DIES IRAE (FORMULA 3)

Formula 3's self-titled debut dates back to 1970 and is considered the first Italian album to contain elements of true Progressive Rock. The band is made up of Alberto Radius (Voice and guitars), Gabriele Lorenzi (voicd, organ, keyboards) and Tony Ciccio (voices, drums and percussins) and their historic albums are published by Numero 1, the historic record company of Mogol and Lucio Battisti.

This first album is, in reality, a pure Hard Rock album with a lot of Progressive scattered here and there and begins with a beautiful version of "Dies Irae" with arrangements by Isola Amelio. This version presents us with a very psychedelic and Blues guitar, supported by the organ which, in the first part, build a truly fantastic duel. The second part is more POP and is easier to listen to and also very fast (today we will classify it as Heavy Metal). The Latin text is fantastic and creates an atmosphere much sought after by Proto Metal groups of the time. Lucio Battisti's production is perfect and manages to make "Dies Irae" a perfect POP piece. The final organ solo is also excellent. "Non è Francesca" is the famous song by Mogol-Lucio Battisti brought to success (and made immortal) by Lucio Battisti but I prefer this version because I find it more dramatic and energetic due to an arrangement close to psychedelia and a certain Blues Rock although it remains extremely POP and melodic. Here too the organ solo which ends in fade out is excellent. "Perché... Perché ti amo" is written by the brothers Eugenio and Edoardo Bennato on lyrics by Mogol and is a beautiful love song played on a blues guitar and an excellent organ. It alternates reflective parts with furiously melodic parts that create a fantastic romantic suspense. Here the guitar solo is notable as is the very dynamic and powerful drum line (I would say that Tony Cicco learned Carmine Appice's style very well... Looking a lot like Vinnie Appice who, however, would only arrive a few years later) . "Questo Folle Sentimento" (intro) and "Questo Folle Sentimento" it's the same song whose side A is played about 1 and a half minutes into the song (hence "Intro"). Technically it is a POP song in the Italian songwriting tradition and it is very engaging but nothing more if we are talking about Progressive Rock. But it's a really good song. "Walk Away Renée" is a cover of the famous (and now evergreen) piece by The left Banke here revised in a more Hard Rock and symphonic version (more of an attempt this) with the usual Hard Rock/Heavy metal drums for power and dynamism and the usual duel between organ and electric guitar in the creation of sound. Excellent vocal interpretation with excellent pronunciation of English. Truly a memorable cover (and it's not a given that it is... How many covers are simply disgusting!). "Se non è amore cos'è" is a song written by Isola Amelio with lyrics by Moglo and Sandro Colombini. After a start that I would define as Hard Rock/ Proto Metal/ Psychedelic Rock it transforms into a Power Ballad à la Uriah heep (and if the latter had copied Formula 3? I don't think so... But I like it if it were true). The album closed with "Sole giallo, Sole nero" (by Mogol-Battisti) which is a bit too POP and has a real catchphrase.

"Formula 3" is an excellent debut and, it must be admitted, not yet totally Progressive Rock because it is closer to the Hard Rock/ Proto Prog/ Proto Metal of bands like Vanilla Fudge and Iron Butterfly. And yet, it also manages to be very personal. "Formula 3" is recognized as the first Italian album that can be defined as Progressive Rock and today it should be considered more precisely for its historical importance rather than for the music it contains (also fantastic and not aged at all).