MAGIC AND ROSES

The Magic Park Of Dark Roses is the third album by Old Rock City Orchestra and was released in 2018 on the independent label Avanguardia Convention. In 2016 original bassist Giacomo Cocchiara left the band and the other members decided to continue as a trio. So, the line up on this work features just Cinzia Catalucci (vocals, keyboards, percussion), Raffaele Spanetta (acoustic and electric guitars, bass, vocals, additional keyboards) and Michele “Mike” Capriolo (drums, Glockenspiel, percussion) although during the recording sessions they were helped by some guests such as Laurence Cocchiara (violin) and Chiara Dragoni (flute). The atmospheres and the overall sound are darker than on their previous albums but this is due to the subject matter of the concept: a spiritual, metaphorical journey through a dystopic world drenched in esoteric symbolism and alchemical formulas... According to the liner notes, all the lyrics were inspired by some poems by Kalina Doncheva while the beautiful art work was provided by Lucy Ziniac and tries to describe the musical content with images and colours. 

The title track opens the album and lead us in a mysterious, magic park where the cold winds give way to an eternal springtime, a land out of time and space where dark roses grow, a kind of limbo that attracts everyone... Here the lyrics give us just a faint hint of the strange panorama. Organ passages, electric guitar riffs and calmer piano parts conjure up a psychedelic atmosphere and the soaring vocals of Cinzia Catalucci help us to stir the imagination and to draw a personal picture of the surreal, occult landscape…

The following “Abraxas” is a nervous track that depicts a man who has lost his way and asks for help. The title of this piece refers to a mystic word that was believed to have magical properties and was inscribed on ancient charms and amulets. The early Gnostics personified the word as their Supreme Deity and here the goddess is the one who shows the way to the magic park... Next comes the melancholic “The Fall”, a piece that describes the pain a man experiences for his broken dreams and failures at the end of his days. The music has a slow pace and strong Oriental flavours… Well, it’s a beautiful day and Bombay’s calling!

The Gothic “Visions” conjures up the image of a mysterious park in the night, full of stealing shadows and dangers. The protagonist seems like sleepwalking when suddenly the voice of a wizard shows him the way out and the light… Then the following “A Night In The Forest” tells us of another strange meeting in a dark forest, this time is the turn of a woman dressed in black who whispers to the protagonist that life is like a nightmare...

The short, frenzied “The Coachman” describes in music and words a carriage that takes the protagonist to the world of shadows. The coachman here is a kind of Charon, the mythological ferryman of Hades who carried the souls of the newly deceased across the rivers that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead... Then come the mysterious atmospheres of “A Smell Of Heart And Soul Entwined” a piece where dreams, temptations, spells and desires are evoked as in a magic ritual...

The disquieting “Thinkin’ ‘bout Fantasy” marks the meeting with a peculiar storyteller while the following “Soul Blues” is a bit lighter and tells about the importance of friendship and its healing power by describing the meeting with another mysterious character coming out of the blue. Then the beautiful instrumental “Golden Dawn” closes an album that is really worth listening to...

Even if the concept might be a bit hazy, the music is excellent and you can fill the gaps of the storyline with your own imagination. On the whole, I think that this is a very good work!

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:

https://www.oldrockcityorchestra.com/

https://www.facebook.com/oldrockcityorchestra/

DYSTOPIAN TALES

Hailing from Terni, in Umbria, Tom Shepperd’s Production began life in 2013 from the meeting of Andrea Pierini (guitar), Lorenzo Francioli (keyboards) and Marco Aurelio Ursini (drums) with Emanuele Viali (bass). Inspired by progressive bands from the past and present era, their aim was to compose original music to give form to the thoughts of an invented character, a crazy man called Tom Shepperd.

Tom Shepperd's Production on stage 2016

After a home made demo in 2013, in 2014 they self released an interesting first EP entitled A Quiet Walk In The Desert, featuring an instrumental suite divided into two parts. According to the band, it tells the journey of a boy reliving a trauma during a dream. The music starts softly, in the beginning the pace is slow… Then tension rises and many changes of rhythm and mood follow. Well, the atmosphere and the art cover remind me of a famous novel about a dark tower and a long walk in the desert of a man and a boy... There are quests and roads that lead ever onward, and all of them end in the same place – upon the killing ground. Except, perhaps, the road to the Tower. There ka might show its true face… (quote from The Gunslinger by Stephen King).

In 2017 the band self released another EP entitled Synolon – Subconscious. In my opinion, the new work marks a step forward and features two guest vocalists on one track, Thomas Soares and Weronika Bielecka. According to the band, the EP tells in music and words the first part of a tale set in a dystopic future, in a city where the inhabitants don't have the ability of feeling emotions but where something is slowly changing... 

