Mutazione is the second
full length album by Forza Elettro Motrice (F.E.M.), a band from
Meda, Lombardy. It was self-released in 2018 with a renewed line up
featuring Alessandro Graziano (vocals, violin), Alberto Citterio
(keyboards), Paolo Colombo (electric guitar), Marco Buzzi (bass),
Pietro Bertoni (trumpet, trombone, euphonium, glockenspiel) and
Emanuele Borsati (drums, marimba, percussion, acoustic guitar). The
new vocalist is up to the task and the band confirms to have
excellent song-writing skills and great musicianship. The result of
their work is an interesting concept album about the end of a love
and the necessity of change that could recall in some way La Torre
dell'Alchimista's Neo and I'm sure that Italianprog lovers
will appreciate it.
The
opening track, “Il palazzo del chaos” (The Palace of Chaos), is
just a short instrumental introduction that leads to the following
“Io mi trasformo” (I'm Changing), a wonderful piece about the
need to continuously adapt to the constant changes that life throws
at us. The music and lyrics evoke the image of the protagonist
walking along a path aimlessly, lost in his thoughts. At a certain
point, as everything around him changes, the protagonist questions
his true essence. He becomes aware he’s changing instinctively,
almost without realising it, just as the world around him constantly
transforms. The protagonist understands that he must always act and
change, transforming himself to become what he really wants. So, he
becomes music...
“La
cura delle cose” (The care of things) is a bittersweet reflection
about how time can change a relationship if you don’t pay attention
to your partner. What we don’t take care of it is destined to get
lost and this is true in every aspect of our lives. It is also true
in love, it is a constant of life. Here the protagonist becomes aware
of a relationship that is fading outand
that we are nothing but the time we give to ourselves...
The
title of the following “Musica di vento” (Music of wind) is a pun
that means in the meantime Music of wind and I become
music. This track is a slow, dreamy ballad about the need to
write music and lyrics, expressing oneself through sounds and words
to those who care to listen to. The piece opens with the notes of a
piano, then the narrator explains that his songs are born without any
self-awareness, simply from the desire and pleasure of writing and
singing, a magic of thoughts full of meaning for those who can
appreciate them. But once written, these songs have a life of their
own, independent of the author. Who will listen to?
“Mai
tardi” (Never late) is a great instrumental track with some
funky-jazz passages and various changes of atmosphere. Then it’s
the turn of “Il cielo di sè” (The sky of our ego), a beautiful
piece, complex and heartfelt, describing the emotional turmoil and
uncertainty surrounding the end of a relationship. The protagonist is
alone under a cobalt-blue sky and he almost seems like a veil ready
to be blown away by the wind. The piece begins with a strummed
acoustic guitar part, then the music and lyrics take unexpected
paths. It's the beginning of an inner journey, with thoughts tangled
in nests of wind. Disappointments are like stones, but in the
protagonist's head there's a thin rainbow calling him and inviting
him to continue his journey...
“Attesa”
(Waiting) is a short, melancholic and dreamy piece for solo piano,
violin, and vocals. The music and lyrics evoke the furrows that time
carves into the protagonist's soul, sowing a dark and tormented wait.
The wait for a return to normality. Then it’s the turn of the
brilliant instrumental piece, “Mutazione” (Mutation) which at
times reminds me of Le Orme and marks the change in the
protagonist...
The
long, complex “Se
c’è una buona ragione” (If there’s a good reason) closes
the album. It begins with three minutes of sustained rhythm tinged
with electronica and a disorienting, filtered and distorted voice.
The piece then
evolves in other directions, leading to a finale that speaks to the
wind and recalls King Crimson. The
lyrics poetically reiterate the concept of the need for change and
evolution, even in personal relationships. Change is the future that
looms and calls for itself, and it shouldn't be feared. If there's a
good reason, change is necessary, even if it means breaking up with
your partner and ending a relationship. For the protagonist, the time
has come to accept change and move on without worrying about the end
of a love that still struggles to fade. The return to reality is
marked by the "voice" of a ticket machine...
