BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO

A classic at its finnest! Banco del Mutuo Soccorso it's one of my favourite band and for me they have been a great inspiration for my musical experience! The line up it's the classic one, we have F.Di Giacomo and and Nocenzi Brothers which composed the best songs of Banco, and then we have Marcello Todaro which is only in this LP and Darwin. This guitarist it's a bit boring but it's a good one. I always prefer Rodolfo Maltese anyway!... So now let's start with the album.

First we have a solemn introduction of the LP named "in volo". What we have here it's a recited part interpreted by Vittorio Nocenzi and then by di Giacomo. The word are just immense, this words will be repeted and repeted by many of their fans around the world! As you play this album on your player you'll be sure to have bought a masterpice, and the album it's not started yet!...

Track two it's R.I.P. (Requiescant In Pace), a classic Banco song, every fan around the world knows it! It's a song that talk about how the war it's pointless and the only thing it do it's to bring sadness, pain and taking lives of men who will not see their future. This song it's divided by two principal blocks: The first one it made by a catchy rhythm with some great musical arrangements and a great singing. The solos in this first part are very weird, the guitar solo it's a bit unispired and the keyboard one have a strange sound but is kinda enjoyable. Next part it's more quiet and it have a more melodic piano playing and singing, in more typical italian "canzone" style. This part it's fantastic, the lyrics are some of the best which i've ever heard! An unforgettable song with also a fast and beautifull ending! This song usually it's played in A minor but here it's played in B minor. That's very strange, even in the oldest videos or live recording it's played in A... it's a minor fact anyway, this song it's a masterpiece anyway!!!

Than whe have "Passaggio" (passage) which is a short song, just the time to recatch some breath! What we have here it's a smoth song only played by clavinet surely by Gianni Nocenzi. The harmonies are just beautifull, you can clearly see the classical on Gianni's style, a principal quality that has distinguished Banco by many italian groups, specially Gianni by other keyboardist, or pianist in his case for the fact he only play piano and clavinet and sometimes synths inside the group. It a song which flows away without boring you, just close your eyes and relax. That's why it's called passage!

Than we have metamorfosi (metamorfosis... italian it's easy isn't it?), another trademark of banco's music. The song start heavily but not for long, infact then we have another great piano played by Gianni, fluent and classically inspired! The songs continue and Vittorio and the hammond comes in and slowly al the rest of the band. We will have some great moments in this part, all of the member give the best of their abilities. Than there is some slow parts and then di Giacomo comes in and the lyrics as always are immense. The song then close with a very very beutifull and heavy part! The hammond and the guitar will catch you and won't let you go til the song it's end!!! A great ending!!!

Now it's the time of Il giardino del Mago (the wizard s'garden), the longest song here and one of the most epic songs of Banco! It's a song which talk about a guy that searched this place for long time and than he remains trapped in this garden where everything it's different from reality. First we have a good instrumental parts with good hammond and guitar riffs. Arrangements are always great! Than a slowly part with some sad singing by di Giacomo and the lyrics are poetics and delicate completed with an atmospere cold and dark. Than the song change completly and the music will catch you and take you inside the wizard s'garden! The rhythm are brilliant and the instruments are amazing! Just wow!!! Than the song stops again and we have a slow reprise with guitar passages and a beautifull piano solo. The song as the second part of R.I.P. become more melodic and lighter, every listener will love this part. Di Giacomo it's always great, as always it's singed perfectly and the lyrics are immense. The song continue this some parts including a magnificent Hammond solo and other singed parts which talk about how there it's a place where the reality it's different, far away from cruelty of men, a dream place were everyone want to go. Than the song will close recalling the first parts, and this adventure it's end too!

The last track it's Traccia (track). It's an instrumental song, a bit short, which reminds me a lot the traditional popular italian song. There is no much to say couse it's a bit repetitive, there is some good riffs and It's a very happy song that's close this album for the best!!

This album it a must to have if you love the RPI, Banco has been one of the greatest band of all time and this was just the begining of their carreer! This it's a magic that every progressive fan have to hear, a masterpiece from the beginning to the end!! Raccomended to every progressive fan exepecially those who want to hear every RPI masterpiece!... And this could be also a good album to begin if you're new of the genere!