The opener “Awakening” begins by the hypnotic ticking of an alarm clock and an ominous sound of hooters. The atmosphere is disquieting and frenzied as the metallic noise of time rumbles across the streets… The following “Looping Voices” with its marching beat and the threatening voices in the background describes a nightmarish city where blind work, separation and isolationism rule and nobody cares about each other. “Dead Dream” is calmer and depicts a dark, hopeless night. Here the music could recall Pink Floyd as in the following “The Craze” where you can listen to the voice of a rebel spirit asking for help and to back vocals that seem coming from the dark side of the moon. The last track, “The Thing”, is full of energy and increasing rage and leaves you in front of a difficult choice…

On the whole, an interesting work that deserves a try!

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/TomShepperdsProduction/

APPLES AND SNAKES

Back To Earth is the second album by Old Rock City Orchestra, a band from Orvieto that began life in 2009. It was released on the independent label M.P. & Records in 2015, three years after the promising debut entitled Once Upon A Time, and confirms all the good qualities of the previous work. The line up is still the same and features Cinzia Catalucci (vocals, keyboards), Raffaele Spanetta (guitars), Giacomo Cocchiara (bass) and Michele “Mike” Capriolo (drums). The overall sound draws on what now is called classic rock, all the tracks are played with enthusiasm and vitality, they're sprinkled with a touch of psychedelia and heartfelt melody and could recall bands such as Jefferson Airplane, Affinity or Circus 2000 without sounding out of date...

The opener "When You Pick Up An Apple From The Tree" is a nice track where the beautiful voice of Cinzia Catalucci is used just as instrument and takes you high on a light flight across a starry sky. Every now and again it reminds me of The Pentangle and is enriched by the electric violin of the guest Laurence Cocchiara that adds a baroque touch to final result. It's linked to the following "Feelin' Alive" where the atmosphere becomes darker and where the music and words depict a girl who lost her soul in a rainy night and now is overwhelmed by sorrow and desperation. She needs help, she needs someone to teach her that there's always time for the last goodbye to life and that suicide can't be a good way out from her troubles...

Old Rock City Orchestra 2015

The following "Rain On A Sunny Day" and "Mr. Shadow" are two tracks full of obscure energy where the music and lyrics evoke deadly shadows looming large on the horizon. They lead to the bitter-sweet "Melissa", a delicate, acoustic song that was inspired by the 2012 Brindisi School Bombing, a bomb attack occurred in Italy on May 19, 2012, when three gas cylinder bombs hidden in a large rubbish bin exploded in front of the Morvillo Falcone high school in Brindisi, killing Melissa Bassi, a 16-year-old girl, and injuring five other students.

Old Rock City Orchestra on stage

Then "Lady Viper" lights the fire of a nightmarish vision evoking an evil, deceiving creature prowling for money and honey. It leads to the suggestive "My Love", that describes in music and words an irresistible need, the urge to join someone or to get something so precious you can't live without it...

"Tonight, Tomorrow And Forever" is about the relativity of time and feelings and here the music and lyrics invite you to catch the day, freeing your mind and leaving behind fears and sorrow. Next comes the dreamy, reflective "Why Life" that in some way blends hope and regret, dreams and awareness of the limits that real life can draw around you. The long title track, "Back To Earth" ends the album with a melancholic mood and an ethereal stroll down memory lane that maybe the beautiful art work by Lucy Ziniac can describe better that all my words...

On the whole, a good album in black and white played on the tightrope of nostalgia but with a close look at the present.

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/oldrockcityorchestra/ 

http://www.oldrockcityorchestra.com/ 

IN NOMINE DEUS

“Deus lo vult” is the third album by Il Bacio della Medusa, a band from Perugia that was formed in 2002. It was self-released in 2012 with the help of Glare Art Communication and features a beautiful packaging with an art work by Licia Marino mixing photographs and drawings. Violinist Daniele Rinchi left the band after the excellent second album and now the line up is reduced to a quintet featuring Simone Cecchini (vocals, acoustic guitar, harp), Diego Petrini (drums, percussion, mellotron, organ), Federico Caprai (bass), Simone Brozzetti (electric guitar) and Eva Morelli (flute, sax, theremin). The overall sound is harder than in the previous work but in my opinion the music perfectly fits the storyline and the final result is magnificent. In fact, “Deus lo vult” is a concept album inspired by the first crusade where sarcasm and irony prevail upon epic tones. It tells the story of an unfortunate, naive lord from Umbria who leaves his land and wife in search for glory and richness in the Holy Land. Well, if I had to compare this work to a film I would say that it's definitely closer to Brancaleone at the Crusades by Mario Monicelli than to Kingdom of Heaven by Ridley Scott!

The short opener “Invocazione alle Muse” (Invocation to the Muses) sets the atmosphere with Simone Cecchini who here plays the role of a minstrel... “Let the wind blow strong / And as for magic / Let it suggest the song / Of the young Simplicio...”. On the following “Indignatio (Infedeli in Terra Santa)” (Indignatio – Infidels in the Holy Land) the rhythm rises while the music and lyrics weave a sense of organized delirium. This piece describes the atmosphere of mystic fanaticism and hysteria that leads to every religion war. The Earth seems to give birth to dark, venomous scorpions while infidels plunder and celebrate their pagan rites in the Holy Land. You can hear curses and invocations to the divine wrath... “Hurry up! Hurry up! / The whole Christianity has to rise and fight...”.

