Forum Home Forum Home > Progressive Music Lounges > Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - All Prog From Italy Appreciation Thread
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedAll Prog From Italy Appreciation Thread

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 177178179180181 277>
Author
Message
micky View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46833
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2009 at 19:16
Originally posted by Mandrakeroot Mandrakeroot wrote:

Uh... About my avatar... I must mention that my avatar is the cover of one of the best Prog Metal albums!
 
P.s.: But this is RPI thread and not Rally or PM thread!!!


hmmm... something tells me we'll see Britney Spears on this site before that album ever makes it hahahha.  That cover is ahh... hahhaha.. priceless.  Wonder how much ozone wss depleted in the photo shoot for that cover hahha




The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
Back to Top
Mandrakeroot View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member

Italian Prog Specialist

Joined: March 01 2006
Location: San Foca, Friűl
Status: Offline
Points: 5851
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2009 at 19:33
Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

Originally posted by Mandrakeroot Mandrakeroot wrote:

Uh... About my avatar... I must mention that my avatar is the cover of one of the best Prog Metal albums!
 
P.s.: But this is RPI thread and not Rally or PM thread!!!


hmmm... something tells me we'll see Britney Spears on this site before that album ever makes it hahahha.  That cover is ahh... hahhaha.. priceless.  Wonder how much ozone wss depleted in the photo shoot for that cover hahha




 
I extreme hate Britney Spears... But I extreme love Prog metal... And since Cacophony are between the fathers of Prog Metal... And since I love 'Speed metal Symphony' album... And the cover of 'Speed Metal Symphony' is a great cover in the R'n'R tradition (because not in Classic Music? [because this is the music of Cacophony!]).
 
BuI repeat: this is a RPI thread. And then I think that with my way of seeing Prog Metal I made a few enemies... What you say me?
Back to Top
micky View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46833
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2009 at 19:37
the only way you make enemies Mandy is by questioning their judgment.. their integrity and I know you wouldn't do that. It's just as we did with our team.  We just make the best call we can for the site.  Sometimes you just have to say Thanks for taking the time to listen.. and as I told you in the Narnia thead.. just enjoy the music.  Being here on the site is not a requirement for good music.  
The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
Back to Top
jimmy_row View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Hibernation
Status: Offline
Points: 2601
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2009 at 22:58
Ryan had himself a full-out RPI session tonight....damn it's been months since I've really done that!
 
assorted tracks from:
 
Le Orme - Collage
Metamorfosi - Inferno
BdMS - Io Sono Nato Libero
Locanda delle Fate - whatever it's called
PFM - Per un Amico
QVL - s/t
Signature Writers Guild on strike
Back to Top
LinusW View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: September 27 2007
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 10665
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2009 at 01:58
Originally posted by TGM: Orb TGM: Orb wrote:

Originally posted by Keppa4v Keppa4v wrote:

For some reason I've never listened to Area before, now I'm checking out the two sample tunes from the 'archives and thinking about buying Arbeit Macht Frei and Crac! Smile Very good sounding stuff.

edit: Damn this song from Crac! is brilliant Clap And there's a really interesting review by LinusW that I'm reading while listening to this for the third time in a row.


Linus is really a superb reviewer... pity I can't afford to read all his reviews LOL

Crac! is superb, from my first couple of listens, Arbeit Macht Frei starts off superb... ends up a bit more ponderous.

Edit: oops


Well aren't you guys sweet Embarrassed Clap
Oh, and Rob,  you'll need Caution Radiation Area sooner or later. Lobotomia is just noise, but the rest of the album is pure killer!
Back to Top
micky View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46833
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2009 at 13:10
he does need that...

well with all the excitement at the RPI Palazzo the last couple of days.. I see we have missed some reviews...



one ...a favorite album of a favorite artist.. by one of my favorite reviewers...Heart
great review .. even though I obviously thought more of it LOLClap

great to see you reviewing again Vic.

Battiato
Franco Battiato Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Ricochet
Special Collaborator Electronic Prog & Art Rock Specialist

2 stars Under normal circumstances, we should be halfway into Franco Battiato's full exposure to avant-garde oriented music, impressed or at least intrigued by his tricky, complex, uncanny, fresh, meta-mature and valorous (in one way or another) experiments. However, at least taking 1977's Battiato as reference, out of a total of four potential ones, deception turns the main word. Perhaps a soft one, too.

