UT NEW TROLLS: É

"E'" is the second studio album by UT New Trolls and was released in 2015 on the independent label Ma.Ra.Cash Records with a renewed line up featuring Gianni Belleno (drums, acoustic guitar, vocals), Maurizio Salvi (keyboards, piano, Hammond), Stefano Genti (keyboards, vocals), Claudio Cinquegrana (electric and acoustic guitar), Alessio Trapella (bass, vocals) and Umberto Dadà (vocals) plus the special guest Elisabetta Garetti (violin). The album was recorded trying to recreate the atmosphere of the early seventies with all the band playing in the same room using vintage instruments and analog recording techniques. This time the prog soul of the band prevails on its melodic vein and I'm sure that Italian prog lovers will be pleased...

The opener "Dies Irae" starts with the violin in the foreground, then the rhythm section and the other instruments come in blending baroque music and rock while the lyrics try to convey a message of hope. The beauty of life remains, even in misfortune, and you have to look inside yourself to discover that there's world in a grain of sand and to find the eternity in an hour... A kind of hymn to life!

The long, complex "Oggi non sono spento" (Today I'm not off) begins by a long instrumental section in a jazz rock vein with Latin rock elements. You can hear a dynamic rhythm section, suggestive organ waves and an electric guitar solo that could recall Santana until the pace slackens and melodic vocals invite you to reflect about the mysterious adventure of life and urge to enjoy the day keeping the flames of your inner fire always burning...

"Cambiamenti" begins in rockier way, then the rhythm calms down and there's a softer section where melancholic soaring vocals on an acoustic guitar arpeggio express a love for life that is stronger than regrets and disappointments. Every rose has its thorns, lies or unfaithful relationships are just thorns that can't erase the beauty of life... Then the rhythm rises again for the finale where the lyrics invite you to get up and fight to change the world and make it better.

The short, dreamy instrumental "Trullo Lungo" closes the first part of the album with a good display of keyboards in the forefront. The title refers to a picturesque village in Apulia where the band found a moment of relax and inspiration documented by some pictures that you can find in the booklet...

The second part of the album opens with the brilliant "Cherubino", a lively piece about a kind of psychedelic, beautiful dream where the borders between heaven and hell get blurred, sacred and profane meet each other and the cherub who stands the guard to the tree of life lower his sword and let your soul fly free, in harmony with the universe...

Next comes the gorgeous instrumental "Opera Suite", a challenging piece that blends with freshness and gusto some classical influences with the powerful energy of a rock band. Here the musicians are able to express in an effective way all their pleasure to play together...

"Io..." (I...) is a melodic ballad about time passing by. The music and words conjure up the image of a peaceful landscape at dawn and try to express the desire of a better world where men respect each other and the environment, a world with a soul that can make the dreams come true. Life is short, so "carpe diem" and try to not waste your time...

The beautiful instrumental "Ostinato" closes the album with a perfect exercise of style, blending again in an impeccable way classical forms and rock rhythms. The title refers to a musical term defining "a short repeating element, usually only a bar or two long, though the term may also be applied to such longer repetitions as occur in a chaconne or passacaglia..." (quote from the New Penguin Dictionary of Music). Anyway, this is an ostinato "sui genris" and there's no room for boredom, it's really a gran finale!

On the whole, a very good album!