STORIE FUORI DAL TEMPO

In 2003 the promising Italian progrock band Conqueror released their eponymous debut album, two years later we could enjoy the successor entitled Storie Fuori Dal Tempo. The sound is in the vein of the debut CD but the band has matured on all levels, also due to the contributions of new member Sabrina Rigano and two guest musicians (on harp and choir). The compositions are melodic and tasteful, despite some hints from early Camel and Marillion the Italians succeed to present a quite original blend of symphonic prog, classical and folk. It's not loaded with amazing complexity or virtuosic soli but Conqueror takes you on a pleasant musical journey with lots of variety, very flowing with tasteful work on guitar, keyboards, saxophone and flute. The first composition Ouverture delivers many shifting moods, from dreamy with flute to bombastic with bass pedals and fluent with delicate synthesizer flights. The Eastern sounding song No Photo contains a captivating atmosphere with lots of flute along a fiery guitar solo, classical piano and - flute and a mid-tempo with saxophone. The absolute highlight is their 'magnum opus' entitled Morgan (more than 30 minute): many changing climates, in the first part wonderful interplay between Fender Rhodes piano and fiery guitar, then powerful saxophone and classical piano and flute, halfway more bombastic with synthesizer, organ and propulsive guitar riffs and finally very compelling symphonic prog featuring a wide range of instruments, from harp, classical piano and clarinet to soaring keyboards with a sensitive guitar solo, this is Progheaven!

Excellent new generation italian prog band! Conqueror has some nice melodies and a modern sound that does not deny any 70´s italian symphonic tradition. Simona Rigano has a beautiful voice and is also a brilliant keyboards woman. All the vocals are in italian and thsi language is very fiting for this kind of music. The flute and guitar interplay is their trademark, but Sabrina Rigano also plays some nice sax solos (specially the soprano sax).

It´s the kind of album you hear from beginning to end with the same pleasure. Of course the last song, the 30 minute epic Morgana is the highlight, with its shifting moods and rhythms, nice solos and overall working concept. But the whole CD is actually very good and it will please any prog lover who enjoys melodic music. I´m looking forward to hear more from this group. A nice surprise! Recommended!

"Storie fuori dal tempo" is the second album of Conqueror and it was released in 2005, two years after the good debut work "Istinto". The line-up features the veterans Natale Russo (drums and percussions) and Simona Rigano (vocals, keyboards and synth) along with new members Sabrina Rigano (flute and saxophone), Tino Nastasi (guitars) and Fabio Ucchino (bass and pedal bass). The sound quality of the recording is excellent and the new members seem to get along perfectly with the rest of the band. The song-writing is good and the band did a good job of combining their own ideas and feelings with sources of inspiration ranging from classical music to Italian prog bands like PFM, BMS, Le Orme or Goblin...

The opener "Ouverture", featuring well balanced changes of rhythm and melodic passages, is an instrumental that grows like a blossoming flower leading to the dreamy "Mosaico di colori", where the vocals of Simona Rigano soar light weaving a beautiful melody... "My light thoughts travel and blow away as eagles / In a free wind, they run and foreign memories write the epilogue... White clouds get lost in a coloured mosaic..."

"No Photo" is hypnotic and suggestive, featuring an Oriental flavour... Here you can lose yourself under "a ray of moonlight" that seems come out from "The Book Of One Thousand And One Nights" while Simona Rigano's vocals could remind you of an ethereal modern Scheherazade... "Now I see again a shadow beside me / It is something I have known for a long time / It grazes me and then it looks at me, here it is, near me / But what's reality? / If we are prisoners of the world where we live / That decides for us, solitary shipwrecked persons, who sail without being free..."

"Pagine di poesie" is another good track that in some passages reminds me of PFM's "Impressioni di settembre". Lyrics describe in a poetic way a meeting with an old fisherman...

In "Klaus" quiet melodic passages are well intertwined with more pulsing moments, as if "sounds and voices were looking for an illusion in the silence"...

The final track "Morgana" is a long suite inspired by the Sicilian folklore where you can find a blend of Celtic and Mediterranean elements... It tells the story of Morgan le Fay (Fata Morgana), a sorceress who escaped from Camelot on a ship and landed on the Sicilian shores where she built a crystal palace... "The dream lives once again, renews spells, loves and madness...". The music flows dreamy with many changes of atmosphere and mood while the band showcase great musicianship and inspired song-writing skills...

On the whole, "Storie fuori dal tempo", is really an album that is worth listening to...

Would you have read some reviews of mine, you would know that I am quite reluctant with the five stars rating. Five per cent of them do reach the maximum score. Which is just nothing but normal in my opinion.

The debut of this great band was such a case. "Istinto" is a true masterpiece as far as I am concerned. I am extremely pleased that they are going to be present at the prog conference in THE temple of prog music in Belgium (October 19th, Spirit Of 66).

It is true to say that I just adore such bands who are conveying so much passion through their music. I am very lucky with "Conqueror" since their approach is original and can't really be compared here with the giants of the past.

I am almost breathless when I listen to this band. Am I captivated? Maybe. None the less, the music displayed in this album is heavenly above average. I would just add that most of the songs are creative and genuine. But isn't it the true aspect of this marvelous Italian genre?

