VERDE AZZURRO

A group from Finale Emilia, a municipality in the Province of Modena, Cormorano were found in 1976 and led by singer Raffaello Regoli.Regoli had built a friendship with Aera's DEMETRIO STRATOS after meeting him in mid-70's and begun working on his vocal techniques.Unfortunately the band did not release anything during the 70's and they had to wait some fifteen years to release a self-produced cassette only album entitled ''Verde Azzurro''.

Actually any interest for Progressive Rock fans starts and ends in Regoli's unique vocal performances.His voice resembles much that of DEMETRIO STRATOS with Regoli pushing his chords to the limits, either through his excessive singing or delivering wordless performances.The music though has nothing to do with Prog, in fact it seems that the compositions are centered around Regoli's vocal exercises.''Verde Azzurro'' seems like a mixed bag of 80's Soft Rock, slick but plastic-sounding Fusion, smooth Jazz and ultralight Neo Prog in the vein of ATON'S.Easy-listening tracks based on flashy still thin-sounding keyboards and cliche guitar riffs, often breaking into the vocal deliveries of Regoli, and then returning into the same mold.No standout tracks, not even some trully memorable material, while the album has not a bit of consistency due to the various styles offered.

Very rare album, which will be a fine listening only for fans of AREA and DEMETRIO STRATOS' excessive vocal solo works.The recommendation stops right here.