LE PORTE DEL SILENZIO

After the excellency of ''The wood of tales'',MALIBRAN had to go on to produce another monumental release.The previous album successed many good critics and the band begun performing all around Italy,some of their dates included also the biggest Italian Rock festivals.With lot of time to work on their music, MALIBRAN enter 1993 wih a brand new album,''Le porte del silenzio'', released again on Pegasus Records,re-issued on CD at the end of the 90's by the Brazilian label Rock Symphony.

Nothing has changed,compared to their 1990 debut, regarding both the line-up and music style.Vintage influences and symphonic keyboards along with melodic and sometimes heavier guitar parts travel the listener to 70's Italy and its prog rock romanticism.The band sounds closer than ever to NUOVA ERA with keyboardist Benny Torrisi having an even more energetic role.Unforunately the first two tracks are sung in English and, though the musicianship is fantastic with tons of symph keys, driving flutes, distinctive guitars and complex arrangements but a surprisingly rather dark atmosphere, the magic produced by the Italian lyrics is not there.The follower ''Libero'' has a more simple form than the English tracks,guide by the nice synths,beautiful organ and strong voice of Giussepe Scaravilli,a track which reminds me of NUOVA ERA more than anything.The short instrumental ''Nel labirinto'' is actually bassist's Angelo Messina personal moment,while the album closes with the great epic ''Le porte del silenzio'',clocking at 27 minutes.Though MALIBRAN borrow some lines of the opener at the first moments of the track,soon it transforms into a symphonic opus with numerous magnificent changing moods and tempos.Thrilling and lovely flute work by Giancardo Cutulli, which will leave you wanting for more,Torrissi makes the moog synthesizer outburst plenty of spacey yet melodic lines and his piano work is a tribute to classical music,while even guitarist Jerry Litrico borrows some influences from classical inspiration for his own instrument.Musically the album is a stand out with a lot of space for some instrumental symphonic rock of the best quality,while Scaravilli performs quite well behind the microphone,though vocals were never MALIBRAN's strong point.

Among the best releases of traditional Italian Symphonic Rock,created the time of the return of the Italian Prog scene during the 90's,and definitely essential for any prog collection!