MELTING CLOCK

4.5 stars. It's really hard to believe that this is MELTING CLOCK's debut. Everything is so professional and first class, like they've been releasing albums for years. "Destinazioni" was released in 2019 on Black Widow Records. Just over an hour of music here over nine tracks. A six piece band including two guitarists and a female vocalist. She sings in Italian but they've translated the lyrics to English in the liner notes along with the Italian lyrics. The "Thankyou" section is in Italian though but I see the drummer mentions Mike Portnoy and Gavin Harrison.

While the opener and closer are my two favourites, this is a consistent record. The keyboards and guitar solo, although the keyboardist adds synths to great affect, especially the atmosphere he creates. Some really good organ reminding me of the classic RPI bands like LE ORME. We get some guests adding violoncello, flute and percussion. This is just all so well done, yes I'm really impressed.

"Caleidoscopio" opens with these amazing feel good sounds before the vocals arrive. This track is 8 1/2 minutes long and has some really nice instrumental sections, emotion with those vocals after 2 minutes especially, but again around 3 1/2 minutes. But I love the sounds of this track. The repeated themes too. They change it up but keep it familiar. Like the change at 5 minutes where it turns darker with more depth. The keyboards and guitar shine. How about the beautiful piano melodies to start "Banalmente" as the vocals quickly join in. This does get heavier and male vocals from the keyboardist will help out as well. Lots of piano though. Nice guitar solo too though.

"Vetro" opens like we're listening to an epic part of a movie before settling quickly with picked guitar and more. This is better when the drums and percussion arrive along with the female vocal melodies. She's singing after 1 1/2 minutes. Such an interesting track. The synths, bass, picked guitar, random drum patterns. It all is so impressive. Attention to detail. A feel good section around 3 minutes in with vocals. A jazzy vibe to this one. It takes it's time too.

How gorgeous are those guitar melodies to start "Strade Affollate"? Female vocals join in, almost speaking. Ballad-like. "L'occhio Dello Sciacallo" has male and female vocals plus that violoncello 1 1/2 minutes in which sounds great. The shortest track under 3 minutes but a really good one. "Antares" has more of those male and female vocals along with violoncello. I like the nature sounds to open though as acoustic guitar plays over top. Sounds swell with the strings then a change to a trippy sound with female vocals. Nice. Man I like this band! A really good instrumental section as well around 4 minutes, but the one earlier at 2 1/2 minutes is just as good.

"Sono Luce" opens with a lone piano line but this will build some with bass then guitar helping out. It kicks in before 1 1/2 minutes with the synths leading. Love this. Drums are well done along with the bass here. I could listen to this all day. Vocals don't arrive until after 4 minutes with piano and drums. A pleasant guitar solo follows then wordless vocals. A great tune. "Quello Che Rimane..." is a short piece at over 3 minutes. Pretty much soundscape music really at first. I like this. Lots of synths. Light beats and a change at 1 1/2 minutes. Guitar and bass too, all very tasteful as wordless vocals arrive. She doesn't stay long.

The closer opens sounding like Prog metal. Powerful stuff with energy. And riffs! Oh, that RPI organ is special. Love the mournful guitar as it settles. Vocals will come and go along with those powerful sections and spacey calms as this epic 15 minute title track plays out. An incredible closer that has me wanting more. "Destinazioni" is a must for RPI fans.

Les genois de MELTING CLOCK nous reviennent cinq ans après le super album "Destinazioni" qui avait fait l'objet d'une chronique sur profilprog.com, déjà sous ma modeste plume. Voici donc en cette fin d'été 2024 son successeur "Altrove" avec le même personnel, la fratrie AMADEI en tête de pont.

La plage inaugurale "Vernice" (9/10) est une déambulation dans les rues de GENES, particulièrement la vieille ville, un véritable labyrinthe, vu par des gens qui n'y résident pas donc avec un regard biaisé sur la réalité quotidienne, le tout remarquablement chanté par Emanuela VEDANA et propulsé par une six cordes enchanteresse et une paire rythmique bien en place et efficace.