Career-wise, we could indeed talk about a peak (not necessarily with this album, because the award-winning upcoming L'Egitto prima delle sabbie seems the logical ultimate climax, but including it in the ascension) since we're browsing through samples of unbound, straightforward, academic, concrete & hermetic music. But even here I'm very much tempted, thanks to the dry impression provided by Battiato, to daringly conclude that much of this phase could only be counted as a big intersection between Battiato's juiciest eclectic art and the new times when he'll become highly popular for a different, lighter type of music. While no doubt acknowledging Battiato's final dream of shaping his classical-trained idea(l)s of experimentation without setbacks, results such as Battiato are nevertheless plain bizarre drafts compared to the earlier and way more profound (plus, from this perspective, classic) tetralogy. If albums such as Foetus and Pollution (perhaps Clic as well) are remembered as of an acquired taste, Battiato's standard could disappoint the vital fans of the style itself.

Stylistically, it would wrong to completely demote this work, as, especially through the convincing first composition, it's a pretty close match of the modern classical language Battiato wished to approach, the second epic of this album being surprisingly a more random, even if more fulfilling as well, experiment. With a tiny bit of optimism, the predictable shock of the first experience will wash away, allowing a mature future appreciation. Musically however, the verdict is strict: Battiato's study is of a difficult appeal, a recording session far too intimate, with a (theoretically) proper yet hard-to-survive minimalism klavierstück (obvious hint, of course), contrasted by a far too shy vocal-instrumental collage, compared to much wilder examples in the 1971-74 tapes. Obscurity fates this release from the very beginning, but even if unfolded, the chances of sounding incredible are very slim. Calling it a collector's item makes the most sense, but treasuring it in this way ultimately doesn't.

Battiato rarely worked so condensed as he does now and throughout the mid 70s, traditionally filling the two sides with, here on, weak epics. First up is the Stockhausen memento, the introduction of the IXth Klavierstücke being reproduced and, a bit, enhanced. Describing this minimal, obstinate exercise in too many words would be silly, the key symbol being sound and its pure experimentation. What I'm missing is the depth the sound would need, in this situation, in order to actually attract and move the listener. General effects can be discerned, even by those who would tag this echo music or ambient, but the scarce nuancing points out another major flaw, the cheap rhythm patterns and the slight shift of chords not doing much to improve the feeling. Within the resonance, I'm picking up some metallic notes, as if electric keyboards were added to the piano (and they probably were, I'm just relating to the impression), creating an unwanted artificial splinter inside the natural aura of the music. Neither secco, nor slipping into soundscapes, offers no pleasure, and hardly fascinates.

Through repeated listening, a rough epic such as will flow better and better, proving pretty okay at this chapter. So does the other epic, Cafe-Table-Musik, by paradox less restraint, but still minimal and, in my opinion, rudimentary. This time, Battiato isn't alone in a white cubic chamber, with his piano and nothing else, but he could just as well be in the recording room, trimming and merging excerpts, creating a collage, shaping a suite. Alida Maria Salvelra provides the vocals, a bit of opera here and there, dialogue and meditative lines in the rest, backed up in a couple of fragments by another voice, un-credited, presumably Battiato himself. The lyrics overall seem to have a random origin, emphasizing a desired punch. The element that recurs, in a much smoother form, is the piano music, alternating at first, blending soon after with the vocal codex. A symphonic drop of essence falls lofty somewhere in between, with no special result. Austere and repetitive, the melody matters, once again, less in comparison with its potential of effects, but nothing is truly different, since the lack of artistic nuances persists, and we're stuck in a slideshow of abstract, bare images. The style surfaces adequately, but the music sounds inmost modest, to not mention the better things Battiato composed in this direction.

Anyone taking a deeper incursion into the progressive rock library bumps into more unusual samples, mostly avant-garde oriented or unearthly experimental ones, sooner or later. In this case, prog rock is out of the question, and the discovery is sadly unrewarding. This is mainly a view back into modern classical/proto-electronic music, done with a degree of professional, still with a forgotten subtlety. I'm surprisingly giving the second star for , the track that can possibly annoy everyone who'd listen to it, but is the more meaningful one of the two presented.

A mere consolation star, though, for hopefully the weakest of the four albums that outline this special phase: inferior, interior music all around, with hardly any rich taste.



The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
Back to Top
micky View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46833
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2009 at 13:15
and another... from PA's own shining musical light...  great review Robert. keep 'em coming. 

Roller
Goblin Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Epignosis
Collaborator Eclectic Prog Team

4 stars This is an excellent introduction for Rock Progressivo Italiano. While it is instrumental, the music retains many lovable sensibilities, and it is highly enjoyable. The musicians are excellent in their respective capacities, and still each piece moves in a definite direction. This exceptional album is certainly not one to pass by.