On “Urbano II bandisce la Prima Crociata” (Urban II summons the First Crusade) Simone Cecchini plays the role of pope Urban II blessing Godfrey of Bouillon and his army in an almost ludicrous way and there's a strong sense of parody. Next comes “Simplicio”, a beautiful ballad which describes the protagonist of the story on his way to the Holy Land and his meeting with an attractive girl who reads his hand and predicts him a gloomy future. She offers him shelter and love but our hero turns her down and rides on... “When he gave up counting so many suns and too many moons / He attained his destination...”.

“Deus lo vult” (God wills it) begins softly with exotic flavours in the air, the music here recalls the score of Lawrence of Arabia by Maurice Jarre. Then the rhythm suddenly rises and you can hear the battle raging and see the blood flowing in deep purple colours... “Shoot the arrow and run / Towards those towers... God wills it! / Beyond those gates / Death is waiting for you... God wills it...”.

“Verso casa” (On the way home) tells of a sad return. Simplicio is disappointed, for him there's no glory nor land nor richness since the leaders and the most powerful knights make the rules and for him there's nothing left but pain. So he comes back home with no booty but, at least, the hope to find again his faithful wife cheers him up. The final track reveals a nasty surprise... “La Beffa (Non un trono, non un regno... Solo sdegno)” (The prank – No throne, no kingdom... Only outrage) describes the moment when he finds out his spouse cheating on him. She's in bed with the local priest and Simplicio goes mad. In his final explosion of rage he's merciless and burns them alive... “Get ready the stake...”. Well, a real flamboyant finale!

Il Bacio della medusa : Deus lo vult (2012). Other opinions:

Raffaella Benvenuto-Berry: Besides the outstanding quality of the music, which successfully blends a vintage feel with a thoroughly modern allure, Il Bacio della Medusa should be commended for the painstaking attention devoted to the lyrics – though, unfortunately, non-speakers of Italian are bound to miss out on this aspect, as even the best translation is unlikely to convey the stylistic subtlety of Simone Cecchini’s work. In any case, Deus Lo Vult is undoubtedly poised to become one of the standout Italian prog releases of this first part of the 21st century. Especially recommended to fans of bands at the heavier end of the RPI spectrum (such as Osanna and the already-mentioned Balletto di Bronzo and Biglietto per l’Inferno), this intense slice of top-notch musical skill and exquisitely Italian drama will probably be mentioned in many “best of 2012” lists at the end of the year... (read the complete review HERE)

More info

http://www.reverbnation.com/ilbaciodellamedusa 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Il-Bacio-della-Medusa/133459493379262

COLLECTING MEMORIES

L'Estate di San Martino began life in Perugia in 1975 on the initiative of Marco Pentiricci and Giuseppe Petrazzini. In the seventies the band had no chance to release a full length album and it wasn't until 2006, after a long hiatus and many line up changes, that they managed to release their début work, “Alder”, a concept album recorded live in 1983. In 2007 the band released a second album called “Febus”, featuring old stuff from the nineties re-arranged, and, finally, in 2012 they released what is their best work so far, “Talsete di Marsantino”, on the independent label AMS/BTF. 

The current line up features Marco Pentiricci (sax, flute, acoustic guitar), Riccardo Regi (electric and acoustic guitar), Stefano Tofi (keyboards, vocoder, acoustic guitar), Massimo Baracchi (bass) and Sergio Servadio (drums) but during the recording sessions they were helped by some prestigious guests such as Steve Hackett (electric guitar), Francesco Di Giacomo (vocals) and Bernardo Lanzetti (vocals). The result in my opinion is excellent and this work is a must to have for every prog collector.

“Talsete di Marsantino” is a concept album based on a short story by Riccardo Regi that you can find in the booklet (if you can't speak Italian do not worry, in the booklet there's a translation into English as well). The protagonist of the story is an imaginary character, an archivist who in an Autumn day receives a mysterious letter containing nothing but a verb: “to pick”. The album is almost completely instrumental, there are some jazzy passages but calm, dreamy atmospheres prevail. As time is running out the protagonist has to hurry to collect memories, sounds from the past, fragments of human knowledge and dreams. What kind of link can you find between an enormous clock hidden in a mountain that chimes just one time per century, the strange fossil of a bacteria and an ancient lake in California?  

Maybe the beautiful vocals provided by Francesco Di Giacomo could give you a clue... “It will only take a time equal to eight to this last work / If standing towards North it will be East / And standing towards South it will be West...”. Is it not clear? Well, all in all it doesn't matter: just let the music draw you away! If you like bands such as Genesis, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso or Premiata Forneria Marconi I'm sure you'll enjoy this magnificent album as well.

