VIOLATO INTATTO

I was completely blindsided by this album. I own their first two studio albums and both are solid 4 star albums but "Violato Intatto" takes them to a new level in my opinion. Now I did miss the previous album "AdC" so I need to rectify that but it's like this album was taylor made for me. So powerful with what I thought was outstanding in your face bass lines but was told by Giovanni the keyboardist that he makes the bass sounds with his organ now that the bass player was replaced by a sax man. There's also lots of horns, guitar and some killer drumming. Cool that the DEUS EX MACHINA violinist guests on one track. So much of this album is familiar, reminding me of music I know and love. Without question a top three for me for 2017 and possibly number one. This was recorded live in studio with some overdubs. I didn't mention the mellotron or Fender Rhodes two of my favourite instruments right there. This is simply outstanding from beginning to end, no weak songs even though it's over 73 minutes in length. It's mostly instrumental but for the guest female vocals on track 6.

"Folia Saxifraga" gets us started as it hits the ground running and there's so much going on. Organ to the fore as the drums pound. The sax is back! A powerful first minute then we get this psychedelic calm that's quite spacey. This is better. Drums after 2 minutes then it kicks back in. Dissonant sax after 2 1/2 minutes as the organ and drums create a rhythm.

"Monodia" is a top three song for me. Deep organ sounds vibrate my speakers before it kicks in heavily. The horns give me a SOFT MACHINE/ NUCLEUS vibe for sure. Love how the organ growls away here. The tempo starts to pick up around 2 minutes. I'm just blown away here as the guitar makes some incredible noise. The horn before 4 minutes sounds amazing playing over top. Check out the organ before 5 minutes then the guitar and drums take over. Horns are back quickly though. Powerful stuff then that SOFT MACHINE vibe returns late to end it. Nice.

"Blue-5" opens with organ and guitar as we get some heaviness as the soundscape shakes. A horn comes in over top. Great section after 2 minutes with the organ, drums and horns especially. It settles down some before 3 minutes then a catchy horn led section takes over a minute later that lasts to the end.

"Shamash" features that DEUS EX MACHINA violinist. Experimental sounds to start. I believe that's guitar as the synths create atmosphere. It kicks in heavily just before 2 minutes. So good! That organ is incredible. It does settle back briefly though before 4 1/2 minutes with some interesting violin as the drums crash the scene then it kicks back in again. The violin starts to shred then we get another calm before 6 minutes that is exotic and experimental. This reminds me of Krautrock believe it or not. It kicks back in with violin.

"Idios Cosmos" opens with a horn melody and it will come and go as powerful outbreaks trade off with it. An experimental calm follows then it kicks in before 2 1/2 minutes with honking horns and in your face organ and drums. Love this earth moving organ along with the Fender Rhodes as the horns blast away. A spacey calm before 4 1/2 minutes then it starts to build a minute later with honking horns, organ and drums again.

"E Verde E L'ignoto Su Chi Corri" is a top three for me. Intricate sounds to start with cymbals as well. This reminds me of Sweden here. Drums just before a minute. Guest female vocals before 1 1/2 minutes in this more laid back setting. She's really good. Check out the subtle keys 4 1/2 minutes in and again Sweden comes to mind. What a moving track for me. Mellotron waves continue to roll in to the end.

"Marienkirche" is experimental at first I'm not sure if these are samples or not but they vaguely remind me of a train but the sound is deconstructed it would seem. It fades away anyways as organ and atmosphere take over but soon that opening soundscape is back after 2 minutes to the end. Love that they did something that "out there" on here.

"Di Eccezione In Variante" along with "Shamash" make my top five. Check out the picked guitar melodies along with the keys and atmosphere. Drums after a minute. Soon it's drums and keys only then the guitar starts to echo. Gotta love the electric piano and drums here. It's becoming more powerful then the guitar comes to the fore after 3 minutes. Killer organ too in this amazing section that kicks ass! A calm with keys 5 minutes in before kicking back in heavily once more.

"Ulis" opens with keys and cymbals before it kicks in rather heavily with horns over top. Catchy stuff. A calm arrives but not for long as the organ joins the energetic soundscape as the horns blast away. It settles back again with electric piano, a beat and some innovative horns. So good!

"Eros Vs Anteros" is my final top three track. We get an ethnic vibe to start as horns and an energetic sound lead the way. The keys bring AREA to mind. Nice rhythm section before a minute as the guitar solos over top. Incredible! Checkout the organ after 4 minutes, this sounds amazing. It settles back 6 minutes in with some acoustic guitar and more before kicking back in with horns over top. This section is really repetitive until we get a change 8 minutes in as the organ replaces the horns and rips it up. The horns are back! Suddenly it's acoustic guitar only after 9 minutes to the end.

"Il Violato Intatto" ends the album in style as we get electronics at first as a deep atmosphere rolls in. Sounds start to drone as well. Interesting. Distorted keys and a determined beat take over around 3 minutes. Horns lead before 5 minutes as it stays fairly heavy. There's that distorted organ again. Electronics only before 5 1/2 minutes like the intro but then the drums and horns return. Horns only before 7 minutes.

This has impressed me like little else this year other than the WOBBLER recording. Easily 5 stars and possibly my album of the year.