“Roller” A brief atmospheric section brings in plucky keyboard, bass, and drums, followed by a steady organ. The organ is incredible during this piece, even though it largely follows the lead guitar. This is an exceptional work, and is not to be missed. While I wish the bass had a fuller sound, it’s still well-performed and tight with the drummer.

“Aquaman” Soft, watery sounds, keyboard, and acoustic guitar open this piece. The bass growls but keeps a trebly head. The guitar is pleasantly gritty, working over the bass and drums. The descending riff at the end leads right to the dripping water.

“Snip Snap” This short piece is also the quirkiest. The bass is snappy (makes sense), and it has some great panning effects with the synthesizer. The guitar is funky also. The synthesizer solo is fantastic, though, and the drums sounds phenomenal. This is just a great, fun instrumental.

“Il Riveglio Del Serpente” The percussive introduction is a powerful introduction to the acoustic guitar and piano that follows. But the guitar and piano are jazz instruments in the best way on this one, even with the other instrumentation over and under it. The piano is amazing, running underneath the other instruments as it does.

“Goblin” The piece that bears the name of the band begins with strange sounds, like popcorn being popped, or devilish hands clapping. Synthesizer and piano work alongside each other as the other instruments burst in. The synthesizer use is the best here, though, contributing to the overall structure. The bass guitar is powerful and punchy. The lead guitar work is simply spectacular, working alongside the other music even as the musician demonstrates his ability. It is the synthesizer that makes this track stand out, though. The piece features a rollicking drum solo that is heavy on the snare.

“Dr. Frankenstein” Fabio Pignatelli uses some swampy bass to lead the rest of the of the music. Otherwise, it sounds similar to Camel on the Mirage album. Abruptly, it stops to bring in machine gun bass, drums, guitar, and a wild synthesizer lead, which is the most unrestrained thing on this album.


The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
Back to Top
Ricochet View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: February 27 2005
Location: Nauru
Status: Offline
Points: 46301
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2009 at 14:17
Thanks for the mention, Mick. So far, my slice of pie in reviewing RPI is almost entirely made out of Battiato, but I hope to eventually write about many classics I have in my library.

Re: Battiato in his avant-trance mood. I'll head for "L'eggito"...Stockhausen-awarded album. It must be better than .


Edited by Ricochet - March 13 2009 at 14:18
Back to Top
micky View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46833
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2009 at 14:22
Originally posted by Ricochet Ricochet wrote:

Thanks for the mention, Mick. So far, my slice of pie in reviewing RPI is almost entirely made out of Battiato, but I hope to eventually write about many classics I have in my library.

Re: Battiato in his avant-trance mood. I'll head for "L'eggito"...Stockhausen-awarded album. It must be better than .


hahhahaha....  if you like L'eggito more than Za....  I'll sh*t a brick hahhah.  REALLY curious what you think of that Vic. Battiato was my introduction to that kind of music.. it facinated me on some level... but really don't have much to compare it to if you know what I mean. 

glad to see you back in  the reviewing saddle Vic. Clap
The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
Back to Top
Mandrakeroot View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member

Italian Prog Specialist

Joined: March 01 2006
Location: San Foca, Friűl
Status: Offline
Points: 5851
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2009 at 15:49
Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

the only way you make enemies Mandy is by questioning their judgment.. their integrity and I know you wouldn't do that. It's just as we did with our team.  We just make the best call we can for the site.  Sometimes you just have to say Thanks for taking the time to listen.. and as I told you in the Narnia thead.. just enjoy the music.  Being here on the site is not a requirement for good music.  
 
Amen, micky!!!
Back to Top
micky View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46833
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2009 at 15:51
hey Mandy.. homework assignment for you... pick 10 RPI albums that you feel are unappreciated gems on this site...  less that say... 20 reviews and not listed in the top 20 albums.. nor by the big 5 groups.

post it here dude... no wrong answers... just doing it gets you an A+ and a micky kissie hahhha
The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
Back to Top
Mandrakeroot View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member

Italian Prog Specialist

Joined: March 01 2006
Location: San Foca, Friűl
Status: Offline
Points: 5851
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 13 2009 at 15:51
Great reviews...!!!
Back to Top
Finnforest View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: February 03 2007
Location: The Heartland
Status: Offline
Points: 16913
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 14 2009 at 12:06
Andrea!  ClapClap
 Anthology Live - Due salti nel passato by JUMBO album cover DVD/Video, 2007
3.00 | 1 ratings

BUY
Anthology Live - Due salti nel passato
Jumbo Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by andrea
Prog Reviewer

— First review of this album —
3 stars This DVD features a short documentary about the history of the band. Alvaro Fella, Daniele Bianchini and Aldo Gargano talk about the beginnings of “Jumbo’s adventure” and the Italian prog rock scene of the early seventies while some excerpts from “DNA” and “Vietato ai minori di 18 anni?” are in the background (the dialogs are in Italian with English subtitles). You can see also many old pictures that can give you an idea of the “halcyon days” of the band. An unplugged version of “La strada porta al fiume”, from Jumbo’s debut album closes the first part of the DVD.

