SUNDANCES AND HYMNS TO THE NIGHT

Tra luce e ombra (Between light and shadow) is the second album by Salentine band I Viaggi di Madeleine and was released in 2023 on the MP Records label with a line up featuring Francesco Carella (vocals, keyboards, synth bass, piano Rhodes, acoustic guitar) and Giuseppe Quarta (drums) plus the guests Marco Ancona (electric guitar), Francesco Del Prete (violin), Roberto Gagliardi (sax), Pietro Sansonetti (electric guitar), Richard Sinclair (vocals, bass) and Santi Spanna (narrative vocals). It confirms all the good qualities of their debut work with a sound drawing from seventies influences and a personal, strong emotional touch. The original art cover chosen to convey the idea of the musical content of this work was provided by OndemediE graphic studio...

The excellent opener “Migrazioni” (Migrations) is an instrumental piece that, according to the liner notes, depicts the perpetual motion of the universe. The pulsing rhythm and the hypnotic keyboards waves try to evoke migrations of people and animals, the continuous movement of waters, winds and earth, the changing of the seasons and the migration of souls and other spiritual forces from one form of life to another...

“Frequenze solari” (Solar frequencies) is a lively celebration of the power of sunlight that mixes blues with tarantella and every now and again could recall PFM. The music and lyrics conjure up a lay prayer, an invocation to the light and a kind a sun dance that makes you take off and fly on solar frequencies...

“Poker” is another good piece where wordless vocals duet and interact with the other instruments in a funny, swinging way. This piece features the contribute of the guest Richard Sinclair, former bassist and vocalist of bands such as Caravan and Hatfield And The North, who now lives in Martina Franca, Apulia...

Then the nightmarish “Bronx” describes in music and words the feelings of anguish and fear that experiences a man walking in the middle of the night in the streets of a dangerous neighbourhood. He goes on corner after corner, block after block, as if he were crossing rivers of rubbish and mud while crazy jackals chase after him in a world gone wrong where greediness, vanity and madness reign...

“L’ultima battaglia” (The last battle) is an epic instrumental track that, according to the liner notes, depicts the different stages of a timeless battle: the ritual before the clash between the two opposite armies, the attack, the battlefield scattered with the corpses of dead soldiers, the charge of the knights and a final ambush...

I Viaggi di Madeleine with Richard Sinclair, 2022

The slow, mysterious “Androgino” (Androgynous) evokes in music and words an undefined presence breaking through the veil of moral sense, crossing the limit between male and female, a joyful and coloured fantasy carried towards other worlds in the darkness, a suffering entity shaken by a storm of different forces. A blurred image of free love that comes to life from the pure desire of its own existence...

“Road Roller” is an instrumental track that, according to the liner notes, tries to tell in notes the story of a big, strong man called Road Roller who falls in love with a young, beautiful stranger he met at the fish market. The girl rejects him but he does not give up and tries to impress her by training hard in a gym. Eventually he dies for an overdose of anabolic substances...

Then “Nostalgie” (Nostalgias) closes the album: it’s a beautiful piece with the violin in the forefront that conjures up distant memories, childhood dreams, short moments of joy and vain hopes haunting the nights of an old man. According to the liner notes, this piece was inspired by the Hymns to the Night, a set of six poems written by the German Romantic poet Novalis...

On the whole, an excellent work that deserves a try.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:
https://www.facebook.com/IViaggiDiMadeleine/

SECOND ACT

Percorsi is Plurima Mundi’s second studio work (and their first full length album) and was self-released in 2017 with a renewed line up featuring Massimiliano Monopoli (electric violin), Grazia Maremonti (vocals), Massimo Bozza (bass), Silvio Silvestre (guitar), Gianmarco Franchini (drums) and Lorenzo Semeraro (piano). It maintains all the good promises of the 2009 EP entitled Atto I with its excellent mix of classical influences, progressive rock and world music...

The excellent opener “Eurasia” is a long, complex instrumental piece that starts with a drum solo part, then the sound of the violin lead us from Venice to Asia and back through the Silk Road. You can hear strong classical influences with the shadow of Vivaldi looming large, but this particular journey goes through many changes in rhythm and atmosphere and all you have to do is set your imagination free and let the music drive...

The following “E mi vedrai... Per te” (And you’ll see me... For you) every now and again reminds me slightly of Opus Avantra and tells in music and words of a burning, sensual passion and of a lost love that the protagonist would like to take back. A dream that could turn to nightmare. In fact, in my opinion, the operatic, theatrical vocals of Grazia Maremonti conjure up the image of a crazy, hysterical, dangerous woman...

The disquieting “L. ...Tu per sempre” (L. ...You forever) tells of another tormented love story. The atmosphere is dark, the music is closer to Goblin’s horror soundtracks than to dreamy emotional landscapes. Here the music and lyrics evoke a love that burns like a raging fire in the heart of the protagonist, but her lover is missing. She runs to the border of the night, her lover now is like a haunting ghost with an icy look. The wind is blowing, time passes by but in the darkness the memory of a lost summer dream shines on...

“Male interiore (La mia età)” (Inner disease - My age) starts softly, by an acoustic guitar arpeggio, the atmosphere is hypnotic and tense. The hermetic lyrics and operatic vocals express the need to open your heart to the universe and follow the rhythm of its notes while the music takes rough trails with sudden accelerations and unexpected turnarounds... Then a shortened version of “L. ...Tu per sempre” closes the album.

