I SUPPLICANTI

A GENESIS '76/'77 era clone. It's like Phil Collins singing in Italian some GENESIS unknown themes. Of course, anybody who likes "ATrick Of The Tail" and "Wind And Wuthering" will love this album. And it's a good stuff despite the lack of originality, without weak points and with very good keyboards. Songs are a sort of a "light", easy listening symphonic rock. Nice after all.

Uninspired clones

Some time ago I received the "Camera Astralis" album from a friend who knows my love for Italian Prog and GENESIS, so after asking she discovered "I Supplicanti" which apparently combines two of my musical obsessions and bought it for me with the best possible intentions.

After receiving the album and thanking her for the interest, went to my house, placed "I Supplicanti" in the CD player and listened it with my headphones to appreciate the music that was supposed to be outstanding, and this is what I found:

"Cantar delle Genti" opens the album with a pretty interesting a mysterious overture that reminds nothing of GENESIS, but gives the idea of an epic and powerful album, maybe a bit too pompous, but hey...Pompous is the middle name of Progressive Rock.

But the radical change and the disappointment starts with "Di Ansia e D'Ombra". After a nice 12 string guitar opening, the song morphs into a soft and a bit tedious ballad with the voice of Franco Vassia, who sounds as Phil Collins long time lost Italian twin brother. The melody is nice with reminiscences of "A Trick of the Tail" but also with Collins solo stuff, some cute moments, but after a minute or two, it's boring.

"La Ruota Del Pavone" is a bit more speedy than the boring past track, but when "Vassia" starts to sing, the obvious characteristics of clones appear obvious even for the casual listener, only that this time is even closer to three men "Genesis".

"Febbre D'Arlecchino" is clearly inspired in the title song of "A Trick of the Tail", only that with less class, no Mellotron or dark mysterious atmospheres, just the middle point between "ATOTT" and "Invisible Touch", with that cheesy 80's sounding keyboards.

"Il Gioco Dell'Oca" is slightly more interesting than the previous songs, but contradictory is the most clearly oriented towards POP Genesis. Nice rhythm, a couple of good organ sections and decent piano, but nothing special..

By this point I'm tempted to put away the album and to be honest neither "I Margini Del Sogno" or "I Giorni Dell ' Inchio" help too much. The first one is sappy, catchy tune that could had fit in a post "Duke" GENESIS album and the second one is a boring Adult Contemporary ballad that could had been released by Phil Collins alone.

Thanks God, the album ends with "Ballando Sui Vetri", one of the most annoying ballads I ever heard, to the point, that I feel no desire to comment it.

I wanted to give "I Supplicanti" two stars because the excellent Overture, a couple of good moments and a bit of nostalgia, but I have to be honest and if I add the lack of originality, bright, emotion and even capacity to clone GENESIS with the level of other bands, I can't rate it with more than one stars, that could be 1.5 at the most

Only for diehard fans of Collins Genesis.

2.5 really

Camera Astralis is from Italy and they play some Genesis inspired prog like on Trick of the tail era. The first reviewer observe very good , the vocalist sound like Phill Collins, it's like Phil Collins singing in Italian , same range, inflexiones of the voice. The music is ok, nothing really impressive, almost mediocre in places but with some moments of good listning. In some parts I swear I"m listning to Genesis sund in italian, only the unknown themes made me think they are not Genesis after all. The pieces are well developed like on La Ruota Del Pavone or Margini Del Sogno. The originality is zero but they manage to pull some good moments with some good keyboards here and there. A so so album, quite mediocre, but with some good elements in places, not really bad. 2.5 is the best I can give, another band from followers zone, and far from being a leader in this genre.

Italian act from Torino, Piemonte with a short career during the late-90's.Camera Astralis were Franco Vassia on vocals, Davide Sgorlon on guitars, Andrea Tarnini on keyboards, Gianni Giannella on bass and Renato Cavallero on drums.Their sole release ''I supplicanti'' was released in 1998 on Imago label.

''I supplicanti'' is a fantastic journey of soft Symphonic Pop/Prog, heavily influenced by 76'-80' GENESIS with a romantic atmosphere throughout and an emphasis on alternating acoustic and electric parts of sheer beauty.Singer Franco Vassia is definitely the Italian PHIL COLLINS, the similarities between their voices is simply outstanding, so you can certainly expect some ethereal and warm singing.The compositions are smooth, based on great well-crafted melodies with nice piano work, orchestral mellotron parts and careful use of synthesizers by Tarnini and series of good guitar performances by Sgorlon, especially the acoustic parts resemble strongly to GENESIS' acoustic textures, but his electric solos are also nice and delicate with evident HACKETT- and GILMOUR-ish inspirations.The ability of the band to deliver elegant symphonic instrumentals after the memorable catchy vocal performances is stunning and the pair of well-crafted ballads towards the end is also welcome, sensitive and inspired musicianship all the way.It is a pitty Camera Astralis faded away after this album with no signs of further productions.

For fans of calm and melodic Progressive Rock this is a fantastic discovery, not to mention the GENESIS freaks out there, for whom ''I supplicanti'' is an essential chance to taste more of their beloved band's unique style by an (another) excellent Italian clone.Highly recommended.