The second part features some live excerpts from a concert in 1995. Many tracks are taken from the most recent albums (“Folle corsa”, “La mia vita”, “Bella & finta”, “Metropolis” and “Lakota”). Nothing special indeed, although the final track, a long and original version of “Suite per il sig. K.” is absolutely worth listen to.

The DVD ends with some short excerpts from a live performance in Paris in 1990. The Paris concert should be released on a future DVD although the quality of the videos taken from that show that you can see here are very far from perfect...

The booklet and the packaging are poor: no photographs and the biography of the band by Augusto Croce is taken from Italianprog.com website... So, on the whole I found this DVD interesting but a little bit disappointing.

Report this review (#207097) | Posted Saturday, March 14, 2009, 11:23 EST
Review Permalink | Submit a review for this album


 Diario Di Viaggio Della Festa Mobile by FESTA MOBILE album cover Studio Album, 1973
4.21 | 24 ratings

BUY
Diario Di Viaggio Della Festa Mobile
Festa Mobile Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by andrea
Prog Reviewer

5 stars Festa Mobile was one of the many Italian prog bands of the early seventies that disbanded soon after the release of an excellent debut album in 1973. The line up featured, among others, Francesco Boccuzzi (keyboards), Giovanni Boccuzzi (keyboards, guitar) and Tonio Napolitano (bass), who later formed another band called Il Baricentro, more “jazz-rock oriented”. On “Diario di viaggio della Festa Mobile” the band showcased a great musicianship although the sound quality coming out from the recording sessions is not flawless. Festa Mobile is often compared with BMS, PFM, Le Orme and other “classic” Italian prog bands: you can find here many influences ranging from classical music to jazz, from British prog rock to Italian folklore, but the final result is original enough and it’s definitively worth listen to.

“Diario di viaggio della Festa Mobile” is a concept album where the band describe with music and words the experience of a company of comedians returning home after the celebrations in honour of the new king of a far (imaginary) country, Hon. The opener “La corte di Hon” (Hon’s court) is introduced by a dizzy piano pattern, then a frenzy rhythm section and vocals come in... Lyrics depict the atmosphere of false joy put up by the oppressive power of the new king... “Hon’s celebration lasts hundred days / For hundred days the sun won’t set / Hon sits on his throne / The moving feast lives on / It seems a celebration of love / But it’s just a false mask... Peace seems to rule / But it’s war that rules... It seemed a celebration of love / But it was a celebration of death...”

On the second track “Canto” (Song), the comedians end their performance in honour of Hon singing a song inspired by their extraordinary travelling experience and by the contrast between an ideal world full of love and peace and the cruel reality... “I sing the colours of time and the rhythm of the wind / That are living in me... I sing the story of happy people living into ingenuity... I sing the future I dream / A new day that’s lost and will never come...”. The rhythm is complex and fiery while vocals depict a dream that turns to nightmare...

On the third track “Aristea” the mood is more relaxed, almost mystic. After the celebration, our “heros” are on the way home. They stop to rest in a mysterious abbey where the great priestess Aristea silently looks at their hands and reveals them a prophecy... “You will go there / Where the sun doesn’t shine / Where men do not know happiness...”. So, they become aware that freedom is in danger even in their homeland. Well, you can feel almost a sense of impending doom at the end of the track when a “nervous” rhythm section comes in...

The fourth track is about despair and mercy. “Ljalja” tells about the meeting with a young girl crying in a country ravaged by war. She was still clasping her dead son in her hands, she was a still baby but without a future... “Then slowly she smiled / She couldn’t speak anymore”.

The long and complex last track “Ritorno” tells about the comeback and the fear that what the protagonists have seen during their journey could happen in their homeland too... It’s like a wake up with a nightmare still hanging on: “We were travelling back to home / And the souvenirs in our minds seemed made of stone / Red stone because of the innocent’s blood / People who died in the name of their truth / Martyrs of Hon and of the dream of a new reality / Under a different sky we’re looking again at home... Where sooner or later Hon will come / With the rules of the strongest”.

The music is excellent and the lyrics are poetical and committed. On the whole I think that this album should find a place in every Italian prog lover collection...

