BARBARICA

A band with no small reputation that has certainly managed to spread their albums out over the years (3 in 40 years, to be exact), Museo Rosenbach is hardly a small name when it comes to the classic RPI scene, and 2013 sees the release of Barbarica. No matter how you spin it, when you have a record in your catalogue of the caliber of 1973′s Zarathustra, the expectations are high, and in this case I would say that Museo Rosenbach was a bit short in reaching them, releasing an album that in my opinion had its ups and downs. On the upside there are some great vocal lines, such as the ominous vocal presence in "Il respiro del pianeta," and the powerful melodies of "Fiori di vendetta." Instrumentally speaking, there were some grand moments, such as the fabulous keyboard solo and epic climax of "Abandonati." On the other hand, there were segments of songs and transitions that felt a bit disjointed, such as when the electric instruments come in on "La coda del diavolo," leaving the impression of riff cutting and pasting. Regardless, Barbarica is a decent album and fans of the band will no doubt be happy to have another release from this great band. And besides, I'm thrilled to see them live next year at Baja Prog, where I'm sure they'll full on deliver the goods.