On the whole, an interesting work that is really worth listening to.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

Plurima Mundi: Percorsi (2017). Other opinions:

Steven Reid: Clocking in at just over forty minutes (including the bonus track), the first full effort from Plurima Mundi may not be the longest album you'll encounter this year and yet with not a second wasted in its running time, it may well be one of the most interesting you'll come across. The songs are tightly constructed and varied, while the violin and vocals always keep similar underlying themes in play. As with their previous release, there's little doubt that a band emanating from the US or the UK would never have conjured up what Plurima Mundi do. Something that, with so many outfits working towards similar goals, is a real breath of fresh air... (read the complete review HERE)

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/plurimaOfficial 

FIRST ACT

Plurima Mundi came to life in Taranto in 2004 on the initiative of classical violinist and composer Massimiliano Monopoli with the aim of blending progressive, jazz, rock, swing, blues, funky, world and classical music to give form to something challenging and new. In 2009 the band self-released an interesting debut EP entitled Atto I with a line up featuring Massimiliano Monopoli (violin), Grazia Maremonti (vocals), Massimo Bozza (bass), Vincenzo Zecca (guitar), Pierfrancesco Caramia (drums) and Francesco Pagliarulo (piano) plus the guest Lino Vairetti (vocals on one track - from Osanna). The overall sound is rich and varied, the musicianship and compositional skills of the band worth noting...

The opener “Ortus confusus” is an instrumental piece that starts softly, with a dreamy atmosphere and a strong classical flavour. Then the rhythm rises for a short passage that recalls a folkish dance led by the violin that turns into a swinging jazz part with the piano in the forefront. Finally the violin returns to drive back the music in a classical world following other directions...

Next comes “Nei ricordi del tempo” (In the memories of time) that starts by a calm section veined of nostalgia. The music and lyrics evoke the memories of a lost love emerging from an inner sea of emotions, then the rhythm rises, the memories turn into a vortex and begin to dance in circles, hand in hand with time. Everything turns around like in an eternal come back...

The long, complex “Laboratorio 30” (Laboratory 30) is a dreamy piece that goes through many changes in mood and rhythm. The music and lyrics evoke new forms and colours coming to life as darkness falls down, tableaux painted in vivid colours, an illusory world of modernity and brilliant night entertainment where every novelty becomes a fatal attraction. Pictures of a vanity fair where you can get lost between temptation and deceit...

The last track, “Aria” (Air), features the guest vocalist Lino Vairetti interacting with Grazia Maremonti. The music and lyrics evoke the sense of freedom that you can experience by breathing fresh air after escaping from the prison of your daily grind. Mediterranean influences conjure up an enchanted, mysterious atmosphere as a new emotional world opens its gates and invites you to come in. The night hugs and protect you...
 

On the whole, a very good work.

 

 

Plurima Mundi: Atto I (2009). Other opinions:
Jim Russell: "Atto I" is the debut EP by the Taranto based Plurima Mundi, a new 6-piece outfit delivering lavish and elegant compositions that should thrill many RPI fans. They sound markedly different than many other current entries on the RPI scenes, different than the heavy-rock proggers, folkier entries, or those infused with metal or neo influences... This band has a feisty compositional attitude and grabs every style in the book in the search for a unique sound... and it works! Blending so many styles could be a disaster in some cases but not here... (Read the complete review HERE)

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/plurimaOfficial 

TRAVELLING SHADOWS

Hailing from Lecce, in the Salentine Peninsula, I Viaggi di Madeleine took shape in 2015 on the initiative of experienced multi-instrumentalist and composer Francesco Carella, guitarist Giuseppe Cascarano and drummer Giuseppe Quarta with the aim of playing original music in a progressive rock vein. After a hard studio work, some demos and an intense live activity on the Apulian scene, in 2019 they self-released an interesting eponymous debut album mixing melodies and complex structures with a strong emotional touch and good personality. The album features five long tracks, each one preceded by a short narrative introduction where you can hear the voices of two actors, Elena Selleri and Mauro Bux, describing in Italian and English the subject matter of the pieces while the beautiful art work by Simone Lomartire tries provide a visual description of the content of the album...

 

The title of the opener “Kamaloka” refers to a theosophical term associated with Hades of ancient Greeks and the Amenti of the Egyptians, the land of Silent Shadows. It’s a piece that starts by dark atmospheres and sounds evoking obscure shadows moving through the gates of the afterlife. At some point your eyes open and finally you can see what the world will become after passing away... Then heavy electric guitar riffs and visionary lyrics conjure up apocalyptic landscapes. You can smell the living blood of innocent souls lost underground on their way to hell while demons and witches pour down the streets of power devouring matter and swallowing vital sap. In the air thunders the echo of the diabolical thoughts of contorted minds contaminated by sinful desires as empty men are crowding a cardboard temple to pray the feared god of the dead. The music goes through many changes in rhythm and mood always maintaining a strong Gothic flavour...

The following “Contrappunti d’autunno” (Autumn counterpoints) starts by a tense instrumental section, then melancholic vocals paint shadows hanging over you like eternal sand vortexes. Your freedom slowly melts, erased by responsibilities and daily routines, your dreams fall down like autumn leaves. But sooner or later a new sun will rise, a new life bringing on new dreams to follow and new hopes. Just like autumn our civilization dries out and dies but from its ruins a seed will grow to bring on a new humanity...

