Stephan Thelen and David Torn did it again and in just 3 movements they delivered a concise, solid and surprising work in which the best of the latest King Crimson floats in the air while we hear basses as if taken from the most harmful Zeuhl and a permanent feeling that things can suddenly become electronic.

Irregular metrics coexist with riffs of deep mysticism and phenomenal guitars that appear in the form of grandiose solos as well as in the textures and layers that are added to the songs to add thickness to the general mood of an album that can be enjoyed enormously from beginning to end, whether in moments of modern darkness or in calm and reflective passages. all with a futuristic and novel air.

Excellent work by these Swiss band, highly recommended!

I didn't know about the existence of this character until I saw a certain review on Youtube and I have been very pleasantly surprised with the very particular style and history of this Mexican composer.

Like an industrial blender, Greco seems to want to tell us so many things in such a short time that the result is overwhelming in the best of ways (at least for those of us who love the school of Rock In Opposition, Zeuhl and Avant).

It is noteworthy that, even with the participation of so many renowned musicians, the album stands out for its uniformity and cohesion. The pieces sound connected by an invisible thread that is undoubtedly Greco's composition, weaving with careful care the instruments of at least 30 human beings from different parts of the world who somehow manage to sound like a single band, song after song.

The man achieves what he seems to want in the listener: a permanent feeling of unease and power that very few bands achieve in this genre today. Magnificent!

The group with possibly the highest average IQ's playing together, created in this album an authentic manifesto of what it means to take the most learned and complex music to the fields of Rock, marking a before and after in the conception of the term Avant-Prog and having to this day the cult deserved for it.

At times chaotic and Dadaist, "Western Culture" was precisely that: to make it clear that they could have fun and have a good time together, taking the rules of music conservatories to the extreme, creating songs that hide behind their intricate elements precious passages of the purest beauty, for those of us who like RIO as much as contemporary classical music. It's hard to say if it's his best work, but easy to say it's one of his perfect works and touchstone of the genre. Huge job!

Ok, we know it's one of those experiments in which an advanced group decides to create a non-existent soundtrack for a movie from 50 years ago or more (well, maybe they invented this macabre experiment themselves).

The reality is that I have never seen the homonymous film from 1921 and it is something that I am not sure I need in my life, since I feel more than satisfied with the majesty of the album created by these Belgians in 1997.

Dark, gloomy, threatening, cinematic, histrionic and intimidating are some of the words that describe the mood of the songs well. Abundant in passages that change each other (as if they were scenes from a movie), the album offers a beautiful experience of unpredictability and amazement every couple of minutes. It is worth highlighting the fact that the music is from 1997 but sounds, at least, 25 years older which I consider a detail of excellent taste on the part of this cult band of the darkest rock in opposition ever made.

From the now legendary drum fill that opens "Peaches in Regalia" to the last crazy notes of "The Gumbo Variations" this album is a true tour de force of the genius from Baltimore.

I think that a great merit of this album is to leave aside the uncomfortable comedy and social satire with which he filled his previous albums to launch a serious work (if you can call anything Zappa has ever done that).

And it is that this album proved once and for all that Zappa was a great composer of sera music, jazz, rock, blues and avant (in case there were any doubts about it) while in the aspect of execution he made it clear that he was a guitar virtuoso with a unique language that to this day is confused just by listening to a few notes of his glorious guitar.

An album that many mark as the best initiation into the world of Frank and all his conceptual continuity... I'm not sure about this, but I'm sure that Hot Rats is an absolute masterpiece!

One of the most mysterious characters in the history of progressive rock, virtuoso pianist and Austrian child prodigy who could only give the world an album with his majestic work.

Possessing a unique style and a wonderful ability to fuse seemingly unconnected elements, the mind of this Austrian bequeathed to the fans of Jazz and rock in opposition one of his most solid and memorable pieces.

I think I heard some unpublished pieces that, although they kept a certain structure, seemed to me to be mainly rehearsals or improvisations that still needed work.

Why didn't he release more music? I ask using the word "publish" because if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that Szobel will continue to create music until the end of his days (if he's still alive). Fascinating story but even more incredible and portentous is this album, a must in any progressive collection.