"Altrove" (9/10) la pièce titre en deux parties s'avère ni plus ni moins comme une échappatoire au stress et aux soucis de la vie quotidienne, un refuge sur une ile lointaine sans contrainte de temps, les vacances perpétuelles (un petit côté Patrick MCGOOHAN, cinquante ans après) qui comme chacun sait ne dévoilera jamais son numéro un. Comme le suggère Sandro AMADEI, c'est l'horloge à remonter le temps vers l'enfance, l'innocence que tout le monde a connu à un moment ou un autre. "Il Mondo al suo Risveglio" (7/10) le titre qui me plait la moins sur l'album est une réflexion sur la perception de la réalité et la façon dont elle change en permanence à mesure que la conscience évolue (merci à Alessandro BOSCA le bassiste). C'est aussi le lien entre l'enfance, l'adolescence et l'âge adulte de tout un chacun ("plait le moins" ne veut aucunement dire qu'elle est mauvaise loin de là).

A contrario la plage suivante "Citta Spenta" (9/10) est l'une des plus passionnantes du disque, référence à la perte soudaine d'un proche, mêlant rêve et réalité, le premier surpassant la seconde en tous points et à tout instant.."Tramonti di Cenere" nous alerte si besoin est sur le changement climatique en cours sur notre chère planète, vaste chantier pour nos gouvernants (dont certains se fichent éperdument....), un mid tempo énergique, les cavalcades guitaristiques donnent le poids nécessaire à l'urgence de la situation comme le chant puissant d'Emanuela VEDANA (9/10).

La pièce conclusive "Endurance" (9/10) rend hommage à l'un des plus grands hommes du vingtième siècle, Sir Ernest SHACKLETON et son navire pris par les glaces sur la banquise en tentant d'atteindre le POLE SUD, avant de prendre le chemin du retour et d'arriver sains et saufs en GEORGIE DU SUD (on entend le souffle du vent et les pas des hommes dans la glace en introduction) comme EGDON HEATH et son "Killing Silence" en 1991 (pour ne pas nous rajeunir).Un titre musclé, avec là encore des six cordes qui pulsent fort et des vocaux au diapason, chant féminin et masculin ( Sandro AMADEI) pour la seule fois sur l'album mais remarquable dans son agencement et sa conception.

Très belle réussite que cet "Altrove" qui place derechef MELTING CLOCK après deux réalisations parmi les formations transalpines de pointe en matière de musique progressive.

If Melting Clock's 2019 debut DESTINAZIONI involved recording sessions lasting almost a year, the universal high acclaim was proof that the band's penchant for aiming for perfection was fully rewarded. It took five years before the release of follow-up album ALTROVE but every minute spent on writing, arranging and recording was well-invested.

