AND YET...

Fonetica began life in Mestre in 2011 on the initiative of composer and lyricist Fabio Bello who gathered around him a bunch of musicians who shared his passion for music and committed lyrics linked to the tradition of Italian canzone d'autore. After a good live activity on the local scene and some personnel changes, in 2014 Fonetica self-released a debut album entitled Eppure with a line up featuring along with Fabio Bello (guitar, harmonica, vocals) also Claudio Martinolli (guitar), Douglas D'Este (drums, percussion), Massimiliano Cadamuro (bass, flute, vocals), Riccardo Gallucci (keyboards, vocals) and Silvia Siega (vocals). Some guests helped the band during the recording sessions: Riccardo Scivales (keyboards), Alessandro "Unfolk" Monti (mandolin), Giorgio Cordini (bouzouki), David Boato (trumpet), Giannino Fassetta (bandoneon) and Giuliano Perin (vibraphone, piano) added some nice touches of musical colours to the overall sound and the final result is a good collection of passionate songs and ballads that are worth listening to, even if they are more in the vein of pop rock bands such as I Nomadi than to Premiata Forneria Marconi or Le Orme...

The album opens with three ballads full of positive energy. "Santa pace" (Holy Peace) starts softly, with a delicate sound of flute in the forefront, then the rhythm rises. It's a song against war, inspired by ideals of peace and love... Then "La strada del sole" (Sun Road) invites you to leave behind boredom, old habits and certainties to join the men and women who fight for a change on the streets of the world. Next comes "La legge del branco" (The law of the pack), a song against conformism, consumerism, empty fashions and trivial TV shows...

On "La scuola è morta" (School is dead) the rhythm slackens. It's a piece against the current state of the public education in Italy that depicts crumbling schools and the agony of a system that seems to be going downhill in general disinterest. Every now and again it reminds me of Eugenio Finardi but in my opinion this track is too "pedagogical" and not particularly inspired. The following "La nuova guerra" (New war) is better. It's an antimilitarist song with a dark, threatening atmosphere inspired by a book by Bertolt Brecht, Kriegsfibel (War Primer).

"Inno (canzone politica)" (Anthem - Political song) is a reflective piece about the positive values that can be expressed through good politics. Politics is a word that too often is associated only with power, dirty businesses and corruption but here it means freedom, imagination, a white page where you can write down your ideas for a better society, a white canvas where you can paint a better world giving your contribute to the common welfare, overcoming the differences between left and right... The following "Le parole" (The words) is a nice melodic piece veined of light jazzy touches painted by the trumpet of the guest David Boato featuring lyrics about the need to communicate and the thaumaturgic power of words. It leads to the beautiful, dreamy instrumental "Pianeta blu" (Blue Planet)...

"Aspettare" (Waiting) is a light, melodic song of hope that leads to "Posto in affitto" (Rented place), a piece dedicated to Trieste that tells of a serene period that the protagonist spent in that city. "Pioggia pioggia" (Rain rain) features Latin American flavours and celebrates the love for life through the metaphor of rain pouring down allowing mother nature to blossom. The closer "Eppure" (And yet) is based upon a poem by Luisa Moleri that evokes apocalyptic sceneries of war and nevertheless gives room to hope because peace is what really do want and need the humankind...

On the whole, I enjoyed this album, even if Fonetica's music is not particularly challenging or complex and I know that prog lovers could be a bit disappointed. And yet... Have a try!

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/FONETICA-188576077876502/ 

NEO-CLASSICAL ARMONIA

Armonite began life in Pavia in 1996 and in 1999 released an interesting debut album entitled Inuit on the independent label Mellow Records. After a long hiatus, in 2014 the band came back to life on the initiative of Paolo Fosso (keyboards) and Jacopo Bigi (electric violin), two classical trained musicians in love with rock and modern audio-visual arts. For the recording sessions of their new album, The Sun Is New Each Day, thanks to the new technologies who allow working via internet, the line up was temporarily completed with the contribute of British bassist Colin Edwin (from Porcupine Tree) and Dutch drummer Jasper Barendregt while the guest Marcello Rosa played cello on two tracks. The album was produced, engineered and mixed by Paul Reeve in Cornwall, mastered by Geoff Pesche at the Abbey Road Studios in London and finally digitally self-released in 2015 on bandcamp with a nice art work by Cyril Rolando a.k.a. AquaSixio.

