A.I 2984

By 1987 things had changed dramatically for Aton's.They were reduced to a trio with Frallonardo switching from guitar to bass and the undisputed leader Pietro Ratto handled all guitars, keyboards and vocals.However this change was made for good with the band leaning towards more progressive compositions.In 1988 their sophomore LP ''A.I. 2984'' was released on Toast Records in a limited number of copies.

On this album the major flaws of ''H'' are gone for good and Aton's perform an elaborate, sensitive and dramatically lyrical Progressive Rock with influences from both the Italian and Neo Progressive Rock scene.With Ratto's brilliant voice on the forefront, ''A.I. 2984'' is an album where the Italian emotion meets the fundamentals of the British Prog school and the result is more than satisfying.The guitar work of Ratto is melodic and also produces some nice groovy parts helped by a steady rhythm section.The keyboard work is mostly in the background but even so a light GENESIS and MARILLION influence is evident on the short synth solos.However it is the Italian romantic atmosphere which really dominates the album after Ratto's passionate vocal performance and the smooth delicate atmosphere reminiscent of bands like SITHONIA or HOPO, prevailed by the mediocre 80's production, but always with a strong sense for melody and emotional arrangements.District symphonic passages and a dose of grandiosity are present as well to add the album some more welcome intensity.

Excellent second step for the band, which produced an album of intricate melodies, both vocally and musically, and a must-have for fans of easy-listening prog adventures.However even listeners of more challenging albums should give this album a spin to figure out how a band with little equipment can produce such an emotional release.Overall, strongly recommended...3.5 stars.