Secret Rule – Quarantine: The Other Side Of Us

Secret Rule
Qurantine:The Other Side Of Us
April 24, 2020
44:24

You live in one of the Italian epicentres of the corona pandemic. In Milan, the capital of the Lombardy region. We’re talking about the band Secret Rule. For months they were only allowed to leave their apartments for important reasons, and public life was idle. But the musicians around singer Angela Di Vincenzo and guitarist Andy Menario made the best of this situation. In their home remoteness, they produced a very special album. With the appropriate name “Quarantine: The Other Side Of Us”. On this album you can hear eleven cover versions of songs from pop, rock and metal. If you want to purchase the album and thus support the band financially, you can do so on the band’s website.

Whether rap (“I’m not Afraid”), alternative rock (“The Bitter End”) or R&B and soul. Secret Rule always try to take the spirit of the original into their own version. Soothing, so the songs don’t all sound the same. The Italians skilfully circumvent the mistake that many other bands have made on their cover albums. They don’t heave the original song into their (studio) sound. Nevertheless, there is always a bit of Secret Rule in it. This offers the singer “Angela Di Vincenzo” the probably unique opportunity to present her great vocal diversity. It slips into the role of the respective interpreter. And she doesn’t shy away from big names like Amy Winhouse (“Back to Black”), Shirley Manson (“I Think I’m Paranoid”), Deborah Anne Dyer aka Skin (“Twisted”) or Sharon den Adel. For example, the Within Temptation cover “The Swan Song” among the best and most sensitive songs on the album. Another big name is on the cover list – Ozzy Osbourne with “Gets Me Through”. Another highlight. As a bonus track, the Italians also venture to Arch Enemy. “War Eternal” comes from the first album with Canadian singer Alissa White-Gluz on the microphone. Angela got male reinforcements for the growls.

Even if you don’t like every original song and its interpreters, like me, ALL songs on “Quarantine: The Other Side Of Us” are more than worth listening to. Secret Rule have made a virtue of necessity. And produces an album that is all around fun. The new arrangements are extremely varied and were recorded by excellent musicians. The corona pandemic also creates musical glimmers of hope.

Lineup:

Angela Di Vincenzo – Vocals
Andy Menario – Guitars, Keys, Backing Vocals
Mike Raspanti – Bass
Alex Beccati – Drums

Special Guests:

Nicola Corrente, the male voice on “Look What You Make Me Do”
Roberto Deblasio (Scream Studios), the growling voice on “War Eternal”

Track list:

• I’m not Afraid (Eminem cover)
• The Bitter End (Placebo cover)
• Back to Black (Amy Winehouse cover)
• I Think I’m Paranoid (Garbage cover)
• Devil in I (Slipknot cover)
• Mad World (Tears for fears cover)
• Look What You Make Me Do (Taylor Swift cover)
• Twisted (Skunk Anansie cover)
• Gets Me Through (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
• The Swan Song (Within Temptation cover)
• War Eternal (Arch Enemy cover) BONUS TRACK