Back to Top
Finnforest View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: February 03 2007
Location: The Heartland
Status: Offline
Points: 16913
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 14 2009 at 23:26
And Thomas! ClapClap

Lavori In Corso
D.F.A. Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by tszirmay
Prog Reviewer

5 stars Not since the celebrated Arti+Mestieri has there been such a worldwide buzz about an Italian jazz- rock/fusion outfit! Duty Free Area definitely provides some wondrous music that encompasses the complex realms of odd time signatures and some ultra-spacey symphonics when needed as a contrast to the swirling dervish instrumental pyrotechnics. They also sing in harmony which is a much heralded throwback to the Hatfield/Canterbury school of prog diversity. First the stellar line-up, which even though at first glance looks like your standard gt,k,b&dr, includes a fascinating lead guitarist Silvio Minella , possessor of magnificent tone and technique, keyboardist Alberto Bonomi who mostly wields a shivering Hammond organ, dabbling with mellotron when the symphonics kick in , synths for soloing and adds flute and vocals. Bassist Luca Baldassari not only keeps everything firmly anchored but knows how to step into the spotlight with some wicked wizardry. For this kind of challenging music to work, you need a drummer extraordinaire and Alberto de Grandis unquestionably delivers in spades, adding some vocals as well. As the bald headed referee blows his whistle, this debut album kicks off with “Work Machine”, a tasty opening smorgasbord of styles, really a perfect introduction of the caliber of style and ability these signori can come up with. Hyper-effusive rhythms, cagey melodies, stops and starts, a sliver of dissonance ,some ambient electronics and playful Italian vocals set the tone immediately and hang on to your earphones! Heady stuff indeed! Listening to all the players communally and individually only heightens the awe, as it becomes apparent these guys can play with the best. “Collage” is another seriously thrusting escapade with some blistering solos from the axe- fiend, while the drums keep thundering, the bass trusting the groove and the keys thrashing around in crazed euphoria. Intense, a true mosaic of various styles and hence chaotic, this will undoubtedly please the techies out there! Try chasing after this bus, doggie! The galloping insanity and the eccentric wizardry continues with “Pantera”, starting out as a sleek jazzy ditty where the flute rules and then veers into the vocal-led, guitar appointed stretch , where both the Hammond and the axe trade appropriate growls , blistering rapid runs that seem to emulate the velocity of the panther as it scurries about on the Serengeti. The restrained synth solo brings to mind the deft precision of first-rate fusion giving this track a stamp of supreme elegance, slowly ratcheting up the pace as it quickens. “La Sua Anima”is an almost welcome diversion from the fury, surprisingly featuring gentle acoustic strumming, idyllic flute embellishments and a gentle mellotron/synth backdrop, thus creating a dreamily effusive atmosphere that adds even more credence to their craft. The purely instrumental “Trip on the Metro” reverts to the manic fusion/fission style that combines wicked polyrhythmic tornadoes with loads of incendiary riffs at times recalling some recent KC dexterities, the hyper bass bopping frantically and a slithering classic and emotional guitar solo before zipping back into the eddy. One can only imagine the subway trip in its linear drive towards some mundane destination. Allegedly this was their demo in getting the debut album done and it certainly has the shine and the stamina to impress any audiophile. Lots of chops, a truly memorable ride! The nearly 10 minute ”Space Age Man” is another wordless foray into intergalactic realms, the orbiting synth displaying cosmic skill, the fretboard still billowing lift-off steam, the bass rippling through various sonic barriers propelling the ship further into the universe. Drum meister DeGrandis powers the arrangement purposefully forward working together with the Hammond, raging in delight! There is a teaming resolve that exudes from the speakers proving that these lads know how to rip, no doubt! “La Via” is the remorseless 16 minute epic standout that closes the deal, a superlative escapade into the highway of life, a brooding introduction that spotlights a resolute bass groove , with soaring wisps of moody electronic washes, celestial vocal harmonies that rekindle hints of the classic PFM, Celeste, Il Volo etc…sound . The theme incrementally expands into some scintillating playing, synth and guitar playing in unison and veering off separately when prompted, the vocals now more assertive, the playing slipping into the more demanding rhythms, desperately searching out new contrasts and new sonic horizons. At the 6 minute mark, the huge mellotron-infused theme that defines this track, makes its first hesitant entrance into the fray, interrupted by occasional returns to the whirlwind mania. This massively haunting theme will eventually grow in insistence and passion. While undoubtedly the most symphonic track here, the brilliantly complex musicianship shines through, elevating this piece to intense heights. A playful mid-section brightly reintroduces the spine of this jewel, that simply languid theme, gleaming intensely and shimmering with unfettered majesty. Sucked right in, I am, surely one of the finest sympho-prog tracks from the recent RPI. The final 5 minutes are utter, unadulterated bliss with the flute spiraling upwards, forcing the pace as the choir-mellotron vortex rises slowly into the heavens. This impassioned mantra of emotion and sound is simply irresistible. 5 men at work pylons.

