HOLY TRIBE

Tribal Domestic is a studio album that was released by historic Roman band Il Rovescio della Medaglia in 2016 on the Cramps - Sony Music label with a line up featuring founder member and main composer Enzo Vita (guitar) along with John Macaluso (drums), Cristiano Micalizzi (drums), Gianluca Catalani (drums), Fernando Petry (bass), Nalle Pahlsson (bass), Rino Amato (keyboards), Vivien Lalu (synth), Chris Catena (vocals), Pino Ballarini (vocals), Jannes Stark (guitar) and the Orchestra Filarmonica Calabrese directed by Alexander Frey. This work mainly comes from the initiative of Enzo Vita, as can be guessed from the art cover where he’s portrayed in the forefront with is guitar ready for action while in the background you can see many gears and wheels turning to support him. It marks the return of Il Rovescio della Medaglia to the complex structures of the band’s heyday after the disappointing pop rock oriented 2011 album Microstorie...

The opener “Tribal Domestic Suite” is a long, complex piece divided into nine parts respectively subtitled “Le note degli idoli” (The idol’s notes), “Tributo agli dei” (Tribute to the gods), “Raduno dei vecchi” (Gathering of the old men), “L’ultimo dei sogni” (The last of dreams), “La notizia” (The news), “Il diario” (The diary), “Simbiosi” (Symbiosis), “La chiave inglese” (The wrench) and “Il crepuscolo delle illusioni” (The twilight of illusions). In my opinion, it’s an excellent piece, composed by Enzo Vita and arranged with the help of Rino Amato, where the guitarist and his group of rock musicians perfectly interact with the orchestra. The music flows without drops in tension as the lyrics, well interpreted by Chris Catena, conjure up images halfway between a confused stream of consciousness and divertissement. Shocking, alarming articles about a world where solidarity and freedom crumble provoking rash reactions, the sad reflections of a man on the brink of a personal crises leading to madness, the search for balance and the refuge in an inner-self able to create its own world, regret and bewilderment and finally the image of a man running barefoot in the evening without the tools to fix up his life...

“L’origine” (The origin) is another beautiful track where orchestra and rock instruments interact. The mysterious incipit sets the atmosphere, then the music and lyrics take us on inner journey to the origin of life. Birth is a big bang for everyone, it’s the moment of the perception of the whole, a truth we progressively forget giving names to things and identities to persons...

On the instrumental “Mutazione X” (Mutation X) Enzo Vita’s guitar is in the forefront and takes the listener on a fiery ride through the hard rocks of Sodom and Gomorrah and to the atmospheres of Il Rovescio della Medaglia 1971 debut album, La bibbia, although with an updated sound. Then it’s the turn “La sacra eternità” (The holy eternity) explicitly inspired by La bibbia, in particular by its last two tracks, “Il giudizio” (Judgement day) and Il diluvio (The flood). Here, introduced by a dark marching beat and a hint of liturgical choir, the music and lyrics describe the protagonist’s soul entering the afterlife where it joins the whole, beyond good and evil. It’s a place where there’s no one to judge, no measure or need to invent anything, here come those who have the dignity of looking straight in the face their own oblivion, beyond the sky and the sea, because the eternity is holy...

“L’apocalisse” (The apocalypse) is the only track featuring the vocals of Il Rovescio della Medaglia old singer Pino Ballarini. It’s an ironic piece that blends hard rock, classical influences and a touch of operetta evoking a daily, raging apocalypse in a world where media confusion rules. In a story containing many other stories, restlessness carries away the protagonist, on the wings of madness, towards a place where he can enjoy a panoramic view on his memories and regrets... Last comes the sparkling instrumental “Proclama II” (Proclamation II) that concludes the album with a lively beat and electric guitar fireworks.

