As the fifth installment in their storied discography, ‘The Truth in a Dark Age‘ once again sets The Doormen apart as masters of atmospheric alternative rock. Releasing on May 5th, 2023, via MiaCameretta Records, this latest full-length LP echoes with the band’s signature art rock attitude, blending noise and post–punk reverberations, while interweaving synths and electronic loops. Crafted meticulously track-by-track, the album is a narrative of an anti-hero, ‘The Freak,’ who oscillates between dark desires and profound self-discovery.
‘The Truth in a Dark Age‘ serves as the quintessential Doormen album, showcasing their relentless pursuit of innovative sounds and poignant themes. Moving away from the 90s inspired sounds of their previous record, the Ravenna-based band, led by Vincenzo Baruzzi and Luca Malatesta, strides confidently into the domain of late 80s alternative rock. Here they create a harmonic contrast between vibrant, soft guitars and reverberated vocals, with drums and synths contaminating each other in a dance reminiscent of shoegaze and 80s wave music.
The album presents a narrative progression centered around ‘The Freak,’ a character introduced in the opening track ‘Night Shift.’ This protagonist, a hunter of love in the darkness of the night, spirals into madness and isolation in ‘A Freak,’ before confronting his fears in the introspective final track ‘Your Shape Pillow.’ It is an introspective exploration, woven together by The Doormen’s evocative lyricism and compelling soundscapes.
The cover art by Matteo Pozzi perfectly encapsulates the narrative’s dichotomy – the purity of a lovers’ kiss representing an oasis of truth amidst a dark age and the original sin borne of warped consciences and wills.
From the explosive opener ‘Night Shift’ to the reflective ‘Your Shape Pillow,’ ‘The Truth in a Dark Age’ takes listeners on a sonic journey across eight tracks. Along the way, it firmly establishes The Doormen’s place in the annals of alternative rock.
Having evolved over the years since their formation in 2009, The Doormen’s musical journey has seen them share stages with Subsonica, Ash, The Vaselines, and others. Now, with ‘The Truth in a Dark Age’, they not only affirm their experimental essence but also provide a glimpse into the dark corners of the human psyche through the intricate narrative of ‘The Freak.’
Join us as we delve into each track, shedding light on ‘The Truth in a Dark Age’ – the latest offering from The Doormen.
NIGHT SHIFT
“NIGHT SHIFT” is the opening track of the album. In this song the habits and behavior of the character called “the freak” are introduced. We will also find his figure described in other songs on the album.
The song opens with the protagonist returning home after work and once “stripped” of the shoes of everyday life he steps into those of the “superhero” where his sole purpose is to hunt and catch as much prey as possible and make them fall captive in his arms, ready to be consumed, destroying all the poetry and sincerity of love.
SILENCE
The song’s frantic and steady rhythm is the soundtrack that accompanies the subject around the city. Wandering from place to place while listening to the Sex Pistols and the Clash on headphones, the protagonist questions and reflects on the society in which he lives. The songs blaring out only fuel resentment and malaise until they reach and shape his thinking. Uniqueness and one’s personal freedom very often leads to being isolated from this society that does not understand and accept the individual. Remaining silent is the only truth in this dark age.
WEEPING SINS
When you are imprisoned in one place and hopes and dreams are turned off even unconsciously, the first reaction is to blame others by looking for an excuse or someone who can decide for you and take the first step, in this case a leap.
A FREAK
In this track the character described in “Night Shift” appears again. “The freak” comes to terms for the first time with the harsh reality of living exclusively with himself as he is imprisoned in his own trap, namely his apartment. Loneliness, not knowing what to do, isolation, and not being able to hunt create an existential imbalance so strong that it causes him to lose his mind.
GLASS FACTORY
80s-flavored song suitable for travel where strong emotional tension is present. The song evokes a dream immersed in a dreamlike, surreal dimension.
OLD MAN
The protagonist described in “Silence” returns with a different kind of protest and addresses people who are getting older, who instead of giving hope to the young by teaching them and passing on their experience keep everything to themselves thus not giving them a chance to grow and prove their worth, with the consequence that many of them are lost in nothingness and insecurity.
SEPTEMBER
This song is a rallying cry aimed at what had now become a constant during the pandemic period and it deals with the theme of fear of the return of the lockdown at the end of the summer period.
YOUR SHAPE PILLOW
With this song we conclude the story of our character “the freak.” After embarking on a path of analysis with himself, he is finally ready to return to the world in a carefree way. He goes so far as to talk to his plants as he does in Nanni Moretti’s film Bianca. The story ends by sending a message to all those people who have been his prey: “My pyjamas is my best friend / So please send me your shape pillow?”
