Members:
Simone "Hellvis" Salvatori: Vocals and Guitar
Andrea Freda: Drums
Riccardo Galati
Giorgio Maria Condemi: Electric Guitar
Luca Cirillo: Keyboard
Past: Federico Amorosi, Francesco Sost'o, Jack Puri, Piergiorgio Ambrosi, Sten Puri
Spiritual Front is a five-part neofolk act from Rome. Its members describe their music as "nihilist suicide pop",[1] although elements of neoclassical and rock music, melancholic folk, as well as tango are prevalent, along with a recurring experimental feel. From dark, wailing experimental folk in the beginning, the sound began to transform and grow, to where it is now compared to the work of Nick Cave, Swans, and Scott Walker. The group's work has been described as crossing a wide variety of genres and musical styles or traditions, and the band itself is considered[by whom?] highly unique among the modern neofolk and post-industrial scenes in Europe. The ingenuity and constructiveness of Spiritual Front's songs have gained them somewhat of a cult following since their formation in the late 1990s.
The band originated in 1999 as a project fronted by Simone "Hellvis" Salvatori, a guitarist and singer from Italy. They have since worked extensively — both solo and with several other projects— on their musical output. The group has performed subsequent tours throughout Europe, eastern Europe and South America.
Their song, The Gift of Life, appeared on the original score of the American slasher film Saw II, Jesus died in Las Vegas appeared in the American Television series 'Las Vegas'. Their music is also frequently used for theater pieces, modern ballets and shorts. The group is invited regularly to national and international radio interviews with their work being transmitted across the world (Tattoo magazines, Alternative Culture, Fashion, etc.)
Musical style
Someone describes Spiritual Front's music "Mafia-Folk" because of their italian roots. Simone Salvatori, the lyricist and conceptualist behind the band, has been known to create a unique feel within their traditionally folk style. Their most noticeable recurring output is Simone's charismatic playing of the acoustic guitar,[2] along with martial drum beats characteristic of the neofolk genre, art rock and new wave influences and heavily decadent musical styles. Slow, dissonant and often melancholic vocals are often contrasted with cabaret-like, somewhat comedic pieces reminiscent of swing revival and neotango sound, bringing on a vast dichotomy in the musical output of the band. Emotional piano chords are also frequently featured, with occasional violin playing and solos as well as the utilization of a number of different instruments including synthesizers, lutes and pipe organs.
Over time the group's style has constantly and quickly changed: beginning with the dark ballads of the earliest years after their formation (as is present in such works as Song for the Will and Nihilist Cocktails for Calypso Inferno), through the more refined sentimental dark folk with the E.P. Satyriasis until their latest records such as Armageddon Gigolo and Rotten Roma Casino where classical folk and tango influences are evident. (Members of the Ennio Morricone orchestra were involved.) During 2013 the band published two different albums: 'Open wounds' (Trisol records), a double cd collection with their classic songs from the first era (1999-2004)re-mastered and re-arranged plus previously unreleased tracks, and 'Black hearts in black suits' (Rustblade records), a concept album about the german movie director W.R. Fassbinder, the album has been described as neo classical chamber pop music, a mix between Arvo Part and Marc Almond.
Themes
The themes of focus in Spiritual Front's music vary and are extensive, though most often seem to be either quite personal or introverted, perhaps to lead singer Salvatori's own life. However lyrics in the group's music tend to be characterized by a type of English and rarely Italian, as well as free-verse type poetic styles influenced by decadent references to various, often obscure subjects. Therefore there is a tangible difficulty in deciphering the analogies behind the individual songs, and whether or not many of Spiritual Front's albums should be placed as concept works.
Themes treated by Simone H. deal with searching for self-identity through turbid and untamed exploration of sexuality, stories of breaking up with anger at bitter sarcasm and irony, always touched with nihilism and biting humor. (However a typical sense of heathenry is not so apparent as in many other neofolk groups such as Of the Wand and the Moon or Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio.)
Sex, sexual abasement, destructive passions, religion, self destruction, pornography and frankly lewd topics of paraphilia and sadomasochism are expressed in decadent styles of swing revival and acoustic folk ballads.
Inspirations and lyrical references
Simone Salvatori, who composes the lyrics and much of the music for the band, quotes in a number of songs phrases from literature and film.
