The man’s gigs are known to be quite lively events, but Freddie Portelli’s latest storm is the one he sings about on his new single. Ġej il-Maltemp (A storm is coming) marks a distinct departure from Portelli’s familiar rock ’n’ roll timbre.

Instead, the song embraces a subtler style, drifting along a spaghetti Western guitar-punctuated backing riff over which the veteran singer narrates his way through a long list of tragic events and situations that have negatively impacted humanity over the years.

Clocking in at just over six minutes, the song addresses everything from global warming, natural disasters and political greed to pollution, poverty, terrorism and nuclear threats, ultimately urging the listener to be careful and heed the warnings. Portelli’s latest release includes a second track, I’m a Dreamer, which is more of a straight-up rock ’n’ roll number with a pronounced positive outlook.