SYMPHONY N.1: CUPID & PSYCHE
Höstsonaten
•Rock Progressivo Italiano
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Studio Album, released in 2016 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. The Sacrifice (4:41) - Luca Scherani / keyboards
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HÖSTSONATEN Symphony N.1: Cupid & Psyche ratings distribution
(122 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(30%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(32%)
Good, but non-essential (30%)
Collectors/fans only (6%)
Poor. Only for completionists (2%)
HÖSTSONATEN Symphony N.1: Cupid & Psyche reviews
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Collaborators/Experts Reviews
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

The main theme here is decidedly neo-classical , aided by an outright string quartet section, some brass and woodwinds in full regalia, all determined to elevate the arrangements to new heights. On the windswept 'Zephyr', the spirited musicians adopt a sterling vibe full of immense bravado and delirium, highlighted by drummer Paolo Tixi killing it on the skins while Scherani molests his synths with passionate resolve. Italy is the home of romanticism, a mindset splattered all over their glorious culture and when 'amore' becomes the focus, the artful methodology comes oh so naturally, as on the palpitating 'Love Scene', featuring profound emotion (as the gifted Laura Marsano rips off another seductive axe solo), a truly magnificent piece of solemn beauty, allied with some reflective piano and delicate flute. Things do get dissonant and complex with whipping mellotron blasts rivaling the brass section in a stop and go dance that defies logic and suddenly gets real hot under the collar, swerving into very orchestral realms that are insistent, jangled and grandiose. Sofia Bartolini's obsessive bassoon does wonders weaving between Scherani's various ivories, furthered along by Joanne Roan's magical flute. On 'Venus First Trial', the mood is very classical orchestra that slowly veers towards a more rock approach, colossal mellotron waves smashing into the electric guitar, strong brass support and the spotlight rests on some stellar sax work that recalls Traffic's Chris Wood on 'Glad'. This endless ebb and flow between classical music in the shape of string quartet and piano on one hand and the more pugnacious RPI delivery led by strong rhythmic work and searing soloing from both electronic keyboards and electric guitars is what makes this work so compelling. Things also get funky with Scherani's e-piano, linked with some judicious brass work and tick-tack drum patterns, proving that these musicians know a thing or two about soul and feeling. Then having the smarts to blend in both mellotrons and orchestra proves my point perfectly. Then letting Marsano have some bluesy fun on her sexy guitar pushes the pleasure level even higher, keeping the listener constantly stimulated. Then giving the spotlight on Scherani to delve into his keyboard arsenal and let his fingers do the walking and talking ('The Awakening'), playing dipsy-doodle with an errant oboe before laying down some heady cascades of 'tron. A perfect example of instrumental symphonic RPI prog !
Another stellar chapter in the ongoing Hostsonaten discography, a step up from the previous 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner', we are witness to a slew of incredibly gifted musicians enjoying the style they so obviously adore.
4.5 troubled cherubs
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Rock Progressivo Italiano Team

`Cupid and Psyche' was a story originally written in the 2nd century AD by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis, concerning the overcoming of obstacles to the love between the above two characters and their ultimate union in a sacred marriage. The tale has not only been frequently retold in poetry, drama and opera, but depicted widely in painting and sculpture, and it makes for an ideal inspiration for the frequently theatrical and classical-flavoured style that Italian prog-rock is so often renowned for.
The album forms a continuous suite of instrumental music, and looking at some of the highlights, opener `The Sacrifice' blends skipping violin, triumphant horns and rollicking drums with whirring synth trills, and Mellotron and violin weave together dramatically with snapping up-tempo fanfare runs and spiralling synth soloing throughout `Zephyr'. Unsurprisingly with its title, `Love Scene' is a deeply romantic and softly swooning theme that would have fit right at home on any of the above- mentioned `Seasons' albums, and the extended guitar solo in the second half reminds instantly of the Flower Kings' Roine Stolt and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour. `Unmasking' fleetingly reminds of Osanna with its mix of heavier guitars, dominating Mellotron with call-and-response horn duels and intimidating orchestration, but the second half turns acoustic with reflective prettiness.
There are four pieces that then make up the `Trial' movement - `Venus (1st Trial)' is often playfully mischievous with an approaching tension, `Entrapped (2nd Trail)' is a sobering piano, flute, violin and classical guitar rumination that rises in dignity with subtle orchestration, the sprightly `Sheep and Water (3rd Trail)' surprisingly grooves with jazzy electric piano dashes and soaring orchestral flights of fancy, and `Underworld (4th Trial)' is excited and full of liveliness, culminating in immaculate Pink Floyd-like weeping bluesy guitar strains over carefully humming Hammond organ before roaring to life in the powerful finale. `The Awakening' instantly launches into a Moog- powered sprint with a heavy driving beat and scratchy Mellotron, and the joyfully stirring `The Ascension' is a dashing reprise of perfectly fused rock and orchestra unity to finish on.
For such an epic undertaking, it's actually a welcome relief to find that `Symphony n. 1' is a forty- four minute vinyl-length release, often broken into shorter passages that together mean the album can be given plenty of replays without an overwhelming length becoming too intimidating. Some will find the album impossibly stuffy, pompous and self-indulgent (but hey, pretty sure that's what a lot of prog-fans are here for!), but lovers of the grandest of progressive rock styles will find this to be luxurious symphonic prog at its very finest, one of Hostsonaten's grandest artistic statements to date, and certainly one of the most sophisticated Italian releases of 2016.
Four and a half stars.
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