BESTIE, UOMINI E DÈI

In the early Prog Archives era, the 2004-2006 years, I was part of a bunch of inspired collaborators who were determined to add Classic Italian prog, and interesting new Italian prog. Like the highly acclaimed debut album Nostos (2005) from Ubi Maior, lots of 4 star ratings, and euphoric words. I had to think about that when I recently got the new Ubi Maior album to review, the band only its fourth effort in 15 years. And my first musical encounter with Ubi Maior since 2009, because I lost the band after the second album Senza Tempo, also warmly received on Prog Archives.

Well, after a few listening sessions I am very pleased to conclude that Ubi Maior still succeeds to blow me away, the entire running time! The six composition (between 5 and 10 minutes) contain lots of flowing shifting moods (between dreamy and bombastic), dynamics, tension, variety, strong work on keyboards (by Gabriele Manzini, also The Watch) and guitar (by Marcella Arganese, also Marillion tribute band Mr. Punch) and fine musical ideas. The fluent rhythm-section feautures Gianmaria Giardino on bass, and Alessandro Di Caprio on drums, the latter played with Alex Carpani, Aldo Tagliapietra, David Jackson, Bernardo Lanzetti and David Cross. This is topped by the inspired and often theatrical vocals by Mario Moi who also plays violin and trumpet. What an interesting Italian prog rock line-up!

Nero Nott. First intense bluesy guitar and halfway wonderful violin work in a mid-tempo, then a sensitive electric guitar soli. In the final part a building up to a sumptuous conclusion with howling guitar, lush Hammond and a sensational flashy synthesizer solo. This is blended with powerful emotional vocals, an excellent start!

Misteri Di Tessaglia. Tension, dynamics and a lush instrumentation. From dreamy with piano and warm vocals to an exciting ominous atmosphere with violin, raw guitar riffs, howling electric guitar, flashy synthesizer flights and beautiful violin. And from a bombastic eruption with moving guitar and emotional vocals to an exciting grand finale featuring strong guitar work and an awesome Mellotron choir sound.

The track Wendigo delivers very powerful and bombastic music with awesome keyboards (from church organ and Hammond to tender piano), excellent guitar play (from sensitive to heavy) and swirling violin work. The compelling parts with theatrical vocals reminds me of Il Balletto Di Bronzo and the heavy parts with Hammond, guitar and violin of early Kansas.

In Nessie again hints of Kansas but also a jazzy element (trumpet), prog metal (heavy guitar, flashy synthesizer flights and thunderous drums), a swinging piano solo and romantic violin, what a variety!

The track Fabula Sienis starts mellow with twanging guitar and flageolets, halfway an acceleration to a mid-tempo beat and finally wonderful interplay between moving guitar and tender piano, another strong example how interesting Ubi Maior works with tension and dynamics.

The final epic composition is the title track, close to 10 minutes, this one showcases Ubi Maior its huge potential. First a bombastic Hammond sound, romantic violin and theatrical vocals in a slow rhythm. Then sensitive electric guitar runs and again lush Hammond. Halfway an accellaration with bombastic overtones, inspired vocals, powerful Hammond, howling guitar runs and a church organ sound, how exciting. Now the climate turns into dreamy with twanging acoustic guitar and flute, this is pastoral prog like early Genesis. Next warm romantic vocals and tender piano arpeggios join. Finally a great build-up with a soaring tremolo Hammond sound, tender piano, slow drum beats and soft synthesizer flights. In the final part a pleasant musical surprise featuring flowing slide guitar runs (early Seventies Pink Floyd comes to my mind), blended with piano arpeggios and again soaring Hammond waves. What a wonderful and delicate musical idea, and what a beautiful way to end this album!

If you are up to the theatrical overtones in the inspired Italian vocals this new Ubi Maior album is a treat for the aficionados of Old School Prog and Classic Italian Prog!

P.s.: This review was previously published (in a slightly different version) on the Background Magazine website, the oldest Dutch progrock source.

The fourth album release from Italian band Ubi Maior since 2004, Bestie, Uomini e D'i shows some very adept compositional and performance skills--which results in the best RPI album I've yet heard from 2020. As with the subject selections for each song, the compositions are varied and distinctive--rendered especially so by the astonishingly chameleonic range and creativity of singer Mario Moi.

