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GOLD

Presence

Rock Progressivo Italiano


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Presence Gold album cover
2.68 | 9 ratings | 2 reviews | 11% 5 stars

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Studio Album, released in 2001

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Scarlet (5:46)
2. The Conjuration of Stronghold Lodge (8:28)
3. Lightening (6:16)
4. Carnival (13:08)
5. Blockade Runner (7:45)
6. Gold (8:07)
7. If It Runs Away (3:38)

Total Time 53:08

Line-up / Musicians

- Sofia Baccini / vocals
- Enrico Iglio / keyboards, bass, drums
- Sergio Casamassima / electric & acoustic guitars

Releases information

CD Black Widow

Thanks to ProgLucky for the addition
and to projeKct for the last updates
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PRESENCE Gold ratings distribution


2.68
(9 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(11%)
11%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(33%)
33%
Good, but non-essential (44%)
44%
Collectors/fans only (11%)
11%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

PRESENCE Gold reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
2 stars With a name like PRESENCE and the fact that they're on the "Black Widow" label I thought this would be a Gothic album. It's really not dark at all and this Italian band uses English lyrics which is too bad because it's obvious it's not their first language (or second ?) yes they are that bad. They are a trio with bass, guitar, drums and female vocals.

"Scarlet" opens with atmosphere (I wish there more of this on the album) as heavy drums and guitar join in. Vocals a minute in. Nice guitar solo after 4 minutes. "The Conjuration Of Stronghold Lodge" does not sound good vocally to start. Grating is the word. It kicks in before 1 1/2 minutes and the drums are heavy. Guitar solo follows. Sampled spoken words after 3 minutes. It kicks back in before 4 1/2 minutes. Vocals are back before 7 minutes. Not a fan of this song.

"Lightening" opens with sparse piano as vocals cry out. Drums 1 1/2 minutes in as it builds. Vocals are back. "Carnival" features almost spoken vocals as the heaviness arrives.The tempo and mood shifts a lot in this one. This is the most inventive track but i'm not buying. "Blockade Ruuner" puts the focus on the vocals. Some raw guitar before 2 minutes. Nice. Vocals are back after 6 minutes. A good heavy rhythm a minute later. "Gold" is mid paced although it slows down at times. Again the vocals are the focus. Piano comes and goes as well. "If It Runs Away" is the one track I like. It's laid back with guitar and vocals.

Fans only.

Review by apps79
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars The new millenium found Presence without a regular drummer but that woould not stop the band from participating on the Black Widow compilation ''Children of Black Widow'', a tribute to the 70's Black Widow band, covering the ''Attack of the demon''.At the same time the trio of Baccini, Casamassima and Iglio (also responsible for the drum work this time) got prepared for the band's fourth studio album.This was entitled ''Gold'', inspired by Virginia Stait's novel ''The witches planet'' and eventually released in 2001.

This is another effort which shows that Presence seem stuck on the style already known from ''Makumba'' with little changes during the passing time.But what this band does, it does it good.Heavy Symphonic Prog with a bombastic and grandiose sound with hard-sounding guitars, sometimes distorted, clean and almost operatic female vocals and a pounding rhythm section.There are even occasional steps into the Classical/Avant territory with strong piano themes but the general picture remains a really powerful style in the vein of DEVIL DOLL, and that is symphonic arrangements with energetic rhythms, plenty of solos, atmospheric keyboard/piano/organ work and a deep and dark mood throughout.Meanwhile Baccini's performance remains still an ace for the band.A great female singer with an angry, theatrical and expressive voice, often leading the music to where she wants.But the total absence of diversity in Presence's offerings is possible to bother some listeners.

Dark, orchestral Symphonic Prog is once more the proposal of Presence.No signs of a true sound development but also no signs the band has lost the inspiration in what they do.Recommended.

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