The album features nine relatively short instrumental tracks where violin and keyboards perfectly interact with each other weaving charming melodic lines backed by the tight rhythm section. The classical influences are strong but always mixed with gusto and extravaganza, there are no long suites and although the pieces are not overtly complex they are never banal and the music flows away without weak moments. According to the band, some of the pieces were conceived as short soundtracks and some videos were shot to complete in some way the music. It's the case of the nice opener "Suitcase War", suspended between classical tradition and modernity, where you can see in the video the band performing in a virtual, empty opera theatre with the help of a remote drummer...

The following "Connect Four" blends touches of electronica, a bit of folk and brushes of classical taste and leads to the frenzied "G as in Gears" that features a short narrative vocal part evoking a commuter's routine, then comes "Sandstorm" that conjures up Oriental sceneries and ethnic flavours... The overall sound is well refined and the songwriting brilliant and full of nuances, although every now and again light reminiscences of albums such as Jet Leg by Premiata Forneria Marconi or Florian by Le Orme could come to mind the band sound modern and not stuck in the past at all. 

The disquieting "Slippery Slope", the dreamy "Satellites", the hectic "Die Grauen Herren", the delicate, romantic "Le temps qui fait ta rose" and the conclusive, video-game inspired "Insert Coin" complete a coherent and cohesive set that in my opinion is really worth listening to.

The aim of the band is to play their music live as much as possible, that's why you can legally download the complete album for free: the musicians just hope that you will enjoy the music and spread the word out to help them to find gigs around the world, so... Well, have a try and judge by yourselves!

You can listen to the complete album HERE

More info:

http://www.armonite.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/Armonite-375012772574516 

A GOBLIN FUNERAL

Goblin Rebirth is a new germination of Goblin, the historic Roman prog band best known for the soundtracks of horror films such as Deep Red or Dawn of the Dead. The project was born in 2011 on the initiative of two veteran Goblin's members, Fabio Pignatelli (bass) and Agostino Marangolo (drums) and the line up was completed by Aidan Zammit (keyboards, vocoder), Danilo Cherni (keyboards) and Giacomo Anselmi (guitars). The band started performing live some pieces from Goblin's old repertoire but also managed to work on original compositions. In 2015 they finally released a brand new album on the independent label Relapse Records: it's simply entitled Goblin Rebirth and it was conceived as the soundtrack of an imaginary film whose plot is described in the liner notes. During the recording sessions the overall sound was enriched by some guests musicians such as Arnaldo Vacca (percussion), Francesco Marini (cello), Roberta Lombardini (vocals) and Dorraine Zammit Lupi (vocals) and I'm sure that Goblin's fans won't be disappointed by this work...

The excellent opener "Requiem For X" conjures up an atmosphere of mystery. According to the liner notes, it describes a scene where a strange character is observing a funeral ceremony from a hidden spot... Well, the strange character is a goblin who looks at his own final journey towards the pyre. How could it happen? He remembers...

The following "Back In 74" takes you back in time and features vintage sounds that recall Italian seventies scores full of car chases and action... According to the story-line here the protagonist begins a strange experience that drives him across space and time. He relives his childhood and early adult life, he can see all his many errors and feels that he has to follow a new way...

The dark "Book Of Skulls" describes the climbing of a mountain and the discovery, in a palace carved into the rock, of a mysterious book. The protagonist can't understand the symbols written on the pages of the book and their secret message but he puts the book in his pocket and leaves the palace...

The following "Mysterium" takes you through the labyrinth where the protagonist gets lost after leaving the palace. The atmosphere is tense and disquieting, you can feel fear and a sense of loss looming large. The protagonist feels he's being manipulated like a guinea pig in an experiment by an unknown entity...

On "Evil In The Machine" the rhythm rises and the atmosphere becomes almost unreal. The music veers to frenzied electronic soundscapes and here every now and again it reminds me of bands such as the Rockets, Kraftwerk or Alan Parsons Project. What did it happen? Well, you'll never know how, but the protagonist is now trapped into a video game and in this surreal world created by humans he meets a beautiful female goblin: short circuit! The game is over...

