APOFENIA

Il Giardino Onirico is an Italian progressive rock band that was formed in Civita Castellana in 2008 and it's based near Rome. The band was founded by keyboardist Emanuele "Vastitas" Telli from Consummatum Est doom metal band, guitarist Stefano Avigliana, bassist Ettore Mazzarin from Pioggia Sporca rock band and drummer Massimo Moscatelli ex-Anomal Essence member. Thus, the musical background of the band is really wide and varied as each member has preferences for different genres. So, each musician brought different backgrounds and ideas to the band. The spectrum of their music ranges from prog rock, prog metal, metal, doom, soundtracks, fusion, jazz, electronic and avant-garde.

The band started to develop the first demo composition named "Complesso K", released in 2010, which is a shifting suite filled with a variety of visions. After the release of "Complesso K", Il Giardino Onirico begins to compose new material and in 2012 they released their first full length work, "Perigeo", an ambitious heavy edged prog rock album that is suitable in order to reach for many fans worldwide. In 2013 they released their second full length work, "Complesso K ? MMXIII", which is no more than the re-work on the ideas of their demo "Complesso K". Finally in 2019, they released their third full length work, "Apofenia". So, seven years have passed between the releases of both full length works.

The line up on "Apofenia" is Stefano Avigliana (guitars), Emanuele "Vastitas" Telli (keyboards), Dariush Hakim (keyboards), Ettore Mazzarini (bass guitar) and Massimo Moscatelli (drums and percussion). "Apofenia" had also the participation of Alessandro Corvaglia (vocals), Jenny Sorrenti (vocals), Jenna "Sharm" Holdway (backing vocals), Fuori Dal Coro (chorus vocals), David Morucci (saxophone) and Claudio Braccio (saxophone), all as guest artists.

After the excellent results of "Perigeo" and "Complesso K", the band from Lazio reaffirms its epic and space oriented instrumental atmospheres. This is an album with many guests to embellish the album already full of fascinating sounds with modern prog symphonic atmospheres, at times pulsating and majestic, at times visionary and ethereal fed by the double keyboards by Emanuele Telli and Dariush Hakim. All this shows a talented band that makes a remarkable contribution to the great tradition and regeneration of the actual Italian prog rock scene. This is a forceful, melodic and emotional progressive rock work with epic prog instrumental atmospheres, space mattresses and plenty of symphonic, full of life and vigor and with the quota extra originality and drama that gives this album a very special tone of its own.

The opener "Onironauta" shows the band's preferences for long pieces. It's an atmospheric instrumental with a slightly Eastern mood and with some dark atmosphere. It has a spatial atmosphere that is gradually broken and that tension in crescendo stretches the song to the limits. "Scivolosa Simmetria" is a more technical and faster song where the time changes are continuous. The voice of Alessandro Corvaglia offers a good performance and guitar and keyboards create high level melodies and riffs, between the symphonic moments and the more technical evolutions. "Alétheia" is another instrumental with beautiful chorus arrangements and with a jazzy feel. With almost thirteen minutes of refined catchy music, here lies the secret of the music of Il Giardino Onirico. It has spatial arias and delicate rhythms that support the melodies with an excellent emotionality. "Mushin" is another long track that showcases the talent of one of the guest singers, this time the sister of Alan Sorrenti, Jenny. In ten minutes the track changes its connotations as the minutes pass touching different types of sounds from electronics to Math Rock. "Apogeo" has more ten minutes of instrumental music, always entrusted to the sustained guitars of Stefano Avigliana. It begins in an ambient before a full orchestra, metal guitars and rhythm changes appear, all with personality. "Un Nodo All'Anima" has again the malleable voice of Alessandro Corvaglia. The track has two phases, the first one is made in a soft ambient style and the second one is heavier with electric riffs and keyboards performing amazingly and vocals on point. "Lacrime Di Stelle" is a carefully constructed, evocative and dramatic long track. It's intoned beautifully by Jenna Sharm Holdway because there are no lyrics. The last and longest piece provides a majestic end to a beautiful album that every prog rock fan should listen to.

Conclusion: "Apofenia" is a very welcome return of this Italian prog band, which after seven years proposes a modern work with original sounds and very well arranged pieces. The symphonic basic direction of the album is lush and very colorful with occasional hints of drama, pathos and bombast. "Apofenia" is a fascinating album full of emotions, which still shows cinematic traits. The album is made up of very long but never repetitive pieces. The many guests also enrich a work that is already valid by itself. The saxophone contributions and the vocal parts support the album very well, especially the vocal work of Alessandro Corvaglia whose rough voice fits perfectly well into the concept and Jenny Sorrenti's beautiful voice. "Apofenia" is an album that I would recommend for the freshness and quality of its sound.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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