LIVE AT BURG HERZBERG FESTIVAL 2007

This interesting new Italian formation invites us for a trip with their musical time-machine to the early Seventies. In those days most of the big record companies had small sub-labels in order to host their progressive rock acts (like EMI had Harvest for Pink Floyd), there they got room for adventure and experiments. Well, listening to Areknames you can easily confuse this for a Seventies rooted band. This live CD was recorded during the Burg Herzberg Festival 2007, I hope a DVD will follow soon, what a stunning sound!

1. Dateless Diary : After a dreamy climate with wonderful violin-Mellotron and a bit melancholical vocals (evoking Peter Hamill),we can enjoy powerful Hammond organ, propulsive guitarwork and fat synthesizer flights in a compelling atmosphere. In the end the dreamy climate returns delivering Mellotron, Hammond and flowing electric guitar.

2. A Prison That Few Can See : The first part is mellow, the music reminds me of Anekdoten because of the violin-Mellotron and warm but a bit dark vocals. Gradually the sound turns int more lush with powerful Jammond waves, strong drumming and howling electric guitar runs, followed by a long and very compelling Hammond solo similar to Dave Greenslade his work during Colosseum and Greenslade, what a lovely early vintage sound!

3. A New Song : It starts with a slow rhythm and fragile guitarplay, mellow organ and warm vocals (again evoking Anekdoten), then a mid-tempo with majestic Hammond and powerful guitar, culminating in a kind of bombastic psychedelia. Again we can enjoy a long Hammond solo, this time swirling with great support of the rhythm-section. The final part contains soaring Mellotron, it is short but I get goose bumps!

4. Outcast : This short piece sounds a bit psychedelic with propulsive drums, fiery vocals, heavy guitar and hypnotizing organ work, it reminds me of early Italian gem Il Balletto Di Bronzo, very dynamic!

5. Boredom : Again the focus is on the Hammond (along a sensitive electric guitar solo, fat synthesizer flights and wonderful violin-Mellotron): from fluent runs and sumptuous eruptions to a swirling solo with psychedelic undertones, this man know how to push the right buttons!

Don't expect elaborate music but let you carry away by Areknames their compelling vintage sound, loaded with mindblowing work on the Hammond organ!

I quite liked this Italian band playing some deeply rooted Van Der Graaf music. Their first album was an extremely good surprise, but they were not really able to pursue on this very good mood with their second effort "Love Hate Round Trip".

Now, about this "live" record.It was recorded during the Burg Herzberg Festival in Germany which tagline is "Traditional Hippie Convention". It all started in 1968 and it still exists today.

"Araknamés" played along with bands such as "Paatos", Pavlov's Dog", "Van Der Graaf" (tiens, tiens), Riverside and the "Heep". But what to say about this "live" album?

Since it was a festival, their set was rather short: just over fifty minutes. The band decided to have three unreleased tracks (out of five) be played on the occasion and as far as I am concerned, it isn't a great recording when it is compared to their really good debut album.

The epic "The Prison That Few Can See" (over seventeen minutes) is just a long jam with no cohesion. I'm lacking the desperate feeling of their debut ("A Day Among Four Walls" or "Down"). The best part of this long track is the closing one which features fine vocals (which are all in English). But it lasts for less than two minutes.

The opening track "Dateless Diary" is more in line with my expectation, even if it is on their heavier side (but it won't be the only example of this tendency). It seems that as while playing live, "Araknamés" is heading towards a more powerful sound.

"A New Song" is my fave of the unreleased tracks thanks to a fantastic organ parts. The heaviest song of all and a wild song indeed.

"Outcast" from their second album "Love Hate Round Trip" is not really a great choice. This short song is quite anonymous IMO. Very much on the heavy (again) side, but little inspired.

To be complete, the last track "Boredom" was my least fave from their debut. This "live" version is no better I'm afraid. It is almost double in lenght here and also features some wild organ solo. For a couple of minutes...The last four minutes are just cacophony.

I was rather enthusiast before I listened to this live album. Unfortunately, the track list is a little weak: only two songs are worth IMO. Two out of five. This is my rating for this "live" album with no live feeling at all (not a single interaction with or from the audience).

A solid deception.