On the whole, an excellent work that marks a rediscovered creativity for Enzo Vita and his new and old companions.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info: 

https://www.facebook.com/ilrovesciodellamedaglia/ 

FROM RELIGION TO PHILOSOPHY

Io come io is the second album by Roman band Il Rovescio della Medaglia and was released in 1972 on the RCA label with a consolidated line up featuring Enzo Vita (guitar), Stefano Urso (bass), Gino Campoli (drums) and Pino Ballarini (vocals, flute). It’s another concept album in a hard rock style that in some way confirms qualities and flaws of its predecessor, La bibbia. The music is full of energy but the overall sound quality reflects the hurried recording sessions and an approximative production. To explain the concept, the liner notes quote some lines from German philosopher Hegel... “In philosophy the determinations of knowledge are considered not unilaterally, only as determinations of things, but together with the knowledge to which they refer, at least together with things; i.e. they are taken not merely as objective determinations, but also as subjective determinations, or rather as determinate species of the mutual relation of subject and object...”. However, do not worry! Despite the ambitious liner notes and the subject matter (an introspective quest for Truth), the lyrics are not abstruse nor pretentious and Hegel’s thought here is filtered and interpreted very loosely and with a particular hippy style point of view...

The opener “Io” (I) starts by the sound of gong, then drums and electric guitar set a tense atmosphere. The music and lyrics evoke strange visions. Things and people, places and feelings come through the mist of time, something is coming closer. It’s the memory of a past experience, a shadow. It’s a man who once taught to the protagonist the secrets of life, he was old then but now he’s much younger than the protagonist himself. It’s like in a strange dream where the protagonist has to face the thought of life and death, he has yet to understand how beautiful life is and he trembles because he can’t understand what death really means... “You say that everything I said to you is true / But I’m scared when you say you don’t know how good it is to die!”...

“Fenomeno” (Phenomenon) is a long track divided into two parts respectively subtitled “Proiezione” (Projection) and “Rappresentazione” (Representation). It begins by a strummed acoustic guitar pattern broken by heavy electric guitar riffs and a choir that could recall Il Balletto di Bronzo’s Ys. The music and lyrics conjure up the image of the protagonist lost on a mysterious road, wandering in a thousand directions without a clue, desperately trying to understand what’s false or true. The world around him is empty, amorphous and lifeless, in the morning there’s no sun, in the evening there’s no moon. After a calm middle section, suddenly the rhythm rises. The protagonist can see a light and someone calls him, a door opens for him... “Time, space, now I no longer live / Am I the real me?”...

The cathartic “Non io” (Not I) opens the second side of the original LP. It begins with a delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio and soaring flute notes, the atmosphere is peaceful and dreamy. The music and lyrics depicts the new awareness of the protagonist who can see his past days unfold behind him. Now he hates money and reflects about the true values of life such as the love of a mother for her children. Naked, barefoot, the protagonists wants to go where the sky ends and the sea begins in search for ideals that can’t fade away over time like beauty or richness... “I still want to go on my way, where the sky joins the sea / Leaving alone behind me that man who has no truth...”.

The last track, “Io come io” (I as I), is divided into two parts subtitled “Divenire” (Becoming) and “Logica” (Logic) and marks the achievement of the inner journey of the protagonist. He’s found the light and the light is burning in him like a sun that will never die. The positive energy of the long instrumental coda describes the power of Truth and self-awareness...

On the whole, an interesting concept and a good work.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

Il Rovescio della Medaglia: Io come io (1972). Other opinions:
Tarcisio Moura: There are some hints of good ideas here and there, and the general notion that the musicians might be good at their instruments. The main problem is that of the production: it is so bad is hard to tell what´s really wrong here. I heard this CD as many times I could stand, just to believe it was even released with such a poor sound. Hard to tell if they would come up with something really interesting had they got a better studio or producer or both, but certainly it could not be worse... (read the complete review HERE).

 

In 2020 vocalist Pino Ballarini announced the release of a new work entitled Io=Io 2020 featuring the re-recording of the whole album from 1972 with some new tracks to complete the concept and some re-recorded tracks from Il Rovescio della Medaglia’s albums La Bibbia and Contaminazione. So far, all we know is the cover, the line up, the track list and there’s a video promo. Not the album yet... I’m looking forward to listen to it!

