FLYING ABOVE THE BORDER

 Sul confine is the second studio album by Aliante and was released in 2019 on the independent M.P. & Records label with a consolidated line up featuring Jacopo Giusti (drums, percussion), Enrico Filippi (keyboards, piano, Moog) and Alfonso Capasso (bass) plus the guest Marianna Vuocolo (violin). It confirms all the good qualities of its predecessor while the art cover by Jacopo Giusti and the liner notes signed by Alfonso Capasso give us a clue about the atmosphere and the subject matter of this work: “When you live in a borderland, you meet different languages and cultures that mix in a universe of contrasts and proximity. Staying on the border is not just a geographical issue and is not always a choice. There are people who play their whole existence with it, while others seek refuge in safe hinterlands, made of balance and certainty, from where they will never see the thin line that separates smile and sadness, wealth and poverty, pain and joy, dialogue and silence, understanding and indifference. The border does not protect those who live there but opens up a range of possible alternatives, where the night of the fear of making choices surrenders to the breaking of the light of courage. Therefore, if there is a place where I want to stay, it is on the border…”.

 

 

 

 The album opens with the long, articulated eponymous suite divided into seven parts, a kind of instrumental travelogue that takes you on a musical journey across the world, following ancient maps. The first section, titled “Viaggio nel vento” (Journey in the wind), sets the atmosphere and with its dreamy mood leads you to “Metzada” for a gaze towards the sky. The title of the second section refers to a mountain-top fortress complex in the Judaean Desert that became the final holdout of the Jewish rebels during the First Jewish–Roman War (66–73 AD). Here the rhythm rises while the music every now and again reminds me of Le Orme and evokes epic rides and endless wars in a ravaged country... The third section, titled “Ai confini del mondo” (To the limits of the world), is dark and slow with the notes of violin painting melancholic shadows on a desolate road while on the following one, “La rana” (The frog), the light turns up again and the rhythm takes off. Then it’s the turn of the section titled “Il cigno nero” (The black swan) where you can hear echoes of classical music suggested by delicate piano parts, Mediterranean flavours with moments reminiscent of the Concierto de Aranujez and jazzy passages. Th title of this section refers to the figure of Odile, the Black Swan, a character of the famous ballet Swan Lake who perfectly embodies seduction and deception... Next section, “Il quadrato” (The square), is a frenzied spacey ride through the dark latitudes of the universe and leads to the final beautiful section, “Tenente Drogo” (Lieutenant Drogo) whose title refers to the main character of Il deserto dei Tartari (The Tartar Steppe) a novel published in 1940 by Italian writer Dino Buzzati that tells the story of a young officer, Giovanni Drogo who spent his life guarding the Bastiani Fortress, on the border with a desolated desert.

 

 

 

After the long, complex 48 minutes suite, a shorter track closes the album. “Nel cielo” (In the sky) begins by a delicate, dreamy piano solo passage, then synthesizers and rhythm section take over and gently lift you up to the sky as a prelude to a new musical journey...

 

On the whole, an excellent work!

 

You can listen to the complete album HERE

 

More info:

https://www.aliantemusic.com/ 

SHARP BLADES

 After the restart in 2014 on the initiative of founder member and main composer Pericle Sponzilli, Lame di luce is the second studio album of Reale Accademia di Musica’s new course. It was released in 2022 on the Sony Music label with a renewed line up featuring Pericle Sponzilli (vocals, guitars) along with Fabio Liberatori (piano, Hammond organ, synth), Erika Savastani (vocals), Fabio Fraschini (bass) and Francesco Isola (drums) plus the guest Danilo Pao (Fender VI). The overall sound is noticeably distant from that of the 1972 debut album, but that doesn't make it any less interesting. Vintage sounds alternate with more modern ones, and the female voice fits particularly well into the sonic textures. Pericle Sponzilli’s songwriting skills have not been tarnished by the passage of time, and the final result certainly lives up to expectations...

 

The opener “Onde di sabbia” (Waves of sand) begins softly by a delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio soon backed by the keyboards. The music and lyrics evoke a strange dream. The object of desire of a real passion appears like a mirage in a strange parallel world where you can see waves of sand and dunes into the sea...

