IL PASSO DEL SOLDATO

Well I very much enjoyed their two previous albums, both solid 4 star records that reminded me of CAMEL at times with some good guitar and keyboard work. I wasn't prepared for what I was going to hear on this their final album. First of all they have a new vocalist who is amazing. Secondly they have traded in the guitar for the filthiest sounding organ I have ever heard. I mean it's evil sounding.The music on this record really hearkens back to the Italian greats of the seventies, and that is what's so mindblowing about this album.

"All'ombra Di Un Conflicto" employs everything i've just talked about and more. It opens with the sounds of soldiers marching by. Marching style drums and wonderful sounding keyboard melodies.This goes on for 2 1/2 minutes when the passionate vocals arrive. This is pure pleasure from beginning to end. Check out the nasty organ runs 5 minutes in. "Lo Spettro Dell'Agonia Sul Campo" opens with fast paced keys as drums join in. The organ is powerful and prominant before a minute. Vocals after 2 minutes that are at times theatrical. The organ is fantastic 4 1/2 minutes in and check out the mellotron 2 minutes later during an uptempo section. An explosion ends it. "La Parata Dei Simboli" opens with piano as synths and marching style drums join in. Mellotron and organ follow in this 3 minute instrumental. "Il Passo Del Soldato" opens with some beautiful piano melodies for 1 1/2 minutes before drums and some dirty organ runs take over. Vocals 3 minutes in are incredible. This is the longest track at over 12 minutes. The vocals get theatrical and the synths get crazy. This song is a monster until the gorgeous piano melodies return later. What a ride !

"Armicrazia" is my favourite of the so many great tracks on this album. Mellotron to open as it floods the soundscape for 1 1/2 minutes, and then the tempo picks up as organ comes in powerfully with drums. Synths come in before it calms down 4 minutes in as vocals, mellotron and piano create a glimpse of heaven. Crushing organ sounds 5 minutes in as the tempo picks up before calming down again 7 minutes in to a solemn soundscape to end it. "L'armistizio" opens with some more great organ runs as the tempo speeds up. Piano and a calm including mellotron and vocals arrive. Nice. It concludes with an uptempo melody of more powerful organ. "Riflessi Di Pace" is a brighter more hopeful song with vocals, synths and drums. "Epitaffio" features drums and synths for 2 minutes at which time it fades out into silence. Then a more powerful soundscape takes over consisting of organ and eventually spoken words. Waves of mellotron as well. "Nuova Era Atto Secondo" has some drums and mellotron in the intro before some nasty organ riffs take over. Synths join in as well.

This is one of the best Italian records I have ever heard, an instant classic in my opinion.