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1967/ 1976 
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: May 21 2009 Location: Lake of Love Status: Offline Points: 423 |
 Posted: June 24 2009 at 04:52 |
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This is a good compilation by Goblin... With good song selection:
The Fantastic Voyage Of Goblin
Goblin  Rock Progressivo Italiano
Review by 1967/ 1976 — First review of this album —
 Interesting compilation that not conquest me at all. Honestly I was expecting something better. But yes, the title is correct: this is 'The Fantastic Voyage Of Goblin'.
Certainly that the story of Italian Prog is undoubtedly magical but with a band as Goblin also the storyof a single band is magical. But not for this all Goblin's releases are magical. This compilòation is not magical because good, because in other words all the compilations are not totally magical. Sure it is difficult to construction a good compilation with Goblin's music because Goblin's music out of the original context not have one gram of magic. Yes, remain a good music but... Not magical! If this is the main problem of Goblin's music, another importan aspect is the decline of inspiration over the years has gripped Goblin. Certainly the various line-ups changes helped this fact but Goblin have always tried to fossilize on a musical genre that has not evolved, son of a very high success. And this is totally hear on this CD. Important is the fact that the quality of music is all high. But Goblin is a legend...! |
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Todd
Special Collaborator 
RPI / Heavy Prog Team Joined: December 19 2007 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 3472 |
Posted: June 24 2009 at 13:16 |
After doing some checking, it looks like Fabio Celi and Il Mucchio are now out of print. So after this run, they're gone! If that matters to you, it's something to think about . . .
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Finnforest
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 03 2007 Location: The Heartland Status: Offline Points: 17324 |
Posted: June 24 2009 at 19:38 |
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Freakin' great modern band..........
 
“dio Dio mio, che cosa abbiamo fatto”
(God, my God what have we done!)
On a recent summer Tuesday I had a very good day. Every June I take a Tuesday off to drive across town and take my Mom to the outdoor farmer’s market and then lunch for her birthday. It’s so great to sleep in and spend a day living rather than working. And precious to be able to visit the old neighborhood and see the folks again. As I was about to leave, the day got even better-a package in the mail from Italy! It arrived just as I was heading out for a long drive, perfect timing on their part. The day was cloudy and cool, but not raining, perfect weather for cranking some loud prog. And Il Babau’s disc, a pure expression of musical freedom, was a great soundtrack for that ride. It pulled my mind away from the hassle of driving in a busy metropolis, for a brief time it made the desire to kill the other drivers go away. It made me float, glaze over nicely, and lock into this band’s amazing groove.  It’s so hard to do justice to their sound with
words: using
no fancy games, they create long and seemingly repetitive rhythms with
the
guitar chords, bass and drums. I say “seemingly” because there are
plenty
of wonderful intricacies in the playing for those truly listening. The
bass lines can be rolling in the back or suddenly come forward with a
lead
bit. Keys and piano are tastefully used throughout although this album
is
primarily a guitar album. It’s an interesting mix between
hypnotic-drone-weaving exploration on the one side, and no-nonsense
post-punk
on the other. It can careen from yelled choruses of bravado to serene
and
soothing ritual organ/chant without any difficulty. The vocals are
used in unconventional ways,
sometimes singing, other times creating mood with various chant-like
sounds or
unnerving phrasings. It can be a
rambling but fascinating example of just how incredibly expressive and
moving a
deliberate study of guitar-scapes can be, beautifully set off by clever
percussion
and core strangeness. This is ritual music, sweating beads of psych
freedom on
a speeding motorcycle through the southwest desert under noon sun. For
staring at the vast horizon and
hearing spirits. This is “Set the
Controls for the Heart of the Sun.” This is Osanna’s “Palepoli” in
spirit. With some bits of Throbbing Gristle. Sonic Youth. Lou
Reed. The creative heart of classic Italian progressive is present but
in
the guise of something much more modern, grittier, and more
economical.
This is a far more interesting musical direction to my taste than the
countless
bands trying to sound like the popular prog-rock/pop flavors of the
moment. An examination of inner dialogue presented in conversations
between sounds (that’s what it sounds like to a person who doesn’t
understand
the Italian language.)
The themes of “Dio Dio Mio” lie in the struggle between
man’s fears and the consequences of rising up to “destroy” the source of those
fears, an interesting topic in the world we live in today. This is the main 4-part suite “Tetralogia”
which is followed by an “ironic love song” (Quella di Vincenzo) and “a passage
from a bucolic-rural surroundings with traditional Japanese influences to an
industrial-alienating-noisy factory” (Avviamento con resistenze
rotoriche). The long suite is
particularly beautiful songwriting, flowing and otherwordly but completely
holding the attention of the listener. Their
influences range from Barrett-era Floyd to early Sabbath, Popol Vuh, 70s RPI
and soundtracks, and the work of Dino Buzzati and Poe. They describe themselves as “regressive rock”
but I certainly find the work to be progressive, fusing elements of the past
into an exciting fork in the road for today’s music fan. Take it.