The beautiful “Ascesa al Fuji” (Ascent to Fuji) takes us to Japan for a spiritual experience. In fact, climbing the Mount Fuji is more than a nature hike, as the mountain is not just a tourist attraction, it is a sacred place. The music and lyrics evoke a silent place where time stands still. Along the path, step after step, between oak trees and bamboos, you’re are left breathless as you try to hide the fear of falling. Then, at the top, you can listen to the wind around you instead of the echo of your fears. Eventually, comforted by a friend, you can enjoy the sunrise...

The ethereal “Due pietre preziose birmane” (Two Burmese gemstones) depicts two gems. One reproduces an eight-legged dragon, guardian of the sky, while the other represents a tiger, symbol of earth. The two beasts are fighting each other. The image of the fight evokes the contrast between the desire to chase one’s dreams by leaving for distant places or accepting the reality that the present reserves for us and staying in one’s comfort zone, giving up on adventure. It’s a kind of gambling game where the stake is your time...

 

“Lame di luce (Blades of light) is a melancholic piece about the fear of the unknown. The music and lyrics evoke the image of a man gazing out to sea from his home, transformed into a bunker of concrete and sand. Blades of light reflect off the walls and play with the shadows as the protagonist aims his gun at an imaginary target emerging on the horizon. Painful and tumultuous memories haunt him. Time cannot be stopped and the blue water turns blood red. The finale restores calm on the sea, as nature takes over under a starry sky...

The jazzy “Si parlerà” (They will talk) brings us the image of a hero from another civilization inventing an ageless world, a musician and poet whose sounds and words are not just notes and voices but trees that grow and do not bend. It's the dream of a better world where people talk to each other instead of waging war. Battles made of words and smiles to shed new light and illuminate emotions...

“Una ferita da disinfettare” (A wound to disinfect) is an introspective song that talks about feelings and relationships that are transformed by time. There are wounds that slowly heal, changing perspectives between regrets and thoughts turned to the faded magic of a smile that time has veiled with indifference...

 

Reale Accademia di Musica, 2022

“Ore lente” (Slow hours) is a beautiful piece about a train journey shrouded in mystery. A crowded station on a cold winter's day, a seat next to a silent, sleepy stranger, long hours without speaking, then a look that melts the ice in a breath...

“Incontri” (Meetings) is in the same mood and paints in music and words a love understood as art and perfection, a series of days and experiences to remember forever, a series of moments you wish you could capture and that never grow old, precious memories that will never leave you alone...

“Ossessione” (Obsession) is a lively and nervous track that describes a kind of metropolitan nightmare while the concluding track, the ethereal “Il cavaliere del cigno (L’addio)” (The Knight of the Swan - The farewell), is a touching farewell to someone who disappears forever in deep waters, a shadow that can no longer love, a hero that cannot be forgotten...

On the whole, an excellent work!

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/RealeAccademiadiMusicaOfficial/ 

A MYSTERIOUS LETTER

Vespro is the third full length album by Mysteria Noctis and was self-released in 2025 with a confirmed line up featuring Alberto Negretti (vocals), Alessio Negretti (guitars), Giacomo Piccinini (drums), Gioele D'Adda (bass) and Mattia Di Lorenzo (keyboards). It marks another step forward for the band, the musical fabric is very rich and variegated blending progressive rock with touches of electronica, synthwave, rap and black metal. According to an interview with the band, “Vespro is a concept album that tells the story of a man who, driven by an anonymous letter, sets out to find the sender. along the way, he embarks on a journey that forces him to confront his past. The central theme driving the entire story is that of choices and their consequences…”. (You can read the complete interview HERE). The art cover by Giacomo Tagnin gives a visual form to the atmospheres of the album...

 

The opener “Ombre dal passato” (Shadows from the past) sets the atmosphere. An acoustic guitar intro and a tormented voice open the album evoking a trembling hand writing a letter full of poisonous questions, addressed to a man who has changed over the years and seems to have forgotten his past. When the rhythm increases the image and perspective change. Night falls and the voice of the person who received the letter can be heard. The evil evoked by the sender envelops the protagonist like a shadow that takes his breath away. The journey in search of the mysterious sender begins, and the departure is described by the following short instrumental “Discesa” (Descent)...

