PASSIO SECUNDUM MATTHEUM

I wouldn't call this a masterpiece, but it is one of the best early Italian prog albums I've heard (and I've heard A LOT). I've seen mixed reviews of this (though not on this site, where the reviews here are mostly positive), but I think it can not be denied that this is a great album for 1972. When you also consider this was the bands debut, it is even more impressive. Quite ambitious for a first album I would say. This has everything I like in classic Italian prog: operatic, emotional vocals, great keyboards, mellotron, ambitious concept and arrangements, and a good deal of variety within each song. The album works as one nearly continuous piece of music. I tend to prefer their next album to this one, but this was certainly a great achievement for a first album. 4 solid stars.