MYTH OF THE CHRYSAVIDES

EZRA WINSTON may place themselves among the legends of the new wave of Italian progrssive rock of mid- to late 80's.At the darkest age of progressive rock,the band came to life in 1984 and responsible for this were singer/keyboardist/bassist Mauro Di Donato and guitarist Fabio Palmieri,who later added keyboardist Mario Bianchi in the line-up.This trio started composing the material for the band's first album,whose recordings started in summer of 87',after they were joined by flutist Paolo Lucini and drummer Daniele Iacono.

March 1988 finds EZRA WINSTON releasing their debut ''Myth of chrysavides'',an entirely self-produced LP.Following the steps of classic prog bands,EZRA WINSTON's debut is a weird concept album around butterflies,born from cocoons on a mountain,looking for their meaning of existence,while travelling their way home.Notice that the whole story is written in English.

Musically speaking the album is an absolute winner!From the short opener,regarding the butterflies' birth,the band sets the listener in its pastoral mood.Mellow acoustic guitars and warm flutes lead to an electric outburst,surrounded by excellent moog synths.''The journey in the world above'' is the other composition of side A,a great 16-min. opus.Sort of a cross between PFM,GENESIS and early MARILLION,this track passes through different soundscapes all the time.From a pastoral and medieval acoustic atmosphere to PFM-like flute-driven passages and from elaborated GENESIS-influenced electric moments to vocal-led dark moments with an intense MARILLION-esque taste.A true prog classic!

Side B opens with another grand opus,the 18-min. ''The journey in the world below''.This time things seems to be less darker but a lot more complex than the previous track.In fact the first minutes of the track contain complex interplays with nice guitar/organ/synth battles,while flutes come in a little later.The light electric guitars of Palmieri are now closer to STEVE ROTHERY's style,while the moog synths are again so dreamy and atmospheric.You will have to wait for more than ten minutes before acoustic guitars return in their heaviest form and you can't ask for more listening to the classical inspired keyboard-based ending section.''The waiting and the knowledge'' closes the album in a nice,almost spacey way with good interplays,fantastic drumming and obscure synth effects,while the last minutes will remind you again of the great PFM (beautiful flutes,bass and organ).What a great listening is all I can say...

Not much more to be written.How this album hasn't find its way for a CD re-issue by a major prog label is a matter of discussion.This is one of the best Italian symphonic prog albums of the second generation and a monumental prog file next to the best of NUOVA ERA,ERIS PLUVIA,SITHONIA and MALIBRAN.

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