On
the whole, a wonderful work, even if it needs reiterate spins and the
comprehension of the lyrics to be fully appreciated.
La Curva di Lesmo is a project
based in Genoa that was born on the initiative of keyboardist Stefano Agnini
(La Coscienza di Zeno) and bassist Fabio Zuffanti (Finisterre,
Höstsonaten, La Maschera di Cera). In 2015 they released on the
independent AMS label an excellent eponymous album with a line up
featuring many prestigious guests such as Beatrice Antolini (vocals),
Gabriele Guidi Colombi (from La Coscienza di Zeno - bass), Laura
Marsano (from La Maschera di Cera - acoustic and electric guitar),
Andrea Orlando (from La Coscienza di Zeno and Finisterre - drums),
Fabio Gremo (from Il Tempio delle Clessidre and Ianva - classical guitar),
Domenico Ingenito (from La Coscienza di Zeno - violin), Loris
Lombardo (percussion), Max Manfredi (vocals), Edmondo Romano (from
Eris Pluvia - flute), Claudio Roncone (vocals), Luca Scherani (from
La Coscienza di Zeno and Höstsonaten - accordion, strings
arrangements), Jenny Sorrenti (from Saint Just - vocals), Sylvia
Trabucco (from Höstsonaten - violin), Matteo Merli (vocals), Claudio
Milano (from Nickelodeon - vocals), Jutta Nienhaus Taylor (from
Analogy - narrative vocals) and Boris Valle (from Finisterre -
piano). The project's name and album cover pay homage to a comic book
character created by Guido Crepax, Valentina, while the music draws
inspiration from 1970s Italian prog, vintage electronic music and old
soundtracks. In any case, the two musicians’ highly personal
creative vein is clearly evident, making this album a must-have for
fans of their main reference groups, La Coscienza di Zeno and La
Maschera di Cera.
The
album opens with “La posa dei morti” (The lying of the dead), a
bittersweet piece perfectly interpreted by Beatrice Antolini
presenting a dangerous and sensual, seductive and predatory female
character. The description of the protagonist is confronted by the
image of an undertaker walking with a coffin on his shoulders who
takes a break along the path, momentarily easing the heavy burden of
the laying of the dead. When the protagonist reappears on the scene,
she is preceded by the clatter of her stiletto heels echoing down the
corridor. A widow to be burned alive, meditating on the pyre...
“L’isola
delle lacrime” (Tears Island) is a long and complex piece that
takes us aboard a ship sailing from Italy to America, telling a story
of desperation and hope. The voices of Max Manfredi and Jenny
Sorrenti masterfully portray the feelings of a young woman and her
brother, who seek redemption and a better life by embarking for the
New World, leaving behind a present of marginalisation and poverty.
She is beautiful and seductive, but she is forced to prostitute
herself in the port’s bars where she is the object of desire of
many men that she finds disgusting. She can no longer bear a present
without dignity and is losing faith and hope. Her brother convinces
her to undertake the journey, but difficulties aboard the ship
abound, and they will not be lacking in America as well...
