IL NOME DEL VENTO

Delirium are an Italian prog band from Genoa that during the early Seventies released three very interesting albums before split up. After many years of silence and thanks to Pino Di Santo's initiative, in 2003 the band came to life again with a new line up featuring veterans Pino Di Santo (drums), Ettore Vigo (keyboards) and Martin Grice (flute and sax) along with two new members, Fabio Chighini (bass) and Roberto Solinas (guitars). They rearranged the old stuff for some live performances and in 2006 they recorded a live album, "Vibrazioni Notturne". In 2009 they finally released a brand new album with original material for the independent label Black Widow, "Il nome del vento", a concept album featuring lyrics by Mauro La Luce. Some guest musicians and a string quartet contributed to enrich the sound and the result is excellent.

The album opens with the reprise of "Dio del silenzio" (God of the Silence), a short and amazing acoustic ballad from "Delirium III: Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo". From the sound of a storm delicately soar flute and vocals, "In a moment of eternity / I'm the blaze without mercy / My body is made of nothing but wind / Bright is the moon into sapphire's waters...".

The short intro leads to the beautiful and intense title track, sung by another Delirium's original member, Mimmo Di Martino and feturing the female vocals of Sophya Baccini. "What is the name of the wind / That is drying me? / I don't know...". Lyrics are hermetic, they don't tell a story but suggest evocative images... Everyone could pass through a metaphorical storm in his life that can provoke a dramatic change making you feel as a castaway carried away by the see, towards the wreckage....

"Verso il naufragio" (Towards the wreckage), an instrumental where George Martin's "Theme One" is revisited and incorporated into an original track featuring perfectly balanced sax and piano passages... Next comes the calm and dreamy "L'acquario delle stelle" (The aquarium of the stars). It was originally written by Martin Grice to celebrate the birth of his first grandson to whom is dedicated. After the wreckage an atoll rises from the blue sea where you can land and shelter yourself surrounded by harmony... It's your island where no one can stop your dreams and your brain get lost. Then, one day you stand up again in the sand with a new dream: to change.

"Luci lontane" (Distant lights) begins with piano and vocals and a touching sax in the background... Rafts set off towards the unknown, even without golden sails but they set out and sail on towards distant lights... Well, when you feel lost, when you feel like if you were sailing without compass, when you feel useless like a prophet without prophecies... Heed you heart and don't lose hope! "Only the baby that's in my soul / Has got in his hands my future / Truth can blossom again and erase the face of falsity / Giving life to dignity and smashing down dishonesty...". "Profeta senza profezie" (Prophet without prophecies) is sung by former Museo Rosenbach's singer Stefano "Lupo" Galifi and it's definitively more bluesy and optimistic...

"Ogni storia" (Every story) opens with the cry of a baby, then a bass line and a sax lead you "on the dark side of your mood". "Children like to end every story / Telling it was just a dream... / Or it was reality? / You know that the saddest lies / Are the ones we tell to ourselves / Don't dive into the dark!". The beautiful voice of Sophya Baccini here contribute to build the right atmosphere...

"Note di tempesta" (Notes of storm) is an excellent jazz rock instrumental introduced by strings and leading to the long and complex "Dopo il vento" (After the wind). After the blow of the wind nothing it's like before, even inside your soul... "The storm has saved only what it's really worth / Only your truth / Don't waste it, never! / Let the light lead you from now on....". Evocative echoes of Brazil are perfectly blended with jazz and symphonic rock.... "Cuore sacro" (Sacred heart) is introduced by flute, then sudden changes of atmosphere alternate to celebrate the sacredness of the heart that defeated the storm... The final track "L'aurora boreale" (Aurora borealis) is a beautiful instrumental that closes an amazing album. At the end of the track you can recognize the theme of "Dio del silenzio" that opened the album inviting you to listen to this work again and again...