Several songs draw their inspiration from the controversial Italian cult film Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma (English: Salò or the 120 Days of Sodom) by Pier Paolo Pasolini. The film is a reinterpretation and pseudo-adaptation of the Marquis de Sade's 120 Days of Sodom utilizing elements of Dante's Inferno; both the film and the Marquis's work incorporate sexuality coupled by extreme aggression or a "master-slave" archetype. The quotes include: "The limit of love is that, of needing always an accomplice," and "Nothing is more contagious than sin." (featured in the songs No Kisses On the Mouth and Jesus Died in Las Vegas, respectively.)Other important references are: W.R. Fassbinder, Federico Fellini, Joao Pedro Rodriguez, Ingmar Bergmann, Derek Jarman. The band made tribute with a number of other groups to Pasolini, contributing several songs to the 2009 compilation Songs For A Child: A Tribute to Pierre Paolo Pasolini.
The title of the song My Kingdom For A Horse (from the 2006 album Armageddon Gigolo) is taken directly from a famous line in Shakespeare's play Richard III: "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse."
The final track of Armageddon Gigolo, entitled Redemption Or Myself features a background track playing part of The Shangri-Las' Give Us Your Blessings.
en.wikipediaAlbums
Songs For The Will (CD, Album, Ltd) Old Europa Cafe, Misty Circles OECD 024, MCR14 1999
Nihilist Cocktails For Calypso Inferno (CD, Album) Oktagön, Misty Circles OKT 007, MCR28 2001
Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio & Spiritual Front - Satyriasis - Somewhere Between Equilibrium And Nihilism Cold Meat Industry 2005
Armageddon Gigolo' Trisol 2006
Rotten Roma Casino Trisol 2010
Black Hearts In Black Suits Rustblade 2013
Open Wounds Trisol 2013
Singles & EPs
Twin A Tin Tin Towers (Pussy Quota Lo-Fi Remix 2001) Misty Circles, Runes & Men 2002
Nihilist EP (10", EP, Ltd) Hau Ruck! SPQR HR! SPQR II 2003
No Kisses On The Mouth (7", Ltd) Hau Ruck! HR!58 2003
Naevus / Spiritual Front - Bedtime / Badtime (10", Pic, Ltd) Old Europa Cafe OEMP 011 2005
Slave / Cruisin' / Ragged Bed (CD, Maxi, Promo) [Trisol] Music Group GmbH TRI PROMO 14 2007
Spiral69 Featuring Spiritual Front - FakeLove (File, MP3, Single, 192) :Ritual: none 2010
Vladimir Central (12", S/Sided, Ltd) Nihilist Records 001 2014
Tracks appears in compilations
Albums
tr. Our Own Certainty (Acoustic Demo Version)
Various - Oktagön - The Sampler (CD, Smplr, Ltd) Oktagön OKT 004 2000
tr. Soulgambler (Acoustic Version 2)
Various - K:Goth Vol. 1 (File, MP3) K:Goth none 2003
tr. Vyperpunk (Spiritual Front Version)
Dope Stars Inc. - Neuromance Trisol 2005
tr. Bastard Angel
Various - Kunigunda Lunar Songs Vol.6 (CD, Promo, Ltd) Not On Label none 2007
tr. When The Sun Has Ceased To Shine
L'Âme Immortelle - Namenlos Trisol 2008
tr. Jesus Died In Las Vegas
Various - Under The Weight Of Light (CD, Smplr) Projekt PROJEKT240 2010
Singles & EPs
tr. I Walked The (Dead) Line
Various - Hau Ruck! Festival II (10", Pic, Ltd) Hau Ruck! HR!68 2004
tr. Thank God I'm Pretty
Emilie Autumn - Liar / Dead Is The New Alive Trisol 2007
tr. Can You Imagine (Spiritual Front Cover Version)
Dope Stars Inc. - Criminal Intents / Morning Star Trisol 2009
Compilations
tr. Her Favourite Confidential Destroyer
Various - Chain D.L.K. Compilation CD #2 (CD, Comp) Chain D.L.K. cd2 1999
tr. Elogio Del Sincrotone
Various - Inquinamento Acustico Vol.1 (CD, Comp) Misty Circles, Oktagön MCR20, OKT 008 2000
tr. We Could Fail Again
Various - Lichttaufe - Der Folklore Liedschatz (CD, Comp) Prophecy Productions, Auerbach Tonträger PRO 030, AB 002 2000
tr. The Longest Winter Of The Strongest Heart