The
excellent suite “Ho rischiato di vivere” (I risked living) that
closes the album is divided into five parts for more than twenty-six
intense minutes. The haunting music and heartfelt vocal performances
of Claudio Milano and Matteo Merli evoke ghostly atmospheres and
nightmares. The suite opens with the description of a man frightened
by the reality around him and who prefers to take refuge in a state
of unconsciousness filled with nightmares. In the first part, “Ho
rischiato di vivere, Parte I”, the music and lyrics drag you like a
vortex into the exploration of altered states generating monsters,
where you can hear the footsteps and breathing of men who perhaps
never existed or are long dead, reaching out to grab you. The second
part, subtitled “Ritratto di donna in nero” (Portrait of woman in
black), opens with the narrative voice (in German) of Jutta Nienhaus
and evokes the figure of a young pianist of twenty, nine of whom had
been dedicated to studying her instrument. The girl died suddenly,
and the protagonist is left with only memories of her, which fade
into the fog of Milan’s canals. The third part, "Memoriale", celebrates the memory of the girl, who for the protagonist
represented life. The fourth part, "Gargoyle", describes a
statue observing the city life from above, a metaphor for the
protagonist himself. Detached from the daily grind, like a silent,
resonant stone, he wastes away in anticipation of his
transmigrations, burning slowly in his hell of jasper and wind, just
as ordinary mortals burn in their hell of flesh and blood. The final
part, "Ho rischiato di vivere, Parte II", describes the
protagonist's disillusionment and his reflections on life, a cycle
that repeats itself endlessly. You set out in search of something and
inevitably end up back where you started. A brief reprise of the
album's first track concludes the suite, a truly accomplished and
engaging work...
Overall,
an excellent album that should not be missing from the collection of
any Italianprog lover.
La
Curva di Lesmo - La Curva di Lesmo (2015). Other opinions:
Michael
“Aussie-Byrd-Brother”: “Full of intricate, daring
instrumental arrangements with rich and lively vocal performances,
Italian prog doesn't come more confidently grandiose and proudly
pompous than this, and it's a thrilling, essential purchase for RPI
fans. `La Curva di Lesmo' is not only one of the strongest Italian
progressive works of 2015, but it may even prove to become something
of a modern classic...” (Read the complete review HERE).
Le Terre Lontane are a Roman band whose roots date back over ten years. After many difficulties and a long process of composing, studying and performing on the local scene, in 2025 they self-released their first studio EP, “Il viaggio, Parte I” with a line up featuring Daniela Palumbo (lead vocals, keyboards), Valerio Talevi (bass), Marco Venarotta (drums) and Simone Coria (guitars). According to the band, it is a conceptual work, the first part of a musical story that tells the adventures of a human being (the listener), transported on a journey within himself. From the ordinary madness of his daily life to the very core of his being, he must face countless challenges and temptations to rediscover his true essence… The overall sound of the band is built on acoustic bases and Mediterranean influences, but the ability to compose, arrange and propose personal musical ideas is remarkable and I am convinced that those who love bands such as Corde Oblique will find their music very interesting...
The album opens with "Cento dune (Panico)" (Hundred Dunes - Panic), which expresses a sense of loss and anguish through music and lyrics. In an ever changing world, a deeply rooted sense of fear emerges in a humanity alienated and accustomed to a life where there is no room for doubts or questions. However, the protagonist's need to discover the true nature of his being forcefully takes root. The journey begins in an inner desert. A hundred dunes loom on the horizon, you can see heavy footprints of unknown shadows and unfamiliar lights in the sky while lightning and thunder strike a fiery land. The protagonist enters a labyrinth whose exit leads to the truth. A hundred voices tell him to continue, and a hundred paths await him...
On the following "Miraggio" (Mirage) the protagonist appears lost in the desert that stretches out within and outside him. The landscape is surreal, with silken dunes and fiery air, empty lands and a hazy view. A snake comes out of the blue, then in the protagonist takes hold the desire to escape to an island of hope, a source of truth. The island can be seen on the horizon, brilliant and precious as the sea approaches. A ship unfurls the sails ready to sail... But it's only a dangerous mirage the protagonist must free himself from. The finale, with the piano in the forefront, is excellent. It's a pity that the instrumental coda wasn't developed more...
“Terre lontane” (Distant Lands) brings up nocturnal atmospheres. The music and lyrics depict strange waters and a land with two clear blue moons. If you find it, drop anchor in the icy water and try to reach it. It's the land of eternity where time stands still. It will quench your thirst and your soul will sleep. But do not trust the call of the mermaids. The heart often deceives...
