Expanded and revised respect the previous mp3.com release, FORGIVEn is the first XP8 album. Marc already reviewed the previous version the last year but since I haven't never heard it, I'll try to ignore that one :) First of all I'm glad to see an Italian band getting some attention outside our country, since it's really difficult to get a good following here. The band history has been already described by Marc (including the fact that their singer is a native English guy) so I'll try to focus the review on the CD released by Black Flames. This new version include three new tracks: the opening intro "Warm up", "Das licht" (a track based on upbeat rhythms and on a good refrain) and "Straight down"(really pumping with distant distorted vocals and a little of techno influences along with e.b.m. atmospheres a la Hocico). Generally all the tracks deal with the melody and rhythm pair and they have their roots on the sound of bands like Apoptygma Berzerk (not the latest ones) and Icon Of Coil (to name a couple) but fortunally the band doesn't seem to base their sound unically on these sounds or style. For sure e.b.m., techno and electro pop are their daily bread but if at a first listening the album sounds convincing, listening to it few more times it convinces you some more and tracks like "She says" (which has also been remixed by Assemblage 23), "Liebling" (the one which recalled me VNV Nation) or "The fall" and "Our Scars" (they recalled me The Twins, if I can dare the comparison) are equally good and even if the band has already got its own style, they don't sound all the same. For sure the sound they deal with isn't nothing innovative but XP8 are a good band which could have some hidden aces. They have just finished recording they new MCD and if I'm right, it'll be worth the waiting.