ONIRIKA

After listening to the wonderful Doracor albums Transizione (2001) and Evanescenze (2005) I was very curious to this new album from multi-instrumentalist Corrado Sardella and his band. Well, again Doracor managed to make a compelling album that is inspired by mid-Genesis (like the track Dimensione 4) but this time less obviously than in the past. The compositions sound melodic and alternating featuring lots of howling guitar runs and pleasant work on keyboards (from soft choir-Mellotron waves and mellow Fender Rhodes piano to fat synthesizers). I also enjoyed the wide range of instruments like saxophone, vibraphone and violin like in the titletrack. The vocal parts are sung by a male and female singer, especially the song Il Giardino Di Peitra contains a great performance by Gianna Chilla, blended with biting electric guitar, very exciting! If you are up to compelling symphonic prog, this album is a tasteful and pleasant discovery.

FIRST REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM!

As usual, this band has very few reviews for one of his albums (two with comments before mine). It is a pity because the band deserves a better exposure. Even if their debut and follow-up albums couldn't thrilled me (to say the least), the following works were quite good. "Transizione" was my favourite of their efforts so far.

The band got back to long tracks again, which is fine since their best work was almost made of two very good epics.

Needless to say that the music you will discover in this album has lots of Italian flavours. Actually, from "Antiche Impressioni" onwards, their musical style has more to share with Italian symphonic than rather just symphonic rock IMO. The addition of vocals is of course not alien to this feeling.

This album is easy to listen to: music is at times atmospheric or symphonic; both genres interplaying nicely with each other. As many Italian bands, their vocal parts are usually well crafted and melodic. They even hired a special guest in the form of Gianna Chilà to bring more diversity to this "instrument". She is convincingly singing in Il Giardino Di Petra.

If ever you are a lover of superb guitar breaks, I am sure that the finale of "Onrika" will please you as I do. It is the best part of this long track, which is somewhat disappointing.

I have to say that "Il Giardio Di Pi" doesn't belong to the best of the band either. The music is pleasant, but the keys aren't too sophisticated; they are too conventional and not so inspired. Again, a brilliant guitar solo to close this number comes at the rescue. The same can be said about the last song from this album (the keys, the guitar etc.).

I feel something is missing in here. The whole is pleasant and (too) gentle. No surprise and conventional. A calm symphony all the way through. Three stars.

Doracor is without hesitation one of my fav italian prog bands for many years, I found them very inspired band with consistent albums and very solid musicianship on every album. I review two albums in the near past Tranzitione and Lady Roma and I found them quite intresting and well played, now is time for another goody from this little know symphonic prog band from Italy. Onirika is the title of their sixth release, issued in 2007 at same Mellow records. 5 pieces grace the album, each one divided in some more smaller parts. This type of symphonic prog I like a lot, very melodic, tons of waving keybords, nice elegant guitar arrangements, complicated twists on each instrument. Violin and sax appear here and there giving a very unique sound and atmosphere. The vocal lines are sung by a male Milton Damia and female singer, especially the song Il Giardino Di Peitra contains a great performance by Gianna Chilla, excellent choirs overall. So, overall very nice album, at same level with Tranzitione or Lady Roma, that means solid. From me easy 4 stars, elegant and intresting release. Doracor definetly needs a far more recognition worldwide, to me is one of the best symphonic prog bands Italy ever had and has. Very nice arwork like on previous releases.