DISCENDENZE

I can just fully confirm how the music of ANCESTRY is descibed in the band's bio. It's highly symphonic and mellow, very much in vein of 70's Italian Prog with some YES ressemblance especially on this record here. Vocals in italian by Fabrizio Sicuteri and Fabio Venturini are excellent and very pleasant.

First track is the 17 minutes long suite "I Colori dell' età Sorgente" which is divided into 5 parts and the first highlight of the album. Slower parts are alternating with more up-tempo ones but the music keeps all the times its mellow and harmonic mood without never becoming bombastic in any way. They are using mainly natural keyboard sounds, lots of piano and synthetic "squeezy" ones are fortunately mostly avoided. Unlike with many other bands doing mellow symphonic rock their music never becomes cheesy or boring at any moment.

"Nuova Opera" is a more up-tempo track with excellent playing on keyboards and guitar and harmonic vocals as before. Since there are many breaks and shifts present the song is very interesting listen and after it has finished one thinks it was much too short.

Edited 09/27/05!

Although "Stanza Della Terra" is a bit slower one it's nevertheless not less interesting with beautiful vocal lines and great piano play, as well bass play is very good.

Next track "Oasi" is an instrumental one with kind of "wordless vocals" reminiscent to some ethnic popular music. Possibly the weakest track of the album IMHO, although still a nice listen reminding a bit to later CAMEL records.

In the beginning of "Labirinto" there is some narration spoken by Lorenzo Costa accompagnied by mellow piano and keyboards. Then guitar is coming in together with ongoing romantic piano play before the narration is continued.

The piano theme is repeated in the opening of the final long track "Verso l'Esterno" which is the second highlight of the album. This one has some very nice and melodic guitar and keyboard solos. The vocals here are again really awesome.

CONCLUSION

Discendenze is a very good album by this newer italian band and an excellent recommendation for all those fellows who prefer their prog to be mellow and melodic without being boring. Those who need more power will probably miss something here. Fans of YES, GENESIS,CAMEL, PFM, LE ORME or any NEOPROG band will love it. Not really an essential one in prog general I guess but worth 3,5 stars!

This is a wonderful album featuring an excellent singer with a very warm voice. His Italian sounds beautiful, I can't understand why bands like Malibran wants to sing in English! Most of the six compositions have a lush symphonic rock sound featuring marvellous keyboardwork (often beautiful piano, from tender to sparkling) and sensitive, very flowing guitarplay. The interplay between the keyboards and guitar is very beautiful and evokes Camel and PFM but also Yes without sounding as a derivative. The climates are varied, the soli on guitar and synthesizers sound pleasant, in fact this album has a lot to offer to many progheads but don't expect adventurous or complex progrock, just enjoy it as a pleasant symphonic rock experience.

Nice and mellow, melodic and up-lifting, well-written and even better recorded and performed, ANCESTRY’s album represents kind of Italian Symphonic NEO Prog. It’s extremely enjoyable, without any signs of Avant or Jazz Rock, close to PENDRAGON or late CAMEL, but more varied and better arranged. Loads of mellotrons, pianos, keyboard and guitar solos change each other, but it never sounds boring, artificial or overplayed – actually, this is probably one of the most balanced records I ever heard! Fabrizio Sicuteri is astonishing both on vocals (almost the same like LE ORME’s bassist!!!) and keys, and other guys are talented and skilful players. Two epics (17 and 12 minutes long) feature band’s ability create long but never dull suites filled with changing moods, structures and hooks. The whole mood is very light and warm – usually I like dark and even depressing music, but ANCESTRY can be up-lifting without getting too sweet or cheesy. It’s a shame that this band is that much obscured; they deserve to be in one row with New Symphonic/Neo Prog bands like MINDGAMES, APPLE PIE, MAGENTA, MOON SAFARI, SPOCK’S BEARD, PENDRAGON etc. If you like varied Symphonic Neo Prog with strong Italian vocals and have nothing against up-lifting mood of the record (as happy as YES! ;) ), you need this one for sure. Highly recommended!!!

From La Spezia comes this interesting Italian band, found in 1988 by drummer Federico Ruoppolo, keyboardist/singer Fabrizio Sicuteri, bassist Fabio Menoni and guitarist Davide Maucci.While they started as a cover band, Ancestry soon turned to a band performing original tracks, they even had a demo out in early-90's.Unfortunately they were unlucky, as gigs were hard to come due to frequent technical troubles, while in 1992 the band fell in hiatus after the sudden loss of Maucci and the departure of Menoni.However in late-90's the original duo of Ruopollo/Sicuteri returned with new members Fabio Venturini (guitar) and Dario Sommi (bass).Sommi left Ancestry in 2001 to be replaced by Maurizio Bellofiore and the band's first album ''Discendenze'' became reality in 2003 through Mellow Records.

The sound of Ancestry is deeply rooted in 70's Classic Prog and they seem to be influenced by both the Italian and British Progressive Rock scene with a style reminiscent of CAMEL, GENESIS, CONSORZIO ACQUA POTABILE or SITHONIA.They even chose to open their debut with the ambitious 17-min. epic ''I Colori dell'età sorgente'', which is just a proof of how talented this band was.Solid and tight Symphonic Rock with occasional Neo Prog touches in the synth parts, very delicate, smooth but also containing some dynamic interplays here and there.Great guitar work, long synth introductions, beautiful Italian vocals, romantic melodies and tight performances complete a great effort by the group.The rest of the album contains semi-long compositions, always performed under the Neo/Symphonic Rock umbrella, and containing sharp synths, deep bass, fantastic vocal lines and some lovely piano paces next to Venturini's solid guitar parts.These compositions are mostly mellow with an intense melodic content much in the vein of ATON'S.Another epic piece will close the album and this is the 12-min. ''Verso l'esterno''.Impressive smooth Italian Prog with great and dreamy keyboard parts, careful guitar leads, Classical piano textures and impressive vocals, so add another winner in the tracklist.

The traces of the band had been lost since 2004, time was unfairly wasted, but more recently Ancestry returned with the recordings of some new tracks during the summer of 2012. hopefully the the band will surprise us again with a sophomore work full of well-crafted Italian melodies.

This is pretty solid Italian Symphonic Rock with total absence of weak tracks, confident performances, interesting arrangements and superb vocals, that will satisfy all fans of bands such as CONQUEROR, SITHONIA, IL CASTELLO DI ATLANTE, CONSORZIO ACQUA POTABILE or RANDONE.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

Ancestry was a great progressive rock band from Italy (I don't think they are still active) with two albums in their pockets so far. The second offer from 2003 is Discendenze and is a good example of melodic, complicated lush progressive rock tour de force iwith beautiful warm vocals added as cherry on the cake, what else a definetly winner for me. Long elaborated arrangements, with the opening Colori dell'Età Sorgente being the highlight, in places evokes bands such Yes, Camel or italian school PFM or Le Orme. Their is some energic and very well played sections on every tune, featuring top notch keyboards waves and guitar parts. The contrast between softer moments with ones more energic and riffy is done in avery profesional way. Good album with many memorable parts, is sad because they are so unkown, this album is for a good aquisition. 3 stars rounded to 3.5

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