THE SPACESHIP MATRIARCH

Sticky Brain took form in 2014 in Schio, a small town in the province of Vicenza, on the initiative of Andrea Moro and Mattia Cavallaro, inspired by artists and bands such as Herbie Hancock, Weather Report or Snarky Puppy. After some time spent honing their skills and playing live on the local scene, in 2019 the band self-released an interesting debut album, entitled Looking Forward, with a line up featuring Giorgio Manzardo (sax), Stefano Nardon (keyboards, vocals), Andrea Moro (bass), Giovanni Caruso (guitar), Mattia Cavallaro (guitar) and Alessandro Barbieri (drums). For the art cover was chosen a painting by Lanfranco Frigeri, La matriarca dell'astronave (oil on canvas, 1973). Lanfranco Frigeri is an artist best known for the cover of Le Orme’s Felona e Sorona and in my opinion his dreamy subjects and surreal landscapes perfectly fit the musical content of this album...

The hypnotic opener “Fifty-Fifty” starts softly but soon the dreamy atmosphere gives way to a lively funky jazz passage before taking a darker, mysterious path... Many changes in rhythm and mood follow during a crazy ride of more than nine minutes that leads to the short, carefree “Today Is Friday”...

Next comes “Up From The Grave”, the only sung track on the album. It’s a beautiful piece blending jazz with a touch of psychedelia, Latin rock and reminiscences of the Beatles. It tells in music and words the experience of a revenant coming out of his grave, searching for a melody. His skeleton falls apart while he’s dancing under the moon, just like in a comic book. Then he takes off in a new coloured form escaping from hell...

“Stajass” is a long, complex piece that starts softly with romantic passages and a strong sense of melody. The vibrant middle section then gives way to a final part sprinkled with oriental flavours... The following “Viaggio alla roccia di Morosha” is a lively track with a pulsing rhythm that every now and again reminds me slightly of Area’s La mela di Odessa...

“Biveson” ends the album and features a dreamy first part with echoes of smooth jazz and bossa nova and a second part in crescendo where the rhythm takes off for a finale where you can hear some psychedelic touches.

On the whole, a good debut work in the vein of bands such as Mad Fellaz or Endless Season.

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/StickyBrain/ 

 

MYTHS AND DOUBTS

Opificio del Dubbio come from Vicenza and were formed in 2013. Their name can be loosely translated as "doubt factory" and the line up features Riccardo Frigo (vocals), Roberto Faresin (bass), Stefano Rizzato (mandolin, banjo, bouzouki), Luca Menegozzo (electric guitar), Simone Buttarello (drums) and Giacomo Barone (flute). After a still immature Ep released in 2014, D'Istinto, containing seven folk rock songs in a style halfway between I Nomadi and Modena City Ramblers, in 2016 they released a more refined EP that could be of interest for prog lovers. This new work is entitled Epico and features only three tracks inspired by ancient mythology...

Opificio del Dubbio during the recording sessions

The opener "Mi hai dato le ali" (You gave me the wings) starts softly. Delicate notes of flute and acoustic guitar draw a dreamy atmosphere... Then the rhythm takes off for a ride on the wings of myth. This piece was inspired by the story of Daedalus and Icarus and here Riccardo Frigo plays in turn the role of father and son in a dialogue that is a metaphor of a dramatic generational conflict where the wings of wax can be seen as the symbol of a potential freedom that turns into a deceiving illusion...

Next comes the dark, dramatic "Era troppo bello" (He was too beautiful) that was inspired by the myth of Narcissus. Here the vocalist plays the role of the ghost of the unfortunate Aminias who fell in love with the wrong man, Narcissus, a cruel hunter too beautiful to love anyone but himself... Narcissus spurned Aminias and gave him a sword to commit suicide. The vendetta of the gods was terrible: as Narcissus walked by a pool of water and decided to drink some, he saw his reflection, became entranced by it, and killed himself because he could not have his object of desire. Nonetheless, here in Aminias' words there's a touch of pity and no room for hate... "He was too beautiful / He should have lived in the absolute Time / To be admired and loved by anyone...".

The excellent closer "Non ti voltare" (Don't look back) was inspired by the myth of Orpheus and here the vocalist plays in turn the role of Orpheus and Hades in a dramatic, theatrical dialogue. The music is powerful and blends acoustic Celtic folk passages with classical elements and aggressive electric guitar riffs in a very effective way, evoking infernal atmospheres and a desperate ride towards the light in the name of love...

On the whole a very promising work that in my opinion is really worth listening to... I'm looking forward to listen to a full length album!