You can watch L'Estate di San Martino on stage HERE 

L'Estate di San Martino: Talsete di Marsantino (2012). Other opinions:

Jim Russell: I would describe the composition as music that is "soaring" as if the soundtrack to footage shot from aircraft above rugged coastlines and the like. Relaxing and sometimes not gripping enough for my personal tastes, yet, there are certainly times when I would find it appealing. A well made, ambitious disc for fans of the refined progressive rock... (read the complete review HERE)

 

More info:

http://www.estatedisanmartino.it/

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

Il Bacio della Medusa come from Perugia and were formed in 2002 by Simone Cecchini (vocals, 6 & 12 acoustic guitar, mandolin, charango), Federico Caprai (bass) and Diego Petrini (drums, organ, keyboards, piano, vibraphone, percussion). Later the line up was completed by Simone Brozzetti (guitar) and Eva Morelli (flute) and in 2004 was released an eponymous debut album. “Discesa agl’inferi d’un giovane amante”, Il Bacio della Medusa's second album was recorded between 2005 and 2006 but it wasn’t released until 2008. On this album, the line-up features a new member, Daniele Rinchi (viola, violin) who joined the band in 2005 giving his contribution to the evolution of the band’s sound and song-writing, now more balanced, rich and “classically” oriented. Then, the deal with the independent label Black Widow Records gave the band the chance to work in tranquillity and the result is an excellent mix of classical influences and rock that perfectly fits the dark, poetical lyrics. Beautiful also the art cover painted, as in the eponymous debut, by one of the members of the band, Federico Caprai, who tries to describe in images and colours the mood of this work... 

“Discesa agl’inferi d’un giovane amante” (Descent to Hell of a young lover) is a concept album and the music flows away in a long suite for almost an hour without breaks with sudden changes in rhythm and atmosphere... It was inspired by the story of Paolo and Francesca, two clandestine lovers that were caught red handed and stabbed to death by Francesca’s husband (and Paolo’s brother) Gianciotto. The two characters were portrayed by the poet Dante Alighieri in his “Divina Commedia” but Dante’s poetry is only the starting point from where the band develops a very original musical and poetical journey...

The opener “Preludio: il trapasso” (Prelude: passing away) describes in music and words the moment when Paolo’s soul leaves his mortal body and begins the journey towards hell... “Look at my body / It lies bloodless on the ground... Heavy boats sail towards hell / The air is burning upon me / In the silence I’m looking for you...”. Delicate and expressive piano, flute and violin passages are the ideal background for Simone Cecchini’s passionate vocals evoking a love stronger than death and that sound even more dramatic in the following “Confessione d’un amante” (Confession of a lover). “In the crowd we’re looking for each other / But the dark is between us... Francesca I love you for this eternity / At length the light will come even into this dark caves / Let the trumpets blare / The beast is snarling upon us...”.

The instrumental “La bestia ed il delirio” (The beast and the delirium) marks a change of mood, the rhythm rises and there is room for fiery organ solos, heavy guitar riffs and “infernal dances” led by violin and flute... Then a marching beat introduces “Recitativo: è nel buio che risplendono le stelle” (Recitative: it’s in the dark that stars shine) where the voice of Simone Cecchini describes an infernal landscape with bent trees dripping blood... “The scream of the man now lies defeated on the ground / All I can do is gather my shadow / Like an old worn, smelly coat fallen down behind me... Oblivion is the cancer of knowledge... It’s in the dark that lies the magic of every light / It’s in the dark that stars shine...”.

In “Ricordi del supplizio” (Memories of the torment) a flute “à la Jethro Tull” and a mellow rock sound underline the expression of rage against the murderer... “I remember the violence of my death / His breath upon my neck...”. Then “Nostalgia, pentimento e rabbia” (Nostalgia, repentance and rage) leads to the instrumental “Sudorazione a freddo sotto il chiaro di luna”, where “the blood runs cold under the moonlight...”.

In Melancolia (Melancholy) a soaring feeling of nostalgia comes on the wings of beautiful notes of flute veined by exotic echoes... “Once I caught a prohibited apple / A bite couldn’t assuage my hunger / I drank from a springing wine source / A sip couldn’t assuage my thirst... Why on earth when I thought to love / A day like another the blade of a dagger / Led me back into the ground...”.

The last tracks are almost completely instrumental and, in a crescendo of emotions, lead to an amazing, dramatic finale for this journey towards hell of a young lover, carried away by the hot wind that benumbs his limbs... “E fu allora che dalle fiamme mi sorprese una calda brezza celeste”, “Nosce te ipsum: la bestia ringhia in noi”, “Corale per messa da requiem” and “Epilogo: conclusione della discesa agl’inferi d’un giovane amante” are the perfect conclusion for a flawless album.