Goblin Rebirth on stage

On the following "Forest" the rhythm calms down and we find the new formed couple in a kind of garden of Eden, surrounded by the beauty of nature. Now the atmosphere is relaxed, you can hear a church like organ and the suggestive, ethereal female vocals of the guest Roberta Lombardini while an electric guitar solo evokes a love dream on the dark side of the moon... Is this love?

The Gothic "Dark Bolero" conjures up obscure suspects, sins and betrayals. The music for a while takes you back to the time of Inquisition trying to describe a love that is falling apart, poisoned by jealousy and infidelity. Eventually the protagonist realizes that a goblin can never love and gives up: he just closes his eyes waiting for the end of his painful days on earth...

The closer "Rebirth" marks a new beginning. The protagonist awakes in a new mood, you can here exotic percussion and acoustic guitar passages while the keyboards weave the fabric of a new spiritual dimension. Mr. X is back home now and his family welcome him. He can start a new circle with a new awareness, while his nightmare slowly melts in the light of a new day...

Well, I doubt that this album will ever become the soundtrack of a real film, so all the images are up to your own fantasy that the power of music can stir, you can even elaborate a different screenplay if you like... Have a try!

You can listen to the complete album HERE

Goblin Rebirth: Goblin Rebirth (2015). Other opinions:

Michael "Aussie-Byrd-Brother": A complete rebirth of the Goblin sound may be a bit of an exaggeration, but 'Goblin Rebirth' still sees this version of the band very inspired and determined to impress, and they've succeeded in creating a very confident and distinctive work. It ticks all the right boxes and will easily please faithful Goblin fans, but there's a lavish symphonic prog sound in general, with a gutsy modern edge that already shows Goblin Rebirth forging their own unique dark identity. They not only compliment the other currently active Goblin bands, but they also stand apart on their own merits, and it's a triumph for lovers of the darker side of Italian prog and instrumental prog in general... (read the complete review HERE)

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/Goblin.Rebirth 

THE PERFECT FLIGHT

Algebra are an Italian prog band from Benevento that was formed in early eighties on the initiative of keyboardist Rino Pastore and drummer Salvatore Silvestri. Well, this band is not one of the most prolific ones.... After a debut album in 1994, “Storia di un Iceberg”, in 2009 they released this second work for the independent label AMS/BTF, “JL”, inspired by Richard Bach’s book “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”. The current line-up features Mario Giammetti (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass), Rino Pastore (keyboards), Roberto Polcino (keyboards, accordion), Francesco Ciani (drums, acoustic and electronic percussion) and Maria Giammetti (alto and soprano sax, flute). In studio they were helped by some prestigious guest musicians such as, among others, Steve and John Hackett, Aldo Tagliapietra, Lino Vairetti and Goran Kuzminac that helped enrich the sound. Algebra are great fans of Genesis, but the music on this work is definitely less derivative than on their previous one. It’s conceived as a long suite and features some really good melodic, emotional passages...

It was morning, and the new sun sparkled gold across the ripples of a gentle sea... The opener “Il molo deserto” (The deserted pier) begins softly, two flutes wake up, then an electric guitar solo (played by Steve Hackett) soars like a flight of seagulls... On the next track the vocals of Aldo Tagliapietra, on a calm background, draw the image of a solitary gull, which doesn’t care for food like the others... “His name is Jonathan and he loves flying / He flies far away / To lightly touch new horizons...”.

Next comes “Il volo perfetto” (The perfect flight) where the emotional vocals of Osanna’s leader Lino Vairetti describe Jonathan’s practice until the notes of a sax solo lead to the light, delicate instrumental “Aria nuova” (New air). We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!

“La gogna” (Stand to Center) describes the reaction of the flock against the strange attitude of Jonathan. “Jonathan Livingston Seagull! Stand to Center!” The Elder’s words sounded in a voice of highest ceremony... “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”, said the Elder, “Stand to Center for Shame in the sight of your fellow gulls!”... “For his reckless irresponsibility”, the solemn voice intoned, “violating the dignity and tradition of the Gull Family...”. The solemn threatening voice of the Elder and the puzzled voice of Jonathan are interpreted by Rino Pastore and Mario Giammetti with passion, then a delicate flute passage leads to another beautiful instrumental “I gabbiani non volano al buio” (Seagulls never fly in the dark). Jonathan Seagull discovered that boredom and fear and anger are the reasons why a gull’s life is short, and with this gone from his thought, he lived a long fine life indeed.

