La
Maschera di Cera are an Italian prog band based in Genoa that came to
life in 2001 on the initiative of bassist and multi instrumentalist
Fabio Zuffanti. The line-up on “LuxAde”, their third album, also
features Agostino Macor (keyboards), Alessandro Corvaglia (vocals,
acoustic guitar), Andrea Monetti (flute, sax) and Maurizio Di Tollo
(drums). The album was released in 2006 for the independent label
Immaginifica and was produced by PFM drummer Franz Di Cioccio. Well,
all La Maschera di Cera’s albums are absolutely worth listening to
and “LuxAde”, a conceptual work based on the contrast between
light and dark as metaphors of good (Lux) and evil (Ade), is my
favourite one so far. The sound of the band is deeply rooted in the
seventies and the influences of bands as Banco del Mutuo Soccorso or
Le Orme are clear, nonetheless they do not lack originality managing
to add a personal and up to date touch to vintage sounds with
excellent results.
The
opener “Porta del cielo” (Heaven’s door) is just a short
delicate instrumental introduction for piano solo that leads to
“Doppia immagine” (Double image), a complex track describing the
urge to leave a dark reality of mirrors and false images and to look
for the light and a better way of life. The music features swirling
flutes and a jazzy sax solo and there are many changes in rhythm and
mood that seem to underline how winding and difficult a spiritual
path towards enlightenment might be. “I’m looking for the dawn
inside my heart / I’m walking on a rope... I’m still living among
the mirages of my dreams / I don’t want to keep on walking on the
same steps / I’m wasting every moment of my life...”.
“Un
senso all’impossibile” (A sense to the impossible) is a long,
complex track in two parts. The first part, “Teatro di follia”
(Theatre of madness), begins softly and features acoustic guitar and
delicate flute lines. An introspective quest for light and truth
could make you lose touch with reality and drive you insane. Blinded
by the light and by your desire to fly away like Icarus you risk
falling... “When the wind blows further to the North / Towards
white and pale auroras / This earth will slowly melt into a mirage,
like Atlantis... The horizon broke the border of my world / Closed
and still / In a trip, theatre of madness / I was giving a sense to
the impossible...”. Pounding bass lines coming out from the fading
sound of the blowing wind introduces the second part of the track,
“Il ricordo” (The Remembrance), then soaring swirling flute notes
come in and the rhythm takes off. Here the music might recall BMS,
featuring wild keyboard waves and passionate vocals. Holy passions
and vain dreams of glory drive your flight to nowhere and once you
have realized that, a feeling of rage rises, then rage gives way to
an infinite tiredness... “I run after planets and faint versions of
God / But now, all that I was running after is vanishing in the wind
/ And my soul is tired to start again from zero / To breathe again /
To burn again / To fly again...”.
“Orpheus”
is a track full of energy featuring a particular dark, bitter-sweet
mood. When you lose contact with reality you also risk losing the
people you love. Losing love can lead to losing hope... “I look at
your face and I can’t find it anymore / I can’t hear your voice /
I feel the abyss that is here and I want to take you with me...”.
The title was inspired by a character of ancient Greek mythology. You
can imagine travelling down to the underworld to take back what you
have lost, as Orpheus did to save his dead lover Eurydice, but you
know that it would be useless... “I’m not dreaming anymore / I
chose to go far beyond / Thousands of errors with me... I’m not
looking for the truth anymore / If you are sinking with me...”.
“Nuova luce” (New light) is a complex track in four parts, “Passato” (Past), “Sogno” (Dream), “Presente” (Present) and “Realtà” (Reality). The music features sudden changes in mood and some interesting classical hints. Once you have found a new light you could realize that, all in all, it’s not better than the one you left... “Over there, lost forever / Melted into the dark / This consumed new light will vanish / Other colours / Different reality...”. The end of this track reminds me of Lucio Battisti and evokes some other “thoughts and words”...
“Nuova luce” (New light) is a complex track in four parts, “Passato” (Past), “Sogno” (Dream), “Presente” (Present) and “Realtà” (Reality). The music features sudden changes in mood and some interesting classical hints. Once you have found a new light you could realize that, all in all, it’s not better than the one you left... “Over there, lost forever / Melted into the dark / This consumed new light will vanish / Other colours / Different reality...”. The end of this track reminds me of Lucio Battisti and evokes some other “thoughts and words”...
Next
comes the wonderful suite in nine parts “Enciclica 1168”, the
“plat de résistance” of this work. It tells the story, set in
the Middle Ages, of a monk obsessed by his faith in God. The first
part “Scena I: Preludio (gennaio 17)” describes an abbey and the
troubled monk. The abbey is surrounded by a village whose inhabitants
don’t care for the “holy hand of God” and live in sin, getting
drunk and creating barriers between what belongs to earth and the
holy thoughts due to God. In the following scenes the music and words
describe the monk killing a blasphemous man, pushed by the vision of
a cross of light. Once the crime has been discovered the inhabitants
of the village try to track the monk down but he transforms himself
into a gigantic wasp with angel wings to exterminate the sinful
people wiping them out from the earth... “A blade of light / Was
all they needed / To melt the wax of its flight...”. The perfect
interaction between all the members of the band help create a Gothic
atmosphere where the evil side of religious power is depicted as in a
psychedelic dream.
The last track, the colourful instrumental “Schema (v.s.d.)” is a perfect conclusion for an amazing album. Dark and light have many nuances and I’m sure you’ll discover a new one every time you listen to this brilliant work...
The last track, the colourful instrumental “Schema (v.s.d.)” is a perfect conclusion for an amazing album. Dark and light have many nuances and I’m sure you’ll discover a new one every time you listen to this brilliant work...
From the book Rock Progressivo Italiano: An introduction to Italian Progressive Rock
You can listen to the complete album in streaming HERE
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