SEMPRE E OVUNQUE OLTRE IL SOGNO

After their exciting debut CD entitled Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco from 2008, I declared Pandora as my favourite new Italian progrock band, even above Il Bacio Della Medusa and VIII Strada, so I was very curious to this successor. Well, it sounds overwhelming, what a thrilling blend of Classic Italian Prog (Banco, PFM, New Trolls), Seventies Symphonic Rock (Genesis, ELP) and Prog Metal (Dream Theatre). And this very promising four piece band even sounds better, more mature and tighter.

Over one hour we can enjoy a lot of variety, fluent shifting moods, musical surprises and craftsmanship. The new album starts with a stunning sumptuous classical sound in Re Degli Scemi, halfway mixed with fat Minimoog flights. Then four captivating and alternating compositions.

Lush vintage keyboards (Moog, Hammond, Fender electric piano) with a sensational duel between a fiery guitar and flashy synthesizer in L'Altare Del Sacrificio.

Passionate vocals, a swirling rhythm-section and wonderful work on guitar and keyboards in L'Inccantesimo Del Druido.

Warm acoustic guitar and vocals with soaring Mellotron violins in the beautiful Dicesa Attraverso Lo Stige

Ade, Sensazione Di Paura contains a strong tension between dreamy and bombastic featuring great vintage keyboards and strong guitar play.

The sixth song entitled 03-02-1974 is a very fine tribute to early Genesis. The booklet contains a painting in which we recognize Peter Gabriel with his flower mask. The music delivers twanging acoustic guitar, swinging piano and majestic Mellotron choirs, subtly blended with small parts of The Knife, Cinema Show and Supper's Ready. Then the short but strongly build-up track La Formula Finale Di Chad-Bat, the final part takes us to Progheaven: Mellotron choirs, propulsive drums and intense vocals. It's a perfect bridge to the epic final composition Sempre E Ovunque (more than 20 minutes) that delivers plenty of excitement and variety.

We can enjoy: orchestral keyboards, a Spanish oriented guitar solo, an interlude with jazzy piano, a prog metal climate with heavy guitar, swirling keyboards and thundering drums, a dreamy part with warm vocals, acoustic guitar and mellow flute play and in between lots of sumptuous keyboards and powerful interplay. The 'grand finale' is very compelling with fiery guitar, fat Moog runs, a heavy Hammond sound and again majestic Mellotron choirs, supported by a dynamic, pretty propulsive rhythm-section, impressive!

Impressive is also my conclusion about this excellent second album by Pandora, in my opinion one of the best 'new Italian progrock' efforts in the last two decades. I am sure that almost 10 years later Pandora their thrilling blend of Classic Italian Prog, Seventies symphonic rock and prog metal will appeal to many progheads and symphomaniacs, so highly recommended!