Opening track VERNICE (PAINT) provides a satisfying sonic link to the first album. Conjuring images of Genoa's frequently politically graffiti-marked caruggi and an oblique reference to the sea, the song carries the Eastern flavour present in VETRO from DESTINAZIONI. It also incorporates Stefano Amadei's bouzouki and makes use of the Phrygian mode which lends it an oppressive air, appropriate for the narrow alleys and sometimes hateful messages but also somewhere hidden gems can be found. It's immediately apparent that considerable care has been taken with the orchestration of the piece because, unlike its predecessor, there are no guest musicians helping out but I still had to check the liner notes to find who was playing violin only to be told that the authentic string sounds were reproduced using Audio Modeling virtual instruments. Title track ALTROVE (ELSEWHERE) was one of the album's early compositions and is set out in two parts, the former with a classical guitar introduction from Simone Caff' and a short expressive piano intermezzo leading into the instrumental second part. The sea motif is revisited in the wistful lyrics superbly delivered by Emanuela Vedana, a metaphor for longing for somewhere distant the protagonist feels would be better than their current situation. Alessandro Bosca comes to the fore on part 1 which features his flanged upright electric bass playing. Part 2 is suffused with Melting Clock DNA, an intelligent, balanced instrumental ensemble workout with a brief Caff' solo on electric guitar. IL MONDO AL SUO RISVEGLIO (THE WORLD AS HE WAKES UP) is a Bosca composition and though intensely personal, having been written about his son's first year and the affect of this young life on the entire family, it fits neatly within the over-arching feel of the album. The lyrics are abstract and poetic and Vedana has to employ her full vocal range to deliver them. I was told that it was the hardest vocal part they'd written which required a number of takes in the studio but I think the result demonstrates just how good a singer she is. The instrumental mid-part has a well-planned arrangement with clever variation from heavy- to clean guitar over subdued organ chords and then dirty, crunching guitar and the piece ends with a section in 13/8 time, revealing another hugely important but modest part of the Melting Clock jigsaw, drummer Francesco Fiorito. The choice of instrumental voices and the jazz phrasing give CITT' SPENTA (BLACKED-OUT CITY) a Parisienne feel but it seems to follow on seamlessly from IL MONDO. Bosco's abstract lyrics are based two topics, the Covid-19 pandemic and the death of a close family member but it's the arrangement which holds everything together, the essential layers underneath Vedana's vocal melody. This is where comparisons between Vedana and Annie Haslam seem particularly relevant, despite the group denying they've heard much Renaissance material! The final part of the track is referred to as 'the waltz' even though it's actually in 6/8 time and provides another example of Sandro Amadei's excellent orchestration. TRAMONTI DI CENERE (ASHEN SUNSETS) is my favourite track. It concerns the indifference with which people in positions of power treat the climate crisis and was the last song written for the album. It was intended as something at variance with the other tracks using different sounds such as a bright electric piano, heavier parts and more sedate passages and it resulted in an absolutely stunning modern prog composition with a structure closest to that of DESTINAZIONI's title track. Sandro Amadei's backing vocals and call and response vocals were a key feature of DESTINAZIONI but while they are much less prevalent on ALTROVE, they are used to great effect on TRAMONTI. Coming close behind TRAMONTI in the competition for best track is ENDURANCE, the longest piece on the album in the form of a prog multi-part classic based on the factual story of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, whose ship was found at the bottom of the Weddell Sea in 2022. The Endurance was crushed by sea-ice and sank in 1915, forcing Shackleton and his men to make an astonishing escape on foot and in small boats. The song has epic development, beginning with a clever ambient introduction of wind effect and the sound of footsteps compacting the snow underfoot, joined by atmospheric piano. TRAMONTI's development involved shifts back and forth between moods while ENDURANCE has a more traditional narrative-style development. Parts I and II NAUFRAGIO NEL GHIACCIO (SHIPWRECK ON THE ICE) and PERCORSI SUL PACK (TRAILS ON THE PACK) strongly remind me of another Black Widow affiliated band, Il Tempio delle Clessidre. The music reflects the tension in the story and Sandro Amadei is presented with his first lead vocal. Part V LA GEORGIA DEL SUD (SOUTH GEORGIA) provides a short calm interlude before the climactic denouement where Caff' unleashes an excellent David Gilmour-inspired solo.

Overall, the playing and compositions are more confident than on the first album. ALTROVE may have less diversity of style than the band's debut but it builds on the blocks laid down in 2019 to better define the Melting Clock sound, where each member makes a distinct difference. Twin guitars are an essential component, clean and distorted, and Stefano Amadei's bouzouki adds something exotic to the palette; the rhythm section clicks together perfectly where Fiorito plays interesting and difficult parts without any fuss; Vedana surely has the best voice in prog. In my opinion the greatest difference between the two albums is a shift from roughly equal input from Caff' and Sandro Amadei on DESTINAZIONI to a more keyboard-led ALTROVE, in part because of the unavailability of guest musicians which required written lines for flute, cello and violin to be played on keyboards. The instrumental layering has once again been expertly handled by producer Andrea Torretta.

Another easy 5 stars.

This review is an adaptation of my review on the ProgBlog site https://tinyurl.com/3jnc93kt

'Vernice' with a proven RPI attack, Phrygian vocal, violin and oriental-Irish melody; the meticulous synth, the bouzouki, the clapping hands, Andalusia, the progressive variation which gives pride of place to Emanuela; a whiff of Caravaggio for the dark chords. 'Altrove parte I' acoustic arpeggio by Simone and deliquescent piano; the electric bass by Alessandro à la Serra, cottony just like the melancholic or romantic vocal convolutions, it's up to you to choose; neo-classical piano intermezzo leading to 'Altrove parte II' and its Hackettian guitar; the sound rises calmly on a progressive drift with vocalises, image of the sea in the distance, wavelets; The guitar solo then the dark fina which could have been much longer. 'll Mondo al suo Risveglio' siren first to reinforce the dreamlike ambient vocal, the one that makes the hairs of the prog stand on end. The heavy break makes the ears prick up, Emanuela adds another layer; the siren as on 'Silent Hill' indicates the prog passage with the latent pure RPI blood variation. Colorful organ then the guitar and the riff recalling the metallic origins of certain musicians, the enjoyable moment with the ethereal vocal.