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

Il Bacio della Medusa: Discesa agl’inferi d’un giovane amante (2008). Other opinions:

Jim Russell: If you love hard '70s rock and/or classic period Italian progressive this album is an absolute sure thing. Fantastic. My only worry is that I can't imagine how they're going to top themselves next time. This is music without cynicism-birthed purely with sincere motivations of pleasing the music lover. When I recognize that certain authenticity in a band it always makes it special to me. And now I undertake the mission of spreading the word about this deserving band. I'll be picking up more copies of this CD as gifts for rock loving friends... (read the complete review HERE)

Paul Fowler: I'm certainly glad to have discovered this excellent Italian band and the album is currently receiving well deserved heavy playing on my cd player and almost certain to make my top ten of 2008. One to lay back, turn out the lights and get lost in... (read the complete review HERE)

Read the interview with the band at Progarchives.com. Click HERE  

More info:

http://www.ilbaciodellamedusa.com/

http://www.myspace.com/ilbaciodellamedusa

http://www.reverbnation.com/ilbaciodellamedusa

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Il-Bacio-della-Medusa/133459493379262

PERSISTENT MEMORIES

Ornithos began life in Perugia in 1999 on the initiative of Diego Petrini and Federico Caprai. Both founder members later contribute to form another excellent band, Il Bacio della Medusa, and for some time Ornithos became just a kind of side project. So, it wasn't until 2007 that they started to work hard on a debut album that was finally released in 2012 on the independent label AMS/BTF with a line up featuring along with Diego Petrini (drums, percussion, Mellotron, organ, piano, vocals) and Federico Caprai (bass, vocals) another member of Il Bacio della Medusa, Eva Morelli (flute, sax), Antonello De Cesare (guitars, vocals), Simone Morelli (guitars) and Maria Giulia Carnevalini (vocals). The result of their efforts is a complex concept album, “La trasfigurazione” (The transfiguration), that tries to describe in music and words the cathartic path that a man has to walk to reach the highest level of his consciousness, purifying himself to live in harmony with the universe. The overall sound of the band is clearly influenced by bands such as Jethro Tull, Emerson Lake & Palmer, King Crimson and by the Italian prog masters of the seventies but there are many original ideas as well.

The concept is divided in three chapters. The first one, “Il trittico del tempo che fu” (The triptych of the past), takes you back in time for an inner trip as through a psychoanalytical session. The opener “L'orologio” (The clock) begins softly and you can hear the strikes of a clock... “Unrelenting, time passes by and everything changes... We change too...”. There are many changes in rhythm and mood, lively flute passages alternates with frenzied guitar solos drawing you in the vortex of time. The following track “La persistenza della memoria” (The persistence of memory), drives you towards obscure, invisibles cities and in such surroundings the mind loses its perspective as if it was lost in a limbo, “time and space become trivial and unreal, and echoes of a forgotten prehistoric past beat insistently upon the enthralled consciousness...” (well, this is quote from a short story by H.P. Lovecraft I was reading when listening for the first time to the album, The Tomb, from 1917). Past memories hanging on the heart of Time shine through dreamy atmospheres leading to “Somatizzando l'altare di fuoco” (Somatizing the altar of fire) that marks the beginning of a new awareness. Here Ennio Morricone comes to mind thanks to a sax solo evoking a “spaghetti western” scenario. The instrumental “Ipostasi” concludes the first chapter. It features tango and flamenco flavours and tries to describe the perpetual fight between sensuality and spirituality.

The second chapter, “Presa di coscienza del presente” (Awareness of the present) begins with the lively marching beat of the beautiful instrumental “Al torneo” (At the tournament). Fiery keyboards rides alternates with aggressive guitar solos evoking the eternal fight against false morals and media that try to manipulate your brain. The following “L'arrivo dell'orco – Fuga” (The arrival of the ogre – Fugue) is jazzier, darker. It's another excellent instrumental that tries to describe the fight of a man against discord and fear (allegorically impersonated by the character of the ogre). It leads to the dreamy “Nuvole e luce” (Clouds and light) where the clear voice of Maria Giulia Carnevalini evokes magic perfumes and bright colours. Time is sliding away, confused by sources of light. But hatred is always biding its time and the short “Ritorno al... (Reprise)”, a reprise of “Al torneo”, sounds like a warning suggesting that you can never relax and give up your fight. “Salamandra: regina di Psiche e Saggezza” (Salamander: queen of Psyche and Wisdom) concludes the second chapter with the lead vocals provided by Diego Petrini and Maria Giulia Carnevalini underlying the insecurity and uncertainty created by an inner conflict. Without pain and memory you can't understand the complexity of the world and you risk to become just like a giant of metal with the wings of a mosquito, a dummy with an arid, insensitive heart.

The last chapter “Quiete e redenzione del domani” (Quiet and redemption of the future) begins with “Nel crepuscolo” (At dusk). A drum roll and some hard guitar riffs soon give way to a calmer, dreamy passage and to some sax notes that seem glancing towards the sky. The sundown inspires reflections about a dying day while you are searching for your way that time hides. On the following track, “La notte” (The night), the rhythm rises again and shadows start dancing as witches in a black Sabbath. The wind shakes you and you have to fight your demons without regrets. The complex instrumental “L'alba del nuovo giorno” (Dawn of the new day) describes a desperate running along the path of knowledge and the rediscovery of life while the last track, “This is what we've got: the Flute Song” is sung in English and marks the palingenesis of your soul describing a kind of spiritual rebirth that makes you live in harmony with your ancestors... “In the theatre of life everything can become a tragedy... History rests chained in the past, and then reborn... And this is what we've got!”.