[Jim Russell] http://www.myspace.com/ilbabauimaledetticretini |
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...that moment you realize you like "Mob Rules" better than "Heaven and Hell"
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Atavachron
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 30 2006 Location: Pearland Status: Offline Points: 65664 |
Posted: June 24 2009 at 20:01 |
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don't know if anyone here noticed Fabrizio of Zundapp (Tuscany)
has posted their demo from 2005 for free download.. it's not symphonic
but it's great heavy prog with a flute and occasional whacked-out
vocals, hints of early Tull
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Raff
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 29 2005 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 24429 |
Posted: June 24 2009 at 20:06 |
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Thanks, David, I had not noticed the DL link
 ... If I remember correctly, Zundapp are from Siena, the town where I spent 8 years of my life.
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Atavachron
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 30 2006 Location: Pearland Status: Offline Points: 65664 |
Posted: June 24 2009 at 20:13 |
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^ that's right (if I recall my own bio
 ).. EDIT: didn't know you spent so much time thereEdited by Atavachron - June 24 2009 at 20:14 |
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Raff
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 29 2005 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 24429 |
Posted: June 24 2009 at 20:20 |
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Yes, I did... Not a very happy time of my life, unfortunately, but I suppose such things happen
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avestin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
Posted: June 27 2009 at 19:04 |
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I may have missed this on this thread, but has anyone heard the new Ubi Maior: Senza Tempo?
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Finnforest
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 03 2007 Location: The Heartland Status: Offline Points: 17324 |
Posted: June 27 2009 at 22:42 |
I just added it Assaf, though I couldn't find a track listing. Probably not one I'll pick up, not a band I enjoy much, but I'm sure someone will jump on it soon! Hopefully getting it added will start some reviews coming in. |
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...that moment you realize you like "Mob Rules" better than "Heaven and Hell"
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Raff
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 29 2005 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 24429 |
Posted: June 28 2009 at 07:38 |
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They had it for sale at NEARfest, but we didn't pick it up.... I suppose Micky went off the band when I heard of some unpleasant happenings involving me (and I'll leave it at that)
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lazland
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13798 |
Posted: June 28 2009 at 13:22 |
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Raff, Micky, and all of you Italian prog experts. I would like to continue exploring new prog, as I have done since joining the forum.
I am now a convinced Swedish prog lover, and have been listening to quite a few German bands on Last FM. So....as a lover of symphonic & neo prog especially, please recommend to me some great Italian bands to get started on. Look forward to hearing from you all.  |
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
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Raff
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 29 2005 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 24429 |
Posted: June 28 2009 at 14:57 |
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Well, you could do worse than start with the 'big three' - PFM, Banco and Le Orme. All three of them can be loosely described as symphonic, and Banco can boast of probably the best vocalist in prog, Francesco 'Big' Di Giacomo. Anyway, if you visit the home page of the subgenre, you'll find both the Top 20 of the highest rated albums (most of which are highly recommended), and the 'unknown gems'. Feel free to pop in here as often as you like, and ask us for advice
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jimmy_row
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 11 2007 Location: Hibernation Status: Offline Points: 2601 |
Posted: June 28 2009 at 23:48 |
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Hey guys how is everyone? Sorry I've been so scarce this week, I'm visiting family and friends out in Utah until July 5...
Anyway, to Assaf, I am definately interested in the Ubi Maior album but I didn't get it on my last RPI order and things are slow so I likely won't hear it any time soon...but I hear that it's great. Hopefully someone will post a comment or review.
Raff & Mike, I'm glad you two enjoyed Nearfest, I'm so jealous, expecially that you got to see PFM. Impressive how they're still such a great live attraction today.
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Signature Writers Guild on strike
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jimmy_row
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 11 2007 Location: Hibernation Status: Offline Points: 2601 |
Posted: June 28 2009 at 23:49 |
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lazland, you can't go wrong with Jim's recommendations - a symph-prog fan will definitely find something to like from those three bands. Specifically, since you like the Swedish stuff, I would recommend "Uomo di Pezza" by Le Orme, "Storia di un Minuto" by PFM, and then "Roller" by Goblin. You might also like Quella Vecchia Locanda (my avatar is their second album), influenced heavily by classical and chamber music. It really depends on what mood you're looking for in addition to the style...
And as for neo-prog, I think these groups might float your boat:
Locanda delle Fate
Cherry Five
A Piedi Nudi
Il Cercio d'Oro
Consorzio Acqua Potabile
Nuova Era
Randone
Finisterre
...just some things to check out.
Hope to see you around more!!
