LIVE IN BLOOM

4.5 stars. It's almost shocking how good this live album is from ALPHATAURUS. Considering it's been almost 40 years since their classic debut. And considering this isn't the original vocalist. Where do these singers come from ? It's like Italy is full of guys who were born to sing. Anyway Claudio is an incredible vocalist, very powerful as this music warrants. I would be giving this 5 stars if it consisted of only the songs from the debut but we also get two tracks from the unfinished follow-up which are still good but a level down for me. I guess I should mention that ALPHATAURUS' debut is my all-time favourite RPI record.

I want to also mention the words written in the liner notes by the new vocalist who describes the experience. He says : "I must replace a very particular singer, with a voice very different than mine, cutting out an adequate role in a band where singing is less present in comparison to other genres (given the instrumental dominant of the repertoire's tracks) but not less important, in fact maybe more precious and "risky" than usual !" And "An unforgettable night, especially for who lived it as sort of jump back in time to an unrepeatable age, and i'm particularly talking about the three founders of the band : I postively envy what they have proved thinking back to the years when, still teenagers, they were able to create something that still today delivers emotions even to the ones who were never born at that time. This thought can be enough to feel intimidated in front of the historical heroes of the night, in such an important day for them; but the positive charge is strongly contagious, therefore even me and the other two new arrivals find ourselves sharing our way the chill of an unique night. For a moment I think to the two missing original members, whose lives took distant ways from the other three and consequently won't have the honour of living all this, and suddenly i feel even more proud."

I must admit I felt strong emotions listening to this cd last week, and my final listen last night driving home was one where water kept getting in my eyes on several ocassions. My three favourites start with "Ombra Muta" where the emotion hits me right away. Could these guys actually pull off the magic of the debut ? They do and then some. It should be noted that we have one guy playing organ and synths while another plays piano and keyboards. This is significant to the powerful sound. The vocals are so strong. "La Mente Vola" builds to an uptempo beat with spacey synths. It changes 3 1/2 minutes in as piano joins the beat then tender vocals join in. What follows is an explosion of power and emotion. My God ! Themes are repeated in this masterful track. My last top three is "Dopo L'urangano" which is dark with the vocals crying out. It's heavy before 1 1/2 minutes but it lets up quickly. Contrasts continue. So powerful !

This concert was performed in November of 2010, and by the crowd's reaction and the evidence of this recording you would swear this was 1973 all over again.