IL PASSO DEL SOLDATO

I had a 'keyboard phase' a year ago. So I bought Trace's two albums, ELP 'Brain Salad Surgery', Par Linhd Project 'Mundus Incompertus', R.D.M. 'Contaminazione', Triumvirat 'Spartacus' and 'Double Dimple', Le Orme 'Felona e Sorona'...all great keyboard records.

And I had more than enough after a while. It's comprehensible, too much too often. Keyboard oriented records sometimes lacks originality and gets repetitive. To compensate those flaws, a record has to be catchy and has to make a good use of the material. Il Passo del Soldato is both, so I don't regret the purchase. Easy to get into plus a wide range of keyboards. When there's no guitars, the keys must make more ruckuss and the drum has to be superior or at least, very competent.

This is the closest band I've seen to the sound of le Orme. In fact, the biggest influences are Le Orme and Rovescio della Medaglia. And boy it is time for this to happen. Both bands are too often overlooked and overshadowed by ELP. To give you a hint on the quality of the product, this record has more 'good/very good' songs than ELP had in all their career. We go from various moods, but the theme about WAR is constent and settles the atmosphere to 'dark', or at least not very light. A very nice feeling of 'Felona e Sorona' is evaporating along the way, with more majestic and rythmic moments a la 'Contaminazione'.

Nice vocals also. The singer gives us a powerful performance and some pretty nasty high pitch moments that reminds me Geddy Lee or Freddy Mercury. The whole thing wrapped up in darkish keyboards and good drumming...this will please Le Orme fans for sure.

Clearly a wise purchase. Easy to get into, but lots of stuff to chew on.

Another great discovery if you want ONE keyboard oriented band that does it 'old school'.