THE SPOILED - When It Rains

With "When It Rains", the solo project of Puglia-born Giovanni Santolla attempts to condense into a single sonic flow all the coordinates that have long orbited his aesthetic: dark post-punk, darkwave forays, post-industrial tensions (Soft Moon remains a key reference point) and a romantic sensibility that looks as much to decadent literature as to the most cinematic gothic imagery, addressing interpersonal relationships with a highly introspective approach. The result is a record that moves down a long, nocturnal corridor, through glacial drum machines, saturated synths and fog-shrouded guitars, painting a claustrophobic yet surprisingly melodic emotional landscape.

Tracks like "Sad Eyes, Angry Eyes" (a direct dive into the Eighties), "Crush" (recalling the never-quite-appreciated-enough Din [A] Tod), "Not My Cure" and "The Fault Was You" show off the record's most convincing side, but the results are just as good when the album slows down and lets a more fragile, sentimental streak emerge (if the refrain of "Two Souls Apart" seems almost stretched toward shoegaze horizons, the closing notes of "Watch Me Bleed" introduce murkier shades, with a witch house shadow creeping beneath the surface).

There are also a couple of passages in line with the most intriguing work of acts like Mareux and Sad Madona, especially in the case of the remarkable "Fall In Love With A Ghost", without doubt one of the undisputed peaks of The Spoiled's entire output.

“When It Rains” is in some ways an ambitious record, rich in nuance but unfinished in places (“Say Goodbye” and “Dead Wasted Girl” sound like sketches that deserved more personal development). It must be said, though, that Giovanni Santolla is finally steering his creation toward something more authentic and corrosive, through an emotionally dark and restless key that manages to move beyond the many clichés tied to the contemporary dark scene and beyond (thankfully, we're not looking at yet another Clan Of Xymox clone). A trajectory bound to keep evolving both with future releases and on stage, where The Spoiled are earning plenty of well-deserved acclaim.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

21/04/2026