DIES IRAE (FORMULA 3)

Go out and get this album immediately... "do not pass go..do not collect $200,00"..FORMULA 3 were one of Italy's first and most popular psychedelic prog rock band of its time. "Dies Irae" their first album is greatly overshadowed by their later releases (which were also very good), but let me say that you must start with this album. This band was stacked with talent with Alberto Radius (guitars, vocals) who would later form "Il Volo", Lucio Battisti (keyboards)... Battisti was then (and still is) one of the biggest pop stars in Italy, a singer/composer whose success was founded on his long-time collaboration with lyricist simply named Mogol with drums by Toni Cicco. Musically these guys are somewhere in the DEEP PURPLE school with heavy emphasis on guitar and keyboard interplay. In the end they combined to write and record perhaps my favourite Italian Psych rock album of all time. This album also includes one rockin version of "The Four Tops" classic "Walk Away Renee" which bleed with deep tones keyboards and HENDRIX-like guitar psychy freakouts. Can't say enough about this album... unbelievable stuff...!

Formula 3 had very different approach to music, even in this album. They were the band that supported Battisti, and here Mogol was their inspirator. Thus, even if a good level of phantasy is present, their main characteristic are quite easy to remember pieces. In any case, differently from Battisti, their sound is particularly full, and well played. But this is the more FM face ("Non è Francesca", "Questo folle sentimento",...). Perhaps this is the reason for which they departed from Battisti. On the other hand, their other face is absolutely fantastic, dark somehow, psychedelic often, and they managed to produce some masterpieces only brushed against here ("Dies irae" is one of the most important approaches to psyche in italian 70s, but other better pieces have still to come). The musicianship is excellent, expecially in Radius' guitar, the real "mind" of the group. For funs, Formula 3 have recently rejoined, beginning of 2005, for some live shows in Italy, even if there is no sign of other upcoming events.

The first work released in 1970 "Dies Irae". The content is psychedelic rock. It is an acid and a wild performance. Really however, I feel the pop sense that seems to be Italy. The instrumental part is devised. It is a content that psychedelically expressed traditional romanticism. It is a masterpiece of a psychedelic rock.

Formula 3 were formed in Milan in 1969 with a line up featuring Tony Cicco (drums, percussion, vocals), Gabriele Lorenzi (keyboards, vocals) and Alberto Radius (guitars, vocals), three skilled musicians and appreciated session men. "Dies irae", their debut album, was released in 1970 on the Numero Uno label, produced by Lucio Battisti. The overall sound draws on psychedelic and post beat influences and the songwriting is mainly in charge of the band's mentors, Lucio Battisti for the music and Mogol for the lyrics. The psychedelic atmospheres of the album are in some way depicted by the colourful art cover...

The opener, "Dies irae", is a public domain song with a religious subject elaborated and re-shaped by band. Wild organ rides, electric guitar riffs in debt with Jimi Hendrix and spoken words in Latin in the background build up a quasi apocalyptical atmosphere... In my opinion, it's a good piece that blends psychedelic-rock with Gregorian chant and it's my favourite piece from this band. Unfortunately, the other tracks are not at the same level...

"Non è Francesca" (It's not Francesca) is a cover of a best known Lucio Battisti's song that tells of a man who sees his girlfriend passing by along the street with another man and can't believe to his eyes. Here the song is re-arranged with a strong Latin rock flavour that every now and again could recall Santana, but I prefer by far the original Battisti's version...

"Perché... Perché ti amo" (Because... Because I love you) is a melodic song veined of psychedelic touches signed by Mogol and Edoardo Bennato, a declaration of love for a charming woman. Black or white, the protagonist loves her passionately... Is that woman just a metaphor for the music?

"Questo folle sentimento" (This crazy feeling) is a carefree pop rock song about a man falling in love at first sight with a girl amidst colourful lights and psychedelic sounds. This piece was commercially successful as a single and here is strangely divided into two parts, probably just because of the length of the original vinyl edition. The first part is just a short instrumental introduction that ends the first side of the LP while the second part opens the second side of the album with the vocal part...

"Walk Away Renee" is sung in English and is a cover of a love song signed by Michael Brown, Bob Calilli, and Tony Sansone, recorded in 1966 by American baroque pop band The Left Banke and already covered in 1967 by The Four Tops. This version features a darker mood and a good instrumental middle section with organ and guitar in the forefront...

