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The Rome Pro(g)ject - Exegi Monumentum Aere Perennius CD (album) cover

EXEGI MONUMENTUM AERE PERENNIUS

The Rome Pro(g)ject

 

Symphonic Prog

4.03 | 80 ratings

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alainPP
4 stars Vincenzo RICCA is not a novice !!

I would even say more, it is just the instigator of a musical triptych of which EXEGI MONVMENTVM AERE PERENNIVS is none other than the youngest! This musician also has a peculiarity of his own, that of having surrounded himself with world names from groups such as STEVE HACKETT BAND, VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR or KING CRIMSON and Franck CARDUCCI (himself) who has worked in Genesis universes! Well, this third album is built around a central theme on ROME and its aura until its downfall, but the music is and remains cheerful until the last notes, "because nothing really dies"! Before talking to you a little more about music, a question more or less haunted me ... and maybe you too after listening: how and why such musicians came to lend a hand to this work? Obviously you won't get the solution from me, because I'm just going to tell you about the soul of this CD!

First, an intro piece on the piano, just to warm your ears with "EXEGI MONUMENTUM" the flagship piece of more than 12 minutes with a S. HACKETT at its best, juggling between Genesisian and Hackettian solo; finally setting the scene, and a sound specific to the said composer oscillating on sounds already known, of course, but clearly personalized. The following pieces are more themes based on a guest artist, highlighting here and there a sax? reminiscent of KING CRIMSON, a violin and hop we dive towards VAN DER GRAAF, a flute and hop a bit of S HACKETT at its beginnings , a little further a Floydian guitar, yes, yes, look I heard of course, then a Hackettian and Carduccan guitar! We can even imagine the theme of a J. BOND on the 3rd track, a sign that we are indeed in a concept piece of progressive music! We feel the fluid flights of the guitars, the languid notes at times, the notes pushed to their extreme as in the heyday of the 70's. You even hear a tune or two from "Selling England", to say the least.

So yes, each piece taken separately will not have the same scope, the same grip, the same charisma as if you listen to everything at once, but remember the sequel "The Cinema Show - Aisle of Plenty" almost inseparable it was awhile ago, and you will, I hope, understand a little bit how I felt listening to it. The end of the album with a few diffuse notes from Bach's prelude, just in our collective unconscious, allows us to find air, the air of 2018. The following three titles (extras) are in my opinion dispensable and bring nothing again except the voice of Francesco palabrating on ROME, the violin of which you know (also reminding me of that of the group SOLSTICE and its jazzy flights) and the playful, almost edgy guitar of Sir Steve!

To summarize a little this album which could only be a disc (33, CD or K7!) Instrumental, turns out to be a souvenir catalog for the old proggeux of which I am, but very young of age (of course!) And neo proggeux in search of emotion at the beginning of the year.

alainPP | 4/5 |

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