Behind The Artworks: Desert Twelve - The Last Dark Wood (2024)

The second album by Desert Twelve celebrates, through its cover, the first self-titled album that foretold the future emergence of the planet DESERT 12. I drew inspiration from a wide range of sources, including the captivating "Dune" by David Lynch from 1984, a miraculous and dreamlike masterpiece in its cinematic synthesis, akin to what George Lucas achieved with "Star Wars." Just as in Lynch’s narrative, music too needed its own planet, which manifests in Desert Twelve.

Why the number 12? The number 12 directly refers to my fourth book, "L’uomo dale 12 dita," in which the protagonist is the guardian of the last remaining oasis on Earth, a sanctuary for future generations.

Album cover - The Last Dark Wood

The album cover clearly depicts the process of desertification and the presence of this dark forest, emerging with trees and serpents from the sands. For us, Desert Twelve represents the name the world will take on in a distant future. The characters of this forest are transformed by basalt, as seen on the left (the dragon). On the large stone in the foreground, the inscription "Desert Twelve" is carved, as if it were an ancient message etched in the rock as a testament to a distant history.

Everything appears static and projected into a distant future, but the album delves into the heart of the modern era, exploring its complexities and contradictions. Through each track, the narratives and challenges of the present emerge, reflected in a perspective that, while looking towards tomorrow, is deeply rooted in the vibrant and tumultuous world of today.