'Città spenta' we adjust the instruments; dark text on the pandemic, death, vocal taking on Meccano or Renaissance. The voice becomes aggressive for a while before returning to a jazzy side with the cascading piano; the romantic ballad which insists on the vocal with the Floydian finale, a real musical waltz in 6/8 too predictable. 'Tramonti di Cenere' arrives with the riff that wakes up, excellent for trying to stigmatize the impotence of politicians to fight against our dying earth. The most accomplished piece of music due to the energy finally deployed with the boiling keyboard; the variation flows naturally between a moment of piano fullness and hard flights boosting advantageously. We find ourselves headbanging on this modern prog as I dream with its torrid keyboard, its captivating crescendo. 'Endurance' ends the album, the story of the explorer Shackleton hence the blizzard and the footsteps on the snow; a case of whisky was found in the boat but I digress, captivated by Emanuela. Ambient piano part followed by the folk part, neo-classical with syncopated jumps, in a tavern telling the story. The symphonic break, oozing tension to follow the evolution of the explorers, the ultimate moment of fusion, the air swelling suddenly with Sandro singing; last warning shot with this heavy solo more than Gilmourian of Simone, giving regrets in view of the intensity and the emotion released.

Melting Clock finally releases its 2nd opus, Emanuela working her voice like an instrument and making forget the typicality of the language, beautiful but targeted in a musical straitjacket. Originelley on progcensor(3.5).

1. Caledoscopio with the typical voice of Emanuela and immediately a fruity, energetic progressive rock, made of reminiscences of the great old ones, on GENESIS especially; come on, yessian acoustic guitar, Crimsonian bass, organ from times gone by, it spurts from everywhere; 'piano' we seem to hear, let's take the time to listen without getting carried away; a haunting guitar to throw perplexity 2. Banalmente throws itself on an RPI piece, I'll explain quickly: there's everything in it, classical, melodic, symphonic, rock with a superb guitar solo and a delightful prog metal of dreamlike keyboard on a neo vein, bringing another of crystalline piano, yes it's messy and it has .... head finally 3. Vetro with the surprising symphonic intro, quickly aired by a guitar arpeggio; choirs coming from Olympus or Syracuse, a pleasant anthem, the voice, yes you have to get over it otherwise it gets stuck; Emanuela sings well but it slows me down not to understand; and then the Italian voice the best for prog I do not endorse; a tribal pad, a zest of haunting notes, that is the typical trait of the group and the feeling of having a complex, shattered piece. The finale is intended to be Oldfieldian, al di meolesque, surprisingly musical 4. Strade Affollate delicate guitar arpeggio, the vocal that flirts with that of MECANO who also sang in Italian; in short a marshmallow piano-acoustic ballad, yes that is my style. The organ and the Irish bouzouki take pride of place to wander through musical encounters, amazing 5. L'Occhio dello Sciacallo for the vocal duo that smells of Italian songs from the 70s, theatrical and grandiloquent; an energetic nursery rhyme where the voice is the main instrument