“Sulla riva” (On the Bank) marks a decisive step to the final destination. The music evokes the colour and smell of orchids as the wind passes between blue amber rocks. The protagonist makes up his mind, he will leave on the shore what he was and what he knows, then he will follow the flight of a hundred fireflies to seek for freedom. There’s a mystery to unravel in his heart, and he finally feels like he belongs to himself again...
The sound of the sea waves crashing on the beach and a delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio introduce us to the last song on the setlist, “Lidia,” where the vocal lines and lyrics evoke a strange female character, a goddess waiting for the protagonist. If she sings, the soul comes out. She flies without wings, lonely, and she leads to dreaming. She's a goddess who’s always waited for the fragile heart of a fragile creature...
On the whole, an album that’s too short and leaves a sense of incompleteness. The story of the journey’s end is missing. Let's hope that the band don't make us wait too long to tell it and complete this truly interesting work!
Sul confine is the second studio album by Aliante and was
released in 2019 on the independent M.P. & Records label with a
consolidated line up featuring Jacopo Giusti (drums, percussion),
Enrico Filippi (keyboards, piano, Moog) and Alfonso Capasso (bass)
plus the guest Marianna Vuocolo (violin). It confirms all the good
qualities of its predecessor while the art cover by Jacopo Giusti and
the liner notes signed by Alfonso Capasso give us a clue about the
atmosphere and the subject matter of this work: “When you
live in a borderland, you meet different languages and cultures that
mix in a universe of contrasts and proximity. Staying on the border
is not just a geographical issue and is not always a choice. There
are people who play their whole existence with it, while others seek
refuge in safe hinterlands, made of balance and certainty, from where
they will never see the thin line that separates smile
and sadness, wealth and poverty, pain and joy, dialogue and silence,
understanding and indifference. The border does not protect those who
live there but opens up a range of possible
alternatives, where the night of the fear of making choices
surrenders to the breaking of the light of courage. Therefore, if
there is a place where I want to stay, it is on the border…”.
The album opens with the long, articulated eponymous suite divided
into seven parts, a kind of instrumental travelogue that takes you on
a musical journey across the world, following ancient maps. The first
section, titled “Viaggio nel vento” (Journey in the wind), sets
the atmosphere and with its dreamy mood leads you to “Metzada”
for a gaze towards the sky. The title of the second section refers to
a mountain-top fortress complex in the Judaean Desert that became the
final holdout of the Jewish rebels during the First Jewish–Roman
War (66–73 AD). Here the rhythm rises while the music every now and
again reminds me of Le Orme and evokes epic rides and endless wars in
a ravaged country... The third section, titled “Ai confini del
mondo” (To the limits of the world), is dark and slow with the
notes of violin painting melancholic shadows on a desolate road while
on the following one, “La rana” (The frog), the light turns up
again and the rhythm takes off. Then it’s the turn of the section
titled “Il cigno nero” (The black swan) where you can hear echoes
of classical music suggested by delicate piano parts, Mediterranean
flavours with moments reminiscent of the Concierto de Aranujez
and jazzy passages. Th title of this section refers to the figure of
Odile, the Black Swan, a character of the famous ballet Swan Lake who perfectly embodies seduction and deception... Next section, “Il
quadrato” (The square), is a frenzied spacey ride through the dark
latitudes of the universe and leads to the final beautiful section,
“Tenente Drogo” (Lieutenant Drogo) whose title refers to the main
character of Il deserto dei Tartari (The Tartar Steppe) a
novel published in 1940 by Italian writer Dino Buzzati that tells the
story of a young officer, Giovanni Drogo who spent his life guarding
the Bastiani Fortress, on the border with a desolated desert.
After the long, complex 48 minutes suite, a shorter track closes the
album. “Nel cielo” (In the sky) begins by a delicate, dreamy
piano solo passage, then synthesizers and rhythm section take over
and gently lift you up to the sky as a prelude to a new musical
journey...
