COME IN UN'ULTIMA CENA

It wasn't too long ago that I began my foray into the world of Italian progressive rock, and one of my first listens was Banco's Darwin. It was only a matter of time before making the eventual leap to Come In Un'Ultima Cena, a quite recognizable but still changed beast relative to the releases that precede it. This 1976 allegory is laid before us with greater emphasis on Francesco Di Giacomo's tremendous voice and the wild organ, synth and piano excursions of the Nocenzi brothers to great, if different, effect.

Looking back over my plentiful track by track notes, I have decided to forgo the specifics in favor of a brief, overall look. The one thing that stands out in reviewing my observations is that many of my individual song comments are not entirely dissimilar. The same traits are evident in each track - Francesco's distinctive singing, the amazing keyboards, rich compositions, and above all the phenomenal interplay between all of the musicians (no better example than Il Ragno). Even when they court their mellower side, the intensity never wanes.

Favorites include the typical (of 1972-73 Banco) opener A Cena, followed by Il Ragno - pure adrenaline from start to finish, and the wildly diverse Voilà Mida, which manages to twist its way through a number of styles all so intricately bound together. The singular change of scenery can be found in the beautiful La Notte è Piena, which stands in sharp contrast to the rest of the album in that it features purely acoustic instruments.

So, where does this leave Come In Un'Ultima Cena? An ambitious album with over the top performances, but overall not entirely memorable, the whole diluted somewhat by a certain sameness. A little less adventurous than previous Banco albums and others of the genre, but still an incredibly focused and energetic release.