ATTO IV

Atto IV is a band from Varese who formed in 2003 and whose relationship to RPI is there but minimal. While there is some influence present and likely the guys are fans, it is with some amusement that I read their bio placing themselves alongside PFM and Banco. Nevertheless, this is a very good band who combine elements of several genres and roll it into one crunchy and interesting metal...though even metal doesn't completely describe them. Their own bio cites "fusion, heavy, alternative rock, electronic and noise" as core sounds and their new album is superbly played and well composed. It consists of a highly melodic and technically masterful prog metal on the more commercial/accessible side, certainly it is not extreme metal. Guitar is the lead instrument and it is in your face, next in line are quality English vocals and what I would consider a DT keyboard presence. The rhythm section deserves a mention too as these guys are tight as hell, really fun to listen to them wail, anchoring the monster riffs. There are a few lighter acoustic sections too which serve as nice counterpoint to the heavy barrage of intensity. "Deep Air" is a real winner with some amazing textures-acoustic guitars and piano leading to an upfront bass as it builds in intensity, along with some great electric and acoustic leads. While "Shattered Lines" is well outside of my usual personal taste I have no problem giving this a good rating and recommending it to fans of heavy rock, metal, and heavy fusion/metal jamming.

Atto IV still sounds like a Dream Theater rip off with some Symphony X, Pendragon and Porpucine Tree influences (yes, I did copy this line from my review of their first album). But the Dream Theater influences has been toned down a lot and some more neo-prog influences like Arena has been added. More melody, less metal riffs. But still not a single RPI references in sight though.

The album starts very promising with the two best songs of the album The Persistence Of Memories and Bad Dreams. Great melodic neo prog in the Arena mould. The album goes slightly downhill after these two songs and some Dream Theater influences starts to creep in loud & clear. This inbetween some really good melodic prog too. But some of the stuff here is too much Dream Theater copycat to amuse me. Guys, Dream Theater has not split up yet. Leave these riffs to them and do your own stuff. OK ?

Atto IV has really improved on this album and deserves full credit for this album. A couple of stronger songs would had made it into a truly great album. I rates it somewhere between a three and a four stars album.

3.5 stars

I do not doubt that this band is inspired by the Italian prog masters of the early seventies like Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. The end result is something totally different, though. To be more to the point: A Dream Theater rip off with some Symphony X, Pendragon and Porpucine Tree influences thrown in too. Not to mention run of the mill rock and pop. But mostly; Dream Theater. This band is very popular in Italy too, remember. To be fair, there are a few Banco and PFM influences here. But they are too far between for my liking.

The main instruments here = the Dream Theater setup. That means tonnes of solo guitars and nifty keyboards. The difference between Atto IV and Dream Theater is that Atto IV is slightly more pastorial and neo-prog influenced than Dream Theater. The other major difference is the quality of the material. This album is a pretty anonymous album with no real good songs. I cannot pinpoint a single good song here. Their handywork is good though and they may be able to come up with something good if they get a couple of bright moments of clarity and manages to put them onto an album. But this, their debut album, is pretty dire run of the mill progressive metal/neo prog. I cannot recommend this album at all.

2 stars