To be honest the lyrics are not the strength of this album and I find the concept not completely convincing. In my opinion the plot is a bit confused and your imagination has to fill all the gaps. Well, maybe the art cover by Federico Caprai describes the atmosphere of this album better than my words, anyway the music is really good and I think that this album really deserves a try! 

 

You can listen to the complete album HERE 

Ornithos: La trasfigurazione (2012). Other opinions:

Jim Russell: This is music for lovers of the craft, not product for quick consumption. An adventure with emotional highs and lows. And that is where Ornithos ties back to Medusa...both take you on adventures... (read the complete review HERE).

Raffaella Benvenuto-Berry: Eclecticism is the name of the game on La Trasfigurazione, an album that honours the golden age of Italian prog while at the same time searching for new avenues of expression... As is the case with most Italian progressive rock, La Trasfigurazione can be somewhat of an acquired taste, and definitely not for those who favour a minimalistic approach. Musically speaking, even if the album might command the controversial “retro” tag, there is also a sense of modernity in the band’s omnivorous approach which pushes Ornithos’ sound into the 21^st century. True, the album occasionally comes across as a tad overambitious when it wants to cram too many ideas into a limited running time of 56 minutes. However, this is a band that possesses talent in spades, and La Trasfigurazione will make a strong impression on lovers of everything RPI – as well as providing a fine complement to Il Bacio della Medusa’s newly released third album, Deus Lo Vult... (read the complete review HERE).

More info:

http://www.ornithos.it/

http://www.myspace.com/ornithos

http://www.facebook.com/ornithosfreeformusic

ONCE UPON A TIME

Old Rock City Orchestra began life in 2009 in Orvieto on the initiative of Cinzia Catalucci (vocals, keyboards) and Raffaele Spanetta (guitars). After some musical experiences in other bands they focused their attention on the composition of original songs inspired by progressive and psychedelic rock bands from the late sixties and early seventies. Later the line up was completed by Giacomo Cocchiara (bass) and Michele “Mike” Capriolo (drums) and, after a good live activity and a first demo recorded in 2010, in 2012 Old Rock City Orchestra released their first full-length album, “Once Upon A Time”, on the independent label M.P. & Records. The overall sound of the band draws abundantly on the influences of the past and Jefferson Airplane or Affinity come to mind but the enthusiasm of the musicians involved in this project is great and the result is a fresh album of timeless songs that in my opinion is worth listening to. Well, if you like Italian bands such as Circus 2000 or Wicked Minds have a try!



The opener “Stand Up” is a lively track where the beautiful voice of Cinzia Catalucci invites you to leave behind “bad guitars” and voices of out tune in the name of good music... “Stand up! / I'm the queen of your life / Stand up! I compel you, stand up!...”. The following “Another Flower” is a kind of dreamy walk through the “gardens of hope” where a new born flower blossoms. This track is enriched by the sound of the electric violin of the guest Laurence Cocchiara.

On “Black Hand In The Sky” the rhythm rises again. A dark cloud appears in a starry night and covers the light. It's just moment, the the wind sweeps away the black hand of darkness and the light shines again. Well, this track recalls Jefferson Airplane while the lyrics make my think of a short story by the Italian writer Dino Buzzati, “La fine del mondo”. The energetic “UFO” is in the same vein and conjures up the apocalyptic vision of a threatening starship, an iron ball coming from Mars.

“This Is The Last Day” is a heartfelt blues with a slow pace celebrating the last day of a woman with her lover. The sudden surge of energy of the middle section and the finale gives you the chance to imagine what can happen between the two lovers. Next comes “Once Upon A Time Rock'n'Roll”, a joyful tribute to the story of r&b... “I remember Molly and Lucille / Jerry, Chuck Berry and The King / Listen to them and you'll loose control...”.

“I Want To Keep On Dancing” is another good track about the magic power a music that can make you fly high. On the following “Tonight With You” Raffaele Spanetta takes charge of the lead vocals for a night ride under the rain on the swirling flute notes provided by the guest Chiara Dragoni. The sweet, dreamy ballad “Swan Of The Lake” features a string trio and concludes the album. Well, I think that this band has a good potential although in their song-writing at times they showcase a too derivative approach. I hope that in the future they will dare a bit more looking for a more original style. I'm looking forward to their next album!