 

 

The nightmarish “Gods Of Distant Worlds” is sung in English and evokes terrifying deaf creatures coming from distant worlds threatening to cancel human evolution. Heavy electric guitar riffs alternate with dark organ passages... In my opinion, this piece could be a perfect background for the reading of a H.P. Lovecraft tale from the Cthulhu Mythos!

Then it’s the turn of “Il viaggio” (The journey) that tells in music and words of a spiritual experience, a long walk leading up to a tall mountain top looking for the real essence of things, for a possible solution of your problems and a way out from an empty life... When the silence is broken you’re lost in the darkness, ready to set off on a trip without time and space through the colours of another dimension...

I Viaggi di Madaleine on stage, 2019

The last track, “Mendicante” (Beggar), is in part sung in English and in part in Italian. It’s a complex piece that tells of the come back from a time of strict discipline and firm restraint to look for the truth in the heart of men. The music and words seem freely inspired by the character of Gautama Buddha and conjure up the image of a beggar of emotions walking the streets of the world, meeting people and trying to reach the inner source of the burning flame that enlightens the mind...

On the whole, a very good work dealing with transcendental and spiritual issues in an original, personal way. 

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/IViaggiDiMadeleine/ 

RELICS

Hora Prima are a young band from Bari that came to life in 2015, inspired by vintage sounds and artists such as Genesis, PFM, New Trolls, EL&P, Area, Yes, King Crimson or Rush. After a long, hard work, in 2020 they digitally self-released an excellent debut album entitled L’uomo delle genti (The man of people) with a line up featuring Francesco Bux (drums, vocals), Domenico De Zio (guitar), Roberto Gomes (keyboards, vocals), Gianluca De Bene (guitar) and Valeria Tritto (bass). During the recording sessions they were helped by the guests Rossella Bifulco (flute, backing vocals) and Gabriella Altomare (violin) while Giovanni Boccuzzi, historic member of bands such as Festa Mobile and Baricentro, contributed to the lyrics for this conceptual work inspired by the life and deeds of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of Bari. In 2021 the CD edition was released on the independent label Ma.Ra.Cash Records with a colourful booklet including the illustrations by Francesco Bux...

 

The short instrumental opener “1087” sets the atmosphere with its solemn and dramatic pace taking you back in time. In 1087 Italian sailors stole the remains of Saint Nicholas from Myra, a city fallen into the hands of the Saracens, and took them to Bari... The following “Il folle miraggio” (The crazy mirage) begins by the sound of the waves and a delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio... The music and words conjure up the image of a ship sailing across the Mediterranean sea, in the middle of the night, and evokes the prayers of the sailors, their hopes and the vibrant notes of their songs. Eventually the sun rises... The description of the rest of the story is up to the music and to your imagination! Anyway, the bold expedition was successful and increased the saint’s popularity...

Nicholas was known for his generosity and kindness. He was reputed to have given marriage dowries to three girls whom poverty would otherwise have forced them to become prostitutes... “Le mie figlie” (My daughters) depicts this good deed of the saint through the eyes of the girls’ father. The piece starts softly, with a melancholic mood. We can hear the father complaining about his sad fate and about the dreams of his little daughters that are going to turn into a life shame and pain because of poverty, then the rhythm rises and the middle section conjure up the image of Saint Nicholas coming out of the blue, riding his horse in a night of prayer under the moonlight. The saint gives to the unfortunate father three bags of gold and then melts back into the darkness... On the last part the rhythm calms down but the atmosphere is more relaxed. The dreams of the little girls and the hopes of their father can bloom again... 

Hora Prima 2020

“La locanda nella notte” (The inn in the night) tells about another miracle of Saint Nicholas. The saint is reputed to have brought back to life three children who had been chopped up by an evil innkeeper who wanted to serve them as hot food for his customers... The piece starts by a dark, almost Gothic atmosphere as the music and lyrics conjure up the image of a gloomy inn in a rainy night. The saint enters and sees the vicious smile of the innkeeper, then theatrical vocals describe the attitude of the evil man. A woman enters carrying a plate and in the room a vivid feeling of horror falls down. When the saint makes the sign of the cross in a vortex of new sap three hearts begin to beat again. The three unfortunate children come back to life with the purest smile on their faces...
 

“La nostra festa” (Our celebration) starts by a lively pace and a cheerful atmosphere, then the rhythm slackens as the music and words describe the spirit of a heartfelt celebration with its rites and miracles. In fact, a great religious folk festival is held every year in Bari to commemorate the arrival of Saint Nicholas’ relics on May 9, 1087. Many thousands of people from all over the world come every year for the festivities which begin on the morning of May 7th. There’s a procession on the sea and a parade in 11th century costume... Nowadays as in the past faithful tears fall on the flowers of may when the statue of the saint passes by carried on the shoulders of the faithfuls. The last track, “U Sand nèste” (Our Saint), is sung in the dialect of Bari and takes over the festive atmosphere of the previous piece. It’s a kind of hymn dedicated to the saint and closes the album with a touch of colour and a strong Mediterranean flavour.