“Anatema” (Anathema), on an apparently cheerful rhythm with echoes of eighties synthwave, describes the torment of the protagonist, visibly shaken by the mysterious call from his past and the shadows it evokes. The protagonist questions himself and questions his glass muse (a sort of woman-city metaphor of his present) on the opportunity to leave and begin a dangerous journey. The need to leave becomes more and more pressing, even if the response of the glass muse is extremely disturbing, a dark omen of perpetual damnation where the synth-wave echoes veer towards black metal hints...

“Ritorno” (Return) paints in music and words the protagonist who, alone and lost, travels along the traces of his past. Faces hidden in the fog watch him and hide the identity of the mysterious author of the letter. Afflicted by too many unanswered questions, by the memory of broken dreams, sacrifices and abandonments on the roads of his past, the protagonist goes on and on with many doubts but without fear...

 

A delicate piano passage introduces the following “Valzer d’inverno” (Winter waltz), a piece that describes the passion of a brief and intense relationship, a romance with a woman soon forgotten by the protagonist, a woman among many. What remains of that love story? The flames of passion have now given way to ashes and disenchantment, to broken dreams and broken promises, deceptions and betrayal. What remains is just a face that fades into the fog and perhaps a veil of nostalgia and regret...

“Ricordi?” (Do you remember?) begins with a short drum passage. It is a caustic piece that evokes the anger of a forgotten friend and rival of the protagonist in the race for success. A friend that the protagonist has ruined and humiliated. A sacrificial victim who has developed a deep hatred towards him. The meeting with his shadow is another ominous omen about the end of the journey that the protagonist has undertaken...

“Il processo” (The trial) opens with a slow and mournful marching pace. A hostile voice introduces the trial and invites the accused to face the charges. A rapped vocal part summarizes the accusations and invites the protagonist to look at that betrayed and forgotten woman who now takes care of her (and his) son and at the trampled and humiliated rival. The price of success is damnation, the verdict is one of condemnation. But the author of the letter is not among the jurors. He is still waiting for the protagonist at the pass...

 

Mysteria Noctis, 2025

The long, complex “La villa” (The villa) tells of the end of the journey. In fact, the journey ends in a dark and remote villa, the tomb of an unforgiving past. The piece opens with strong classical influences and then turns to threatening, heavy atmospheres. Growling, rap, operatic and theatrical voices combine to describe the scenes of an inner hell where you can find resentment and repentance. The protagonist feels that he is not alone in the villa but is welcomed only by dark presences. Four rooms are open. In one he sees the woman he left pregnant with his child, the woman he abandoned, in another room there’s an innocent man who ended up in jail because of him, in the third a neglected friend who hanged himself while he was having fun at a party. In each room screams and damnation. In the last one the author of the letter awaits him...

The disquieting “L’ultima porta” (The last door) describes the protagonist ready to cross the last door and meet his fate. Of all the shadows, that of the author of the letter is the most feared. In the end, the most feared shadow turns out to be that of his soul. Now the protagonist understands that he is the monster who caused so much pain and inside a mirror he sees his soul dying. All the lights go out, between fear and remorse. It is his soul that wrote the letter, it is his hand. The man the protagonist was looking for is none other than himself. But when the final credits roll, the protagonist can still choose between forgiveness and oblivion...

The last track, “L’ombra” (The shadow), opens with powerful electric guitar riffs and a fast pace. The protagonist’s hand still trembles as he writes the final words of a farewell to himself. He realizes he is the monster and condemns himself to death. Perhaps there is another path of penance and forgiveness, but will forgiveness be enough to save him from himself? The conclusion is left to the listener. The night falls among the shadows of the past and an ink-stained letter...

On the whole, a very good work that deserves a try.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/MysteriaNoctis/ 

BEES AND FEARS

Vulnera, the second full length album by Mysteria Noctis, was released in 2020 with a renewed line up featuring Alberto Negretti (vocals), Alessio Negretti (guitars), Giacomo Piccinini (drums), Gioele D'Adda (bass) and Mattia Di Lorenzo (keyboards) plus the guest vocalists Eleonora Ferrari, Vittorio Iannaco and KDone. It confirms the departure from the decidedly black metal sound of the debut work offering a music style difficult to pigeonhole. Throughout the album you can find metal passages alternating with melodic sections and a prog rock veined with touches of electronic music and classical influences. The music and lyrics try to reflect anxiety and restlessness: in fact, according to the band, the protagonist of this work is the man, caught in an intimate and at times desperate search for himself who inevitably clashes with his fragility and helplessness...