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/opificiodeldubbio 

MODERN EXPLORERS

Mad Fellaz are a young band from from Bassano del Grappa, a town in the province of Vicenza, that began life in 2010 on the initiative of Paolo Busatto, Marco Busatto and Emanuele Pasin with the aim of playing original music inspired by the prog masters from the seventies but also by more recent bands such as Porcupine Tree. After a first demo in 2012, in 2013 Mad Fellaz released an excellent eponymous debut album on the independent label Lizard Records with a line up featuring Paolo Busatto (guitar), Marco Busatto (drums), Emanuele Pasin (guitar), Carlo Passuello (bass), Enrico Brunelli (keyboards) and Rudy Zilio (flute, clarinet). The album is completely instrumental and the band showcase great musicianship and excellent song-writing skills. The musical fabric is extremely rich and combines vintage sounds and modern influences with surprising freshness and brilliant results: in my opinion there's enough originality thrown into the mix to keep all the compositions and arrangements forward looking and interesting from the first minute to the last.

album cover

The album begins by a long, complex suite divided into two parts, “Il colpevole” (The guilty), that could be the perfect score for an Italian crime film from the seventies. There are no liner notes, so the plot is completely left up to your imagination while the music flows away without weak passages for more than thirty minutes, going through many changes in rhythm and mood, from delicate, nocturnal piano passages to fiery, nervous collective chases...

Next comes the lively “Banda Scavejoni”, the shortest track on the album that with its funky grooves recalls bands such as Calibro 35 and evokes more action and criminal deeds with a typical poliziottesco atmosphere.

The following “White Widow” starts with a drum roll, then a bluesy pace takes over while Jethro Tull's shadow looms large over the horizon. Who is the White Widow here? Is she a wicked, dangerous woman or just a powerful cannabis strain? The band give no clues and it's up to you to decide what the music is about...

The album ends with the nearly fifteen minute epic “La giungla” (The jungle) where you can experience exotic flavours and a strong sense of adventure. You can find here a broad palette of musical colours, from oriental mysticism to flamenco sketches, from dark tribal rhythms to joyful Latin rock à la Santana and while listening to this track I'm reminded of the adventures of fictional characters such as Arthur Conan Doyle's Professor Challenger or Henry Rider Haggard's Allan Quatermain... A wonderful conclusion for a very interesting work!

Mad Fellaz 2014

In 2014, soon after the album was released, the band went through some line-up changes: guitarist Emanuele Pasin left while Lorenzo Todesco (percussion) and Jason Nealy (guitars) stepped in. At the moment Mad Fellaz are working on new material and I'm looking forward to listen to it!

Mad Fellaz: Mad Fellaz (2013). Other opinions:

Michael “Aussie-Byrd-Brother”: Combining everything from guitar fusion workouts, metal, ambient, electronica, avant-garde experimentation, jazz, ethnic flavours and plenty of Italian classical sophistication, their atmospheric self titled album constantly showcases a band that greatly enjoys experimenting with different genres, yet they never over-reach or attempt anything they're not comfortable with. Even more impressive is that they succeed in performing these different styles effortlessly in a truly proficient manner, making for an album that is daring, unpredictable and endlessly thrilling... Certainly one of the most sublime, varied and exquisite instrumental albums of recent years... A hugely exciting and talented band with a very promising future, already playing with a grand skill well beyond their young years... (read the complete review HERE)

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/MAD-FELLAZ/130416753704789 

HISTORY AND MODERN SOUNDS

Absenthia are an Italian prog band from Vicenza that was formed in 2005. The line-up features Igor D’Aoconte (vocals), Alberto Saccozza (bass), Massimiliano Piazzon (drums), Enrico Baù (keyboards), Paolo Miotti (guitar) and Ferruccio Caoduro (guitar). Their music blends influences ranging from PFM, BMS and Le Orme to folk, Italian melody and prog metal in a very original, convincing way. The band has a strong theatrical approach with the operatic vocals of Igor D’Aoconte in the forefront. The history of Ancient Rome is the main source of inspiration for the lyrics of their debut album, the excellent self produced “Tenebrae Vincunt”, which was released in 2009.

The album opens with “Commentarii – De Bello Gallico VII”, a beautiful ballad inspired by the life of Julius Caesar and his assassination. The lyrics deal with the immortality of ideals and great achievements that can be reached only after death... “When I am nothing but ashes / You will understand the true reminders that weave time / The flesh can die but the dream will come back in your head / In my death is concealed the secret / You will inherit my eternity...”.

