FLOWER TORANIA

ZIO is the group created by Jimmy PALLAGROSI on February 13, 2019 on the ashes of the KARNATAKA group. More or less ousted, he had the good idea to take the leaping Hayley with him and ask former THE ENID singer Joe Payne to come and lend a hand. He composed, let's say it immediately, a beautiful modern prog opera metal piece, surrounded by great names like Olivier CASTAN who also plays on the FRANCK CARDUCCI BAND, said front-man of the aforementioned group, Heather FINDLAY the 1st voice of MOSTLY AUTUMN and HAKEN guitarist on a track. The sound developed is very innovative, as on what AYREON has been able to develop in an extraordinary way with its concept albums: muffled interludes, others energetic, others frenzied with the tangled voices of the different singers, telling the eccentric story of Alan, the hero of the story to make Belbi smile again, who in theory can no longer smile; hard task, which I am working on. Finally, I will quote "Last Action Hero" for the idea of ​​the hero drawn into an abracadabrantesque endless story and especially the world of video games with brawls against a background of music of course. The orientation is therefore anchored in a prog-pop-metal-rock melting pot that is a bit crazy with traces of baroque and opera. And I take on this new label.

"Ride Along" comes with an ideal piano intro, you know the pink wooden piano that we had for his 4 years, the magical voice of Hayley, an air of fair, sound effects à la AYREON a little robotic for a perfect introduction, a latent stage intro. "X-Ray" follows with a strong energetic track which sets the mood on a frantic rhythm accompanied by the suave voice of Joe, in short an apparently singular osmosis with the old and young of KARNATAKA for a sidereal flight in two stages, one soft, catchy, the other angelic, a perfect fresh mix where the drums do not hesitate to take off even more; the synth is also in place to keep this modern rhythm going; the violent riff on the aerial synth reminds me of the attack of the birdmen on "FLASH", music composed by QUEEN of course. "Wings Inside" follows on the same rhythm with a nod to an English ballad, to an orchestration worthy of ARAGON and its "Mouse". "Gold And Power" follows as an interlude with airy pads, symphonic noises, almost infra-bass tone, I find there a little of the universe of LUCASSEN, a lot of video game atmospheres especially those of arcade, a lot of gaiety in fact . "Straight Up From Underneath" arrives as a logic with the first of the four long tracks of the album, it's dancing, it's new wave, it's full of backing vocals, full of new atmosphere, it's fresh with the piano dripping like a waterfall then suddenly we enter the world of jazzy cabaret where a certain Freddie liked to graze there; the drums are beating their notes, the tune sounds "very British", you could almost see the bunny with his Charisma hat if you close your eyes! It looks like a prog comedy at times and then it picks up on the original rhythm with a playful solo that is also very airy, in short, nothing but fun; the dreamlike finale plunges us even more into this PINK FLOYD symbiosis coming out of an arcade game. And Olivier who whispers to us "what a thief this Marc", a moment of bliss. "Jupiter" with his phone extends us into it until the explosion, heavy riff, highlighted drums and ensuring the rhythm, here it's nervous despite the hypnotic, long and bewitching choirs, perhaps the title of the album which corresponds the most to the soul, to the spirit of the group, by far a little jumbled, closely a well orchestrated composition; a dithyrambic track with a real osmosis of the voices of Hayley and Joe in particular. "Erwin's Opera" literally contrasts with the previous titles, the reason for my second chapter here; a plaintive guitar intro, a calm voice, plus a ballad and a sound that highlights this carnal voice of Hayley, a frenzied mid- term break (choose your arcade game !!) with a heavy male voice which disturbs a few moments until the jazzy space then Zappaïen, the guitar solo is here divine; the final cover is done quite naturally with still the basic piano to accompany the voice, the opera is not far but the festive opera. "Inner City Shorroma" closes this quartet of long titles with "my second best" because of the Arabist and bewitching atmosphere given to the title; It's bombastic, there is a bit of the sound of Dolores of the CRANBERRIES here, it goes more on a long endless crescendo, it's beautiful, it's funny to find such a level. I also tell myself that it is not for nothing that we nickname Jimmy the crazy drummer in homage to Animal for the energy lavished on each title. "My Little Story" also arrives there as an interlude, a nursery rhyme sung in French with a baby's voice but what a baby, a sweetness that calms the frantic spirit a little, a title that I dream of seeing in public, it doesn't matter. hasn't happened for a long time, am I still neutral, objective or spellbound? "Interstellar List" rolls in afterwards just to regain possession of a dancing, rhythmic, almost disco track that doesn't work anymore !! Phew, the tight riff goes back to a fusion because I can hear a funk disco heart now like on "Disco Queen" by PAIN OF SALVATION; the clap-clap that I hated in my tender years goes easily here, well there are plenty of other sounds that reassure me all the same, the synth arcade solos and the nervous guitar must have something to do with it. "Flower Torania" and its return to the original synth, an air of a funfair, the voice of angelic women half sung, half whispered as on the first track, the accordion, everything to bring you back here below in the current world ? 'The stars are leaving my mind' and bring me back a little sad on earth, well that does not matter I will tell you about my trip.

ZIO had a major blow at the start of the year; he composed and brought together usually divergent, if not opposed, arias in a revealing, innovative and almost perfect melting pot album, at the crossroads of an AYREON, an ARAGON, a fusion record; extraordinary both for vocals and for musical editing; notes, sounds that seem to come out normally and easily mix somewhat disparate genres; prog magic, ZIO magic. Just one thing, jump on it.