“Un’altra dimensione” (A new perspective) opens with a delicate organ sound, then synthesizers and an electric guitar solo introduce the voice of Goran Kuzminac who sings describing the meeting between Jonathan and two radiant gulls that show him the way to higher knowledge... “Come with us they said to him / One school is finished, and the time has come for another to begin / And they disappeared together into the night...”. Well, Goran Kuzminac is one of my favourite Italian singer songwriters and it was a true pleasure for me to listen to his contribution on this album!

Next comes “Al naufragio del mio sogno” (The shipwrecked dream) that features the operatic vocals of Gianfranco Casiero soaring from a dreamy atmosphere and melts into the exotic percussive pattern of the short instrumental “Un battito d’ali” (A single beat of wings)... “I’m still alive / In the caresses of every wind breath...”. So this is heaven, he thought, and he had to smile at himself. It was hardly respectful to analyze heaven in the very moment that one flies up to enter it.

On “Ciang” (Chiang) the intense voice of Italian rocker Graziano Romani describes a new leg of Jonathan’s path to perfection and the meeting with the Elder Gull Chiang... “I am Chiang and I am the Elder Gull / I am here to teach you to fly / You will go to heaven / When you reach the perfect speed...”. “We choose our next world through what we learn in this one. Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and lead weights to overcome... Heaven is not a place, and it is not a time. Heaven is being perfect!”.

“Il fattore tempo” (Working in time) is a beautiful jazzy instrumental where Maria Giammetti’s saxophone evolves upon a background of counter-bass and piano. “Those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go anywhere, instantly. Remember Jonathan, heaven isn’t a place or a time, because place and time are so very meaningless...”. The following track, “Il richiamo” (The callback), is about Jonathan’s need to come back to his old flock to show other young seagulls what he has learned and to teach them how to fly... Hope and nostalgia mixed together in a delicate ballad with a beautiful finale where sax and electric guitar take the lead.

On “Fletcher” the lyrics describe the meeting between Jonathan and his new student, Fletcher. New sensations and feelings, new theses overcoming old rules while exotic notes of saxophone lead to the delicate instrumental “Soffi da Oriente” (Gusts from the East)...

“Un’infinita idea di libertà” (An unlimited idea of freedom) is another excellent instrumental, joyful and relaxed at the same time, while the following “Ritorno allo stormo” (Back to the flock) begins in a more elaborate, dramatic way... “Break the chains / They keep the thoughts in prison / Then the body will be free too...”.

Algebra 2004

“Presa di coscienza” (Awareness) is beautiful piece about hope... It tells of the meeting between Jonathan and a gull with a broken wing, Maynard... “If you want to fly / Open your wings / And take it easy...”. And Maynard, the injured gull took off towards the sky, in the wind! “Nel vento della grande montagna” (In the Great Mountain wind) is another short instrumental that slightly reminds me of Le Orme’s “Aliante” and features John Hackett on flute.

You need to keep finding yourself, a little more each day, that real, unlimited Fletcher Seagull. He’s your instructor... A moment later Jonathan’s body wavered in the air, shimmering, and began to become transparent... “L’addio” (Goodbye) and the following complex instrumental final act “Atto finale” are a perfect epilogue for a very good album that could give you the chance to rediscover an amazing book...

 From Rock Progressivo Italiano: An introduction to Italian Progressive Rock

PROG TO ROCK

featuring, among others, Il Cerchio d'Oro, The New Trip, 

La Coscienza di Zeno, Syndone and Biglietto per l'Inferno

Turin 

September 11-13, 2015

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/progtorocktorino

PROGRESSIVAMENTE FESTIVAL

featuring, among others, Nuova Raccomandata con Ricevuta di Ritorno, Metamorfosi,

Agorà with Patrizio Fariselli (Area) and Arcadelt with Arturo Stalteri (Pierrot Lunaire)

Rome

September 17-20, 2015

More info: 

https://www.facebook.com/planetliveclubroma

Find out more prog concerts in Italy:

http://arlequins.forumfree.org/

http://www.hamelinprog.com/calendario-eventi/