The second track is the aggressive “Atomica Achillea”. The Achillea is a kind of medicinal herb that the ancient Greeks used to treat wounds. Here uranium is compared to a medicinal herb: what might have happened if the most ferocious armies ever on earth had had atomic bombs? Perhaps just the end of humankind and the beginning of a new world of dreadful peace...

“Absira e la battaglia di Teutoburgo” is a complex piece, romantic and powerful at the same time, a love song set in the middle of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 A.D. The character of the female slave Absira is a kind of metaphor for the pleasures of life that are wasted in the name of greed for power and money... “Absira silently dies in the twilight / The blood on her dress is like spilt wine... The flames are dancing around a dying love...”.

“Aria – Ricordi di un soldato” (Air – Souvenirs of a Soldier) is a beautiful ballad full of pathos and energy where a soldier remembers his past days and a woman... “Days never come back / The memories of a time that’s gone will fade away in the wind / But here inside me there’s still your souvenir...”.

“La danza dei miei Satiri” (The dance of my satyrs) is another great track, full of rage and despair for the ambiguities of life and the greediness of people. Then comes the fast, heavy marching beat of the next piece, the rebellious “Catilina e la congiura degli stracci” (Catiline and the conspiracy of the rags), which deals with the living hope of a man that fights against a corrupt class of politicians with a weapon called reason, without mercy. This track was inspired by the character of Lucius Sergius Catilina (108 BC - 62 BC), a Roman politician who attempted to ovethrow the power of aristocratic Senate...

In the dramatic, sensual “Amore e Psiche” heavy guitar riffs are counter pointed by fiery organ chords. The lyrics here are inspired by the tale of Cupid and Psyche by the Latin prose writer Apuleius. Next comes the dark, mysterious “Argonautica”, inspired by the character of Medea, an enchantress in ancient Greek mythology. The operatic approach of the singer here is more evident than ever.

Absenthia on stage, 2011

“Spartacus” is a powerful track dedicated to freedom and to the dignity of people that die fighting in war because of the stupidity of dictators or politicians. It was inspired by tghe character of Spartacus, a famous leader of the slaves in the Third Servile War...  “Blood on the dust / Smell like ambition / That flies away from this joy / Theatre of death...”. The last track, “Lo schiavo infante e la matrona romana” (The young slave and the Roman matron) is a particular ballad that tells of a love story between a young slave and his older matron. The young slave was taken away from the house of her mistress and became a gladiator, but after many years he comes back to enjoy an ageless sentiment... “Livia was talking about her husband who never came back...”.

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

You can listen to the complete album HERE

Absenthia: Tenebrae Vincunt (2009). Other opinions:

Chris “Seventhsojourn”: Folk, metal and the Italian melodic tradition are all fused into a darkly operatic whole, with Igor D'Aoconte's vocals occupying the same ballpark as Demetrio Stratos. Oh yes, he is that good. The album is a broadly conceptual work with the band's observations of the modern world presented in allegorical form. It's drenched in Classical mythology and several songs incorporate overlapping references to particular characters from the ancient world. Common threads that run through the album include heroes and dictators, love and war, freedom and slavery, but the real strength lies in the way these all come together... (read the complete review HERE).

More info:

http://www.absenthia.it/

http://www.myspace.com/absenthia
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ABSENTHIA/249855645055188 

VENETO (part 2)

North of Venice lies TREVISO, which in the past gave us prog bands such as Capsicum Red, Asgard and Apryl (from the nearby town of Conegliano). Today here we can find Faveravola (Official Website), a band formed by some veterans who have been active since the seventies and who in 2007 released the beautiful concept album Contea dei cento castagni.

Interesting contemporary bands from this city are also Aphelion (MySpace), an instrumental project featuring metal influences, and Magnetic Sound Machine (MySpace), highly recommended to jazz-rock lovers. Other bands from Treviso that deserve mentioning are Antilabé (MySpace), Geo’s (MySpace), Epoca (Reverbnation), Lyn (MySpace), Safarà (MySpace), Quarto Vuoto (Facebook) and Synderesi (MySpace). In Treviso there are also the headquarters of the independent label specialized in prog Lizard Records. Then, from the nearby town of Montebelluna comes bass player and composer Alberto Rigoni (MySpace), from Asolo come Il Labirinto di Alice (Facebook) while from a beautiful place north of Treviso, Cison di Valmarino, comes an interesting melodic prog band called Ephemeris (MySpace). Another town north of Treviso, Vittorio Veneto, is home to an interesting band called The Former Life (Facebook) and the little town of Motta di Livenza is home to a talanted band called Il Fedelissimo Bracco Branco (Facebook).