More info:

http://www.oldrockcityorchestra.com/

http://www.myspace.com/oldrockcityorchestra

http://www.facebook.com/oldrockcityorchestra

CINEMATIC HETERONYMS

Vieux Carré is an Italian prog band from Spoleto (Umbria) formed by five skilled musicians with a jazz background: Alessandro Bartolucci (piano, minimoog, keyboards), Federico Barbieri (drums), Filippo Zelli (guitars), Marco Rambaldi (vocals) and Nicola Palladino (bass). The band began life in 2003 under the name Chiaroscuro and a first demo featuring four original tracks and two Genesis covers (“Firth Of Fifth” and “Musical Box”) was released. In 2005 the name of the band was changed into Vieux Carré and a first self-produced full length album was released, “Glispiriti, icorpi elementi” (although the title has an ambiguous spelling it could be translated as “the spirits, the bodies and the minds”). Well, the overall sound has been influenced by progressive bands such as Genesis, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso and PFM, but the musicians managed to add their own touch of originality writing lyrics and music inspired by literature, cinema and history.

The dreamy opener “Palingenesi” (Palingenesis) is inspired by an epic novel by Stefano D'Arrigo, Horcynus Orca, that tells the adventures of a mariner of the Italian Navy who tries to go back home in Sicily after Badoglio Proclamation on September 8, 1943.

“Greed” is an acoustic ballad and is sung in English. It was inspired by Greed, a 1924 American dramatic silent film directed by Erich von Stroheim and taken from McTeague, a novel by the American writer Frank Norris that tells the story of a couple's courtship and marriage, and their subsequent descent into poverty, violence and finally murder as the result of jealousy and avarice... “I'm dreaming Trina freaking out / In that bed of gold with her devilish ruffled hair...”.

“Palinodia” (Palinode) is an excellent track with a good piano work and classical influences. A palinode is an ode in which the writer retracts a view or sentiment expressed in earlier poems... “I'm prisoner of four bleak walls / Dusk and silence conspires / The imagine of your smiling face discolours in the complaisance of my memories...”.

“World Of Chance” is sung in English and could recall some solo works by Peter Gabriel while the lyrics depict a nightmarish atmosphere... “Sound of raging waters down below / Something tight keeps biting at my neck / I'm hanging off the edge of a wooden bridge / My feet are trembling on a shaky plank / Dozens of rifles pointing at my head...”.

“KV62” recalls some recent works by Franco Battiato and features a mystic, oriental flavour. KV 62 is the name of the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings and the lyrics tell of its discovery... “The night is still warm when the prodigy happens / The first step emerges from the sand...”.

“Concrete Rarefaction Of Freedom” could recall Genesis and Van der Graaf Generator. It's sung in English and the lyrics are inspired by science-fiction while the following “Louisiana Story” leads us in a Louisiana's bayou, on the tracks of an attractive, mysterious creole girl who makes you fancy a new beginning...

“Mellonta Tauta” is soft and melancholic. The lyrics describe in a very poetical way the feelings of a soldier sheltered in his trench. The enemies seem an army of shadows hiding in the night, an obsessive mirage that drives you crazy... The long, complex “Riconciliazione” (Reconciliation) concludes this interesting album... “Now the dream born from your hug / Sets cohesions free as if they were butterflies...”.

You can listen to the complete album. Click HERE

In 2012, after many years of work, Vieux Carré finally released a sophomore album titled “Eteronimie” (Heteronyms). The literary concept of heteronym was invented by Fernando Pessoa and refers to one or more imaginary characters created by a writer to write in different styles and in some way it describes the content of the album where you can find many different styles and characters giving life to the different tracks. In my opinion during the years the composition skills of the band have improved, this work is very rich in ideas, less derivative than the previous one and it's really worth listening to. By the way, the art cover reminds me of another independent band from Italy, Absenthia...

The complex opener “Relegazione”(Exile) is inspired by the life of the Latin poet Ovid. In 8 AD, Ovid was banished to Tomis, a city on the Black Sea now in Romania, by the exclusive intervention of the Emperor. Ovid wrote that the reason for his exile was carmen et error - “a poem and a mistake” - claiming that his crime was worse than murder, more harmful than poetry... “Beyond the walls of Time they sing my poems / Beyond moral my voice keeps on caressing your soul / Ingenio sic fuga parta meo...”.

The melancholic “Terra Nova” is inspired by the ill-fated expedition to Antarctica led by Robert Falcon Scott (the expedition was also the subject of a 1948 film directed by Charles Frend, Scott of the Antarctic). It begins softly with an acoustic guitar arpeggio... “They arrived before us / I can already see the flag with the cross of the north...”. The music and lyrics describe disappointment and dismal, the landscape is bleak and the long come back for the men of the expedition is sad, dangerous... “Farewell dreams of glory / I can't fight any more / How beautiful is to close my eyes and let the sleep come...”.

“Praz!” features many changes in mood and rhythm. It's a complex track inspired by the life and work of eccentric Italian critic Mario Praz... “They say that my karma is ill-omened / That I sow conflagration and destruction / The fragments of other lives feed me / My identity is the glance of Medusa...”.

“Il cardine storto” (The crooked hinge) begins with a nice piano intro, then the rhythm rises. It's an interesting track inspired by the work of the American writer of detective stories John Dickson Carr... “The art of the murderer is like the art of the conjurer / It consists in attracting your glance in the wrong place...”.