 

More info: 

https://www.facebook.com/PinoBallariniOfficial 

A NEW CONTAMINATION

Contaminazione 2.0 is a live album by Il Rovescio della Medaglia that was released in 2020 on the independent Jolly Roger Records label. It captures a very particular performance of the band with a line up featuring Enzo Vita (guitar), Pino Polistina (guitar, backing vocals), Nicola Costanti (piano, keyboards, vocals), Carmelo J. Arena (synth, Hammond, vocals), Andrea Castelli (bass) and Andrea Bruni (drums). In fact, the album was recorded at Abbey of Saint Galgano in Chiusdino, Siena on September 11, 2018 with the help of a string quartet formed by Federico Galieni (violin), Francesco Gemo (violin), Emanuele Guadagni (viola) and Katie Bruni (cello) plus the special guests Vittorio De Scalzi (flute) and Marco Fusi (Scottish hornpipes). As you can guess from title and the art work by Carmelo J. Arena and Piera Arena, it’s all centred on Il Rovescio della Medaglia’s 1973 album composed with Maestro Luis Enriquez Bacalov, Contaminazione...

The location of the concert is surrounded by a magic aura. The Abbey of Saint Galgano was a Cistercian Monastery whose construction began in 1220 around the site of the former hermitage of the saint, in the valley of the river Merse, between the towns of Chiusdino and Monticiano, in the province of Siena, Tuscany. It’s a place full of mysticism and spirituality, despite having been deconsecrated since 1789 (the first year of the French Revolution), and is related to the Arthurian cycle of the Sword in the Stone. In fact, nearby lies the hermitage of Monte Siepi where, according to legend, Saint Galgano retired to life as a hermit in 1170 and, as a symbol of peace, stuck his sword into the rock, where it is still today. The roofless walls of the Gothic style 13th-century Abbey church still stand and it’s exactly inside those walls that the stage was set...

Contaminazione, a concept album telling the story of a mad musician who think to be the heir of Bach, was conceived for rock group and orchestra and it’s not easy to play it live. For this concert the band re-arranged and played the whole work without the orchestra and in a “rockier” but effective way, with amazing harmony vocals and the classical touch of the string quartet. The sound quality is perfect and all the musicians involved showcase great technique and passion. The result is astounding and, in my opinion, this live album should be considered a good complement to the original one...

As bonus tracks, on the Cd were included three other pieces taken from Il Rovescio della Medaglia’s debut album, La bibbia, that were recorded on May 5, 2019 during a concert in Barberino Tavarnelle, near Florence.

Overall, a great document of the band’s vitality on stage.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/ilrovesciodellamedaglia/ 

 

FIFTY YEARS AFTER

Fifty years after Il Rovescio della Medaglia’s debut album, La bibbia, the band’s founder member, guitarist and main composer Enzo Vita gathered around him a group of talented musicians and completely re-arranged and re-recorded it with the new line up featuring, along with the leader, also Marco Pisaneschi (drums), Davide Pepi (guitars, backing vocals), Nicola Costanti (keyboards, lead vocals) and Nicola Castelli (bass) plus the guest Caterina Costanti (flute). The new album, entitled La bibbia 50th Anniversary, was released in 2021 on the independent Jolly Roger Records label and stems from the work of accomplished, experienced musicians familiar with up to date recording techniques while the debut album was the fruit of the passion of young inexperienced youth. If compared with the original old LP it sounds far better and gives new life to compositions that were filled with enthusiasm but penalized by the hurried recording sessions and an approximative production...

The instrumental opener “Nothingness (Il nulla)” is shorter and completely different from the original from 1971 (in fact it’s credited to new guitarist Davide Pepi). It’s an atmospheric, spacey track that leads to “La creazione” (The Creation) where you can appreciate the great keyboards work and creative drumming that reshape this piece about the creation of World, Man and Woman as told in the Genesis. The sound is richer, clearer and more refined than on the 1971 album. The new vocalist is perfectly up to the task, as in the following “L’ammonimento” (The warning), a piece dealing with the powerful reaction of God against the claims of the Devil...

Il Rovescio della Medaglia 2021

The instrumental “Sodoma X Y” takes the place of the old “Sodoma e Gomorra” re-elaborating the old piece representing the busy, ruthless contemporary civilization. The new version adds colours and spacey flavours while maintaining the same raging energy. Then it’s the turn of the brilliant rendition of “Il giudizio” (Judgement Day), a piece where the music and words depict Man waiting for the sentence of God on his final day on Earth. The last track, “The Great Flood (Il diluvio)”, is a brand new piece (credited to Nicola Costanti) that replaces the original finale. It ends the album with a dark, gloomy atmosphere evoked by the church-like organ in the forefront while the English lyrics describe a great deluge and the waters sweeping away the Evil from the world...

The CD version of the album is completed by three bonus tracks, “The Creation”, “The Warning” and “Judgement Day”, alternative versions of “La creazione”, “L’ammonimento” and “Il giudizio” sung in English.

On the whole, an excellent work.

You can listen to the album HERE

Il Rovescio della Medaglia: La bibbia 50th Anniversary (2021). Other opinions:
Henry Schneider: Bombastic, aggressive Italian prog rock with inspired guitar solos, rich Hammond organ runs, and emotive singing abound. Having never heard the original, I have no baseline for comparison. Suffice it to say, if you are a fan of 70s Italian prog rock, you will not be disappointed... (read the complete review HERE)

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/ilrovesciodellamedaglia/ 

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

Il Rovescio della Medaglia came to life in Rome in 1970 from the ashes of a beat group called I Lombrichi. After a good live activity and some time spent in the rehearsal room honing their skills, in 1971 they released an interesting debut album, entitled La bibbia, on the RCA label with a line up featuring Enzo Vita (guitar), Stefano Urso (bass), Gino Campoli (drums) and Pino Ballarini (vocals, flute) who replaced their first singer Gianni Mereu. It was recorded live in the studio in just a few days and, as you can guess from the title, it’s a concept album inspired by some passages of the Old Testament. It’s mainly an instrumental work in a hard rock style inspired by the likes of Jimi Hendrix or Led Zeppelin with some touches of beat. The art cover was inspired by the name of the band that means “The Reverse of the Medal”...

 

The opener, “Il nulla” (Nothingness), is an instrumental piece that grows slowly, with experimental sounds trying to evoke the primordial chaos... It leads to “La creazione” (The creation) where powerful electric guitar riffs backed by a steady rhythm section and hieratic vocals evoke the explosive energy of the creative work of God as told in the bible. Six days to make light, sun and stars, green meadows, animals and eventually Man and Woman to whom God gave Freedom, Love and Peace, the greatest gift. On the seventh day the maker lay down and rested... Here the rhythm slackens and wordless vocals lead to a fiery electric guitar solo before another soft passage and a final surge that introduces the last track of the first side of the original LP, “L’ammonimento” (The warning), describing in music and words the wrath of God and His holy foot trampling and crushing the Devil’s head.

The second side of the LP opens with the instrumental “Sodoma e Gomorra” (Sodom and Gomorrah) that starts by alternating drum rolls and electric guitar solos, then the rhythm takes speed for a wild, frenzied ride through a decadent world... Next comes the long epic “Il giudizio” (Judgement Day) that begins by a dark marching beat and a mysterious atmosphere. The music and lyrics depict the final trial of Man in front of God. Past and present of humankind are going to be judged while Man stands up crying, waiting for the verdict. Man can’t come back, he has stolen, hatred, betrayed, and murdered and now the sentence is granted... The final instrumental track, “Il diluvio” (The flood) is just noise evoking the terrible consequences of Man behaviour.

