TEP ZEPI

Fourth album from this Italian band. A major improvement over Andromeda. The Zeuhl and Avant-Prog influences are stronger here than on the last two albums. The RPI and Prog Metal influences less so. They still got the heavy guitar and choir sounds here which seem to be their trademark. Overall, good production and playing. The compositions on this album are superior to anything they had done previously.

"Aurea Carmina" starts with bells and spacey sounds. Then singing. There is a great vocal melody that gets repeated; I don't understand Italian so I'm not sure what the lyrics are. Later there is some overdubbed talking. Then what sounds like trombone and bagpipes(using a sampler I assume). At the end you hear backwards slowed down talking. "Sacro Re" begins with guitar and keyboards in an almost metal style. Then it goes into a 11/8 time sig(I think) with noisy guitar. More riffs and time changes. Halfway thru everything calms down with some melodic singing and some nice acoustic guitar. Goes back to the 11/8 time sig at the end.

"Pardes" after a rockin' start goes into a symphonic section with choir sounds and piano. Later the guitars and drums come back. The song ends with choirs and piano. "Iperborea" has more melodic singing at the start. Then a marching beat. Later a great symphonic part with good singing and guitar. Then a spacey atmospheric section where the backwards slowed down voice reappears. After that the piano comes in with a guitar solo. The vocals come back later. "Montsalvat" starts with New Age keyboards. Then guitars and drums go thru some riffs and time signatures. Before 4 minutes there is a upbeat and catchy part. It ends with a symphonic metal part.

The last three songs are part of a suite called "I 4 Signori". The first part "L'Isola Sacra" begins with spacey synth sounds and pounding drums. Backwards slowed down voice again. Then some great female vocals with piano and symphonic synths. Followed by marching drums and guitar. "I Guardiani" starts in symphonic prog mode. Then it gets more Zeuhl and avant- prog sounding. Then goes into a symphonic metal part with male and female vocals. "Akasha" has spacey synths and some great guitar at the beginning. A marching beat and then choir sounds and female vocals. It ends with a symphonic section where the melody from "L'Isola" gets reprised.

The best album I have heard from this band yet. Some good Italian style Zeuhl with avant, metal and symphonic influences. Highly recommended. 4 stars.