AFTER THE STORM

Delirium during the early Seventies released three very interesting albums before split up. After many years of silence and thanks to Pino Di Santo’s initiative, in 2003 the band came back to life with a new line-up featuring veterans Pino Di Santo (drums), Ettore Vigo (keyboards) and Martin Grice (flute and sax) along with two new members, Fabio Chighini (bass) and Roberto Solinas (guitars). They rearranged the old stuff for some live performances and in 2006 they recorded a live album, “Vibrazioni Notturne”. In 2009 they finally released a brand new album with original material for the independent label Black Widow, “Il nome del vento” (The name of the wind), a concept album featuring lyrics by Mauro La Luce. Some guest musicians and a string quartet helped enrich the sound and the result is excellent.

The album opens with the reprise of “Dio del silenzio” (God of the Silence), a short, amazing acoustic ballad from “Delirium III: Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo”. From the sound of a storm delicately soar flute and vocals... “In a moment of eternity / I’m the blaze without mercy / My body is made of nothing but wind / Bright is the moon in sapphire waters...”.

The opener is just a short intro leading to the beautiful, intense title track, sung by another of Delirium’s original members, Mimmo Di Martino and featuring the female vocals of Sophya Baccini. “What is the name of the wind which is drying me? / I don’t know...”. The lyrics are hermetic, they don’t tell a story but suggest evocative images... Everyone could pass through a metaphorical storm in their life that can provoke a dramatic change making you feel as a castaway carried away by the sea, towards shipwreck....

“Verso il naufragio” (Towards shipwreck), is an instrumental where George Martin’s “Theme One” is revisited and incorporated in an original track featuring perfectly balanced sax and piano passages... Next comes the calm, dreamy “L’acquario delle stelle” (The aquarium of the stars). It was originally written by Martin Grice to celebrate the birth of his first grandson to whom it is dedicated. After the shipwreck an atoll rises from the blue sea where you can land and shelter yourself surrounded by harmony... It’s your island where no one can stop your dreams and your brain loses itself. Then, one day you stand up again in the sand with a new dream: to change!

“Luci lontane” (Distant lights) begins with piano and vocals and a touching sax in the background... Rafts set off towards the unknown, even without golden sails but they set out and sail on towards distant lights... Well, when you feel lost, when you feel as if you were sailing without a compass, when you feel useless like a prophet without prophecies... Heed you heart and don’t lose hope! “Only the baby that’s in my soul / Has got in his hands my future / Truth can blossom again and erase the face of falsity / Giving life to dignity and smashing down dishonesty...”. “Profeta senza profezie” (Prophet without prophecies) is sung by former Museo Rosenbach’s singer Stefano “Lupo” Galifi and it’s definitely more bluesy and optimistic...

“Ogni storia” (Every story) opens with the cry of a baby, then a bass line and a sax lead you “on the dark side of your mood”... “Children like to end every story / Saying it was just a dream... / Or was it reality? / You know that the saddest lies / Are the ones we tell ourselves / Don’t dive into the dark!”. The beautiful voice of Sophya Baccini here contributes to building the right atmosphere.

“Note di tempesta” (Notes of storm) is an excellent jazz rock instrumental introduced by strings and leading to the long, complex “Dopo il vento” (After the wind). When the wind has blown nothing is as before, even inside your soul... “The storm has saved only what it is really worthwhile / Only your truth / Don’t waste it, ever! / Let the light lead you from now on....”. Evocative echoes of Brazil are perfectly blended with jazz and symphonic rock...

“Cuore sacro” (Sacred heart) is introduced by flute, then sudden changes in atmosphere alternate to celebrate the sacredness of the heart that defeated the storm... The final track “L’aurora boreale” (Aurora borealis) is a beautiful instrumental that closes an amazing album. At the end of the track you can recognize the theme of “Dio del silenzio” that opened the album inviting you to listen to this work again and again...

From the book Rock Progressivo Italiano: An introduction to Italian Progressive Rock

You can listen to the complete album HERE

Delirium: Il nome del vento (2009). Other opinions:
Jim Russell: The album "Il Nome del Vento" (which if my awful translations skills are accurate would be "The Name of the Wind") is a skillfully blended and thoroughly fulfilling combination of sophisticated symphonic progressive rock and jazz-rock excursion. I have heard many attempts by today's decent high-profile bands at capturing something this ambitious, and even when the results are mostly good there can be some sections that make me wince a bit for reasons of either poor composition or iffy production/performance. You will find none of these kinds of bush league mistakes on Il Nome, this album is flawlessly executed. Carefully considered compositions, painstakingly perfect production, and immaculate performance from top to bottom... (read the complete review HERE)