IN LIMINE

Second album by Zuffanti's first ever project just a couple of years after their fantastic debut.Compared to their debut,the line-up of the band finds Marcello Mazzoccki behind the drum kit in the place of Marco Cavani,while Francesca Biagini takes a promotion from the choirs section to the flutes,as Sergio Grazia left the crue.The new album was again published by the Italian grand label Mellow Records.

STYLE: A beautiful sum of the sounds coming from 70's Italy is what FINISTERRE have to offer,combining the romanticism with the darkness,the melody with the complexity,the atmosphere with the abstract.This is again a very deep and rich album in sounds with nice approach to Classical and Folk music.Sensitive electric guitars throughout, trully atmospheric sax parts,a good amount of delicate flutes,sensational vocals by Marelli and Zuffanti,elaborated keyboard parts and high-class arrangements.The album is quite melodic,but it contains also some really complicated parts with a jazzy flavor,fronted by a heavy rhythm section and crying sax passages.A few string sections make the music at times even closer to Classical.Notice that vocals are both in English and Italian.The album contains surprisingly a few ambient-like parts with an intense Gregorian atmosphere,which I consider pretty unique.

INFLUENCES/SOUNDS LIKE: As with the first album,the KING CRIMSON influence is more than obvious in the jazzier parts.The more melodic ones have straight references to old Italian Prog,especially PFM.If you are a fan of contemporary prog,then imagine a combination between ERIS PLUVIA/EZRA WINSTON with D.F.A./TRYO/BI KYO RYAN.

PLUS: I admit that combining Jazz- ,Folk- and Classical-influenced Rock music in the same album or even in the same song can be a trap for a band...but this is not the case here.This band is made of pure talent material with great approach to music.Both fantastic sax and flute parts.Folkier parts closer to Medieval music can travel you to another age.Guitars are one of the strongest parts of the album.Most melodic stuff is more than memorable.Jazzy stuff is also very strong with intense Crimson-esque atmospheres.Vocals are pretty cool as well.

MINUS: Not that original music or something I've never heard before,Italian bands already mentioned have chosen more or less the same path in the past.

WILL APPEAL TO: RPI fans should get this album at any cost.A step furhter,I recommend this album to anyone who wants to try something containing a wide spectrum of influences,which defined progressive music in the past and present.

CONCLUSION: The first album of FINISTERRE was really great.This one is a slight improvement over the debut with the band developing a more diverse sound in an excellent way.No more words,this album is stunning and deserves a rate close to a monumental masterpiece.4.5 stars,Fabio have yet to dissapoint me...