On the whole, an excellent debut work in the best tradition of Italian progressive rock.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/horaprimaband/ 

THE SOUL GATE

 Alice’s Mirror were formed in 2016 in Ruvo di Puglia, a town in the province of Bari, with the aim of playing a personal kind of progressive rock merging influences from the past and modern sounds. After some time spent in composing original pieces and refining them playing gigs on the local scene, in 2018 the band released an interesting debut album entitled Through The Mirror on the independent label Hydra Music with a line up featuring Fulvio Bucci (vocals, bass), Eduardo Bucci (organ, piano, keyboards), Walter Antonio Lanotte (guitars, bouzouki, lap steel) and Michele Di Modugno (drums, pad). The album artwork by Francesco Pio Marcone reflects the musical content and in the pics you can find in the booklet you can also appreciate all the attention that the musicians pay to the visual aspect of their music, influenced by the novel of Lewis Carroll and the colourful, animated film by Walt Disney. According to the band, the mirror reflects what we are and it could be seen as a gate to enter the soul of a musician while Alice – the protagonist of a journey through a surreal, crazy world – represents a metaphor of the musical research of the band... 

 

 

The dreamy instrumental opener “Fake communication #1” starts softly by a spacey atmosphere and ends with an excerpt from the 1981 Italian comedy-drama film Sweet Dreams directed by Nanni Moretti where you can hear Nanni Moretti’s enraged voice repeat “I do not speak about things I don’t know!”. It’s the introduction to “Fake Communication” a committed, heartfelt reflection about the negative effects of social media on our way to communicate where words become just noise and too many people seem to speak up without anything to say, prisoners of the likes on their chats... 

 

 

An excerpt from the Italian version of Alice In Wonderland, the 1951 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions introduces the excellent instrumental piece “Alice's Dance” that blends echoes from the seventies and nervous heavy passages with electric guitar and organ in the forefront. It leads to “Ronin”, a kind of elegy for a lost friend that begins by a delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio and a dreamy piano pattern. The mood is melancholic as the music and words depict pale clouds in a still sky and blossoming flowers in the fields... The springtime landscape is the sad set for the last goodbye to a wandering warrior, a samurai without lord nor land... This track features the backing vocals of the Corale Polifonica “Rubis Canto” directed by Maestro Nicola Bucci.
 

A short excerpt from a documentary about Johann Sebastian Bach that stigmatizes the bad temper of the famous composer introduces “Bachtown”, a sparkling exercise of style where the musicians showcase their talent and great musicianship blending rock and classical music, from Bach to Mozart and his Turkish March from the Piano Sonata in A Major n. 11...

 

 

“Merigold” is a nice folksy piece that deals with the issue of emigration. You have to face a problematic choice, are you really sure you’ll be happier if you leave behind and forget your homeland and roots to search for a better place where to live and make money? Is this the life you really want? All that glitters is not always gold... 

 

 

Two instrumental tracks close the album, the nervous “Jump The Step” and the long, dreamy “Arabian Carpet”, sprinkled with Oriental flavours and touches of psychedelia to conjure up a strong sense of mystery and where aggressive electric guitar riffs alternate with softer, acoustic passages. 

 

On the whole, a very good album although I think that it’s a pity that the band did not exploit more their mother language for lyrics and vocals. 

 

You can listen to the complete album HERE

 

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/alicesmirrorband/ 

VIVID DREAMS

 Exedra came to life in Taranto in 2005 on the initiative of Giuseppe Prete and Andrea Rapisardo with the aim of mixing classic prog from the seventies with modern sounds and prog metal. After some line up changes and many years of hard work, in 2012 they self-produced and self-released an interesting debut album entitled Apeiron with a line up featuring Giuseppe Prete (vocals, acoustic guitars), Marco Memmola (piano, keyboards), Luca Orlando (bass), Simone Basile (guitars) and Andrea Rapisardo (drums). It’s a complex conceptual work about the eternal cycle of life (birth – death – rebirth) and the title refers to an Ancient Greek word meaning boundless or infinite. The art work by Giusppe Prete tries to give an idea of the subject matter...

The powerful opener “Fenice” (Phoenix) describes in music and words the need to recover from the misfortunes of life. The title refers to the mythical bird that cyclically regenerates by arising from its ashes that here is just a metaphor to tell about a stubborn will to overcome difficulties. Rage might flow like lava burning down your hopes but pride keeps you alive and for every broken dream you’ll rise again from the extinguished fire. Never surrender!

The reflective “Siddharta” starts softly, then the music and lyrics conjure up a surreal landscape out of time. Like Siddharta you sit on the banks of an eternal river that carries away questions about the meaning of life and troubles. Some calm passages could recall Pink Floyd... Then it’s the turn of the dreamy “Crisalide” (Chrysalis) that describes the impulse to fly higher, following your dreams, like a butterfly that rises from a chrysalis of tears.

The long, evocative “Venga il tuo regno” (Thy Kingdom Come) is a suite divided into five parts: “Sogni vividi” (Vivid dreams), “In un attimo” (In a while), “Macerie” (Ruins), “Siamo noi” (It’s us) and “Verso il sole” (Towards the sun). It tells of dreams, virtual reality, false truths preached through the media in a crumbling world falling down because of man’s greediness, error after error, horror after horror... What’s the matter? Where is God? You need to reach the bottom of the ravine to climb up again...

Exedra 2011

The melancholic, reflective “Siamo qui” (Here we are) with its cutting lights and inner darkness fades into the following “Come il vento” (Like the wind), a nervous piece about the ravages of time on human nature, then the long title track closes the album. “Apeiron” is a complex suite divided into seven parts: “Overture”, “Intorno a me” (Around me), “Le ali della farfalla” (The wings of the butterfly), Naufragio (Wreck), “Oceano di realtà” (Ocean of Reality), “Samsara” and “Io vivrò” (I will live). The music and lyrics unfold going through many changes of atmosphere and mood following the dark shadows of an unavoidable fate, in search for a hidden harmony lost between order and disorder, trying to escape an inner wreck in an ocean of doubts where hazard and destiny play among the many threads of reality… 

On the whole, a good work even if the concept, to be honest, is not always clear. Have a try!

