MANIFESTAZIONI LIVE 2011-2023

If vocal prog was a bonafide musical category which would signify a greater emphasis on vocal explorations rather than musical virtuosity, then perhaps only a scant few artists could be included. In the world of progressive rock vocalists are more often than not mere second thought with vocalists who are competent but more often than not lack the charisma and sauce that breathes extra life in the act. There have been a few vocalists over the last half century that have really stood above and beyond the competition. Of course there was Area's Demetrio Stratos who showcased that the Italian prog scene could be much more than a mere imitation of your favorite opera set to rock music. Likewise Slovenia's Devil Doll showcased the wild and imaginative vocal prowess of Mr. Doctor who still stands out for his wide range and innovative approaches. Add to that Mike Patton of Faith No More, Mr Bungle and a never-ending list of other acts has seemingly rose to the top ranks of experimental vocals.

Well in the modern era we would have to include Italy's CLAUDIO MILANO in this small but impressive roster of hyper-talented vocalists who goes above and beyond the duty by far surpassing the mere role of singer and goes for the Olympic gold for vocal gymnastics. While remaining firmly in the avant-underground of experimental progressive music, MILANO has become somewhat of a cult legend for his tireless approach of taking the voice to hitherto unthinkable levels sounding as much as a modern avant-opera star as a leader in the nerdy time signature-rich world of avant-prog. His contributions with his 'ber-experimental band Nichelodeon as well as Insonar, MILANO has carved out a unique career as a solo artist as well and with his latest release the double live album MANIFESTAZIONI LIVE 2011-2023, MILANO sums up the last decade or so with a masterful collection of his works that will guarantee to induce goosebumps for all the lovers of everything avant-garde.

Any recording from MILANO features a veritable who's who of the underground avant-music scene of 21st century Italy and this double whammy CD / digital release is no exception to that rule as it features nearly 20 seasoned musicians including Area's own Paolo Tafani who appears on several tracks. This collection of musical gems basically compiles several live performances of the last 12 years with crystal clear sound production and in all honesty sounds more like a bonafide studio album rather than a secondary live one save the moments of audience participation which primarily consists of the standard applause after a performance. Despite the rotating cast of musicians on board the album exudes a continuity due to the outsider effect musical style that focuses on instrumental excursions as well as MILANO's own extended vocal techniques.

This one is certainly a demanding listening experience with 21 tracks that extend past the 2 hour mark but the aural kaleidoscope effect that mixes everything from folk, rock, electronic, ambient, jazz fusion, classical music and avant-prog all dressed up with an experimental finish is performed impeccably well and evokes a sense of professionalism and perfectionism that is almost totally absent in modern progressive music. MILANO is clearly reaching for the future and not digging up the past to retread. To add to the exotic nature of these recordings, none of these tracks except 'Amanti In Guerra' has appeared in any of the performer's previous recordings and no plans of future releases are in the making either. This is a stand alone anomaly in the vast canon of all involved and it is utterly amazing how tight and interwoven the musicians perform given the extremely complex and avant-garde nature of the music at hand.

While devoid of English lyrics, MILANO wails away in Italian, German, Latin, Greek, ancient French as well as other lesser known tongues and makes each performances his very own with lyrics derived from many writers, poets and other musical artists. While a few tracks are fairly accessible and simplified, the vast majority of the music showcased is dark, brooding and eerily complex with bizarre contrapuntal musical motifs that complement each other in bizarre alien ways. Perhaps the most daunting aspect of MANIFESTAZIONI is its sheer length as two hours of investment in the attention deficit inducting 21st century is a tall order but when the proper time is invested in this avant-garde maestrohood the rewards are manyfold. While i can't say i found this release as compelling as Nichelodeon's 2021 masterpiece 'Incidenti,' this double live release is certainly well worth investigating for those who relish the top tiers of musicality and of course vocal perfection.