After
therestartin
2014 on
the initiative of founder member and main composer Pericle Sponzilli,Lame di luce is the second studio album of Reale Accademia
di Musica’s new course. It was released in 2022 on the Sony Music
label with a renewed line up featuring Pericle Sponzilli (vocals,
guitars) along with Fabio Liberatori (piano, Hammond organ, synth),
Erika Savastani (vocals), Fabio Fraschini (bass) and Francesco Isola
(drums) plus the guest Danilo Pao (Fender VI). The overall sound is
noticeably distant from that of the 1972 debut album, but that
doesn't make it any less interesting. Vintage sounds alternate with
more modern ones, and the female voice fits particularly well into
the sonic textures. Pericle Sponzilli’s songwriting skills have not
been tarnished by the passage of time, and the final result certainly
lives up to expectations...
The
opener “Onde di sabbia” (Waves of sand) begins softly by a
delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio soon backed by the keyboards. The
music and lyrics evoke a strange dream. The object of desire of a
real passion appears like a mirage in a strange parallel world where
you can see waves of sand and dunes into the sea...
The
beautiful “Ascesa al Fuji” (Ascent to Fuji) takes us to Japan for
a spiritual experience. In fact, climbing the Mount Fuji is more than
a nature hike, as the mountain is not just a tourist attraction, it
is a sacred place. The music and lyrics evoke a silent place where
time stands still. Along the path, step after step, between oak trees
and bamboos, you’re are left breathless as you try to hide the fear
of falling. Then, at the top, you can listen to the wind around you
instead of the echo of your fears. Eventually, comforted by a friend,
you can enjoy the sunrise...
The
ethereal “Due pietre preziose birmane” (Two Burmese gemstones)
depicts two gems. One reproduces an eight-legged dragon, guardian of
the sky, while the other represents a tiger, symbol of earth. The two
beasts are fighting each other. The image of the fight evokes the
contrast between the desire to chase one’s dreams by leaving for
distant places or accepting the reality that the present reserves for
us and staying in one’s comfort zone, giving up on adventure. It’s
a kind of gambling game where the stake is your time...
“Lame
di luce (Blades of light) is a melancholic piece about the fear of
the unknown. The music and lyrics evoke the image of a man gazing out
to sea from his home, transformed into a bunker of concrete and sand.
Blades of light reflect off the walls and play with the shadows as
the protagonist aims his gun at an imaginary target emerging on the
horizon. Painful and tumultuous memories haunt him. Time cannot be
stopped and the blue water turns blood red. The finale restores calm
on the sea, as nature takes over under a starry sky...
The
jazzy “Si parlerà” (They will talk) brings us the image of a
hero from another civilization inventing an ageless world, a musician
and poet whose sounds and words are not just notes and voices but
trees that grow and do not bend. It's the dream of a better world
where people talk to each other instead of waging war. Battles made
of words and smiles to shed new light and illuminate emotions...
“Una
ferita da disinfettare” (A wound to disinfect) is an introspective
song that talks about feelings and relationships that are transformed
by time. There are wounds that slowly heal, changing perspectives
between regrets and thoughts turned to the faded magic of a smile
that time has veiled with indifference...
Reale Accademia di Musica, 2022
“Ore
lente” (Slow hours) is a beautiful piece about a train journey
shrouded in mystery. A crowded station on a cold winter's day, a seat
next to a silent, sleepy stranger, long hours without speaking, then
a look that melts the ice in a breath...
“Incontri”
(Meetings) is in the same mood and paints in music and words a love
understood as art and perfection, a series of days and experiences to
remember forever, a series of moments you wish you could capture and
that never grow old, precious memories that will never leave you
alone...
“Ossessione”
(Obsession) is a lively and nervous track that describes a kind of
metropolitan nightmare while the concluding track, the ethereal “Il
cavaliere del cigno (L’addio)” (The Knight of the Swan - The
farewell), is a touching farewell to someone who disappears forever
in deep waters, a shadow that can no longer love, a hero that cannot
be forgotten...
