ULISSE - L'ALFIERE NERO

What a wonderful record! The Italian group "Progenesi" has released their debut record this year and "Ulisse: L'Alfiere Nero" maked me shiver through the whole listening. There is something out standing in this subgenre. I think it's the thought of the 70s which is still in them and who wouldn't listen then. There is still not a form of retro rock, for me it sounds modern. Actually this is more heavy than a lot of the prog from the earlier times. I would say this record expresses that a four man band can do big, surrounding music. In many bands I think it's an additional instrument that makes the wonder but here prove a rock band what it can. Guilio Stromendo's piano, hammond and keyboards, Dario Giubileo's bass, Patrik Matrone's gutar and Omar Ceriotti's drums do the work in this record with a tame cover.

You won't hear vocals on this record and I think that is good. I have heard so many bad vocalists on prog records so I'm afraid it's dangerous to sing. This music speaks to us without words; the words are laid within the notes. On these fourty eight minutes(which is enough for a record) we travell through a beautiful world. The clavier man does a great job and all the others too. Every track is worth listening but my favourites are "Il rosso della notte pt.1" and "Il rosso della Notte pt. 2", parts of a wonderful suite. Progenesi is most symphonic but it also has jazz influences.

This is a complete prog album, a perfect album to pick and show infidels when they confused ask: what is prog?, and as this complete album of course it's easy to hear their forefathers. It happens things all the time so you won't be disappointed. It feels like the only modern prog I really can love is Italian, it may be so too. A modern masterpiece!