[FONT="]alrighty....the mighty mick mentions many masterful maestros of mediterranean mesmerizingly metrically meticulous music
excluding PFM, Banco, and Orme.
1. Osanna -Palepoli
not really too much to say.. you've heard this... at least Oro Caldo.. but Senza Animale Respiro... christ... watch the bleeding heart ripped out of your chest and beat with furious passion. As great as Oro Caldo is... side 2 is screams to be heard. Get it.. own it.. love it.
2. Balletto di Bronzo - Ys
this says it all...far better than my review.. or any I've read.. posted it many times...[/FONT]
[FONT="]Il Balleto di Bronzo - Ys[/FONT]
[FONT="]Il Balleto di Bronzo's Ys is an unequivocal classic, and stands as one of the very best albums out of Italy, and perhaps among the finest examples of dark, heavy progressive. However, newbies to the Italian scene might want to approach this one with caution, since it can be tougher to get into than some of the other popular Italian works. This was one of the first Italian albums I got, and I was frankly unprepared for it. The pyrotechnic keyboards, thundering rhythms, the angular, punishing guitars and the abrasive vocals made for a work that I found initially dense and unrewarding. For an album that many have hailed as the best progressive rock album of all time, I was a little disappointed. Of course, I've come around by now, and certainly hold this album in high regard as one of the jewels of Italian prog, but that personal anecdote should serve as a caveat for those expecting to be blown away immediately, especially if not particularly predisposed towards the more dissonant branches of progressive rock. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Still, Ys is a complete monster. The music on here is thundering, cacophonous and simply unrelenting in its sheer, brute force. This also stands as one of the best keyboard-based albums of all time; Gianni Leone employs the full range of classic keys, from Hammond, Moog and Mellotron to piano and harpsichord, pitting them in savage, fiery duels that will absolutely tear your head off. These are contrasted against violent guitar riffs and surging basslines, making for a chaotic, mindbendingly complex ride. The music is punctuated by Leone's caterwauling operatic vocals, which are perhaps the toughest part of the album to get into, but are eventually endearing and nothing if not emotional. Take "Introduzione", an absolute beast of a cut that builds from volcanic climax to climax, as Hammonds and Moog duel it out for supremacy. Take the opening riff of "Epilogo," with its brilliant arpeggiated theme that simply bursts at the seams with intensity. The entire album is a series of mindblowing passages, with few spots of respite to be found. An indispensable Italian classic, without a doubt. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Greg Northrup [September 2001][/FONT]
[FONT="]3. Area - Arbeit Macht Frei[/FONT]
[FONT="]If you are looking for passion, for fire... oh yes we need Area. Area is erroneously labeled on this site as a J-R group.. oh no they are far more than that... if you are interested in Italian progressive rock.. RPI.. you must know Area. Arabic music, rock, free jazz, folk, electronic, and the avant-garde all are mixed with this HIGHLY politicized group. Let by one of the most dynamic singers in prog .. in all prog..... Demetrio Stratos this album was their call to arms. You need this album. A masterpiece. [/FONT]
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4. Museo Rosenbach - Zarathrustra
a classic that all must hear... the vocals are not pleasurable.. but so ALIVE and full of passion. Mellotrons.. Hammonds. .guitars all come in a HARD symphonic soup of superlative sound. Read Maani's review of this if you don't believe me. It is that f**king good.
5. Jumbo - Vietato Minori di 18 Anni
Mad giggles ensue imagining Simon from American Idol listening to 'Jumbo' Fella sing. This is an incredibly depressing album... all those things that are 'forbidden to those under 18' Drugs, sex, booze.. those things that can ruin you... all get the heavy prog treatment here. A soniclly diverse yet DARK album with incredible music and a Battiato sighting on the VCS 3. I HIGHLY recommend this album. Hugues wrote a great review of this album. Check the sample on the site... great opening song.
#6 I Giganti - Terra In Bocca
What a fabulous album.. a year before Tull... a concept in one song over both sides of the original vinyl. The music is much lighter than some I've recommended but still .... extremely satisfying with gorgeous melodies.. and the vocals... oh my... I LOVE the singing on this.
#7 Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno - Per... Mondo di Cristallo
If I had to pick one RPI vocalist who voice drives me to Richard Sinclair heights of man-whoredom.. it would have to be Luciano Regoli. The PERFECT RPI mix of symphonic, folk, hard rock and jazz. The 10 minute mini-epic of Un Palco di Marionette is in my top 5 prog songs... ever. I love that song. I highly recommend this album.. believe there is a sample on the site from this album. Check the RPI team's reviews.. we all love it.. you will as well.
#8 Osage Tribe - Arrowhead
A power trio ..of which two thirds were composed of two of the most highly regarded instrumentalists to come out of Italian prog. I'd put them against any of the more well known names you see thrown around this forum all the time. As I stated in my review... this is not an intellectual album... this is 3 guys letting it RIP and giving it their all. Bob Callero's bass is the star of this album. wow....
#9 Metamorfosi - Inferno
another keyboard classic of prog... with another beast of a opening cut in Introduzione. Not as dark (surprisingly hahha) as Ys.. and no where near as brutal or heavy. The singing on here is more more palatable than on YS. Some fabulous Moog work on this album. Love it.
#10 Delirium - Delirium III
their best album .. .after a rather uninspired start to the album. .it picks up into a malestorm of furious flute riffing, saxophones, keyboards. I miss Fossati and his voice on here but the vocals aren't bad. .. but muscially ....this is a fabulous album
#11 Biglietto per L'Inferno - s/t
another hard..err.. heavy quasi symphonic classic from Italy. Duo keyboardists. Impassioned vocals... and one of the great 'mini-epics' of RPI. L'Amico Suicida. The intro raises the hairs on my head everytime I hear it.
#12 Pholas Dactylus - Concerto Delle Menti
not much to say about this.. read James, and my reviews. A must for what you are looking for.
#13 Alphataurus - s/t
A hard one for me to recommend. This is an album that might be exactly in the vein you are looking for.. however.. outside of the KILLER lead track.. which is a sample here.. this album never 'caught' me. However.. a LOT of people love this album and rank this high in their list of favs. This being a list of recommendations for you and not merely what I like best. You should get this album.. check the sample.. LOVE that song.
#14 Campo di Marte - s/t
Another clasic in the vein of hard errr. symphonic prog... great singing... lots of space for air guitaring air bass...and air keyboarding. Lot of different moods on the album.. lots of shades.. of light and heavy. A very good album. 2nd tier.. but a great addition down the road.
#15 New Trolls - UT
Not their most important album, the groundbreaking Concerto Grosso.. which doesn't fit this list. This album may have been their peak.. all the creative tension between the hard rock and classical sides came to a head on this album. This album would be highter.. if but for the last song. .which previewed ...ahhaha... what the New Trolls were to become. I Cavalieri del Lago dell'Ontario is a FABULOUS track that begs to be heard.
that completes to black list.. later. .the white one.[/FONT]
[FONT="]And my list, to compliment Micks....kiss your money goodbye Doom![/FONT]
[FONT="]1. Quella Vecchia Locanda "Il Tempo Della Gioia" [/FONT]
[FONT="]The heart and soul of romantic Italian, heavily classical with great piano and violin. Very beautiful music
creative songwriting fusing the rock, classical, and jazz genres; immaculate production with great attention to recording details; exceptional use of violins, flutes, and other classical elements; warm and passionate Italian vocals; and perhaps most importantly an unabashed willingness to project a most romantic style of music. Don't miss their first album either.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Balletto di Bronzi "YS"[/FONT]
[FONT="]On most Italian top 10 lists, complex and keyboard heavy, on the dark and challenging side. A phenomenal achievement in mood. While noted as one of the finest keyboard albums bar none, the other players are equally top notch. BdB is still active and performing material from this period, be sure to check out their live DVD as well as this classic.[/FONT]
[FONT="]3. Cervello "..Melos.."[/FONT]
[FONT="]So awesome, but from the "difficult" branch. Heavy, sometimes harsh, always playful and wild. From the darker side, would appeal to VDGG fans. The musical approach and the sound are very sophisticated and unique. A combination of primarily guitars, flutes and saxes are tightly woven into a very dense, often dark, unsettling, and just plain eerie feel. Some sources say there are no (or very little) keyboards used to create this sound palette which is certainly unusual. Sometimes I think I hear some but I can't be sure the way the other instruments are employed. It took me many plays to really get past the rather exhausting outer shell and discover the melodies hiding inside
[/FONT]
[FONT="]4. Jacula "Tardo Pede In Magiam Versus"[/FONT]
[FONT="]A masterpiece. An absolutely out-of-this-world experience that contrasts pure beauty with nightmarish dreamscapes. Classic cathedral organs, ethereal vocals, ritual chants, strange effects, a recital of the bizarre. For the open-minded listeners only, this is not rock and roll. See my full review, one of my favorite albums.[/FONT]
[FONT="]5. Giganti "Terra in Boca"[/FONT]
[FONT="]this album is not as outwardly "weird and wild" as some of the 73-74 period albums would become, and there are not long extended instrumentals. But it is no less rewarding. The music rests on a bed of emotional, spicy piano playing and soft mellotron. The acoustic guitars are crisp and vibrant, played with a bold passion while electric leads have a gritty yet reserved bite, a compressed distortion. While not a consistently hard rock album they certainly dig in their heels in a few places. Occasionally flutes add a nice touch to the edges. But the real magic of Terra rests in the songwriting, the arrangements, and especially in the vocals. These guys can sing and harmonize very well, it is pure joy to listen to their dramatic emotional delivery throughout. [/FONT]
[FONT="]6. Rovescio Della Medaglia "Contaminazione"[/FONT]
[FONT="]sometimes cited as one of the best, perhaps *the* best example of classical music with progressive rock. The stunning baroque arrangements are seamlessly tied to the RDM sound and are amazingly natural and unforced.[/FONT]
[FONT="]7. Panna Fredda "Uno"[/FONT]
[FONT="]"Uno" is a dark and mysterious treat bringing to my mind elements of Sabbath, Purple, Atomic Rooster, J.E.T., Hero, and Uriah Heep. Others have noted the nod to a track called "Heaven" from the first Gracious album and also Black Widow. The influence of English hard rock and blues-rock are impossible to deny, yet Panna Fredda were beginning the Italian progressive movement by taking those influences and running with them. Classical elements pervade the album along with some jazzy tidbits here and there. A certain Baroque sounds creeps along the edges at times whimsical and at other times quite disturbing, bordering on madness. The lyrics are equally dark and quite good, delving into "ancient folklore and classic literature traditions as well as popular culture" so noted in the CD booklet. [/FONT]
[FONT="]8. Officina Meccanica "La Follia ....del.... Mimo di Fuoco"[/FONT]
[FONT="]First, their sound was extremely provocative and daring, incorporating horns into the mix reminiscent of VDGG with even some lesser nods to funk and fusion. Second was their highly theatrical stage shows featuring a mime-faced lead vocalist pushing Ange-level expressiveness. ..OM.. rest firmly in the more challenging bracket of Italian Prog. While there are moments of great melodic beauty the main emphasis is on the edginess, tension, experimentalism and passion. This band is every bit as important, every bit as wild as Semiramis, Balletto Di Bronzo, Osanna, or Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno in my view. ....[/FONT]
[FONT="]9. Jumbo "Vietato ai Minori"[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jumbo sounds like the Italian version of Ange! If you like Christian Decamps boisterous spirit and the bands rowdy theatrical sound you will love Jumbo. They are over-the-top sometimes but this music is lively, fun, and interesting despite the somewhat dark lyrical content. A special mention goes to drummer Tullio Gianatello who is nothing short of fantastic.[/FONT]
[FONT="]10. Semiramis "Dedicato a Frazz"[/FONT]
[FONT="]A hundred car pile-up on the musical freeway. Insane. Heavy. Bold. Not for the faint of heart but rich and rewarding as a roller-coaster ride after partying a bit. The vocals are fine robust Italian at their lively best. The guitar playing is energetic on the electric side and expressive on the acoustic side. The rest of the band are fine musicians but not the best I've ever heard. Composition is amazing for a 16 year old kid, this is material you will have to play many times to fully appreciate. A definite grower.[/FONT]