Back to Top
memowakeman View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: May 19 2005
Location: Mexico City
Status: Offline
Points: 13032
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 15 2009 at 00:58
I looove that Festa Mobile album, great review andrea!

Follow me on twitter @memowakeman
Back to Top
Mandrakeroot View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member

Italian Prog Specialist

Joined: March 01 2006
Location: San Foca, Friűl
Status: Offline
Points: 5851
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 15 2009 at 11:59
Originally posted by memowakeman memowakeman wrote:

I looove that Festa Mobile album, great review andrea!
 
I repeat this post... I confirm all!!!
Back to Top
Doomcifer View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: October 22 2008
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 177
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 15 2009 at 12:53
I'm just starting to venture into the Italian arena.  I have always loved Museo Rosenbach - Zarathustra and more recently PFM - Per Un Amico.

SO, where do I go from here?  Any suggestions from the "harder" side of the Italian Symph Prog movement?
Greater is the man who conquers himself, than he who conquers a hundred times a hundred on the battlefield.
Back to Top
micky View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46833
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 15 2009 at 12:57
here you go....  this should be up you alley... a few oddballs but the jist is on the heavy side of RPI

Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

not too bad... didn't take long to find...  posted this back in May

Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

alrighty....the mighty mick mentions many masterful maestros of  mediterranean mesmerizingly metrically meticulous music

excluding PFM, Banco, and Orme.



1. Osanna -Palepoli

not really too much to say.. you've heard this... at least Oro Caldo.. but Senza Animale Respiro... christ...  watch the bleeding heart ripped out of your chest and beat with furious passion.  As great as Oro Caldo is... side 2 is screams to be heard.  Get it.. own it.. love it.

2. Balletto di Bronzo - Ys

this says it all...far better than my review.. or any I've read.. posted it many times...

Il Balleto di Bronzo - Ys

Il Balleto di Bronzo's Ys is an unequivocal classic, and stands as one of the very best albums out of Italy, and perhaps among the finest examples of dark, heavy progressive. However, newbies to the Italian scene might want to approach this one with caution, since it can be tougher to get into than some of the other popular Italian works. This was one of the first Italian albums I got, and I was frankly unprepared for it. The pyrotechnic keyboards, thundering rhythms, the angular, punishing guitars and the abrasive vocals made for a work that I found initially dense and unrewarding. For an album that many have hailed as the best progressive rock album of all time, I was a little disappointed. Of course, I've come around by now, and certainly hold this album in high regard as one of the jewels of Italian prog, but that personal anecdote should serve as a caveat for those expecting to be blown away immediately, especially if not particularly predisposed towards the more dissonant branches of progressive rock.

Still, Ys is a complete monster. The music on here is thundering, cacophonous and simply unrelenting in its sheer, brute force. This also stands as one of the best keyboard-based albums of all time; Gianni Leone employs the full range of classic keys, from Hammond, Moog and Mellotron to piano and harpsichord, pitting them in savage, fiery duels that will absolutely tear your head off. These are contrasted against violent guitar riffs and surging basslines, making for a chaotic, mindbendingly complex ride. The music is punctuated by Leone's caterwauling operatic vocals, which are perhaps the toughest part of the album to get into, but are eventually endearing and nothing if not emotional. Take "Introduzione", an absolute beast of a cut that builds from volcanic climax to climax, as Hammonds and Moog duel it out for supremacy. Take the opening riff of "Epilogo," with its brilliant arpeggiated theme that simply bursts at the seams with intensity. The entire album is a series of mindblowing passages, with few spots of respite to be found. An indispensable Italian classic, without a doubt.

Greg Northrup [September 2001]


3. Area - Arbeit Macht Frei

If you are looking for passion, for fire... oh yes we need Area.  Area is erroneously labeled on this site as a J-R group.. oh no they are far more than that... if you are interested in Italian progressive rock.. RPI.. you must know Area. Arabic music, rock, free jazz, folk, electronic, and the avant-garde all are mixed with this HIGHLY politicized  group. Let by one of the most dynamic singers in prog .. in all prog..... Demetrio Stratos this album was their call to arms.  You need this album.  A masterpiece.


4. Museo Rosenbach - Zarathrustra

a classic that all must hear... the vocals are not pleasurable.. but so ALIVE and full of passion.  Mellotrons.. Hammonds. .guitars all come in a HARD symphonic soup of superlative sound.  Read Maani's review of this if you don't believe me. It is that f**king good.

