THE DELPHIC PROPHECY

"The Delphic Prophecy" is the third album by Gran Torino, an interesting prog band from Verona. It was released in 2020 on the French label Musea Records, seven years after their previous work Fate Of A Thousand Worlds (2013), with a renewed line up featuring the confirmed Alessio Pieri (keyboards), Gian Maria Roveda (drums) and Fabrizio Visentini (bass) with the prog veteran David Cremoni (guitars ? from, among others, Moongarden and Submarine Silence) who took the place of Leonardo Freggi. According to the band, the album was conceived as a sort of soundtrack for an imaginary journey through Ancient Greek mythology and the art cover by Pablo Elices tries to depict the musical content...

The dreamy opener "Ondine" starts softly by a piano solo pattern, then the electric guitar takes the lead evoking dangerous, soulless creatures wandering slowly under the moon... The title refers to the water nymphs that appeared in the Aegean Sea under the form of beautiful women but in the booklet there are no liner notes with a guideline to follow, so the plot of this imaginary peplum film is up to your imagination!

The mysterious "Faint Dimness" conjures up nocturnal landscapes and threatening shadows, then the disquieting "The Sibylline Oracle" evokes the feeling of an impending trick of the destiny. In the oracles the Sibyl predicts future events and here the priestess seems to prophesy disaster...

The suggestive "From Lust To Shame" flows steadily through martial rhythms and exotic flavours while the following "A Gentle Soul" is reflective and dreamy. "After The Cure" is a piece with some echoes of new wave and a dark, Gothic sound that seems chiselled by a smith...

Then the melancholic "Faded Elation" leads to title track and to the mysteries of the oracle of Delphi. "The Delphic Prophecy" is a wonderful track that every now and again recalls seventies atmospheres and black and white TV series... Then it's the turn of the nervous "Ancient Labyrinth" where we can follow the thread of Arianna or admire Dedalo's bold, clever plans to escape. "Ethereal Noise" closes the album with some nice soaring electric guitar parts and some hypnotic keyboard passages.

On the whole, a good album, especially recommended if you like bands such as L'Ombra della Sera...