Labirinto
di Specchi (the name means maze of mirrors) came to life in Chiusi,
in the province of Siena, in 2005 with the ambitious aim to blend
progressive rock with other forms of art such as poetry, painting and
philosophy. After some years of hard work, in 2009 the band started
the recording sessions of their début album, “Hanblecheya”,
with a line up featuring Raffaele Crezzini (drums, percussion),
Gabriele Marroni (guitars), Filippo Menconi (bass), Andrea Valerio
(piano, lead synth) and Diego Samo (keyboards, synth) plus two
special guests: former Pholas Dactylus' front-man Paolo Carelli
(vocals) and Michele Sanchini (cello). The album was released in 2010
on the independent label Lizard Records and the result is an
interesting mix of vintage sounds, post rock and psychedelia.
According to the band, the title “Hanblecheya” is taken
from a Native American language and means “crying the vision”. As
you can guess, this is a conceptual work where the music and lyrics
try to conjure up powerful, evocative visions. While listening to the
music you can see flowers of light and hidden shadows as in a dream
while forgotten thoughts and free emotions come back from your
unconscious.
The
opener “Eclissi Pt. 1 – L’occhio e la maschera” (Eclipse Pt.1
– The eye and the mask) sets a mystic atmosphere and Paolo
Carelli's narrative vocals draw the image of a mysterious mask that
slowly begins to hide the sun and the moon unchaining a timeless
madness without any logic. Phenomena triggered by an uncontrollable
reality begin to take shape... On the following “La maschera della
visione” (The mask of vision) whipping synth waves announce a
change and your mind, filled with desire, starts to run towards the
unknown and tries to seize it... “The conscience is silent and
soars / The visionary mask becomes alive / The hidden truth
unfolds...”.
“Fantasia”
(Imagination) is a long, spectacular ride into the unknown where you
could find yourself wandering in beautiful, hidden places and getting
lost in wonderful dreams. Next comes the dark, disquieting “Nel
nulla etereo soggiogato dall’ignoto la mente si espande” (In the
ethereal void, subjugated by the unknown, the mind spreads out) where
dreams seem to turn into nightmares. The narrative vocals and the
obstinate percussive patterns evoke an ancestral spirituality and
American Western plains and fights between the native people and the
blue soldiers... “I've walked, I've seen, I've run... I've heard
sounds that no one had ever heard before... I've seen enormous
butterflies and spiders dancing with snakes and cormorants... I've
seen my body lying in the dust just before entering into the hut of
sweat...”.
On
the tense, nervous “Purpurea” (Purple) deep red colours prevail
while the music and lyrics conjure up a subtle sense of fear. Then
the chains of conscience melt and you can perceive the energy of
life, you are filled with this energy and you miss it in the same
time. Then comes the long, complex “Foll(i)a” (Madness/Crowd)
where the tight rope of equilibrium is shaken and madness spreads all
around. Threatening, ever changing clouds run across the sky, you can
feel that everything is trembling around you and everything gets
blurred while strange sounds strike hidden keys in your mind.
 |
| Labrinto di Specchi 2010 |
The
conclusive “Eclissi Pt. 2 – La genesi” (Eclipse Pt. 2 – The
genesis) closes the circle. There's a new burst of energy then the
spiritual, cathartic experience comes to an end and slowly the sun
rise again from behind the mask of vision. Well, on the whole I think
that this is a really good album and that it's worth listening to!
Labirinto
di Specchi: Hanblecheya (2010). Other opinions:
Raffaella
Benvenuto-Berry: Firmly anchored to the Italian progressive
tradition by its keen sense of melody and the rivetingly dramatic
tone of Paolo Carelli’s narration, yet unafraid to experiment with
more radical musical directions, and skilled in combining the
acoustic, the electric and the electronic component (though at times
the slashing, whistling presence of synths can become a tad
overwhelming), Labirinto Di Specchi are a band that adventurous
listeners would do well to check out... (read the complete review
HERE)
Olav
Martin Bjørnsen: As
tantalizing and intriguing as Labirinto Di Specchi's exploits are,
they won't appeal to everyone. If you have a taste for electronic and
acoustic instrument interactions you will have an advantage, but
apart from that, those who generally appreciate ambient, dream-laden
music just as much as textured post rock excursions and
futuristic-sounding psychedelic music should all have a fairly good
chance of enjoying this album. Progressive rock for an eclectic mind
of a rather particular nature, one might say... (read
the complete review HERE)
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