sigh
Individuals that know what it is to be artists, emissaries of beauty and reality, Spiritual Bats take on their world with musical power. The music of Spiritual Bats is filled with emotion and insight. Combining this with their shadowy, dramatic sound makes for a moving listening experience.
The Spiritual Bats are members of Alchemisti Painters, an ensemble of various artists that seem to share a bond of creativity. Founded by Lamberto Bracaglia, who also created the cover art for the Sacrament CD along with Flavia Passamonti, a painter and writer as well as fellow member of Alchemisti Painters, the group also consists of Matteo Bracaglia, a visual and vocal artist, co-founder of Spiritual Bats, and singer and songwriter, as well as of Dario Passamonti, co-founder and guitarist for Spiritual Bats.
The following passage is taken from a letter from Rosetta, regarding the song "Reflection of You" which was dedicated to Justine Brushwood:
"Reflection Of You" came to Dario on the day of Justine's funeral, which he attended. Nobody knows why, but not ONE friend had gone to give her a last farewell.
All we know is that 'she walked her path through cobble hills in solitude, and in solitude she was buried in a Silver Lake'. Thus she appeared and disappeared from the face of this earth.
Though Dario did not know her, by a strange coincidence, he found himself touching the coarse skin of her lifeless hand, feeling love, compassion, sorrow, and fear of the evil, without exclusion of ignorance, that surrounds us and that may lead us to mental derangement, lack of balance, separation, loss, loneliness, isolation, emptiness and apathy.
We don't see this as some otherworldly phenomenon, though, but as a simple, human reaction. However, a Spiritual Bats song is normally born gradually, over a period of time; the whole guitar part, came to Dario, for the first time and all at once, when he got home after the burial. Matteo then wrote the lyrics and baptized it "Reflection Of You".
I wished to include this excerpt in an attempt to demonstrate the depth of emotion and insight that this band's music possesses. If moved to do so, I suggest listening to their music and even learning from it. All of humanity is not lost.
- Starvox
Not ambient, no... but an 18-minute EP of energetically brooding Italian Gothic rock. Dario Passamonti and Matteo Bracaglia lead their compatriot gloom rockers (Rosetta, Vanessa H. and Loren) through five tracks like Sacrament, Lost Souls and Ritual. Appropriately somber vocals, churning guitar, keening keyboards are backed by femme-powered drum and bass. Though a new release, these dark gems glimmer with a distinctly old-school sound and a raw energy which can only come from love of the genre. Definitely worth checking out though, if you're in that mood...
- Spiderbytes/Ambientrance
…] a must have for any avid collector of international goth music.” - Outburn
“[…] truly goth in every sense of the word […] worth every minute of the listening experience.” - Industrial Nation
“ […] The only Italian band that can eternally be remembered for opening for the master, Rozz Williams […] The atmospheres are grave, obscure, well sustained by excellent tribal drumming […] never deafening nor pompous […]" - Ascension Magazine
Discography
Spiritual Bats (vinyl EP, 1993)
Confession (CD, 1995)
Funeral Cries Video (VHS, 1998)
Sacrament (CD, 1999)
Through The Shadows (CD, 2008)
Spiritual Bats songs appeared in the following compilations:
The Fog Presents Silence – CRAWLING TUNES Magazine N.1–Germany
Crawling Tunes Volume 3 – CRAWLING TUNES Magazine N.5 - Germany
DArk Spy Magazine December January 2009- Germany
The Unquiet Grave (Cleopatra,USA)
More Black Than Black (Delinquent, USA)
Les Litanies Infernales (Wardance Magazine, France)
In The Rain (In The Rain Magazine, Portugal)
L’Aube d’Une Essence Nouvelle (La Plume De Morfessa Magazine, France)
Spiritual Bats songs have been aired by:
Le Vestibule CFOU 89.1 FM Quebec Canada, Doctor Avalanche Radio Agora 94 FM Vallauris France, Escalera Sin Peldanos Radio Enlace 107.5 FM Madrid, La Rebelion De Los Antioxidantes Radio Ciutat Vella Barcelona, Kakophonie Radio Enghien 98 FM Enghien Les Bains France, Blsck Channel Freies Radio Fuer Stuttgart 97.2 Germany, Infectious Unease Inner 96.5 FM Heidelberg Victoria Australia, and many many others…
Photos
Bio
"The Spiritual Bat" is a new project, but it is an evolution from "The Spiritual Bats" project which was conceived in 1992 by Dario Passamonti (Alchemisti Painters) and Matteo Bracaglia. Being a painter, Dario composed the music out of the need of transmuting Image into Sound. Matteo was the singer and author of the lyrics. The vinyl EP “Spiritual Bats” was recorded in 1993. The project was destined to have a new line up for each recording, but always featured artwork by the Alchemisti Painters (Biennial of Venice, 1986 Art and Alchemy section), as well as their installations and projections during live performances. The performances were multi-medial excursions, or live rituals, rare apparitions, balancing between Image and Sound.
In November 1994, after the shows at the Crypta (Rome) and the Condor (Modena) the Spiritual Bats had the pleasure and the honour of opening for Rozz Williams (Christian Death) and his Daucus Karota, at the Black Out (Rome). Dario’s Passage into the Realm of Shadows did not weaken the nucleus of the project: “Confession” was recorded live at the Pan Pot Studio in Rome, in May 1995, immediately after the show at the Velvet. Shamanic drummer Rosetta, on her spiritual journey around the world(s), was present at that event . She was fascinated by the fusion of Alchemy and Art. As the alchemic Quest was her Quest as well, Dario invited to her to join the group. She has been active in the project ever since.
Alchemisti Music was born and “Sacrament” was released in 1999, after the live show at the CB’s Gallery (Alchemy), New York, August 1998, with the projection of the “Funeral Cries” Video. In addition to the Alchemisti Art, “Sacrament” proudly features the Graphics Art by Eric Hammer, (Musician and Painter of the band Mors Syphilitica), today also known as Doc Hammer (Venture Brothers).
In 2004, due to different artistic choices, the original founders of the project decided to part. Dario continues to bring his visions to life through sound, with Rosetta’s support. “Through The Shadows” was recorded and mixed entirely by Dario and Rosetta, with some extraordinary contributions by Maestro Bruno Paolo Lombardi (Flute, National RAI Orchestra, Italy), on "Wandering On Cobble Hills", "Prague", "Twins" and "Primordial Call".
The composition “Twins” was inspired by breathing the atmosphere and ashes of New York on September 11th, 2001. New York is The Spiritual Bat’s second home, and home of family (Rosetta’s) and dear friends.
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