A French ensemble who've risen out of a former incarnation as makers of mediæval music, the band's debut album is raking up the accolades from virtually everyone who encounters it.

1. "The Eternal Tree" (2:06) (4.375/5) 2. "Life" (11:31) a murky-sounding song that feels far too simplistic and predictable to possibly be receiving the attention it's been getting. The CAMEL-like bluesy passage starting at 6:10 is almost laughable for its predictability. Adeline Gurtner's lead vocals are weak and so poorly recorded and Olivier, Carina, and Mathieu's background support are just as poor. (17.125/20)

3. "Ethereal Melodies" (7:55) though sounding a lot like the previous song (chords, keys, sound palette, main melody) the band's previous incarnation as medievalists is able to shine through due to the quieter, less bombastic soundscape. Still, I can't fight the domineering feeling that I'm listening to a 2.0 cover band version of one of the older Prog Folk masters (Renaissance, Magenta, Mostly Autumn, Iona) (13.125/15)

4. "Back in Time" (14:24) Adeline and the band's best early Christina Booth/Magenta imitation (which makes them an imitator of Annie Haslem/Renaissance, right?). Mathieu Rossi's e-flute play and Carina's Hammond are quite top notch, even exciting and inspired, but Adeline's Christina Booth-like vocal performance sounds too much like the often-tired-sounding singer she sounds so much like. Too bad she wasn't given some of the theatric voice-acting roles the boys and instruments were given. I like the entertaining circus-like theatrics and more impressive display of instrumental skill and whole-band cohesion. (26.5/30)

5. "Prelude" (1:04) a successful exercise in Vangelism. (4.5/5) 6. "Coexistence - Part I" (11:20) a multi-part instrumental suite that is really just rather bombastic NeoProg--complete with Genesis rhythm tracks, a Pendragon-like environmental theme, and lush IQ instrumental palette. The construction is solid with the flow believable and engaging. The instrumental performances are solid and sometimes almost refreshingly unique (some really nice woodland folk weaves in the fifth and sixth minutes). (I don't really like the DAAL-like passage in seventh and eighth minutes.) The mix of the instrumental palette is pretty decent. Too bad the sound quality is so murky poor. (17.5/20)

Comparisons to Renaissance, Magenta, Mostly Autumn, and Iona are warranted, but only in terms of imitation. The sound quality, however, never reaches the high levels of quality mastered by these other bands; in fact, its the murky sound (and rather rudimentary, by-the-numbers prog) that turn me sour on this music. I really wanted to like this album--the preceding reviews were all very exciting--but my hopes are totally and completely deflated by the product I'm listening to. They have talent: and vision--but they need to grow a lot in the skills department and, moreso, in the sound engineering department. Still, the album does get better both over time (with repeated listens) and the deeper into the album one goes. (My expectations are now adjusted: prepared for the low sound quality (which reminds me of the horribly murky and overly-expansive soundscapes Cornwall-based band of Scots, THE EMERALD DAWN seem fixated on) as well as the inconsistent skill display and often too-imitative compositional quality.

Total Time: 55:55

B-/3.5 stars; a debut album whose inconsistent qualities will, hopefully, improve as the band matures. It is my hope that the band find better studio and engineers and concentrate more on the Prog Folk elements of their music rather than the bombastic NeoProg.

A Triumphant Return

Sometimes you can go home again. As the thunderstorms of losing loved ones become more frequent and the realization that a lifetime evaporates too soon, I find it is both my faith and the music of others that can bring some peace to the soul. Music has always been the best of soul tonics for me. And so it is very inspiring indeed to reconnect with a band who were so positively received at ProgArchives many moons ago, who return with a work that is markedly satisfying and heartfelt. It is all the more wonderful that these are the same four gents who recorded that first album 25 years prior! Often we see reunion projects with one original member and the rest are all new recruits, but the returning Cooperativa Del Latte is the same four guys. I love that. Returning again after so many sunsets are Gabriele Benfatto (guitar, vocals), Sergio Contin (bass), Claudio Farneti (drums, percussion), and Pierluigi Piccoli (piano, keyboards). In preparation of doing a review, I reached out to them to get some background on the story of Fogli d'Acqua Sparsi, their return as CDL.

