Il pozzo dei giganti is the second album by Cherry Five and was released in 2015 on the independent label Black Widow Records by a new line up featuring, along with historic members Tony Tartarini (vocals) and Carlo Bordini (drums, percussion) who took over the old brand, the fresh energies of Ludovico Piccinini (guitars), Gianluca De Rossi (keyboards - from Taproban) and Pino Sallusti (bass). It’s an excellent work containing three long tracks, inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, in a symphonic prog style where vintage instruments are blended with more updated sounds. The beautiful artwork by Daniela Ventrone helps to understand the musical and lyrical content...
The long, complex opener “Il pozzo dei giganti (Inferno XXXI)” (The well of the giants) is a new, extended version of an instrumental piece included in the 2008 Musea - Colossus themed compilation Dante’s Inferno - The Divine Comedy Part I and credited to De Rossi & Bordini. It starts by obscure percussive sounds and disquieting organ chords, then the rhythm rises and Tony Tartarini voice plays the role of a damned giant evoking abysses of emotions, an inner raging fire and a violent, blinding lightning. The giant would like to be again the strong, scary giant he was when alive but he realizes that he’s not dreaming and that his current condition is everlasting. In a world crowded with thieves and scoundrels, where injustice reigns, there are too many fake giants that live on the shoulders of other people, too many coward giants hiding their feet of clay and too many crimes committed in the name of God and there’s no one who can save him, no one who can set his legs free, his legs crushed by pride and arrogance. As rage and hope fade out the rhythm calms down and the atmosphere becomes even darker... The giant feels little and helpless as he desperately looks around for help. The music and vocals express anguish and fear and there are some narrative vocals in Latin evoking Cerberus and the eternal pain of hell... Then the rhythm rises again as the giant warns you that nobody can escape from the divine judgement, but from his mouth what comes out is only a terrible rage. A masterful interpretation!
Next comes “Manfredi (Purgatorio III)”, an excellent suite divided into four parts and inspired by the character of Manfred, King of Sicily. The first part, “La forza del guerriero” (The strength of the warrior) conjures up in music and words the blue eyes and proud look of the warrior who was led to defeat by his ambition. Great is the injury on his face and many are the sins he committed during his life but in his heart there’s room for kindness and humility. His rage melts as hope creeps in and his pain fades out as hate disappears from his tormented soul... On the second part, “Il tempo del destino” (Time of destiny), the voice of Tony Tartarini goes from description to empathy and begins playing the role of Manfredi. His heart beats the rhythm of destiny and slowly that rhythm turns into the sound of the paces leading him to the meeting with history and death, mercy and repentance... The third part, “Terra rossa” (Red soil) is more aggressive and depicts the last battle of the warrior who can still remember the soil drenched in blood, the smell of death, the echoes of the fighting. Then the warrior turns his look to the poet and gives him a message for his daughter... The last part, “Un mondo tra noi due” (A world between us), calm and melodic, reveals the content of the message with all the love of a father for his daughter, the regrets for the time he spent away from her and the asking for a prayer...
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| Cherry Five, 2015 |
Next comes “Manfredi (Purgatorio III)”, an excellent suite divided into four parts and inspired by the character of Manfred, King of Sicily. The first part, “La forza del guerriero” (The strength of the warrior) conjures up in music and words the blue eyes and proud look of the warrior who was led to defeat by his ambition. Great is the injury on his face and many are the sins he committed during his life but in his heart there’s room for kindness and humility. His rage melts as hope creeps in and his pain fades out as hate disappears from his tormented soul... On the second part, “Il tempo del destino” (Time of destiny), the voice of Tony Tartarini goes from description to empathy and begins playing the role of Manfredi. His heart beats the rhythm of destiny and slowly that rhythm turns into the sound of the paces leading him to the meeting with history and death, mercy and repentance... The third part, “Terra rossa” (Red soil) is more aggressive and depicts the last battle of the warrior who can still remember the soil drenched in blood, the smell of death, the echoes of the fighting. Then the warrior turns his look to the poet and gives him a message for his daughter... The last part, “Un mondo tra noi due” (A world between us), calm and melodic, reveals the content of the message with all the love of a father for his daughter, the regrets for the time he spent away from her and the asking for a prayer...
The last track, “Dentro la cerchia antica (Paradiso XVI)” (Within the old city walls), was inspired by the meeting between Dante and his ancestor Cacciaguida. It starts by a medieval flavour evoking a pastoral, celestial landscape. Then rhythm rises while music and words deliver a heartfelt ranting against moral decadence and lack of justice, greediness and prevarication, corruption and richness. What can save us is the constant search for justice and truth in a merciless fight against evil. It’s better to stop for a while and reflect, trying to find again the right sense of a humanity that’s getting lost on account of its thirst of luxury and power... Eventually, a short reprise of the first track closes the circle and ends the album.
On the whole, an excellent work! By the way, I had the chance to see the band performing it live and the show was really good as well...
You can listen to the complete album HERE
Cherry Five: Il pozzo dei giganti (2015). Other opinions:
Michael “Aussie-Byrd-Brother”: Released on the heavy Italian specialists Black Widow label, housed in gorgeous dark artwork (no-one does the mix of erotic and infernal quite like Daniela Ventrone), this vinyl-length return is a fine way to not only get reacquainted with Cherry Five, but witness the birth of a brand new version of the band with so much to offer. With ‘Il Pozzo dei Giganti’ they’ve delivered a confident, intelligent and lavish work that will equally appeal to vintage and modern RPI listeners, up there with the best Italian releases of 2015 from both modern and established older acts. Hopefully the band is inspired to continue on with more new works in the near future and we won’t have to wait another forty years for a follow-up!... (Read the complete review HERE)
More info:
You can listen to the complete album HERE
Cherry Five: Il pozzo dei giganti (2015). Other opinions:
Michael “Aussie-Byrd-Brother”: Released on the heavy Italian specialists Black Widow label, housed in gorgeous dark artwork (no-one does the mix of erotic and infernal quite like Daniela Ventrone), this vinyl-length return is a fine way to not only get reacquainted with Cherry Five, but witness the birth of a brand new version of the band with so much to offer. With ‘Il Pozzo dei Giganti’ they’ve delivered a confident, intelligent and lavish work that will equally appeal to vintage and modern RPI listeners, up there with the best Italian releases of 2015 from both modern and established older acts. Hopefully the band is inspired to continue on with more new works in the near future and we won’t have to wait another forty years for a follow-up!... (Read the complete review HERE)
More info:
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