6. Antares and its aquatic intro, the acoustic guitar, the violin, softness of the notes and an air that rises with the surprising medieval pad; latency and enthusiasm, the melody goes to two lands, can lose you, hang on to the organ of yesteryear. The metronomic piano follows it bringing the spleen guitar solo to proven progressive lands, all good especially Emanuela who launches into a thrilling finale that makes your head spin, excellent title, yes I'm starting to get the mood of this group unknown to my ears 7. Sono Luce piano arpeggio in a dried-up cascade; the synth starts for the bucolic ballad, hold on a bit of VOLLENWEIDER for the crystalline air, gripping with this heavy riff which stands out and finally gives consistency to the piece. Emanuela arrives, delivers limpid, solemn, overwhelming vocals; the guitar solo reminds me of MARILLION for its lyrical flight; the album focuses with the return of the waves 8. Quello che Rimane... maestro synth, dark, latent, with a folk-medieval pad which quickly takes you on a journey 9. Destinazioni stands out immediately by calibrating its RPI, a thunderous heavy riff at the base. After this cataclysmic surge the tone moderates with guitar arpeggio and bouzouki for a crescendic melodic path; it rises, it spurts, the flight goes to Anglican prog metal, even a riff from Antisocial, that's to say, I find myself there. The fruity keyboard takes me back to Italy, the distressing break halfway through still calls out to me, there's some good or very good like this nod to the 9th symphony, it's really bursting. Emanuela takes over in phrasing and launches Sandro for a neo synth solo; the air comes back, sets off again on an interesting evolutionary line, a bit repetitive, more contemplative, but I'm quibbling, this group managed to concentrate me for an hour without a break.

MELTING CLOCK RPI group with a strong symphonic character, striking eclectic. (Originally for Planète Prog).

A 21st Century Italian prog band from Genova, this folk-classical founded band sports something that is kind of a rarity in Rock Progressivo Italiano: a female lead singer.

1) "Caledoscopio" (8:21) acoustic guitar and bouzouki! What welcome sounds! Too bad they soon disappear among the electronic instruments. Nice palette--symphonic and yet not too Italian and not too NeoProg. Singer Emanuela Vedana has a very pleasant voice--reminding me a bit of Quidam's original singer, Emila Derkowska. In the middle of the fifth minute things soften up, we moved to picked acoustic instruments and piano while Emanuela switches to a little more of an operatic voice before falling back into her But then at 5:30 we stop and take a drastic right turn onto the autostrada bombastica with organ in front. Soon the horses are reigned in and Emanuela returns. Solid and professional, not just a replication or imitation of older songs, sounds, and forms making it rather refreshing. (17.875/20)

2) "Banalmente" (5:16) ballad-like piano opens this one before cymbals, picked acoustic guitars, and Emanuela join in. This time Emanuela's voice reminds me very much of many of the wonderful vocalists that countrymate Riccardo Prencipe uses on his Corde Oblique albums. At the end of the first minute the blues-rock complement of rock instruments join in, taking the song into a whole different mood and then, at the end of the second minute we hear keyboardist and composer Sandro Amadei for the first time as a lead vocalist--though only briefly--as the intensity and power of the music amps up. Emanuela re-enters, giving the music a strong Eliana Valenzuela / HOMÍNIDO feel. The lead guitars in the dynamic instrumental passage start out rather tame but then turn quite raunchy as the intensity ramps up. The song finishes as a piano-dominated GENESIS-like piece. (8.75/10)

3) "Vetro" (7:10) acoustic guitars of a blues-rock flavour open this with full band support, but then at the one-minute mark the band reveals its real motif--something more dramatic and cinematic--over which Emanuela opens with some background operatic alto vocalise. When things settle down and she begins singing with lyrics up front and center, the musical whole has quite a bit of LAGARTIJA feel to it. This soon changes as the music continues to develop, to smooth out into quite an absolutely gorgeous full soundscape with a killer-heart-wrenching chord progression. But, unfortunately, this doesn't last very long as at 3:27 everybody shifts to staccato pizzicato play for a weave that serves as Spanish-sounding bridge back to the Lagartija motif. I'm really like all of the motifs here though part of me is wishing several could be developed more, for longer periods. Luckily, all motifs cycle through at least one more time (including the killer-heart-wrenching one). We close out with the Spanish pizzicato motif but this time supported by a little more rock-electric instrumentation. Great song! (14.25/15)

4) "Strade affollate" (4:57) picked acoustic steel-string guitar opens this one for half a minute before Emanuela joins in, singing, again, in a very folksy voice, giving the song a true CORDE OBLIQUE sound and style. Her lovely voice, however, remains in the realms of us mere mortals, never forcing itself into operatic modalities, which is actually quite endearing. Full-band joins in for the second verse, doing nothing to disrupt the spell that Emanuela has put us under until fourth minute when the electronic walls of sound kind of engulf her. But we switch back to a calmer, more supportive sonic field for the instrumental finish as a nylon-string guitar plays a beautiful recapitulation of the main theme to the end. Very nice song--almost perfectly crafted. (9/10)