Leaving Treviso, still heading north we enter the province of BELLUNO and the amazing alpine area of the Dolomiti, where we can listen to Idea Ostile (MySpace), Crazy Valves (Facebook), Sirgaus (Facebook) and Campo Magnetico (Facebook), born in 2014 from the ashes of a band called John Silver Band (MySpace).

And now back south, to PADUA, the city of Saint Anthony, 40 km west of Venice. Padua is also the birth place of the famous architect Andrea Palladio, whose XVIth century villas in the area of Padua, Venice, Vicenza and Treviso are amongst the most beautiful of Italy, and of Giovanni Battista Belzoni, adventurer, engineer and Egyptologist to whom is dedicated a new concept album by the prog band from Turin Arti e Mestieri, Il grande Belzoni. In the past Padua gave us bands such as Eneide, Mellonta Tauta (Bandcamp), Daphne (Bandcamp) and Audio (Bandcamp) while the contemporary prog scene features bands such as the promising Empirical Time (MySpace), the folk jazz Calicanto (Official Website), the theatrical Lamanaïf (MySpace) and Maieutica (Facebook), the psychedelic Astralia (MySpace), Laatia (MySpace), Hypnoise (MySpace), and Collettivo Androgino (Reverbnation) or the metal influenced Centrica (MySpace) and Twinspirits (MySpace).

In the seventies one of the very few bands linked to the right wing movement, La Compagnia dell’Anello (Official Website), also began life here. The band is still in activity and they’re working on a new album. According to some interviews with the band, it will be a self produced double album in two parts. The first will be heavily prog influenced and will feature a concept inspired by the work of the poet Ezra Pound. The second will feature some new tracks and old unreleased stuff re-arranged. At the moment a new track is available, a piece dedicated to a pilot of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, Giovanni Battista Boscutti, who died in 1944 fighting against the Allied forces that were bombarding the city of Padua.

South of Padua lies ROVIGO where we can listen to a good contemporary band called Anfiteatro (MySpace) and to the metal influenced Eloa Vadaath (Reverbnation). Rovigo is also home to composer and multi-instrumentalist Marco Ragni (Facebook) and Alessio Trapella (Facebook) who collaborated with Le Orme and in 2022 released an interesting solo album entitled La ricerca dell'imperfezione. Here there started an interesting band called A Piedi Nudi. Their guitarist, Nicola Gardinale, has changed musical direction and has formed a blues-rock project called Nic-G And The Mogsy (MySpace).

Leaving Rovigo, we head now back north to VICENZA, which in the past gave us bands such as Abissi Infiniti and Top Left Corner. Now it’s the time of Absenthia (Official Website), an excellent band that combines tradition with heavier sounds and in 2009 released an excellent self produced debut album, Tenebrae Vincunt. Other local bands that in my opinion it is worth mentioning are Malus Antler (Facebook) and the jazz-rock Vertical (MySpace) and Mandela (Facebook). Not far from Vicenza, in a town called Bassano del Grappa, which in the past gave us bands such as Antephonia and Slogans, you can find a very good CD shop, Pick Up Records and listen to an interesting band called Glincolti (Official Website), the jazz-rock Endless Season (Facebook) and to Mad Fellaz (Facebook) while Schio is home to Sticky Brain (Facebook)

We conclude our visit to Veneto in VERONA, the city of Romeo and Juliet, also known for its landmark ancient Roman amphitheatre, the Verona Arena, which is internationally famous for its large-scale opera performances. You can find here a good contemporary prog scene featuring excellent bands such as the jazz rock D.F.A. (MySpace), Logos (Official Website) and Astrolabio (MySpace), a new band born from the ashes of Elettrosmog (MySpace), a band that in 2007 released an interesting album entitled Monologando.

Other prog bands from Verona are the neo prog Marygold (Official Website) and Iperuranio (Official Website), the young and very promising Gran Torino (MySpace) and Side C (MySpace), the experimental Reqviem (MySpace) and Le Maschere di Clara (MySpace), then Il Rumore Bianco (Facebook), Rosenkreutz (Facebook), Calia (MySpace), D’Anima (MySpace), Moto Armonico (Reverbnation), MonnaLisa (Facebook), Alchemy Victory (Facebook), Oltremare (MySpace), Castelli in Aria (MySpace), Masons (MySpace), Il Fauno di Marmo (MySpace), The Oneira (Facebook), the metal influenced Methodica (MySpace) and the folk-oriented Domus de Janas (MySpace). A good venue for prog lovers in this area is the Club il Giardino.