Various - Codreanu: Eine Erinnerung An Den Kampf Oktagön, Neue Europaische Kultur 2001
tr. Luther's Army and 1 more…
Various - Notre Domicile Est L'Europe Thaglasz 2001
tr. Il Più Profondo Insegnamento (Part II)
Various - Noir (Death Is Our Friend + Meat Is Our Lover) (CDr, Ltd, Comp) Butcher's House Prod., Runes & Men BHP 001, R&M 001 2001
tr. As Blood
Various - Za Dom Spremni (2xLP, Ltd, Comp) Thaglasz Thaglasz 07 2001
tr. Everything Through You (Low-Fi Borderline Mix)
Various - Audacia Imperat! Oktagön 2002
tr. In Days To Come (Minimal Baby Overdose Version)
Various - Sol Lucet Omnibus - A Tribute To Sol Invictus Cynfeirdd 2002
tr. Velvet Worm Taverna
Various - Rosa Selvaggia: Atto IV (CD) Rosa Selvaggia RS04 2002
tr. Lo Scettro Dell'Insetto
Various - L'Ame Electrique Presents Old Europa Cafe (CD, Comp) L'Ame Electrique none 2003
tr. Synchropillenen
Various - Audacia Imperat (2xCD, Comp) Old Europa Cafe, Misty Circles OECD 065, MCR50 2003
tr. Her Favourite Confidential Destroyer (Performed Live At Runes & Men Festival)
Various - Circolo Della Vela Vol. 1 - 2002 (CDr, Comp) Dischi Del Circolo Cerchio01 2003
tr. Autopsy Of A Love
Various - :Per:Version: Vol. 11 (CD, Comp, Enh) :Ritual: none 2004
tr. No Kisses On The Mouth
Various - Memento Audere Semper (CDr, Comp, Promo) Hau Ruck! SPQR HR! SPQR VI 2005
tr. Your Sex Is The Scar
Various - Orkus Compilation 12 (CD, Comp) Orkus 2005-09 2005
tr. First Love Never Dies
Various - A Tribute To Scott Walker - Angel Of Ashes (CD, Comp) Transformadores 5 604781 049309 2005
tr. Songs For The Old Man and 3 more…
Various - 1° Congresso Neo Pop'n'Folk (CDr, Ltd, Comp) Old Europa Cafe OECDR 007 2005
tr. Soulgambler
Various - In The Night Time Sampler Vol. 1 (File, MP3, Promo, Smplr, Comp) In The Night Time NT003 2006
tr. Song For The Old Man
Various - Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense (39xFile, MP3, Comp) #Neo-folk.it NF003 2006
tr. The Gift Of Life
Charlie Clouser / Various - SAW II Original Score (2xCD, Comp, Dig) Trisol TRI 271 CD 2006
tr. Singing Sodomy
Various - Past, Present And Forever (CD, Comp, Ltd, Album) Kaosthetik Konspiration KSTKOL 001 2006
tr. Slave (Live In Berlin)
Various - Ascension Magazine Sampler (CDr, Comp) Ascension Productions AP01 2007
tr. Bastard Angel
Various - Decadence (CD, Comp, Enh, Ltd) Kold Finger KFG005 2007
tr. Bastard Angel
Various - 13th Street: The Sound Of Mystery 4 (2xCD, Comp) Golden Core GCR 81013-2 2007
tr. There Is No Mud In Joyville
Various - The Appeal Of Discarded Orthodoxy: A Tribute To David E. Williams (2xCD, Comp, Dig) Old Europa Cafe OECD 099 2007
tr. Funeral Blues
Various - The Old Europa Cafe (7xCD, Comp + Box) Old Europa Cafe OECD 100 2008
tr. My Erotic Sacrifice
Various - Songs For A Child - A Tribute To Pier Paolo Pasolini (CD, Comp, Ltd) Rustblade RBL022 2009
tr. Song For The Old Man
Various - A Dark Cabaret 2 (CD, Comp) Projekt PROJEKT260 2011
tr. Your Sex Is The Scar
Various - Awake The Machines Vol. 7 (3xCD, Comp) Out Of Line OUT 498, OUT 499, OUT 500 2011
tr. Odete
Various - Amphi Festival 2012 (CD, Comp) Out Of Line OUT 566 2012
tr. The Days Of Anger
Various - No Red Seas (54xFile, Comp) Not On Label none 2012
tr. Cold Love In A Cold Coffin
Various - Castle Party 2012 (CD, Comp) Big Blue Records 8483505 2012
Mixes
tr. Song For The Old Man
Various - Death Guild 2006 13 Year Anniversary - DJ Merrick Mix (CDr, Comp, Mixed) Not On Label none 2006
tr. The Devourment Of The Will
Alessandro Adriani - Secret Thirteen Spotlight - Mannequin Records (File, MP3, Mixed, 320) Secret Thirteen Journal STJS 005 2013
Miscellaneous
tr. We Could Fail Again
Various - Taucher Nr.1: Auf Der Suche Nach Dem Meer (CDr) Taucher t01 2005
Spiritual Front - Vladimir Central - 2014 Vladimir Central (12")
Italy
