IL MONDO CHE ERA MIO - LIVE IN STUDIO 2014

This excellent release was completely without reviews... Bassist, vocalist and composer Fabio Zuffanti has worked in numerous Italian prog bands, the best known of them are Finisterre, Höstsonaten and La Maschera di Cera. Such an impressive CV! In 2014 he formed a touring band ("Zuffanti & Zband") to perform music from the albums of these bands plus from his solo releases. A proper live album didn't materialize, and so, after the tour was finished, Zuffanti took his group into a studio (just before the guitarist was about to leave the country for studies in Spain) and made a live album without the participation of the audience. Some listeners may think that a live-in-the-studio is a fake compromise, but I enjoy this 68-minute disc very much. The sound is faultless and it does have a live feel. Who needs the applauses?

The first half is a bliss of instrumentally oriented, mellow symphonic prog. 'In Limine' originates from Finisterre's album (1996). The desolate flute melody wanders around, cites 'Bourée' (> Jethro Tull > Bach) until the band joins in. The melodic instrumental with lots of flute is mellow prog in the vein of Focus and Camel, tranforming along the way into lighthearted jazz, citing briefly 'Take the A Train'. Near the end there's a very delicate section for electric piano and flute, followed by a majestic, Genesis-like finale starring a guitar solo. Another lengthy instrumental 'Rainsuite' is originally by Höstsonaten (2008). Vintage Mellotron and analog synth sounds will please old prog fans. For the great guitar solos this music brings Steve Hackett in mind. The third track of 16 minutes, featuring some vocals, also comes from Finisterre's In Limine album; in the liner notes Zuffanti reveals he never was completely satisfied with the original (his first important composition), and that this version succeeds to do so.

The next three pieces appeared in Zuffanti's latest solo album La Quarta Vittima (2014). 'Una cera d'inverno' starts in a very quiet and moody manner and it stays in a slow tempo. With its dreamy guitar melodies later on it reminds me of David Gilmour's album On an Island. The title track of the mentioned solo album is a faster and more complex piece. Brief but hectic vocals on it feel quite unnecessary. Also 'Non posso...' features Gentle Giant-ish complexity, fresh flute participation and, unfortunately, some unpleasant spoken vocals too. The final track 'La notte transparente' is originally by La Maschera di Cera. On this moody - and dynamically growing - composition the vocals and lyrics are very emotional.

Without a couple of unwanted vocal moments my listening pleasure would be just about perfect, so I think I can rate it with five stars. I really enjoy this kind of mellow and melodic prog with excellent sounds. A very warm recommendation for similar-minded symph prog lovers.