LE PORTE DEL DOMANI

LA MASCERA DI CERA were one of the first modern RPI bands I got into and I was so impressed that i've gotten every studio album they have released. I did feel that their last album "Petali Di Fuoco" was not up to their usual high quality but man are they back in a big way with "Le Porte Del Domani". Now I do have to address their bold and ridiculous idea of making a part II of LE ORME's classic "Felona E Sorona". What!? Man I remember when I heard this I was stunned yet at the same time impressed at this idea. Who would have the stones to even consider such a thing? It just blew me away when I considered that other modern bands could also do sequels to seventies classics. It almost seems wrong to even consider this idea yet LA MASCERA DI CERA have done this process justice including the album cover art. I should mention that all of these tracks blend into one another.

"Ritorno Dal Nulla" opens in a spacey manner as bass, keys, drums and more join in as it builds. Great sound after a minute as that spacey atmosphere has eventually given way to some LE ORME- like instrumental work-outs. It's just gorgeous before 3 1/2 minutes with flute, mellotron and a lot of depth. It then picks up speed before turning heavier. Amazing flute melodies follow then a calm arrives before the vocals kick in around 5 minutes in. The mellotron sweeps through 6 1/2 minutes in and emotion follows as the vocals turn more passionate. Some nice guitar before 8 minutes to the end. "La Guerra Dei Mille Anni" is very Italian sounding with a jig-like rhythm to it. The laid back sections are contrasted with these and they make me feel so good. My God, the mellotron and passionate vocals 4 minutes in are so moving.

"Ritratto Di Lui" is slower paced with vocals and lots of atmosphere including flute. The vocals become more expressive with strings before it calms down again. "L'enorme Abisso" has a powerful intro of mellotron, keys and drums as the vocals kick in. The guitar a minute in starts to light it up as the keys swirl. Organ 2 1/2 minutes in then we get a strong VDGG vibe before uptempo flute and drums lead the way. I really dig the dissonant sax 2 1/2 minutes in as that VDGG vibe continues, then the mellotron storms the gate. It's so emotional 5 minutes in when the vocals return.

"Ritratto Di Lei" has plenty of atmosphere with female vocal melodies before the reserved male vocals take over. "Viaggio Metafisico" hits the ground running as the mellotron joins in then flute. How good is this just before a minute. Vocals arrive before 3 minutes. "Alba Nel Tempio" has a spacey atmosphere to start as some beautiful flute joins in then laid back vocals. Emotional vocals lead before 3 minutes as the guitar starts to soar then the mellotron joins in. "Luce Sui Dul Mondi" opens with strummed guitar as flute and drums join the party. Vocals a minute in followed by bass as the sound gets fuller. Emotion 2 1/2 minutes in as it all turns more passionate including the vocals as the mellotron floods the soundscape. "Alle Porte Del Domani" opens with fuzzed out guitar expressions before it kicks into a higher gear led by flute and drums. The flute steps aside as the drums continue with different sounds helping out. This sounds so good. The flute is back then the mellotron as the song and album ends.

I'm not about to acknowledge that this is my favourite album from this band but it's pretty darn close to what I had considered as their best in "Il Grande Labirinto". This is one of the best releases from 2013 without a doubt, and they must have made LE ORME proud.