Composed, recorded and mixed by Renato Fiorito
Mastered by Giovanni Roma at L’arte dei rumori Studio
Artwork and cover photo by Jack D’Amico
Released October 3, 2017 by Sonorus Records [SON005]
In Verbicaro, a town hidden in the deep South of Italy, yearly a small group of people – about ten men from 18 to 50 years old – take part in a bloody ritual during the night between Holy Thursday and Good Friday. They run around across the town for three times, stopping exclusively in front of the sacred images of the Virgin Mary that they meet during the itinerary. There they flagellate themselves on the thighs with the “cardidd” (a big cork with pieces of glass or metal fitted in) to offer their blood.
No one knows what is the reason behind this act, perhaps for asking clemency, or swearing fidelity, or offering all their passion and sense of sacrifice. All of them are moved by personal reasons that are kept secret.
During all the rite it seems that they are felt in trance, without caring of the devotees praying while they run across or of the thousands of photos shot while they cause themselves deep injuries; in that moment there is only their way of praying, their personal sacred sense of blood.
The work is made exclusively by field recordings and vast use of effects.
Original sounds recorded in:
– Verbicaro (CS), from 04/03 to 04 / 05 / 2012
– Naples, 2013 – 2017
– Procida (NA), 2013 – 2014
– Marrakech, from 12/23 to 12 / 26 / 2013