"Se non è amore cos'è" (If it's not love, what is it?) is a melodic, cheesy song signed by Elio Isola, Mogol and Sandro Colombini with a slow pace and romantic, consolatory lyrics telling of a young man under a starry sky who tries to stop the tears dropping from the clear eyes of his sweetheart...

"Sole giallo, sole nero" (Yellow sun, black sun) is a weak, silly love song signed Mogol-Battisti mixing simple Italian melody and psychedelic trips. In the long instrumental coda there's room for a nice drum solo and some experimental solutions but, in my opinion, the result is not convincing at all...

On the whole, an interesting album that marks the passage from the sixties to the seventies on the Italian music scene but that is not essential for prog lovers...

The opening and title track is a superb piece of heavy and dark psychedelia. The combination with some choirs during the second part of this great song is also a very interesting aspect and add some fine originality as well. But it will be difficult for the band to keep this high quality level throughout the whole of this debut album.

If you like heavy and pumping Hammond organ, the finale of ''Dies Irae'' will please you an awful lot. This is truly a great piece of music.

The other songs are a mix between a couple of short pieces with little interest, some more pop-oriented tracks (''Non è Francesca'') and some fine psychedelic mood, with a typical late sixties sound ('' Se Non è Amore Cos'è'').

This album is quite different of what the Italian genre is offering, but it is also one of the first of its kind (Italian prog I mean). It is of historical importance for the genre but most of the progheads might have some difficulties to enter into such work. If ever you are nostalgic of the early days of psychedelia, or heavy prog (''Sole Giallo Sole Nero'') this is an interesting album, though.

Three stars.

3.75 really! First look to the year: 1970! "Dies Irae" is an incredible record, principally if you look to British year 1970 scene (please, see my Caravan "if I could..." review). Most Italian huge prog movement began after 1971. So this and THE TRIP are one of the first avantgarde italian efforts.

"Dies Irae" is around proto prog with heavy Hammond organ and guitars. Don't be fooled, it sounds its own as Mediterranean melodic brings fresh winds. The song parts are pure Italian gentle and beauty. References can go to Atomic Rooster "death walks behind you", ARZACHEL or the injustice unknown German MURPHY BLEND "first loss" (1970); and your usual Italian highly expressive prog.

This album comes with uplifting , energetic and beautiful mood. It has some psychedelic atmosphere used with wisdom as it's balanced with structured (written not experimenting) lines and melodic songs (by Mogol and Battisti). According to "The return of Italian Pop" book: "the group idea was to transfer long suites of avant-garde music into shorter selections without falling into the trap of low quality light music then existing".

By the way, the 1st Camel record is from 1972 and the first Kansas record is from 1974, so don't forget to look to the record date release before saying it's primitive. If you want blow away mature FORMULA 3 go to my favorite "SOGNANDO E RISOGNANDO" (1972) with its eternal classics "sognando e risognando" and "aeternum" this track was recorded in Rio de Janeiro for my highest proud according to the referred book ( and the album was released here too with different cover in early 70's)!

Considering this was released in 1970 this is an impressive album. It's too bad the mood and style of the opening track wasn't sustained throughout though. FORMULA 3 were a trio out of Italy. The guitarist went on to form IL VOLO.

"Dies Irae" is dark as the drums beat slowly. The guitar then organ join in. An amazing sound here. This is quite intense. Vocals 3 minutes in. They will come and go. Big finish. "Non E Francesca" kicks in quickly with a catchy beat. Vocals before a minute as raw guitar plays over top. Organ comes in later. Vocals come in after a minute on "Perche...Perche Ti Amo". The organ, drums and guitar are prominant. They contrast the quiet and loud passages throughout.

"Questo Folle Sentimento (Intro)" kicks in right away. I like when it settles. It blends into "Questo Folle Sentimento" where it builds with vocals and organ followed by guitar. "Walk Away Renee" is a song I remember as a kid. FORMULA 3 cover it pretty well with English vocals. I like the chorus because it brings back memories. "Se Non E Amore Cos'e" kicks in with organ, drums and guitar. It settles. Fragile vocals after 1 1/2 minutes with floating organ. "Sole Gialio,Sole Nero" is fairly uptempo with organ. It settles when the vocals arrive. It picks back up.This is a fun track. Lots of organ before 5 minutes. Drums take over a minute later.