The new album is not Il Risveglio, part two. Far from it. They did not want to repeat themselves, nor did they wish to pigeonhole themselves and be locked into a specific genre. They had years of new experiences and had been listening to all kinds of music since the '90s. Naturally, there was a desire to try new things and tell new stories. I recognized this change in style between the two discs before ever messaging with them. It reminded me of the change taken by friend and legend Stephano Testa, the difference between his '70s work and his more songs-based albums of recent years. Similarly, Il Risveglio, released in 1998, had more of that 1970s-influenced symphonic sound, often mellow and mysterious with longer dreamy passages and perhaps even some neo-prog feel at times. I felt the new album was very different, moving in a more songs-based direction, although not entirely. I don't think they're trying to mimic the past of the "cantautore" style masters here; there is still a nuanced progressive art rock feel, but it culminates not from the golden template of a Genesis or Italian symph influence, but rather from its inventive, collaborative playing and intentional songwriting.

While the overall sound profile is not earth-shattering or avant-garde in the way many ProgArchives adrenalin junkies expect new albums to be, the chops are there. More importantly, the heart is there. This is not just the next release in a career musician product line. It is the shared stories of regular people reaching out to talk about life. The songs seem inspired by a desire to communicate more effectively between musicians and to be more emotionally-direct with the audience. Critics could call the performances more succinct, less dense, or "economical" as compared to legacy symphonic prog-rock, but those adjectives don't do justice to the warmth, the organic vibe, and the feisty spirit that is captured here. To be objective, this album will not be wild enough for some of our prog-rock fans who crave serious bombast or metal-tinged technical heaviness, but it will please those in our ranks who are RPI fans, crossover fans, and those who enjoy cantautore but through a fresh lens. What I most appreciate is the care taken in the playing to serve the song rather than chest-pound, and I appreciate the high quality of the melodies that keep coming back into my head for days, little repeating motifs and lines that effectively find their way into your consciousness. That's a unique thing that many bands, while technically very accomplished, whiff on with regularity as they strive for the flash over elementals.

From the first moments of "Idrofilia," I smile. Having just reviewed an early '70s Battisti, it felt like I could be listening to some lost track when he was mingling new prog elements into his songs. Very catchy. Things quickly become more contemplative in "Oltre L'uragano," and it is apparent we are in for a treat. We settle in and close our eyes. I love that some space is reserved for piano rather than just using modern keyboard sounds. The ingredients of traditional RPI are still present (sans flute this time), but it is the thoughtful arrangements and the quality of the songs that create the magic here, not sonic window dressing. If you love good melodies enhanced by hours spent in practice crafting meaningful musical dialogue with each other, you will enjoy this. A couple of the tracks jump gears and rock harder with "Attimo Estremo" and "Fiume" having a particularly aggressive edge. The last two tracks are my personal faves with "Tensione Superficiale" building up with phased guitar sound, more aggressive drumming, and even a section of "lead" bass---yeah, bass in lieu of lead guitar---before "Foglie Sospese" perfectly decompresses everything with a glorious piano performance as the only element supporting the emotive vocal. What a great way to end the album!

Lyrically, the band seems to be writing about the human condition and personal relationships through the metaphorical lens of water in its various forms. I don't speak Italian, so I asked for more insight. Sergio gave me some notes on the lyrical themes as follows: ....water as a memory keeper ("Idrofilia," a song inspired by Aquileia, a little city near us which was the second port of the Roman Empire in Itay); a tempest of emotions ("Oltre L'uragano"); the back-scene of a love story (the rain in "Vero?"); the ability to change (in "Attimo Estremo," water is solid, liquid, steam); water that hides the world and leaves only old nostalgic memories ("Condensa"); water that passes violently like time ("Fiume"); water in nature (a little lake and its microcosm in "Tensione Superficiale"); and the absence of your beloved as snow on heart ("Foglie Sospese"). -italicized portion by Sergio Contin

It is often written that CDL were a "one-off" who vanished after Il Risveglio, but it's a bit more complex than that. After their debut, they eventually did part ways as CDL, but they all remained active in other artistic projects in music or theater. By the time CDL reunited in 2018, they immediately felt "at home" again, but now with 20 years of life to reflect on in new songs. I am only speculating here because I don't know the band, but it sure feels to me as if these guys share deep friendship and a gratitude for this chance to collect themselves again in the sacred space of creativity. It's one thing for young people to start a band and make an album when there is endless free time and energy. It's quite another thing for four people in busy midlife to have the chance to recreate this kind of fellowship and nurture it to create something new through a more mature dialogue. They were committed to making the time to do that for this material. I heard through the grapevine that perhaps we haven't heard the last to come from CDL. If true, let us hope it does not take another 25 years!