You can listen to the complet album HERE

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/Exedra-110098393668/

DROPS OF ABSINTHE

Think Tank were formed in Bari in 2015 by Lino Paglionico (vocals), Fabio Prota (keyboards), Gennaro Piepoli (guitar, vocals), Davide Vacca (bass) and Gese Marsico (drums). According to the band, their influences range from seventies progressive rock to the more modern sound of artists such as Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree. In 2017 they self-released an interesting eponymous EP featuring a nice art work by Arianna Operamolla and five original pieces sung in English with a strong leaning  towards AOR. 

The opener “Joe The Joiner” is a lively, sarcastic piece about a bigot man and his unfaithful wife, Mary. The theatrical vocals feature the collaboration of the guest female singer Rossella Antonacci who plays the role of the cheating woman. Then comes the funky “Dreary Anxious”, a track that tries to open a window of hope in an idle present made of pills and needles. It shows that the best antidote against depression is love...

Next comes the reflective, melodic “Serendipity”, a calm, dreamy piece that draws a line between past and future and tries to drive you through a world where all the dreams are made of sand and stones… The light, short “Fool You Are” and the dark, ironic “The Dark Inside The Fool” close the album with some good shots of tonic energy.

Think Tank on stage

Well, Lino Paglionico and Fabio Prota were both members of another band called Assenzio that in 2005 released an excellent album entitled ‘Avon. For this new project they chose to sing in English but in my opinion it’s a pity that they didn’t exploit more their mother language… Maybe next time!

You can listen to the complete EP HERE

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/thinktankmusiconline

RED AND YELLOW

Giallo! - One Suite For The Murderer is a compilation of pieces inspired by Profondo Rosso (Deep Red), a seminal thriller directed in 1975 by Dario Argento featuring a famous soundtrack by Goblin. It was released in 2008 on the independent French label Musea Records in collaboration with the Finnish Colossus. Some talented Italian artists were recruited to interpret with their own music and lyrics the scenes and the characters of the film, creating something new while paying in the same time a due tribute to Dario Argento's work, one of the best known Italian Gialli. In fact, "giallo" is an Italian word that means "yellow" but that also defines a genre of literature and film named after the colour of the cover background of a series of cheap paperback mystery novels... All the artists involved in this project showed a great respect for the film that inspired it and for its mood. Anyway, if you are not familiar with it, do not worry: the rich booklet with its nice artwork and the extended liner notes will make you understand what the music is about.

The opener is a short instrumental track, "Frammento Rosso / Intro", that sets the atmosphere. Composer and keyboardist Alfio Costa (from Prowlers, Tilion, Daal) here plays Grand piano and Minimoog with great effectiveness conveying a strong sense of mystery and tension...

Then comes the first suite, "Visions of Helga" by Dark Session. Dark Session is mainly the brainchild of composer and multi-instrumentalist Flavio Costa (from Tilion) who, with the help of his brother Alfio (keyboards) and Hamadi Trabelsi (vocals), here paints in black feelings and notes trying to explore what's behind the mind of the murderer. This piece describes the part of the film where a famous psychic, Helga Ulmann, perceives the evil presence of a serial killer during a public meeting... Through his eyes and his hands she looses her soul and her life! It's a prevalently instrumental track that, in my opinion, perfectly fits the subject matter mirroring in some way the images of the film with sounds and words.

The second suite, "Vecchi giochi" (Old Games), was provided by Leviathan, a Roman band whose roots date back to 1985. Here the line up features Fabio Amici (keyboards, Hammond), Fabio Donna (bass), Andrea Moneta (drums, electric guitar) plus the guests vocalists Pierfrancesco Drago (from Revelation and Arcadelt) and Rossella Salvucci. This piece is divided into four parts and it was inspired by the private investigations of the main character of the film, Marcus Daly. The music and the intriguing lyrics by Beatrice Pietrangeli describe this particular hunting game from the point of view of the lurking murderer rather than that of the improvised detective. So, Marcus Daly here becomes the pray. The first part, "L'avvertimento" (The warning) begins softly with organ and piano in the forefront and theatrical male vocals... The killer's house is like a piano where he composes his troubled existence, every fear is like a black and white sequence, a music from the heart that is driving him insane, he's ready to strike and he's biding his time in the dark... Thin deadly melodies soar on the second part, "L'indagine" (The investigation), delivered by the wonderful voice of Rossella Salvucci. The third part, "L'assassinio" (The murder) features a long instrumental section and the rhythm rises... Run away if you can, but beware! The killer knows where and when he can get you... The final part, "La villa" (The manor), is disquieting and darker than ever, there are some narrative vocals and a church-like choir in the background, then the music and lyrics lead you to the closed gates of mysterious, abandoned villa... A great track!

Floating State

The third suite, "Suite dall'inconscio dell'assassino" (Suite from the subconscious of the murderer), is the contribute by Floating State, an experienced band from Bari featuring Marco Esposito (vocals, classical guitar, flute), Grazia Stella (sax), Mimmo Ferri (Theremin, electric piano, organ, synthesizers), Gigi Ferri (electric guitars), Francesco Antonino (electric bass) and Beatrice Birardi (drums, percussion, vibraphone). This piece is divided into ten sections and begins where the previous track left you: in front of the gate of the mysterious manor. You can hear the gate creaking on its hinges, then the music and lyrics take you in and welcome you to a nightmare where the insane instincts of the murderer, his feelings and sensations unfurl as if they were on trial in a hazy court of justice, accused by his subconscious. There's delirium and madness, evil and mercy in this outstanding track that features also some short excerpts from "School at Night (Lullaby)", from the original soundtrack of the film.