5. Jumbo - Vietato Minori di 18 Anni

Mad giggles ensue imagining Simon from American Idol  listening to 'Jumbo' Fella sing.  This is an incredibly depressing album... all those things that are 'forbidden to those under 18'  Drugs, sex, booze.. those things that can ruin you... all get the heavy prog treatment here.  A soniclly diverse yet DARK album with incredible music and a Battiato sighting on the VCS 3. I HIGHLY recommend this album. Hugues wrote a great review of this album.  Check the sample on the site... great opening song.

#6 I Giganti - Terra In Bocca

What a fabulous album.. a year before Tull... a concept in one song over both sides of the original vinyl.  The music is much lighter than some I've recommended but still .... extremely satisfying with gorgeous melodies.. and the vocals... oh my... I LOVE the singing on this.

#7 Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno  - Per...  Mondo di Cristallo

If I had to pick one RPI vocalist who voice drives me to Richard Sinclair heights of man-whoredom.. it would have to be Luciano Regoli.  The PERFECT RPI mix of symphonic, folk, hard  rock  and jazz. The 10 minute mini-epic of Un Palco di Marionette is in my top 5 prog songs... ever.  I love that song. I highly recommend this album.. believe there is a sample on the site from this album.  Check the RPI team's reviews.. we all love it.. you will as well.

#8 Osage Tribe - Arrowhead

A power trio ..of which two thirds were composed of two of the most highly regarded instrumentalists to come out of Italian prog. I'd put them against any of the more well known names you see thrown around this forum all the time.  As I stated in my review... this is not an intellectual album... this is 3 guys letting it RIP and giving it their all.  Bob Callero's bass is the star of this album.  wow....

#9 Metamorfosi - Inferno

another keyboard classic of prog...  with another beast of a opening cut in Introduzione.  Not as dark (surprisingly hahha) as Ys.. and no where near as brutal or heavy.  The singing on here is more more palatable than on YS.  Some fabulous Moog work on this album. Love it.

#10 Delirium - Delirium III

their best album .. .after a rather uninspired start to the album. .it picks up into a malestorm of furious flute riffing, saxophones, keyboards.  I miss Fossati and his voice on here but the vocals aren't bad. ..  but muscially ....this is a fabulous album

#11 Biglietto per L'Inferno - s/t

another hard..err.. heavy quasi symphonic classic from Italy.  Duo keyboardists.  Impassioned vocals... and one of the great 'mini-epics' of RPI. L'Amico Suicida. The intro raises the hairs on my head everytime I hear it.

#12 Pholas Dactylus - Concerto Delle Menti

not much to say about this.. read James, and my reviews.  A must for what you are looking for.

#13 Alphataurus - s/t

A hard one for me to recommend. This is an album that might be exactly in the vein you are looking for.. however.. outside of the KILLER lead track.. which is a sample here.. this album never 'caught' me. However.. a LOT of people love this album and rank this high in their list of favs.  This being a list of recommendations for you and not merely what I like best.  You should get this album.. check the sample.. LOVE that song.

#14 Campo di Marte - s/t

Another clasic in the vein of hard errr. symphonic prog...  great singing...  lots of space for air guitaring air bass...and air keyboarding. Lot of different moods on the album.. lots of shades.. of light and heavy.  A very good album.  2nd tier.. but a great addition down the road.

#15 New Trolls - UT

Not their most important album, the groundbreaking Concerto Grosso.. which doesn't fit this list.  This album may have been their peak.. all the creative tension between the hard rock and classical sides came to a head on this album.  This album would be highter.. if but for the last song. .which previewed ...ahhaha... what the New Trolls were to become. I Cavalieri del Lago dell'Ontario is a FABULOUS track that begs to be heard.

that completes to black list.. later. .the white one.


Edited by micky - March 15 2009 at 12:58
The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
Back to Top
Finnforest View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: February 03 2007
Location: The Heartland
Status: Offline
Points: 16913
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 15 2009 at 13:00
And my list, to compliment Micks....kiss your money goodbye Doom!

1. Quella Vecchia Locanda – "Il Tempo Della Gioia" 

The heart and soul of romantic Italian, heavily classical with great piano and violin.  Very beautiful music… creative songwriting fusing the rock, classical, and jazz genres; immaculate production with great attention to recording details; exceptional use of violins, flutes, and other classical elements; warm and passionate Italian vocals; and perhaps most importantly an unabashed willingness to project a most romantic style of music.  Don't miss their first album either.


2. Balletto di Bronzi – "YS"

On most Italian top 10 lists, complex and keyboard heavy, on the dark and challenging side.  A phenomenal achievement in mood.  While noted as one of the finest keyboard albums bar none, the other players are equally top notch.  BdB is still  active and performing material from this period, be sure to check out their live DVD as well as this classic.


