Album Details

• Artist: Lucio Menegon
• Album: Sonic Demons
• Label: Edgetone
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2009-07-27

Guitarist Lucio Menegon tests the waters of ambient, noise and free jazz on this busy but coherent release. "Sonic Demons," at least if the titles represent the intent, is an instrumental exploration of the darkness we invite into us, the demons we flirt with until it is too late to send them packing. This electronic divine comedy is pulled off with grace and grit. Solo or with guests like Wayne Grim, Suki O'Kane, Jonathan Segel (Camper Van Beethoven) and the Residents' Laurie Arnat, written or improvised, Menegon serves up a busy, inspired peak into some baser emotions.

It all starts rather slowly with "Lucifer's Meltdown," building up steam (and volume) with "Experiments With the Force" and "Gasping for Air," before coming unglued with "Resident Tourette" and "Vulcan's Wish." "Scattered Brain" and "Rumors of Success" provide tonal webs that express confusion and liberation. The closer, "Saturn's Return," is not so much a return to sanity as a return to the beginning, one that is now enlightened and sullied by the soul's wants.

"Sonic Demons" would be intense and impressive without the dark night of the soul motif. With it, it allows Lucio Menegon to let it rip with purpose, a goal of exploration into the uncomfortable. He wins on all counts.

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