IL TEMPIO DELLE CLESSIDRE

When a good wine is really good, is nice to taste it with an old friend. But when the wine ages is even more pleasant to savor it in solitude nights, maybe with a guitar close to a warm fire in winter, when that good wine became a good old friend. Inevitably in this case a man, a thinker that don't dislike solitude, starts to fluctuate back in time, maybe digging into the human essence, the human condition. These themes are often source of inspiration (and I don't deny, even for my writings) for many 70s RPI bands and artist like BMS, PFM, Museo Rosenbach, Alusa Fallax, Il Paese Dei Balocchi, Lucio Battisti (with the writings of Mogol), which gave us pearl of rare beauty. So looking for something exiting, I came across in several bands from several names. Among the many I was attracted by one them with name "Il Tempio Delle Clessidre". After one year I opened my "not yet heard folder" and I start to listen them. I don't know nothing about their story, and I was immediately impressed by the voice. An old acquaintance? Absolutely yes. Stefano "Lupo" Galifi!

The band has its root in Genova, a city of great Prog Artists as New Trolls, Delirium, Latte E Miele, Finisterre, but also songwriters as De Andrè, Lauzi, the Great Nicolò Paganini violinist and compositor, ecc... Their name chain them with a blood bond to Museo Rosenbach. In fact the project born in 2006 by an idea of Elisa Montaldo (the real driving force of the band) with the "old wolf" (LUPO) Stefano Galifi, legendary voice of Museo Rosenbach. In the beginning the project was created to play live the entire Zarathustra Opera, but later the band with "Lupo" decided to work for an album. The real surprise of the band is Elisa Montaldo. Behind that sensual and obscure figure hides a great keyboardist, compositor and Prog Lover, intelligent and creative. The rest of the band comes up with Giulio Canepa on guitar, Fabio Gremo on bass guitar and Paolo Tixi on drums. A classic Prog formation dominated by keyboards. The band sound play as the "good old RPI" of the best tradition of 70s, such great band as Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Museo Rosenbach (especially for vocals style naturally), but also as King Crimson and sometimes as Van Der Graaf Generator.

The album opens with "Verso l'Alba", a very classic RPI intro good structured, which gives to the listener an idea of which "material" the work is made. The same power characterizes the intro of keyboard and guitar together in "Insolita Parte Di Me" (my favorite song that I sing very loud as an adolescent happy). After a short flight on this intro, remembering "Degli Uomini" by Museo, starts "Lupo" voice. A dip into the past!! So with splendid passages and solos of guitar and keyboard, the song ends the reflections typical of entire album.

Is possible to appreciate the skills of musicians in piece as "Bocadesse", with sophisticated Prog passages and sudden changes of time elaborated and precise. A good song finely crafted, perfectly with the unique vocals. The ambiguity of a thinking mind is well expressed in "Le Due Metà Di Una Notte", deep and uncanny.

In this phase the album play calm and thoughtful, and as an intimate confession begins "La Stanza Nascosta" (The Hidden Room). Under the sound of a slow piano the poetry of the search of themselves, this song offers us moments of rare beauty. The musicality of this thoughts, between piano, violin and classic guitar accompanies the listener until the end of the song.

Someone walk in a little watercourse or something like that where there is water. Dark and gloomy atmospheres opens "Danza Esoterica Di Datora" sudden time changes and then female voices confused. Here is possible to appreciate Elisa Montaldo ability with piano and keyboards. A deep knowledge of RPI. After an intermezzo of piano that remember me ELP or BMS, starts with crackling guitars and then a fantastic female voice accompanies the "Danza" which appears really esoteric! This song continues with the next "Faldistorum", so these two songs are a little suite. It goes more or less as the progress of the previous musical theme, whit an organ that remember the organ in cathedrals. In fact the atmospheres here are characterized by a sort of orations, as if it was a sort of ritual.

"L'Attesa", another example of cohesion between the members of the band, precedes another little suite. So starts "Il Cento Sottile", personally the best Galifi's vocal performances in this album. It sounds perfectly in line with Zarathustra Opera, as if the song was its continuation or a missing track, but enriched with new elements. Maybe the Elisa's touch? Yes, it is so. Here might end the album, but they has add the beauty "Antidoto Mentale" (Mental Antidote), to taste for a little bit the band. The choise to add this track is similar to the last song in L'Estate di San Martino album, "Talsete di Marsantino (an acronym of the band).

Bass and drum did in an excellent way the "dirty work", scanning the time and giving the rhythms to the wonderful atmospheres created. I think this could be a surprise for every RPI lover. An original sound despite they are inevitably bond to Museo Rosenbach. Thanks to Elisa which has embarked on this adventure with an old sea "Lupo" giving to us a masterpiece and a new band to appreciate RPI.

5 Stars - Necessary