3. Cervello – "..Melos.."

So awesome, but from the "difficult" branch.  Heavy, sometimes harsh, always playful and wild.  From the darker side, would appeal to VDGG fans.  The musical approach and the sound are very sophisticated and unique. A combination of primarily guitars, flutes and saxes are tightly woven into a very dense, often dark, unsettling, and just plain eerie feel. Some sources say there are no (or very little) keyboards used to create this sound palette which is certainly unusual. Sometimes I think I hear some but I can't be sure the way the other instruments are employed. It took me many plays to really get past the rather exhausting outer shell and discover the melodies hiding inside…


4. Jacula – "Tardo Pede In Magiam Versus"

A masterpiece.  An absolutely out-of-this-world experience that contrasts pure beauty with nightmarish dreamscapes.  Classic cathedral organs, ethereal vocals, ritual chants, strange effects, a recital of the bizarre.  For the open-minded listeners only, this is not rock and roll.  See my full review, one of my favorite albums.


5. Giganti – "Terra in Boca"

this album is not as outwardly "weird and wild" as some of the 73-74 period albums would become, and there are not long extended instrumentals.  But it is no less rewarding.  The music rests on a bed of emotional, spicy piano playing and soft mellotron.  The acoustic guitars are crisp and vibrant, played with a bold passion while electric leads have a gritty yet reserved bite, a compressed distortion.  While not a consistently hard rock album they certainly dig in their heels in a few places.  Occasionally flutes add a nice touch to the edges.  But the real magic of Terra rests in the songwriting, the arrangements, and especially in the vocals.  These guys can sing and harmonize very well, it is pure joy to listen to their dramatic emotional delivery throughout. 


6. Rovescio Della Medaglia – "Contaminazione"

sometimes cited as one of the best, perhaps *the* best example of classical music with progressive rock. The stunning baroque arrangements are seamlessly tied to the RDM sound and are amazingly natural and unforced.


7. Panna Fredda – "Uno"

"Uno" is a dark and mysterious treat bringing to my mind elements of Sabbath, Purple, Atomic Rooster, J.E.T., Hero, and Uriah Heep.  Others have noted the nod to a track called "Heaven" from the first Gracious album and also Black Widow.  The influence of English hard rock and blues-rock are impossible to deny, yet Panna Fredda were beginning the Italian progressive movement by taking those influences and running with them.  Classical elements pervade the album along with some jazzy tidbits here and there.  A certain Baroque sounds creeps along the edges at times whimsical and at other times quite disturbing, bordering on madness.  The lyrics are equally dark and quite good, delving into "ancient folklore and classic literature traditions as well as popular culture" so noted in the CD booklet. 


8. Officina Meccanica – "La Follia ....del.... Mimo di Fuoco"

First, their sound was extremely provocative and daring, incorporating horns into the mix reminiscent of VDGG with even some lesser nods to funk and fusion. Second was their highly theatrical stage shows featuring a mime-faced lead vocalist pushing Ange-level expressiveness.  ..OM.. rest firmly in the more challenging bracket of Italian Prog.  While there are moments of great melodic beauty the main emphasis is on the edginess, tension, experimentalism and passion.  This band is every bit as important, every bit as wild as Semiramis, Balletto Di Bronzo, Osanna, or Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno in my view.    ....


9. Jumbo – "Vietato ai Minori"

Jumbo sounds like the Italian version of Ange! If you like Christian Decamps boisterous spirit and the bands rowdy theatrical sound you will love Jumbo. They are over-the-top sometimes but this music is lively, fun, and interesting despite the somewhat dark lyrical content. A special mention goes to drummer Tullio Gianatello who is nothing short of fantastic.


10. Semiramis – "Dedicato a Frazz"

A hundred car pile-up on the musical freeway.  Insane.  Heavy.  Bold.  Not for the faint of heart but rich and rewarding as a roller-coaster ride after partying a bit.  The vocals are fine robust Italian at their lively best. The guitar playing is energetic on the electric side and expressive on the acoustic side. The rest of the band are fine musicians but not the best I've ever heard. Composition is amazing for a 16 year old kid, this is material you will have to play many times to fully appreciate. A definite grower.


Back to Top
micky View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46833
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 15 2009 at 13:08
hahhaha... yep... got a wife Doom?  Kiss her goodbye along with the savings.. you tread on the precipice...   the next step leads to the abyss of addiction.  This one though only enhances your soul.. not destroys it... 

..  years into it... the gems still are being discovered.  Heart
The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 177178179180181 277>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.422 seconds.
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.