PERIF3RIA DEL MONDO

This is the third and latest album released by the contemporary italian prog band Periferia del Mondo. A surprise to my ears because of the large variety of sounds and influences and the wide range of instruments, especially saxes, flutes, clarinet and whistles. Perhaps the thing I've appreciated most.

The jazz-rock element isn't really dominant but its sparse and gentle flavour enriches the atmosphere giving sometimes the vague impression of some Arti + Mestieri mood. But the album is much more than this. They are classically and symphonic inspired, they play melodic and harder rock parts with many solos on electric guitar and erupting hammond organ as in "Ocean" (4,55 mns). Also the mellotron like sound and piano have an important role as in the inspired "Ciaroscuro" (4,58). Interesting the changes of tempo in a jazz-swinging-swirling mood.

"Come un Gabbiano" (8,53 mns) opens softly and melacholically giving you the idea of the seagull flying over the vast sea. A hard electric guitar playing with excellent accelerations and sudden keyboards's eruptions.

"Alghe" (4,42 mns) is the most strange track here. Synth and other different keyboards plus slow spoken words give really the idea of the wavering in the underwater world.

The highest point of the album, in my humble opinion, is "Suite Meditteranea: a) Tra le Terre; b) L'Oracolo di Delfi; c) H. H. Blues" (8,37 mns). Spoken words in ancient greek language open the song with mystical and piano sound and dramatic electric guitar in an almost mystical atmosphere. Recently other italian band Ubi Maior decided to put some ancient greek words in their eponimous debut "Nostos". But let's go back to "Suite Mediterranea". This song has all a fanatic prog lover needs and die for. Many variations, soli and changes of tempo, but above all, is based and structured upon many different musical influences, from mediterranean to balkanian with saxes having a great role in the first part. In the second part whistles come out from behind the cloud and build up a WONDERFUL folky atmosphere that made me think, initially, to Gryphon. A great track, one of the best from the recent years, I think. And an important visiting card for this often overlooked band. Highly recommended.