A short, evocative instrumental track by Alfio Costa, "Mirrors / Outro", ends this excellent album where the music flows away in perfect coherence without weak moments.

Various Artists: Giallo! - One Suite For The Murderer (2008). Other opinions:

Olav Martin Bjørnsen: As with all releases in what is often referred to as The Colossus Projects, this one is also an outing that should appeal most to fans of ‘70's symphonic rock, in particular those who enjoy long and elaborate epic compositions... If you enjoy intense moods and atmospheres, and find dark emotions fascinating, this is a release that should have a good chance of providing many hours of joy... (read the complete review HERE)

More info:

Alfio and Flavio Costa:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/TILION/41111514951 

https://www.facebook.com/PROWLERSPROG 

Leviathan:

https://www.facebook.com/leviathanprog 

http://leviathanprog.altervista.org/ 

Floating State:

https://www.facebook.com/floatingstate 

A DISQUIETING TRAVELOGUE

Festa Mobile were one of the many Italian prog bands of the early seventies who disbanded soon after the release of an excellent debut album in 1973. The line-up featured Renato Baldassarri (vocals), Francesco Boccuzzi (bass, keyboards), Giovanni Boccuzzi (keyboards), Alessio Alba (guitar) and Maurizio Cobianchi (drums). The Boccuzzi brothers later formed another band called Il Baricentro, more “jazz-rock oriented”. On “Diario di viaggio della Festa Mobile” the band showcase a great musicianship although the sound quality from the recording sessions is not flawless. Festa Mobile are often compared with BMS, PFM, Le Orme and other “classic” Italian prog bands: you can find here many influences ranging from classical music to jazz, from British prog rock to Italian folklore, but the final result is original enough and it’s definitely worth listening to.

“Diario di viaggio della Festa Mobile” is a concept album where the band describes in music and words the experience of a company of comedians returning home after the celebrations in honour of the new king of a far (imaginary) country, Hon. The opener “La corte di Hon” (Hon’s court) is introduced by a dizzy piano pattern, then a frenzied rhythm section and vocals come in... The lyrics depict the atmosphere of false joy put up by the oppressive power of the new king... “Hon’s celebration lasts hundred days / For a hundred days the sun won’t set / Hon sits on his throne / The moving feast lives on / It seems a celebration of love / But it’s just a false mask... Peace seems to rule / But it’s war that rules... It seemed a celebration of love / But it was a celebration of death...”.

On the second track “Canto” (Song), the comedians end their performance in honour of Hon singing a song inspired by their extraordinary travelling experience and by the contrast between an ideal world full of love and peace and the cruel reality... “I sing the colours of time and the rhythm of the wind / That are living in me... I sing the story of happy people living in ingenuity... I sing the future I dream / A new day that’s lost and will never come...”. The rhythm is complex and fiery while the vocals depict a dream that turns into a nightmare...

On the third track “Aristea” the mood is more relaxed, almost mystic. After the celebration, our “heros” are on the way home. They stop to rest in a mysterious abbey where the great priestess Aristea silently looks at their hands and reveals them a prophecy... “You will go there / Where the sun doesn’t shine / Where men do not know happiness...”. So they become aware that freedom is in danger even in their homeland. Well, you can feel almost a sense of impending doom at the end of the track when a “nervous” rhythm section comes in...

The fourth track is about despair and mercy. “Ljalja” tells about the meeting with a young girl crying in a country ravaged by war. She was still clasping her dead son in her hands, she was still a child but without a future... “Then slowly she smiled / She couldn’t speak anymore...”.

Festa Mobile

The long, complex last track “Ritorno” (Return) tells of the return and of the fear that the protagonists feel since they are aware that what they have seen during their journey could happen in their homeland too... It’s like waking up with a nightmare still hanging on: “We were travelling back to home / And the souvenirs in our minds seemed made of stone / Red stone from the innocent’s blood / People who died in the name of their truth / Martyrs of Hon and of the dream of a new reality / Under a different sky we’re looking at home again... Where sooner or later Hon will come / With the rules of the strongest...”. 

From Rock Progressivo Italiano: an introduction to Italian Progressive Rock

 

MEDITERRANEAN ENERGY

Abash are an Italian band from Puglia that was formed in 1998. Looking for their own musical identity, they tried to blend African obsessive tribal rhythms and Oriental melodies with Italian traditional folklore (especially the music from Salento) and rock. The result is a very particular and atypical “Mediterranean progressive rock”. “Madri senza terra” (Mothers without land) is their third album and was released in 2006 on the independent label “Il Manifesto” with a line-up featuring Anna Rita Luceri (vocals), Maurilio Gigante (bass, vocals), Daniele Stefano (guitars), Luciano Toma (piano, keyboards), Paolo Colazzo (drums) and Luciano Treggiari (percussion, flute, teremin). It’s a really mature, interesting album, with good artwork and a paper sleeve package... It’s a kind of concept album where the character of “the mother” becomes a metaphor for love, peace, land, roots, tradition... On the cover are printed the following words: “The roots, the land, the mothers / It’s there the spirit, the truer and deeper way of living / Pure instinct, perennial love, blood and sweat / Music from the heart without borders...”.

Abash on stage

The opener “Intro (Madri senza terra)” is a short track that features only an evocative melody, sung without words by Anna Rita Luceri in a way that reminds me of Noa, and an “exotic” narrative part that leads to the “heavier” “Niuru te core” (Dark heart) where you can appreciate the contrast between the aggressive guitar parts and more relaxed moments, between the raw vocals of Maurilio Gigante and the beautiful melodic voice of Anna Rita Luceri singing the “poetry of a red sunset / red like blood... ”. The lyrics, in dialect, are about parents’ love for their children in a hard, dark world.

“Salentu e Africa” was the title track of Abash’s first self-produced album and this is a new powerful version... Here every now and again the voice of Anna Rita Luceri reminds me of Teresa De Sio while the song has a strong “ethnic flavour” with Mediterranean rhythms and “Plato and Marrakech” inside the heart. The words and music invite you to “jump and beat on the drum...”.

“Madri” (Mothers) is one of my favourite tracks on this album... The beautiful voice of Anna Rita sings “I’m your strength, your spirit, your memory, your coherence / I’m your mother, your root, your shelter, your comforter... With my voice I sing a war anthem to the world / That does not listen to me and dies / Swept away by the waves...”. In the beginning the melody reminds me a little bit of Mecano’s “Hijo de la luna” but then the music develops in an original way and the band showcase a great musicianship with keyboards and guitars in the forefront.

“La corsa di Assan” (Assan’s escape) is about an African boy running away from his land animated by a “thirst for hope and justice”. Tribal rhythms and evocative keyboard passages here are intertwined with a sweet lullaby giving the image of a desperate dream... “Here I am / Flying over the sea / Like a black angel / With outspread wings / Over your cities and your dirty miseries / I will blow my wrath / I’m the black power / Africa won’t lend its hand anymore / And my dream will be a land / Saved by the cry of God...”.

“Canto alle nuvole” (Song to the clouds) is a song of universal love and hope, hope that “poetry and love will change the world”. On an evocative musical carpet the voice of Anna Rita sings “I will be the music for your song to the clouds / Fire that melts the snow-fields / With words that nobody will never listen to anymore...”.

“Oltre” (Beyond) is delicate and sweet, featuring good harmony vocals inviting you to listen to the dreams and the silences of the night... “Beyond this moment, elsewhere / Beyond the mountains, beyond the heart... Beyond my destiny, to the East / Beyond my colours, beyond my mind...”.

“Otranto 14 agosto 1480” is another great track with strong traditional influences... The lyrics, in dialect, are about an attack of the Saracen pirates against the city of Otranto in 1484 and the music tries to describe it... “I can see some ships coming from the East / I can see faces painted black...”.

“Maràn Athà” (Come, Lord Jesus) features a delicate guitar arpeggio and flute... “From the scream and the cry of History / My praise shall rise up to Thee...”. The lyrics are an Aramaic prayer. Excellent the instrumental finale...

“Non gridate più” (Do not scream anymore) was inspired by “Il dolore”, a poem by Giuseppe Ungaretti. It’s a mix of modern sounds, heavy rhythms and dreamy vocal passages... “Stop killing the dead! Do not scream anymore, do not shout if you want to listen to them / If you hope to avoid death!...”.

  

“Scale fino al cielo” (Stairs to the sky) is another great song of peace and hope with a strong Oriental flavour featuring a good “heavy” guitar work... “Please, Mother Earth, cradle all the songs that were born from freedom...”.

On the whole “Madri senza terra” is a very good album, without really weak moments. Abash are not stuck in the past and their personal way to blend progressive rock and ethnic influences is very interesting... By the way, the album was re-released by the independent label Immaginifica in 2010 with a different art cover. Do not miss it, this work is a must have if you want to experience something musically fresh, full of poetry and an amazing female voice.

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

Abash: Madri senza terra (2006). Other opinions:

Tarcisio B. Moura: A great promise in the already strong italian prog scene. Very original and still very familiar. Great tunes and nice perfomances... (read the complete review HERE)

Henri Strik: This album contains a mixture of prog metal and Arabian and African musical influences. It has been done in a perfect way and I loved it at once... As far as I’m concerned Abash deserve international acclaim. Their music has many characteristics that might appeal to many people especially those with an open mind who like prog rock and are willing to listen to new, not quite common attributes in the genre... (read the complete review HERE)

More info:

http://www.abash.it

http://www.myspace.com/abashband

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Abash/38769493814

DEADLY SINS

ASSENZIO is prog band from Bari that began life in 2004. The line up features Gigi Lorusso (guitar), Emanuele Manzo (bass), Lino Paglionico (vocals and flute), Fabio Prota (keyboards) and Cristiano Valente (drums). Their influences range from classic Italian progressive rock bands such as PFM, BMS and Area to newer and heavier acts. Assenzio’s debut album, the self-produced “’Avon”, was released in 2005 and is an interesting conceptual work inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins. Although it was completely recorded and mixed in the band’s home studio, the sound quality is very good and it’s really worth listening to...

Assenzio



The opener “Antitesi” (Antithesis) begins softly and introduces the “concept”. Acoustic guitar and flute set a dreamy atmosphere where in a distorted reality vices and virtues are fighting against each other... “I dare fancying inside of me a world full of innocent perversities / I build with my mind an ageless place... An unfair and charming antithesis of opposite egos is attracting me...”. You can listen to this track and legally download it for free, just click HERE. 

“Primo cherubino” (First Cherub), deals with Pride. It starts with a percussive and dark beating, then the electric guitar starts pulsing too... The music flows with many changes in rhythm while the voice of the singer draws the image of a vain king, a king of the night who comes to life at dusk like a vampire with the look of Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever... “I live only for the night / I die and arise only for those who look no one but me / My light shines high and irradiates my majesty like a lighthouse... You despise my vanity, subdued by your lack of qualities... My hegemony is absolute, it has no limits / I’m your king!”. You can listen to this track and legally download it for free from HERE.

Next comes “Beni Shahih”, a track about Greed. The incipit is powerful and full of energy, then the rhythm begins to swing while the vocals interpret a strange character who cuddles his little shining and clinking creatures... Try to think to Scrooge McDuck swimming across his money or to Gollum madly dancing on the edge of the abyss holding “His Precious” ring... “I want everything for me / I do not have anyone anymore / I hold tight to my chest my treasure / It’s like a soft pillow for me / It’s only mine and I want more...”. The greedy character hates other people, they are like threatening dark enemies who judge his words and his actions, he feels their inquisitive eyes upon him...  “Eyes that look at me / Eyes that stare at me / Eyes that judge me / Eyes that hate me... Leave me alone!”. Well, a great theatrical interpretation! You can listen to this track and legally download it for free. Click HERE.

“Passione e vizio” (Passion and vice) is about Lust. A piano solo sets the atmosphere... Imagine a man lying in an opulent ocean of shining gold, surrounded by wonderful women, indifferent to what happens outside his “shell”... “Passion and vice rule with overwhelming force the senses never saturated with lust / You are surrounded by the most charming creatures on Earth who delight your senses / You have fun without worrying about the storm...”. The music is complex and features every now and again spicy Oriental atmospheres and a peculiar guitar Latin sound à la Santana... You can listen to this track and legally download it for free from HERE.

“Tempesta” (Storm) is about Wrath. It starts with some aggressive electric guitar riffs and pulsing bass lines... “A red sky is burning tormented by rage / The threatening wind of resentment blows / The clouds on the horizon relish the duel... The roar of the storm spreads / The thunder and lightning break out from the sky... And anger can rule without mercy...”. The music and words depict wrath in a very colourful and effective way... “My eyes reflect the clouds / They are red like the sky that shouts blood... My scream explodes, it needs to resound... I seek relief in broken glasses...”. Well, an epic rage for an ordinary story of hooliganism! You can listen to this track and legally download it for free from HERE.

“Avida anima” (Greedy soul) is about Gluttony. Here the over-indulgence and over consumption of food, drink and other intoxicants is a way to fill the infinite emptiness of a weak soul, a way to compensate the lack of values that could make a man fragile and mean. On a funky rhythm the vocals interpret the languid madness of a man who changes his dreams into desires and the desires into greediness... “In every whim there’s happiness... My corrupted belly created my world... I cured the melancholy with the pleasure of the palate / And face to face with the mirror of my identity / I fill the void of my greedy soul with the frenzy of possession, with gluttony...”. You can listen to this track and legally download it for free from HERE.

“Parassita” (Parasite) is about Envy. The music goes through many changes in mood and rhythm while the lyrics compare envy to a parasite that can hide itself under your skin and can conceal its looks behind a black veil... “The hypocritical parasite smiles / Meanwhile it injects its poison / It grows slowly, hidden...”. You can’t see it, you can’t see the pain of the envious people in the background who would like take your place in limelight... “How can’t you see my pain? / Maybe am I invisible to your eyes? / You’re always there in the front, unattainable / I want to be you!”. You can listen to this track and legally download it for free from HERE

The last track “L’oppio degli ignavi” (The opium of the sloth) is about Sloth. It begins softly, after a piano introduction the vocals soar slowly... “Leaden desert, wrap me in an embrace of dynamic inertia / The nothingness is my friend, I let my life pass by...”. The music flows like the current of a raging river and leads you toward a fall. Poverty and want are lurking in the mud like a robber or an armed man while drugs addiction and escape from responsibilities drive you in the eddies of the Styx. Eventually you find yourself prisoner of your restless ego, floating aimlessly toward the vortex of oblivion... A great track and a perfect conclusion for a very good album! You can listen to this track and legally download it for free from HERE

At the moment the activity of the band is suspended and Assenzio’s members are involved in some side projects such as La Variante Chevac (Paglionico), U’Papun (Lorusso and Valente), Suoni Mudù (Lorusso and Manzo) and Mister Wilson (Prota). Gigi Lorusso is a teacher of sound recording techniques as well...

Assenzio: 'Avon (2005). Other opinions

Jim Russell: These guys rock hard although they never go into prog-metal. Hard rock, some crossover, occasional fusion, there is something for everyone... An absolute treat this work is. The downside of the self-produced work are the occasional production issues, but for the most part the sound is of a high quality... (read the complete review HERE).

Torodd Fuglesteg: The melodies are all great. My only gripe is the lack of a truly great song here which would set this album apart from the rest of the Rock Progressivo Italiano albums... (read the complete review HERE).

More info:

Assenzio:

http://www.myspace.com/assenzioprog

La Variante Chevac:

http://www.myspace.com/lavariantechevac

U’Papun:

http://www.myspace.com/upapun

Suoni Mudù:

http://www.myspace.com/suonimudu

Mister Wilson:

http://www.myspace.com/misterwilsonquartet