DISCESA AGL'INFERI D'UN GIOVANE AMANTE

Il Bacio Della Medusa is an art-prog-rock group which was born in 2002. The band released three studio albums until now. The first, of the same name, was released in 2004, the second 'Discesa Agl'Inferi D'Un Giovane Amante', a conceptual album, was released in 2008 and the third 'Deus Lo Vult', another conceptual album was released in 2012.

The band embraces the 70's progressive rock style. The progressive facets of the band touch both the Anglo-Saxon side and the Mediterranean, a facet that characterizes the style that is now known today as Rock Progressivo Italiano. Refined texts, long winded titles and imaginative covers for a baroque style are typical of a certain type of progressive rock of bands like Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Le Orme and Area which are some of the best representative Italian bands in the 70's. It seems the old tradition continue in our days with bands like Il Bacio Della Medusa, Universal Totem Orchestra, Finisterre, Hostsonaten, La Machera Di Cera and Ingranaggi Della Valle.

'Il Bacio Della Medusa' (The Kiss Of The Medusa), riding the wave of inspiration of the first album, immediately begins the work of what will be, so far, their most popular album, 'Descent Agli'Inferi D'Un Giovane Amante' (Descent To Hell Of A Young Lover) . It's a real rock opera, a mature, passionate and dramatic, conceptual album inspired by the V canto of the Inferno of 'The Divine Comedy' written by the great Dante Alighieri. In short, we can say that the concept of the album is about two lovers, Paolo and Francesca and and their thoughts when they follow their path of descent to Hell.

Musically, the sounds are more elegant than the previous one, thanks to the presence of the Rinchi violin and the Petrini keyboards. The work is masterful and full of intensity and density, and the arrangements of the band are excellent. Times and styles are perfectly and harmoniously alternated, between bloodless and dreamy ballads, classical accompaniments typical of symphonic prog and hard-folk incursions. The interactions between the instruments are numerous. The courtly and poetic texts host copious rhetorical figures and are written and interpreted with emphasis, also thanks to a broad ductility of the song that perfectly transmits the emotions experienced by the narrated subjects.

The tracks flow together without breaks, adding to the sense that it unfolds like a grand play. An often obscure music, conducted by the omnipresent organ and a guitar also hard, often embellished by a delicate flute and, to underline, the most touching moments of the story, a poignant violin and a guitar. Here and there we can hear some valuable folk insertions, which soften a little the subtle restlessness that hovers between the notes and the lyrics. The notes of the sad and romantic 'Preludio: Il Trapasso' lead us into the esoteric atmosphere that will accompany 'our souls' for the whole journey among the underworld. The 'Confessione D'Un Amante', sustained by the expansive melancholy of the instruments, is that of the suffering of Paolo. With 'La Bestia E Il Delirio' the rhythm is raised immediately thanks to a low flute unison, which we will often find throughout the album. In 'Recitativo: ' Nel Buio Che Risplendono Le Stelle' the flute, marching with the other instruments, opens to a marvelous and at the same time disturbing poem. A detachment and a change of rhythm introduce 'Ricordi Del Supplizio', one of the grittiest pieces of the album. 'Nostalgia, Pentimento E Rabbia' initially relaxes us, through sounds of medieval appeal, and then reinvigorates itself. Following is the instrumental 'Sudorazione A Freddo Sotto Il Chiaro Di Luna' where at a certain point the rhythms subsided, leaving room for more rarefied atmospheres. Then, let's go through the verses of Cecchini on the epic 'Melencolia', where we estimate the acoustic sounds of a guitar that we find partly in 'E Fu Allora Che Dalle Fiamme Mi Sorprese Una Calda Brezza Celeste', with the kaleidoscopic Cecchini at the tenor sax. We continue instrumentally in the following tracks, 'Nosce Te Ipsum - La Bestia Ringhia in Noi', in which violin and percussion alternate with keyboard rides. We want to end with sad, melancholic and solemn atmospheres, guided by the Rinchi violin that is enhanced in this final. Mere vocalizations without words accompany 'Corale Per Messa Da Requiem' and in 'Epilogo: Conclusione Della Discesa Agl'inferi D'un Giovane Amante' the main theme is taken back, soaked with sadness.

Conclusion: The second studio album of Il Bacio Della Medusa is a mature work, refined and enthralling at the same time. They made an album in which not only the sounds, they pass from the melancholic and dark atmospheres to the purest prog sound or symphonic with an astonishing ease, but also the same voice by Cecchini, they seem to come directly from the 70's. The strong bond with the past is not a question of pure imitation, but a respectful appeal, like the deferential relationship of a believer with his own God. This has to be up there with the best of the retro-Italian prog rock I've heard in the last years with 'Mathematical Mother' of Universal Totem Orchestra. With these albums we can see the prog rock is very alive and why Rock Progressivo Italiano is responsible for some of the best prog albums ever.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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