Some of you might know that my early feelings (back to 1974) for this wonderful music were provided by my (Italian) cousin Marco. He was the one who introduced me to many great bands (and not only Italian ones). And I will always be grateful to him for this..

Vocals at times are very special. Would you believe that the leading role is played by a lady? Simona is so good, clever and skilled. I can't wait to see the band rather soon. If they are able to reproduce their studio albums on stage, it should be a marvel of a concert. But I'll keep you posted.

To be honest, "Storie Fuori Dal Tempo" is just shy of "Istinto". If ever you are looking to some modern Italian music, I can only recommend you to listen to this wonderful album. And later on to their previous one. They are such an amazing band...

Four stars for "Storie...".

3.5 stars. CONQUEROR's second album didn't impress me as much as their debut but it's still a really good album. Maybe not as much guitar in this one, but I would say it's proggier with more tempo and mood shifts. This band plays such pleasant and beautiful music, and those female Italian vocals are the icing on the cake.

"Ouverture" begins with piano that makes me think of "Fifth Of Firth" for the first 10 seconds, then a full sound comes in. The flute and guitar sound so good. Some heaviness before 2 minutes with organ. I like when it settles after 3 minutes and then starts to build again. "Mosaico Di Colori" opens with acoustic guitar as drums and synths join in then vocals. Nice sound. Flute before 2 minutes with some prominant bass to follow. Flute / bass / drums before 4 minutes provide some great listening. The organ that follows is fantastic. "No Photo" is led by flute and organ early, guitar a minute in. Piano 2 minutes in. Acoustic guitar followed by vocals for the first time in the song before 4 minutes. Deep bass lines and then some sax before 6 minutes.

"Pagine Di Poesie" opens with drums and guitar before synths and flute come in. Excellent sound. Vocals after 1 1/2 minutes. It's okay. "Klaus" is my favourite and it opens with a piano / drum melody. Guitar, flute and bass take over. The contrast continues for a while then we get a calm 2 minutes in. It builds to a nice heavy sound. I like the SINKADUS-like flute after 3 minutes as drums pound. Piano after 4 minutes then vocals as flute continues. "Morgana" is CONQUEROR's first epic tune at over 31 minutes. I'm not going to take you through this one because the tempo and mood changes so often. The thing is though that it flows beautifully, no sudden changes at all. This song has it all, it seems to incorporate all that has gone on before.

Italian music fans should check this band out. I do feel that each release is not as good as the one before though.

Smooth rock reminiscent of early 1970s hard and pop classic rockers as well as some Neo and early RPI rockers. I like the fact that there is a presence of over 50% female energy here.

1. "Ouverture" (6:00) rockin' Neo Prog palette with a few symphonic twists and turns. (8.25/10)

2. "Mosaico di Colori" (5:13) pleasant opiate prog lite with woodwinds, melodic base and the soothing voice of Simona Rigano--quite different than the vibe of the previous song. (8.5/10)

3. "No Photo" (7:07) Prog by the numbers: Hammond, flute, and entrenched off-beat rhythm track. A watered down MYRATH feel here. Pleasant piano interlude appears in the middle feels & sounds like a folk melody from the Greek band CICCADA. Whole band joins in and plays upon it until 3:35 when there is a return to the opening motif over which Simona sings in her siren voice. Like LAGARTIJA's Sara Aliani, she has me eating out of her palm. (13/15)

4. "Pagine di Poesie" (6:45) built around vocal and flute melodies that Riccardo Principe's posse of female singers would be proud of, the tempo shift at 3:20 brings a welcome bit of excitement and complexity. Great keyboard/synth play as well. Again, Simona's warm and enchanting voice could get me to walk off a cliff. My favorite song on the album. (13.25/15)

5. "Klaus" (5:42) a little more pep and pizzaz than previous songs, the edgy-ness achieved here could almost be termed "aggressive"! All in another CICCADA-like song. (8.5/10)

6. "Morgana" (31:16) apparently, as legend has it, the sorceress Morgan Le Fay escaped Arthurian Britannia to create her crystal castle on the shores of the island of Sicily (where this band just happens to be from). As hard as they try, I can't give this more than a "good" rating. Simona's voice is far better suited to the warm and seductive than mythic storytelling. (51/60): - i) Il Sogno Rivive - nice flute and glockenspiel tradeoff before other instruments join in. Feels like a set up for a gentle ballad but flute takes the first lead, electric guitar in brief motif before Simona begins singing about the legend. - ii) Il Castello - Simona's vocal is, unfortunately, often off-pitch among this jazzier section. Nice guitar, keys, and bass work--some nice keyboard work. - iii) Negli Abissi - the best theme of the suite--love the bass sound, vocal, flute, and keys. - iv) Morgana "Theme" -Love the harp presence in this Celtic-themed piece. Wish there were no drums. - v) Puri Zaffiri - multiple vocal tracks is interesting in this poppy tune. - vi) Immagini a Distanza - interesting themes sewn together to bring the wuite to an end. Not of sure the story's conclusion, but it was probably dramatic and sad..

Total Time 62:03

My favorite elements of this album are its overall sound as well as the preponderance of beautiful melodies delivered from flute and the sultry voice of singer Simona Rigona.

B-/3.5 stars; a band with all the right sounds and intentions but with more growing to do.