Italian Prog For Beginners - Reloaded

JANUS

Here you can find a very short video of Janus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOQPAsLnld4

Intersting albums for collectors, but the sound quality is very far from perfect

Info about Janus from Italianprog.com:

Created by Mario Ladich along with ex-Nuovo Canto Popolare singer/guitarist Fabio Torriero, Janus were formed in Rome in 1975 in the right wing political movements circuit and never had an easy life as the italian musical scene and rock concert organization during the 70's were led by left wing movements. The first name of the band was Janum, that was later corrected in the right form of Janus (the roman god of the beginnings).
After a debut single, in late 1976, by the original four-piece line-up, still under the early name of Janum, Torriero left the group, and a new line-up was assembled by drummer Ladich along with a guitarist and a bass player. This line-up only released an EP in 1977.
Even if he didn't take part in the recording of the EP, guitarist Stefano Recchioni (killed during a political riot in 1978) was briefly in the band in this early period, that saw no less than four different singers in the band.
Their only album, the privately released Al maestrale came in late 1978, mixing together the early hard rock influences of the band with a slight folky touch (with good use of flute) and even some punk inspired sounds (like in Manifestazione non autorizzata). 
Vocal parts are rather weak and the short album (under 30 minutes) generally suffers from lack of professional musicianship and production, but it contains some good moments. A second album, recorded in 1981 by a guitar-less four piece line-up always led by Ladich, was never released and only two instrumental tracks from the recording sessions were issued on the band's last single. The group split in late 1981. Group leader drummer Mario Ladich also took part in the recording of the rare album Science and violence by Carrè Ladich Marchal in 1979.

COMPAGNIA DELL’ANELLO

Here you can find the link to the official website of La Compagnia dell’Anello:

http://www.compagniadellanello.net/

The short samples on the official website and the very low quality video that you can find on youtube do not really give an idea of their music... Especially their first album “Terra di Thule” is not bad, although very far from the level of  Italian prog masters like PFM, Le Orme or BMS

Info about La Compagnia dell’Anello from Italianprog.com:

Active in Padova since 1974 with various line-ups, in 1977 the band became La Compagnia dell'Anello (one of the chapters in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings), and was strongly connected with right wing youth movements. 
Like Janus, they had a good live activity in those circuits since their early years, but could only release a self produced debut album in 1983. The recently reissued Terra di Thule is a good folk-rock album containing dreamy ballads mainly built on acoustic guitar, piano and vocals, while the second side has more keyboards and instrumental parts. The original LP is rare.
A second album, In rotta per Bisanzio, followed in 1990.