LA SONGERIE

One of the first bands in Japan to add symphonic elements in their hard-rockin' sound,NOVELA were led by the charismatic figures of Toshio Egawa on keyboards and Terutsugu Hirayama on guitars,both coming from a 70's band with a similar sound,''Scheherezade''.Their first LP ''La songerie'' (japanese title is ''Miwakugeki'') was released in 1980 on King Records.

The album is really growing in you during the listening,as the first three tracks have rather a cliche Hard Rock sound with angular riffs, frenetic rhythms and high-pitched vocals,though all of the three are good compositionaly.Things seem to change with ''Letticia'',which is a track where Egawa shines,having more space to deliver his synth/organ (and a light dose of piano and mellotron) work,while the instrumental parts are pure Symphonic Prog.''The boyhood'' has a great synth introduction and it gets even more grandiose when the guitars enter at the middle in a FLOYD-ian style.The second part of the track is Hard Rock-oriented with powerful drumming and furious grooves.The closing eponymous track is a mellotron-heaven ,sounding very far from the previous tracks...it also features a jazzy middle part with nice flutes,followed by the acoustic guitars' beauty and some dreamy keyboard work.Excellent!While ''La songerie'' is an uneven work in term of music style,it can be denied that it contains some great parts,which later established the bombastic japanese Symphonic Prog sound.A nice addition, especially for Symphonic Prog lovers,who don't mind a harder edge in their music.