Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Scala Mercalli My Daemons 2004 Demo - Reviewed by: Zerohour

Track Listing1. My Daemons 2. Day Of Fighter 3. Banshee’s Whisper 4. Be Quick Or Be Dead (Iron Maiden cover)

Italian Speed Metal band Scala Mercalli started hitting the local stages in 1992 and released a first demo titled “HellBringer” between 1995 and 1996, followed by “Gargoyle” in 1999. Both demos received good responses--mainly from Italy, England and Germany but unfortunately the band has never been signed because of their frequent line-up changes. Thanks to an intense live activity these guys have sharpened their knives and get to be the supporting acts of outstanding names such as Lacuna Coil and Shaman at the Mid Summer Metal Sunday in Civitanova Marche, Italy.

“My Daemons” is their third release, 19 minutes of 80’s–oriented Speed Metal, deeply influenced by bands like Overkill, Grave Digger and Running Wild, just to name a few…This 4 pieces demo cd, even though it may be a low budget one, has a good production and the guys show considerable technical skills--the two guitars are incisive and the drumming is powerful and a little bit “old style”, while the bass guitar is unfortunately hidden by the guitars and by the singer’s high voice.
Each track is a combination of fast riffing and melodic choruses, which can be a way to easily attract the audience, but it also ends up to be a loss of strain… Their music seems to be balanced between powerful and “clean” sounds, never really deciding which way to go.

The title track can be considered as the most successful one, each element goes the right way, straight to the ears of the listener with his high energy and powerful guitar riffs and drumming. “Day Of Fighter” and “Banshee’s Whisper” follow “My Daemons” as far as the style is concerned, but sometimes the vocalist seems to go beyond his limits (as in Banshee’s Whisper intro) and sometimes guitars and drums go out of time especially when speed gets higher. However, their energy combined with melodic refrains counterbalance these occasional mistakes.

Last shot is a tribute to Iron Maiden’s “Be Quick Or Be Dead”, here defined as a “Jam Studio Fucking Version”, an inspired piece and a bold choice since Iron Maiden’s tracks are never too easy to perform.

I’m sure Scala Mercalli would be a good deal for a label, and I’m sure they give their best live on stage, even if they need to grow up and find their own original style that is less linked to classic sounds from the eighties.

Let’s see what the future will bring…


--Zerohour 05.19.04