On the whole, a good album despite the raw sound quality.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

Il Rovescio della Medaglia: La bibbia (1971). Other opinions:
Linus Wikström: In the end there's no reason to DISLIKE this record if you're in it for face-melting guitar bonanza with the odd bits and pieces of, let's call it 'sound expansion'. But fact remains that what I enjoyed the most was the always highly emotional and unapologetic Italian vocals... (read the complete review HERE)

DREAMING OF BACH

Il Rovescio della Medaglia were one of the many bands of the Italian prog scene of the early seventies. They were from Rome and after two albums in hard rock style, “La bibbia” and “Io come io”, in 1973 they collaborated with composer Luis Enriquez Bacalov and lyricist Sergio Bardotti for a third album in a more symphonic style. The result was a very particular concept album blending classical music and rock entitled “Contaminazione di alcune idee di certi preludi e fughe del Clavicembalo ben temperato di J.S. Bach” (Blend of some ideas from some preludes and fugues from the well-tempered clavier by J.S. Bach). The line-up on this album features Enzo Vita (guitars), Stefano Urso (bass), Gino Campoli (drums), Pino Ballarini (vocals, flute) and Franco di Sabbatini (keyboards) while in studio the band interacted with a baroque orchestra directed by the Maestro Luis Enriquez Bacalov himself with excellent results.

Il Rovescio della Medaglia 1971

The album tells the story of an imaginary character, a Scottish guitarist called Jim McCluskin who, back from a journey in Nepal, believes he is the “avatar” (the incarnation) of another imaginary character, a Scottish musician called Isaia Somerset, supposedly an illegitimate son of Johann Sebastian Bach who abandoned him during his stay in Britain. The guitarist is hospitalized in a psychiatric structure where he is haunted by his crazy musical dreams. The plot is ironic, all the tracks are linked together and the music flows continuously drawing a kind of well crafted “divertissement”.

Enzo Vita in the seventies

The opener, “Absent For This Consumed World” is a short instrumental introduction that leads with a drum roll to the ethereal, melancholic “Ora non ricordo più” (Now I can’t remember). “Now I can’t remember what kind of music I used to play / I saw white and I fell over / It’s the image of an image... I run after my music / My music is running forward, away from me / As dark never touches light / Where time comes to life and immediately dies / She is there and she’s waiting for me / She is calling me...”.

Next comes “Il suono del silenzio” (The sound of silence). Don’t worry, it’s not a cover of Simon & Garfunkel but an experimental track where classical passages of harpsichord, organ and violin are mixed with a vibrant, pulsating rhythm section. In the mind of the protagonist a question arises... “Maybe, am I the son of Bach?”.

“Mi sono svegliato e... Ho chiuso gli occhi” (I woke up and... I shut my eyes) tells of a sad awakening... “Why am I here? Why did they shut me here? Because for them I’m like a strange child...”. From a lullaby a desperate electric guitar solo in Jimi Hendrix style takes off... The protagonist wants to go back to the world of dreams... “I woke up this morning and... / I shut my eyes...”. Well, dreams can definitely be better than reality...

The short, frenzied “Lei sei tu: lei” (She is you: she) depicts a troubled dream where the music becomes a beautiful woman inviting the protagonist to follow her in another world where she is waiting. Next comes “La mia musica” (My music), a sweet, romantic love song dedicated to the charming woman that incarnates music... “She is there... And in the light of thought even the faintest souvenir becomes clear / I run after her when she runs away / To have her one more time... Sing on the roof / And I’ll call you swallow / Sing on the bank / And I’ll call you sea / I can hear thousands of voices / They sing the secrets hidden in the soul / They sing the thoughts of a free spirit / It’s for me that they are singing / It’s for you... Now she is here / Now she is mine...”.

The mad rock guitarist now believes he is Isaia Somerset, the illegitimate son of Bach and on “Johann” the contamination of styles is perfect. The interaction between rock band and baroque orchestra is absolutely brilliant... “Johann Sebastian Bach had twenty-one children / He loved twenty of them / But one was abandoned in Scotland...”.

