RINGS OF EARTHLY LIGHT

Italian one-shot band from the 90's who are listed as Symphonic. Actually, they fall more towards the Neo side of prog. There is some flute playing and guitar in the Steve Hackett vain, but it's a constant beat throughout most of the album with saxophone taking up alot of the solo's where I would have liked to have heard some keyboards instead. The first track is the most progressive with a few shifts in tempo and color. When the sax chimes in tho, it flattens out the sound. Flute runs through the song also, but instead of invoking an Italian sound, it is more in line with Celtic folk, especially during part (c) when a female singer pops up. Valerie Caucino's voice would sound very much at home in a band like Iona, or Mostly Autumn, it's that good. There are some instrumental songs that have more of an interesting sound, ('The Broken Path' for instance) but they're way too short. Besides the flat sounding sax, lead singer Alessandro Serri sings in English which, a) sounds more Northern European then Southern and b) draws attention to the awful lyrics. I wish he stuck to his native tongue, at least I wouldn't have understood what he was singing about. I love Italian Symph, and this album has been highly regarded, but I cannot recommend this album as good Italian Symphonic prog, more Folky/Neo and bland at that. A disappointing 2.5 stars, rounded to 3.