I can't give it 4 stars but I feel it deserves respect considering the year and how well done it is. 3.5 stars.

Being a motorsport fan, this band caught my attention some years ago. It has taken me until this week to get to know this album, though.

This is the debut album from this band who has gone on to release some albums. This is also a pretty spicy album somewhere between Psychedelic/Space Rock, Heavy Prog and RPI. Mostly Psychedelic/Space Rock, it has to be said. The organs is rampant spaced out and the vocals too lives somewhere in space. There is even a drum solo here and other more Heavy Prog stuff. The vocals, despite being spaced out, reminds me about RPI.

The quality is not that good though. There is no tracks here that makes enough impressions on me to give me a reason to name one of them as the best track here. The songs only rampage throughout to the end and that's it. In short, this album is passing me by like a train. But the sound is interesting though so this band is not a lost cause. But this album is not for me.

2.25 stars

Formula 3's self-titled debut dates back to 1970 and is considered the first Italian album to contain elements of true Progressive Rock. The band is made up of Alberto Radius (Voice and guitars), Gabriele Lorenzi (voicd, organ, keyboards) and Tony Ciccio (voices, drums and percussins) and their historic albums are published by Numero 1, the historic record company of Mogol and Lucio Battisti.

This first album is, in reality, a pure Hard Rock album with a lot of Progressive scattered here and there and begins with a beautiful version of "Dies Irae" with arrangements by Isola Amelio. This version presents us with a very psychedelic and Blues guitar, supported by the organ which, in the first part, build a truly fantastic duel. The second part is more POP and is easier to listen to and also very fast (today we will classify it as Heavy Metal). The Latin text is fantastic and creates an atmosphere much sought after by Proto Metal groups of the time. Lucio Battisti's production is perfect and manages to make "Dies Irae" a perfect POP piece. The final organ solo is also excellent. "Non è Francesca" is the famous song by Mogol-Lucio Battisti brought to success (and made immortal) by Lucio Battisti but I prefer this version because I find it more dramatic and energetic due to an arrangement close to psychedelia and a certain Blues Rock although it remains extremely POP and melodic. Here too the organ solo which ends in fade out is excellent. "Perché... Perché ti amo" is written by the brothers Eugenio and Edoardo Bennato on lyrics by Mogol and is a beautiful love song played on a blues guitar and an excellent organ. It alternates reflective parts with furiously melodic parts that create a fantastic romantic suspense. Here the guitar solo is notable as is the very dynamic and powerful drum line (I would say that Tony Cicco learned Carmine Appice's style very well... Looking a lot like Vinnie Appice who, however, would only arrive a few years later) . "Questo Folle Sentimento" (intro) and "Questo Folle Sentimento" it's the same song whose side A is played about 1 and a half minutes into the song (hence "Intro"). Technically it is a POP song in the Italian songwriting tradition and it is very engaging but nothing more if we are talking about Progressive Rock. But it's a really good song. "Walk Away Renée" is a cover of the famous (and now evergreen) piece by The left Banke here revised in a more Hard Rock and symphonic version (more of an attempt this) with the usual Hard Rock/Heavy metal drums for power and dynamism and the usual duel between organ and electric guitar in the creation of sound. Excellent vocal interpretation with excellent pronunciation of English. Truly a memorable cover (and it's not a given that it is... How many covers are simply disgusting!). "Se non è amore cos'è" is a song written by Isola Amelio with lyrics by Moglo and Sandro Colombini. After a start that I would define as Hard Rock/ Proto Metal/ Psychedelic Rock it transforms into a Power Ballad à la Uriah heep (and if the latter had copied Formula 3? I don't think so... But I like it if it were true). The album closed with "Sole giallo, Sole nero" (by Mogol-Battisti) which is a bit too POP and has a real catchphrase.

"Formula 3" is an excellent debut and, it must be admitted, not yet totally Progressive Rock because it is closer to the Hard Rock/ Proto Prog/ Proto Metal of bands like Vanilla Fudge and Iron Butterfly. And yet, it also manages to be very personal. "Formula 3" is recognized as the first Italian album that can be defined as Progressive Rock and today it should be considered more precisely for its historical importance rather than for the music it contains (also fantastic and not aged at all).