LUXADE

If you have read my reviews for their first two efforts, you know that I quite like "La Maschera". Actually, I consider them as one of the best actual Italian bands. I was very enthusiastic to discover their third album. They took their time to release this one (three years after "Il Grande Labirinto").

Influences remain the same : Crimson, ELP and to a some extent Genesis. A new drummer (Maurizzio) will be featured here.

Even if "Doppia Imagine" is again a wonderful track, it is too similar to "Il Viaggio" to sound original. Of course "Il Viaggio" was a masterpiece and I guess it is normal to try and achieve to repeat the beauty of this track. "Doppia" features great vocals (as usual) and nice keyboards as well. Some good sax to justify the Crimson filiation. Still, one of the highlight of LuxAde" (but again, there will so many that it seems useless to talk about highlights).

"Unsenso All' impossible" is a long track well in the tradition of La Maschera". Crimson and Genesis are the inspirators here. Some very nice fluting from Andrea. It was a great idea to have a full time flutist / saxophonist in the band (but one of their inspirator did it long ago with Mel). He is such an added value to the band and makes "La Maschera" sounding rather different from the majority of their Italian colleagues. And since I am found of this instrument for over thirty-five years, I can only be charmed with this track. Another very good song with a superb finale : an explosion of keys and great drumming.

"Orpheus" is 100% Crimson-esque. But the Crimson side I like less (not the symphonic one, if you see what I mean). But "La Maschera" never go as far as their masters in the noisy parts. They always come back with an incredible and passionate Italian flavour. This is probably why I love them so much. I know that very few of you think my way and might even believe I am completely nuts but for me they represent the perfection in a style invented by Crimson. When I could get irritated by some of some KC noisy parts, "La maschera" will turn them into brilliant and pure symphonic ones. This track is the living proof. Another very catchy song with a somptuous melody.

"Nuova Luce" is another long composition (again over ten minutes). The intro is frankly jazzy, but after two minutes "La Maschera" will bring us again on track with their so identifiable style : emotion at its peak. I really like Alessandro's voice here. On top of that he is a good showman and apparently a very friendly person. This track is the most complex one so far : a bit structureless with here and there some weird passages, you know like...

But these are so short, and usually followed by the sweetest music you can think of. Really enjoyable. There will be a re-use of the great riff from "Watcher" for a few moments, just before the bombastic keyboard-oriented finale. "La Maschera" often produces such great instrumental sections. A pure marvel.

I have to say, that so far this album is on par with its fantastic predecessors (which I both rated with five stars).

So, now we are heading the central piece of this album. An almost twenty-five minutes epic.

Weird (but short) intro. IMO, "Encidica 1168" is sub-par with the rest of the album. It seems to go nowhere (or in too many directions) and it is more a collage of different pieces than really an epic with recurrent themes. The atmosphere is rather scary and bizarre, but where are the melodious moments we are used to ?

We are far from the brilliance of the title track of their first album as well as "Il Viaggio" from their second one.

Even Alesandro sounds less inspired, almost shouting at times. "La Maschera" will also produces some pure improvisations here which have never been my cup of tea. Maybe that this track should have been downsized substantially, but even so I am not sure we would have gotten a much more interesting song since great moments are too scarce in here. Only the finale can match their best numbers. But four minutes out of twenty-five is just not enough.

The last instrumental track is a short (according "La Maschera" standards) number which is very pleasant and closes this very good album nicely.

Anyway, I feel of course a bit disappointed that the longest song of this album is below my expectations (but maybe they were too high)? This album remains a very strong and a beautiful one. Still, if you have to get only one of their record I would recommend to stick to their first one if you are more looking to pure and beautiful music, and to their second one if you like more sophisticated and complex music. I would say that with "LuxAde", a bit (but just a little bit) of the magic has gone. Four stars.