“El Gabal” is a particular ballad inspired by the story of a homosexual Roman emperor, Elagabalus, and of his lover Hierocles. It begins softly and the mood is dreamy... “Come on, Hierocles, lay with me / Rest awhile, help me to dream...”. A sax solo provided by the guest musician Enrico Battisti marks a change in mood and the romance turns into a slaughter... “They look at me with disgust / Because in my face there's the pride of the hetaeras... I can smell my blood / I fear the sun is going to leave me...”.

“Evans” is a short instrumental for piano solo dedicated to Bill Evans. It leads to “Tenno”, a nice track that could recall Franco Battiato and that is inspired by the childhood and youth of the Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa. Then comes “Ramo di lillà” (Lilac branch), another track dedicated to a famous film director, Sergei Eisenstein, an to his Mexican odyssey... “From human sacrifices to the haciendados of Porfirio Diaz / Look at me straight in the eyes / Que viva Mexico, it's the time of the uprising...”.

“Inquietudine” (Restlessness) begins with a nice piano pattern and is jazzier. The lyrics are inspired by the life and work of Portuguese poet and writer Fernando Pessoa and some passages are taken from a poem titled Tabacaria... “I am nothing / I shall never be anything / I cannot wish to be anything / Aside from that, I have within me all the dreams of the world...”. After a short pause, a delicate, dreamy hidden track inspired by the poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge concludes this excellent album.

More info:

http://vieuxcarre.it/Index.htm

http://www.myspace.com/mellontatauta

http://www.facebook.com/vieuxcarre.eteronimie

DANGEROUS KISSES

Il Bacio della Medusa come from Perugia and were formed in 2002 by Simone Cecchini (vocals, 6 & 12 acoustic guitar, mandolin, charango), Federico Caprai (bass) and Diego Petrini (drums, organ, keyboards, piano, vibraphone, percussion). In December 2003 Simone Brozzetti (guitar) and Eva Morelli (flute) joined the band and in 2004 Il Bacio della Medusa released the eponymous debut album. The beautiful art cover painted by Federico Caprai describes the content and the mood of this work where dark, poetical lyrics and an interesting mix of progressive, hard rock and classical music reminds me every now and again of bands such as Biglietto per l’Inferno, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso and Jethro Tull...

Il Bacio della Medusa

The opener “Requiem per i condannati a morte” (Requiem for those condemned to death) begins with the disquieting sound of some greedy crows waiting for an execution... Soaring on heavy guitar riffs, filtered vocals describe the dismay of some people sentenced to death by hanging, people without dreams and with the fear into their blood, desperate eyes gazing from dark prisons, “damned souls sold out to justice...”. Then the tension melts in an acoustic ballad, “Sogno post mortem: fine d’un inverno” (A dream post mortem: end of a winter) where a deep sense of pity prevails: “At least let the ground receive our humble bones...”.

Next comes “Orientoccidente” (East-west), almost an electric dream on the footsteps of Marco Polo with an “Eastern air in a Western ground” feeling, featuring interesting bass lines and guitar riffs... “Oh sea, please tell me the deeds of heroes...”.

The long epic “Scorticamento di Marsia” is probably the “plat de résistance” of this work. It was inspired by the ancient myth of the satyr Marsyas, a great flutist who challenged Apollo in a music contest and was punished by the god with the death by flaying... “Let the wind blow in my flute that now lies on the ground...”. This track features many changes in rhythm and mood, an excellent work of flute and sax (provided by the guest musician Angelo Petri) and inspired, theatrical vocal parts...

Good also the next track, “Il vino (breve delirio del vino)” (Wine – short delirium of wine), where you can listen to an evocative accordion sound and to lyrics that remind me of some Baudelaire’s “maudits” poems about the consolatory powers of wine for desperate people... “Red, because the hand bloods in autumn / And warms the nights of ice / And the soulless eyes that tarnish the mirror...”.   

The “baroque” ballad “Cantico del poeta errante” (Song of the wandering poet) is another excellent track in three parts with the flute in the forefront and inspired vocals, while the long finale “De luxuria, et de ludo, et de taberna” is a tribute to the Italian poet Cecco Angiolieri (1260-1312) and is built upon one of his poems...

Although not flawless, I think that this debut work could be an excellent addition to the collection of every Italianprog lover. By the way, the album was re-released in 2008 by Black Widow Records and it is now available also on vinyl.

Il Bacio della Medusa: Il Bacio della Medusa (2004). Other opinions

Jim Russell: Recommended enthusiastically to all fans of hard rock and/or Italian progressive. If only all music were so authentic-this is a very, very fine red wine from the countryside of Perugia to your heart... (read the complete review HERE)

Erik Neuteboom: This is not very easy prog but if you are up to an exciting musical adventure, Il Bacio Della Medusa is yours! (read the complete review HERE)

Read the interview with the band at Progarchives.com. Click HERE  

More info:

http://www.ilbaciodellamedusa.com/

http://www.myspace.com/ilbaciodellamedusa

http://www.reverbnation.com/ilbaciodellamedusa

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Il-Bacio-della-Medusa/133459493379262