“Scotland Machine” blends classical music and rock with Celtic echoes... When the protagonist awakes he’s driven into cell number 503 that now is free and all for him... “Cella 503” (Cell 503) is an instrumental where we find a particular Spanish flavour mixed with baroque music, then a rock part precedes a closing section featuring a powerful organ solo. Then comes “Contaminazione 1760”, another short instrumental featuring only flutes.

“Alzo un muro elettrico” is one of the best tracks on this work, where you can find tasteful reminiscences of Brazil... “I build an electric wall / A sky of organs is opening / She is there / Now I’m again myself...”. “Sweet Suite” begins with a church-like organ, then a short reprise of “Alzo un muro elettrico” follows... “Now I’m again myself!”. The fiery, passionate instrumental “La grande fuga” (The great fugue) is a perfect “gran finale” for this amazing album.

An English version of this album was also released for the international market, but I prefer the Italian one. A must have for every prog lover!

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

Read the interview with Enzo Vita at progarchives. Click HERE

More info:

http://www.ilrovesciodellamedaglia.it/ 

POP-ROCK CONTAMINATIONS

Il Rovescio della Medaglia began life in 1971 in Rome on the initiative of guitarist Enzo Vita. After two albums in hard rock style, “La bibbia” and “Io come io”, in 1973 they collaborated with composer Luis Enriquez Bacalov and lyricist Sergio Bardotti for a third album in symphonic style with the interaction of a real orchestra, “Contaminazione” that is usually considered their best one. The band was famous for its live performances but the members had to give up for economical reasons and the experience came to an end in the mid seventies. Enzo Vita tried to start again in the nineties with a new line up and a new musical direction but the results were very disappointing and another long pause followed.




In 2011 Il Rovescio della Medaglia came back with a new album, “Microstorie”. Well, in fact there’s no reunion. Today Il Rovescio della Medaglia is mainly the brainchild of Enzo Vita who set up a brand new project under the old name gathering around him some experienced musicians such as vocalist Roberto Tiranti (from Labyrinth), bassists Gianni Colajacomo (former member of BMS) and Pippo Matino and drummers Cristiano Micalizzi, Daniele Pomo (from RanestRane) and Luca Trolli. On winds we find Sandro Deidda, Roberto Ciminelli, Roberto Schiano and Claudio Corvini while on strings there are Marcello Sirignano, Prisca Amori, Adriana Ester Gallo and Giuseppe Tortora. The result of the recording sessions is an album that most of the old the fans will find difficult to appreciate I fear. The approach is more direct than in the past, there are no long suites or complex tracks but twelve songs featuring an interesting pop rock sound that every now and again could recall Santana’s recent works.

Well, the overall sound is lighter than in the past works of Il Rovescio della Medaglia but it’s never banal. All the tracks are well crafted and the guitar playing of the leader is always brilliant. According to an interview with Enzo Vita, every track here represents a meeting. Some are meetings with feelings others with books, politics, religion, friendship and music. The lyrics describe the way he got involved in these meetings and Roberto Tiranti’s heartfelt vocals interpret them in a convincing way. A man who wants to see what’s behind his mask, a star dancing over the chaos, old lovers and troubled dreams, frenzied people who go nowhere as if they were on a treadmill, pieces of history sold as souvenirs... Just twelve simple micro-stories where feelings and emotions are in the forefront and are expressed through funky rhythms, hard rock riffs, Latin atmospheres, short prog reminiscences or melodic ballads. “Have you ever tried to imitate your heart? / Your heart with its beating and you with your words...”.

Well, on the whole I have to say that I like this album, even if I don’t think it’s an essential one for a progressive-rock lover...

Il Rovescio della Medaglia: Microstorie (2011). Other opinions:

Ozzy Tom: The new material presented by re-united Il Rovescio Della Medaglia is much more mainstream oriented hard rock/pop-rock with only few heavy prog influences and even less symphonic parts. But is it completely bad? Not really... (read the complete review HERE).

Read the interview with Enzo Vita at Progarchives.com. Click HERE

More info:

http://www.ilrovesciodellamedaglia.it/

http://www.myspace.com/rovesciodellamedaglia