1. "Nero Notte" (6:12) great guitar and bass opening, then Neo Prog drums and keys enter to help establish the structural and melodic base before singer Mario Moi enters. Mario's voice is strong though a little warbly. Also, he sings this one with a kind of single note approach. The solid instrumental section that follows the opening vocal section begins with some nice violin before giving way to electric rock guitar. With the vocals I'm reminded of contemporary bands Syndone, Egonon, and La Maschera di Cena. (8.5/10)

2. "Misteri di Tessaglia" (7:33) very straightforward gentle ballad format that uses an ascending four-chord progression for the first section. At 2:30 things stop and restart with a heavier, more proggy palette for an instrumental section of guitar, violin, and synth taking turns over a kind of JC Superstar theme. When the vocals return the song stays heavy and full-on prog. Now this is more like it! Great finish! (13.5/15)

3. "Wendigo" (7:54) Drums get us started before spacey-guitar, keys and bass join in. FRANCESCO CIAPICA-sounding voice enters to sing. Great instrumental sections in between vocal verses. Interesting slowed down but powerful, marching URIAH HEEP-like section begins at 4:10 but then switches into an odd time signature at 5:25 to sound more GENESIS-like. Mario's performance is quite animated and powerful despite few pitchy moments. Piano becomes more prominent over drums, bass, and synth washes at 7:00, eventually taking over for a solo finish. Great song! (14/15)

4. "Nessie" (8:50) an instrumental kind of swings like a heavy INGRANAGGI DELLA VALLE song with strong organ foundation. At 1:52 a slower, more sensitive pastiche is laid for jazz and rock guitar soli. Trumpet joins in the solo celebration but with a consistent melody that makes it more part of the foundational weave. Fiery Hammond organ solo in the fifth minute before the electric violin takes a turn. Very nice, with each and every change and section feeling engaging and interesting. Electric guitars and various synths take turns exchanging war-like soli over the course of the next four minutes culminating in a guitar finish (and victory?). (18.5/20)

5. "Fabula Sirenis" (5:22) opens very smoothly with a slow full band fabric over which Mario sings with a beautifully sensitive vocal. At 1:25 the tempo picks up and a kind of GENESIS-like section transitions us to the 1:55 full-force drama for about 30 seconds before returning to the GENESIS motif for another vocal section. There is a similarity of this music and vocal performance to some of the early impassioned songs of LA COSCIENZA DI ZENO. Very well constructed and performed song. (9.25/10)

6. "Bestie, Uomini E D'i" (9:42) another heavy DEEP PURPLE-like organ-based thumping rocker over which Mario's more vulnerable, warbly voice sings. This one falls below the standards now set by the previous four songs as it is a little too simple and straightforward for the first three minutes. Even when the pace quickens, the even-beat ascending four chord progression is tiresome. Nice entry of church organ at 3:59 to support a creative electric guitar solo. A quiet acoustic guitar-supported section in the sixth minute falls a little flat--both musically and vocally- -until the piano joins in, then Mario's vocalise gets interesting and emotionally powerful. Switch to slow, piano based bluesy PINK FLOYD section at the eight minute mark (made PF-ish for its Gilmour-like slide guitar soloing). Pretty. (17.75/20)

Total Time 45:33

An album that upon first listen I had trouble connecting with, began to grow and grow on me with repeated listens. The compositional acumen of these guys is superb--as is their sense of melody. Skill levels are quite good all around (especially with the keyboard player) and very creative and refreshingly original, though I still room to grow. Now I have to go back and catch up on the band's previous three albums!

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music of the RPI kind and my favorite RPI album of 2020! (so far)

During the winter 2022-2023 I had a really enthusiastic period aiming at getting better acquainted with Ubi Maior from Milan, which I eventually regarded as one of the most exciting newer names in Italian prog. I listened in chronological order the so far 4 records made by the band. This Bestie uomini e Dèi (2020) one was the last in line in spring and I then thought it was the most difficult to internalize.

This band has rather a unique style, I would say it is slightly more complicated, unpredictable and "twisted" in comparison with many other contemporary and earlier Italian proggers. A particularly important component is Mario Moi's voice and the way he uses it in many instances, it is lively to say the least.

My initial impression of this record was that it somehow totally lacked the easier smoothiness in melodies which allured me in the excellent debut Nostos (2005) and in my other favourite Ubi Maior record Incanti Bio Meccanici (2015). Instead it occasionally felt like too "full-packed" and lacking in breathing space. But after repeated listens I would say this is a decent grower and all the songs - except the instrumental Nessie, which I tend to skip - have at least a few excellent passages and moments. My two favourites of them are probably Wendigo and Fabula Sirenis.