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Signature Writers Guild on strike
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1967/ 1976
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 21 2009 Location: Lake of Love Status: Offline Points: 423 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 10:03 |
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Another reviews:
 Studio Album, 19713.74 | 18 ratings Caronte The Trip Rock Progressivo Italiano Review by toroddfuglesteg  This is an adventure into the unexpected. This Italian Symphonic Prog album has a very British feel to it. I had to look at the cover several times to really convince myself that this band is indeed from Italy.
The music is somewhere between Vanilla Fudge, The Nice, ELP and Deep Purple. Heavy Prog meets Keith Emerson in other words. The over the top ELP stuff is present here. So is John Lord and his Deep Purple stuff. Just to confuse the matter, there are some classic pop here too (the song Little Janie). The music varies from hard to soft. The quality is pretty good throughout this album. I find it a bit boring and fragmented. But it is a pretty good effort, although maybe not I am to fond of. I am missing a really good killer track here. But a good effort, it is......
3 stars  Studio Album, 20094.67 | 7 ratings Capitolo 7 - Tra Le Antiche Mura Il Castello Di Atlante Rock Progressivo Italiano
Review by bspark  This is a decent album. Il Castello Di Atlante , though I don't know what their name is meaning their band name is perfect. especially when pronoucing. From the begining I listen to this album, I noticed that this album is something different from others, and a good voice is hearded from first track. and fabulous song is flowed as the CD is spinning. I few have their albums and not have a mind intresting to their albums, but this Tra Le Antiche Mura album has aquired quite a high rating so far, I decieded to get . and didn't disappointed me. So I look around their other albums which released earlier. this is a wonderful album.  Studio Album, 20053.00 | 1 ratings Zundapp Zundapp Heavy Prog
Review by Atavachron — First review of this album —
This wonderfully spirited Tuscan quintet rock the house with their demo from 2005. Filled with plenty of crunchy blues riffs and rhythms in a biker bar meets jazz club way, the disc is mostly instrumental led by the guitars of Fabrizio Brilli & Moreno Mencarini, backed by the solid if frantic Rossi/Biagianti rhythm team and laced liberally with Roberto Chechi's cutting flute. At times these boys do evoke a very early Jethro Tull in a we're-still-developing-but'll-kick-ass-one-day manner. In fact some of the material is not unlike how Tull might've sounded had Tony Iommi stayed on as lead guitarist.
Chechi's flute is jazzy and light which works to balance a slightly brutish sound, a bit of metal shaking open 'L'Invasione del Cavalletti' as it becomes an old-time hardrocker with jazz charm, 7-minute 'Hursky e Stutch' just as good if not better with some great little moments and 'Effetto cera' is a pounding jam that grows in intensity. Melodious 'Phase A' moves around, changing and mixing colors but always of a particular palette, sometimes you can even smell the fragrant air of the Riviera. 'Black Commendha' is tough, and a completely unhinged vocal for 'Satam Blues' this time summoning Joseph Smalkowski's dismembered horrors. A band with a whole lot of potential, Zundapp's proper and long-awaited debut in 2009 will likely be worth the wait. |
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American Khatru
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 28 2009 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 732 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 10:15 |
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People into this thread:
Please, if you haven't already, chime in on this thread I posted recently: Pick 3 best Italian on-off albums Ciao. Edited to make link larger for the eye, in an attempt to get a few more votes before the poll comes to a halt. Edited by American Khatru - July 01 2009 at 05:11 |
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 Why must my spell-checker continually underline the word "prog"? |
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13798 |
Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:09 |
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Thanks guys for your responses. Thanks to those very nice people at Last FM, I am now listening to PFM's L'Isola di Niente, and will work my way through these and the other bands mentioned over the course of the next couple of weeks. I WILL report back
As I think I've said in previous posts on the forum, for too many years I was in a staid comfort zone as far as my music was concerned, so to explore all these new (to me) bands is just like being a teenager again! Once again, thanks. I'm impressed with what I've heard so far. 
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
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Finnforest
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 03 2007 Location: The Heartland Status: Offline Points: 17324 |
Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:15 |
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Cool Laz!! It is awesome to discover the RPI classics. If you wade back through the "Lists" section a bit, you will find my "Finnforest best Italian gems" which has like 25 lesser-known albums that will provide great thrills, at considerable damage to your wallet. If you can't find it let me know and I'll dig it up.
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...that moment you realize you like "Mob Rules" better than "Heaven and Hell"
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13798 |
Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:21 |
Hey James - thanks for this. The trawl through your list will definitely be executed this weekend, when I have a little bit more time on the forum/site. As for the wallet, I'll have to get round to doing more reviews so I can poach M@x's  Again, I look forward to giving feedback. Premiata Forneria Marconi is playing now. This really is EXTREMELY good stuff. |
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
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Luca Pacchiarini
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 08 2009 Location: home Status: Offline Points: 530 |
Posted: June 30 2009 at 13:41 |
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Great!
however, with PFM it's better to start with their first album
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All Prog From Italy Appreciation Thread
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jimmy_row wrote:
