PHERSU

This is among those albums (received to be reviewed in the other, Finnish-language prog site I'm a collaborator in) that don't quite fit into my personal taste but are recognizable as fairy good items of the style in question. Phersu is the third album by the Italian eclectic prog band leaning towards metal. Yeah, if you know me, you understand right away what's the problem for me: metal! But that's only one of the features here. Firstly, Luca Latini who's singing in English and has a clean but powerful tenor-like voice is very much at home in the more delicate expression too, and at least occasionally the arrangement comes down to acoustically oriented sensitivity favouring piano.

There are several guests on the album. One track features a trumpet, a saxophone and a trombone even though they don't much stick out from the band's powerplay. Mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili takes the reign in the ballad 'Wrinkled Maiden'. Sadly the song is the shortest one of the eleven. 'Nomen' with its guest vocalists (from an ethnic fusion group The Shin) and an accordionist is a fine example of the way Profusion mixes e.g. ethnic and jazzy elements into their metal oriented prog rock. All in all, a bit too metallic to my taste, but I guess a large number of more metal-friendly prog listeners might find this album very good! 3½ stars rounded down because of the boring and textually unpractical layout.

PS. Let it be also known that by buying this CD (or 'Wrinkled Maiden' separately) one supports AIMA, the Italian non-profit organization helping Alzheimer's disease patients and their families.

Italy-based band PROFUSION consists of Italian and Georgian musicians. It started out back in 2001, originally called Mardi Gras Experience, but opting to change to Profusion from 2002 and onward. "Phersu" is their third studio album to date, and was released through Progressive Promotion Records in the fall of 2015.

Eclectic, sophisticated music with half a foot or thereabouts inside the progressive metal spectrum and otherwise with a firm foundation in innovative progressive rock is what Profucion provides us on their third studio production "Phersu", lightly flavored with some subtle jazz and fusion touches and with occasional forays into landscapes drawing in inspiration from world music and folk music to boot. A well made, high-quality CD, well worth giving a spin for those with an interest in accessible yet at times also somewhat challenging and well made contemporary progressive rock of the eclectic kind.

Rewotower was a nice suprise back in 2012 and a well-reviewed (and well-deserved) album. At the time of writing, about a year since its release, ''Phersu'', the band's third album, seems to have flown below the prog world radars.

What made Rewotower an exceptional album seems, to a degree, to be repeated here: catchy, yet peculiar, tunes, a multitude of influences, very dynamic riffs and compositions, edging more and more to progressive metal, and that character of a band. The latter possibly emanates from the near-eastern blend of influences brought to the band, which together with the Italian tempo produce something which is difficult to pass by. Even the cover of the album - a mutant mannequin/Persian prince? - tells a story, like it or not.

There is no doubt Profusion are a strange bunch delivering eclectic-yet-pop prog. This time the tunes range from 4 to 6 minutes, each telling its own story with some great narratives, linked pretty much to modern day life and challenges, and well worth exploring. Although acts such as Dream Theater come often to mind, Profusion manage to inject a much more playful approach to their songwriting, aided by the near-cynical vocal melodies. ''Snooze'' and ''Free Fall'' are strong riffy openers with catchy refrains, while ''Nomen'' builds up on this pattern with oriental melodies and accordions and turns into a folksy adventure after 2 minutes in. Then there's the more eclectic, Beardfish-y side of things with ''Masquerade'' and ''Vanity Fair'' and the much more mellow with ''Wrinkled Maiden'' (70's folksy melodies), ''Infinite'' and ''Forbidden'', which although strong lyrically, I would prefer to see less of.

If Rewotower was a 4+ album (and to my ears a more accomplished one), ''Phersu'' is probably a 4- but another worthy addition to your collection, which shows continuity in quality records from this band.

Best moments: Free Fall, Nomen, Veteran.

Somebody thinks that the word "Persona" derives from this strange creature names Phersu which is represented on some painting in the Etruscan tombs. Profusion is a band from the same area, even if the drummer is Georgian. Some Georgian artists are also guests in the album.

3 years fter the excellent Rewotower which contained a masterpiece song like the arrangement of the traditional Georgian "Chuta Chani", the band is back with an album which opens heavy and powerful with "Snooze". This song is catchy, vocals and guitar are remarkable, but the whole band shows an excellent technical skill. In some parts I have heard a little SPOCK'S BEARD or TRANSATLANTIC vibe, but very much harder, and thinking better, also Riverside, mainly in the instrumental parts.

Let's go track by track, then.

"Free Fall" is opened by heavy guitar and keys. Directly in the Prog-metal realm, but the singing is melodic. The main chord sequence reminds to a 60s Italian famous pop band, the EQUIPE 84. Just a concidence, because the song changes theme several times and there is a lot of different stuff inside. I must add that I reallly like the clean high- pitched voice of Luca LATINI.

"Forgettful Hero" is opened by piano, instead. A short moment of relax after two good heavy songs. There's a short intro of Gilmour-ish guitar, but it's just an illusion, as the heavyness returns quickly to introduce a folky melodic part of piano and voice. A great song, also when the heavyness comes back. The melodic lines are always catchy. There's an american band that comes to my mind: the "1974". If you have liked that band, you'll surely like this as well.

Again a piano intro, but this time "Wrinkled Maiden" is sang by one of the guests, the impressive vocalist Anita Rachvelishvili. She's capable of clean and also operatic singing. The song is one of the more melodic of the album and I think the one with the highest commercial potential, even if it can't be considered "commercial" at all.

Back to metal with "Nomen". I don't understand if some of the lyrics are just "scat" or if they are in, who knows, Georgian? There's Jakub Mietła playing the accordion and the song has a very folk vibe, so it could even be another rearranged traditional like Chuta Chani. One of the album's highlights for its complexity. I wonder how they can be on stage. Unfortunately their website doesn't report any incoming gig currently, at May 2017.

Another unexpected instrument: a harp introduces "Infinity". A keyboard maybe? good championing, in case. This song is very melodic, and it makes me think again to RIVERSIDE (I like that Polish band really a lot...is it evident?). Should the band release a single, this could be the one.

Also the speech opening of "Masquerade" is in a perfect prog-metal vein, but the guitar base is leaning more to classic rock. Of course the signature is odd, that's prog folks!

A piano intro for "Veteran". Also this song is catchy, but it's everything but trivial. Frequent signature changes, unexpectable chord sequences, pauses, an everything going ahead smoothly. My compliments to the composer(s). The piano solo interlude deserves a mention even if short.

"Vanity Fair" opening is classic prog-metal, but it proceeds with a teathrical melody. Is it only me or there's a little bit if Genesis influence? Just a little bit before the first chorus. This is another complex song, and let me specify that I have listened to the album on headphones at high volume. I am also used to relisten to the tracks while I'm writing a review, and just now I've had a quick flash of LED ZEPPELIN, too. Really an excellent album without any weakness.

Also the closing track has a piano intro. "Forbidden" has a very melodic slow start. The vocals are important. I've tried to imagine it sang b a female vocalist. It wouldn't have been that good, I think. Latini's voice fits really well in this song. A slow song, without the metal imprinting of the rest of the album is a good choice as closer, but even without distorted guitars, the choir and Latini are enough to give it an impresion of "power".

So, even if the album lacks a materpiece like Chuta Chani, is more consistent than RewoToweR in the sense that all the songs are almost of the same (excellent) level. Another excellent addition, especially if you like prog-metal.

This Italian group originally started life as a trio called Mardi Gras Experience, but they changed to Profusion, a combination of 'Progressive' and 'Fusion', in 2002 and at that time also expanded into a five-piece. This is the follow- up to 2012's 'Rewotower', which I really enjoyed, and was released in 2012. Previously, the band had been through some line-up changes but am pleased to note this is the same core group as we had on the previous release while there are just a few changes in the guests. Singer Luca Latini has a nice clear vocal style which makes her feel incredibly inviting when she is giving us a ballad, such as on "Free Fall", yet can also punch through with power when the band moves away from piano into something which is more metallic. As one might expect from their name, they are rarely happy to stick in any particular musical form for too long and bring together rock, prog, metal, pop, fusion, symphonic and synths as well as having Luca change her style.

When it was released, it was providing support to AIMA, the Italian non-profit organisation supporting Alzheimer's, with the proceeds of "Wrinkled Maiden" (which features mezzo soprano Anita Rachvelishvili adding some wonderful touches) being donated. The songs have plenty of hooks and are easy to listen to, while one never knows what direction they are going to be taken in, and the best thing is to just settle down for the ride and have fun.