I am grateful to have found this music of the heart. Sometimes an album feels a bit more special than just another rock record, and for me this was one of those. Many thanks to Sergio Contin for sharing some of the CDL story with me.

Gentle piano, with lovely use of the sustain pedal, leads us delicately into the clear soprano of Veronica Bordacchini as she commences the journey which could easily be the opening of an opera. Strings come in, and we sit back, relax, and bask in her wonderful vocals, so much so that when she hits the high notes and demonstrates her training we reach over and turn it up just a little more, so the music becomes all encompassing. It may be only just over two minutes long, but it is transformative, and then there is a slight gap, and the choir are back with Francesco Paoli singing the words "I Can Never Die", which leads us into the 10-act story inspired by the tragic mountain climbing accident which nearly killed him in 2021.

I actually think this album is a step up from the last two, which is not something I thought could happen as they have mixed the symphonic death with styles which are more classical and one can imagine fans of Nightwish or Epica enjoying how those bands have been joined together with Dimmu Borgir, and then influences from the likes of George Frideric Handel and Richard Wagner have combined to create something which musically is huge. A massive credit must go to Grammy-nominated producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Epica, Arch Enemy) who mixed and mastered this as he has managed to make the quiet sections just that, while the massively over the top joining together of choirs, death growls and metal is insane. It feels like the listener is in the eye of the hurricane with the maelstrom going on all around, sheer chaos yet there is also order and continuity as while we do not comprehend what is happening there is a clear direction with loads of contrast.

Francesco is often the lead, with the choir playing an important part, with Veronica coming in at just the right moments to cut through the carnage. All those involved have played a major part, but it would be very wrong indeed not to call out drummer Eugene Ryabchenko (Banisher, Afgrund) as he is everywhere at once with hands and feet driving this album forward by sheer force of will. It leaves the listener exhausted, such is its majesty and power, and the only way to really pay homage to a magnificent work is by playing it on headphones, and very loudly indeed. The class shines through this from beginning to end, and at 43 minutes is both perfect and way too short as when in the zone the return to the real world is somewhat jarring, so the only thing to do is play it again.

3.5 stars. SENSITIVA IMMAGINE formed in Italy in 1975 and managed to release only one album in the great Italian tradition. I'm convinced that these young Italian guys once they've finished the recording sessions go out for pizza and girls and never come back. Have you seen some of these Italian girls? I don't blame them, but we are the ones to lose out music-wise. The only album they released was actually on cassette only and there is no reliable information as to the year they released it, other than most put it between 1976 and 1980.

The two band names that pop up constantly when talking about this album are LOCANDA DELLE FATE and GENESIS. Especially GENESIS, and to a fault really. And usually the GENESIS worship comes in the form of those Gabriel-like vocals but not here. It's the instrumental work that recalls the early moments of that great band. Mostly the guitar and keyboards. A five piece, and the singer thankfully sings in Italian, but he doesn't have the range of some of those classic Italian singers in RPI. I prefer the pastoral moments of this album, the beauty they created, but when they try to amp it up, it just doesn't work that great in my opinion.

On my original go around with this one 5 years ago I was constantly mentioning GENESIS in my notes as I listened to it. Only six songs and my top three includes track four, the longest at 10 1/2 minutes with samples of a car revving it's engine, then taking off, changing gears as it goes. Then the music kicks in. "Storia Di..." and "Harlem" sound too much like GENESIS, I prefer the final two tracks for my top three. The first of those is piano and vocals while the closer features some really catchy guitar work, and is a nice way to end the album.

A Neo prog vibe here too which is a coincidence more than anything, but this really was enjoyable, scratching that GENESIS itch. Not the most original sounding record though. The rating of 3.5 stars seems just right in my music world. If you like GENESIS though, please check this one out.