 

The opener “Am I Here?” refers to the art cover and evokes bees all around and inside the head of the protagonist. It’s a piece expressing a strong sense of bewilderment... Then it’s the turn of “Thoughts”, a piece that expresses an inner search that remains unsatisfied. Next comes the nightmarish “A Supplication”, a long, complex track where the protagonist is on his knees in front of a jury, put on a hopeless trial leading him to the death penalty...

On “Ultimo canto” (Last singing) the rhythm slackens and the vocals turn from English to Italian. It’s a touching ballad about love and death featuring a guest female vocalist who duets with the band’s singer. The music and lyrics conjure up a spectral atmosphere as the protagonist answers the irresistible call of the Grim Reaper without fear...

 

On the following “Night Light” the rhythm rises again bringing demons and fears for an infernal ride into the night. This song is sung in English while for the next one, the melodic “Nell’anima” (In the soul), the band chose again their mother language to express the heat of an inner fire that burns inside the soul and makes the protagonist look up at the sky to overcome a sense of obscure, thundering solitude and uneasiness...

The last track, “Red Sea”, is the most ambitious of the album and the most accomplished of the lot. According to the band, this composition was inspired by the classical form of the sonata and features some guest vocalists. Eventually it brings a pinch of optimism and some rays of light after the previous dark atmospheres. The journey comes to an end as the protagonist wakes up under a new sun...

On the whole, an interesting work that deserves a try.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/MysteriaNoctis/ 

DIMENSIONS AND TRUTH

 

Mysteria Noctis came to life in Como in 2011 on the initiative of Alessio Negretti, Alberto Negretti and Giacomo Piccinini, inspired by bands such as Opeth, Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater. After a long time spent in the rehearsal room and a good live activity on the local scene, in 2015 they self-produced and released a debut full length album entitled Higher Dimensions with a line up featuring Alberto Negretti (vocals), Alessio Negretti (guitars), Matteo Menafro (keyboards), Pietro Francoli (bass) and Giacomo Piccinini (drums).

 

It’s a still immature work where death and black metal sounds prevail although the band try to blend them with many other different influences, from jazz to prog. Wild, raw sections characterized by growl and screamed voices alternate with calmer acoustic passages and symphonic digressions throughout the five long tracks of the album. “Decadence”, “Cry Of The Ocean”, “Iter Mentis In Deum”, “Logos” and “Of Flames And Eternity” give life to a kind of suite full of interesting ideas, although not always musically coherent. Nonetheless, for the band this was just the starting point...

You can listen to the complete album HERE

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The follow up of Mysteria Noctis’ debut album is Quid est veritas?, an EP that was released in 2017. It represents a step forward and an important change of direction in the style of the band when compared with the previous work from 2015. It was released on the independent Areasonica Records label with a confirmed line up featuring Alberto Negretti (vocals), Alessio Negretti (guitars), Matteo Menafro (keyboards), Pietro Francoli (bass) and Giacomo Piccinini (drums). Here the musicians leave back most of their death and black metal influences in the search for a more personal style. According to the band, this work is focused on the search for Truth, in the deepest and most absolute sense of the term. It’s the human journey towards the light that drives away the unknown, a path that tries to get closer to knowledge but is strewn with obstacles and rarely reaches a definitive conclusion in the span of a single lifetime.

 

The title track is a long suite sung in Italian (despite the title being in Latin) for which the band also shot a video directed by Simone Sacchi. It depicts the regrets that emerge from foggy memories and from the ashes of an arrogant ego obsessed with knowledge and blinded by greed. But the truth is that a man will never understand the nature of what lies behind the veil of the senses...

 

The second and last track, the lively “Swinging Mind”, is shorter and is sung in English. In the own words of the band, two progressive rock songs with two different perspectives, different styles that manage to complete a story by making the most of the combination of the tension and restlessness that form the background to the first song and the pinch of madness and instability that unfold during the second...

You can listen to complete the EP HERE

 

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/MysteriaNoctis/