5) "L'Occhio dello sciacallo" (2:51) a singing duet between Emanuela and Sandro Amadei over/within some theatric, almost lounge music. Quite lovely and romantic--like watching a tango dance. (9.25/10)

6) "Antares" (7:39) water/boat sounds are joined by a couple acoustic guitars and analog synth strings. Then things shift with the full band playing a very muted Latin soundscape as Emanuela sings (mixed a little farther back than previous songs). Sandro joins Emanuela for the second verse, at times double her, backing her, and even taking the lead, creating a beautifully arranged vocal dance. Of the support instruments, only the bass seems to be trying for extra attention. After a brief synthesizer solo, the singers turn to a more operatic style for the next verse (starting at 3:20). It's quite lovely and not ever over-the-top. This ends at the end of the fourth minute and we enter an extended instrumental passage in which piano arpeggi, chunky bass, and solid drums support not one, but two electric guitar solo--both occurring concurrently for over 90 seconds. Then the band gets heavier but this is punctuated by brief interludes that are filled with Emanuela's Annie Haslam-like upper-register vocalise--but the heavy music eventually wins out and plays to the finish. (13.75/15)

7) "Sono luce" (6:40) solo piano tinkling around the mid-range of the piano is joined by electric bass and then jazz guitars and drums' cymbal play, but then the whole band kicks into full gear at 1:10 with some nice guitar strumming and active bass play while drums lay back (until 2:00) as synth takes the lead, doing some very nice soloing. I am always a bit surprised to find this rather long instrumental piece at the song's opening as I know the album's concept has a lot to deliver. But then, around 3:40 the music stops and rebuilds with some strummed Irish bouzouki opening the new section with piano and military drumming behind another stellar, passionate Eliana Valenzuela-like vocal performance from Emanuela. Lead electric guitar takes over for Emanuela in the sixth minute with a fiery-yet tastefully melodic solo before the song comes to a calm end with Emanuela cooing some wordless "ooo"s. Nice. (9/10)

8) "Quello che rimane..." (3:21) this one opens with some awesome Blade Runner-like synth saw sounds trampsing in a wide spectrum over a droning low synth foundation. A single broad organ chord joins in at 1:20, signifying a bridge to a new motif: one with tom-tom play and chunky bass supporting slow, gentle acoustic guitar picking. Emanuela's wordless "ooo"s join in for a bit from 2:10 to 2:33 before a very interesting synth "horn" takes on the lead to the song's end. Wonderful. Beautiful. (9.25/10)

9) "Destinazioni" (14:59) a heavy, very RPI-sounding prog opening turns introspective with everybody settling back to let piano support a melodic lead guitar solo in the second minute. Then, at 1:38, the soundscapes switches to picked guitar-base with synth woodwind coming in at the end of the second minute and then Emanuela entering in a SEVEN REIZH-like theatrical performance in the third minute. Her wonderfully nuanced vocal performance, however, never seems to want or need the center stage: it's as if she's just trying to mix in with the rest of the storytellers--perhaps even as the narrator. But then things get a little heavier with bass and drums driving the song more insistently forward and Emanuela's voice steps up to accommodate--becoming quite a force. When the band ramps up even more, Emanuela steps back and lets the instrumentalists do their thing: at first with a staccato drum-led motif, then with a guitar-led rock section that sports a Keith Emerson-like Hammond front and center. At 6:40 we again have a stop and spacey atmospheric synth bridge into a contemplative section in which Emauela talks in an almost-secretive voice over some sparse, calm but kinetically-charged music. At the end of the ninth minute the band begins to burst out of their restraints and eventually enter into a plodding excursion over which Emanuela croons her "ooo"s until guitar and piano arpeggi take over in a nice little weave until 10:17 when multiple steel-stringed guitars and Irish bouzouki take over with some cool interwoven strumming. Full band rejoins and Emanuela steps in to continue the story telling with some straightforward singing (kind of mixed into the background). As the drums join in, Emanuela switches to her acrobatic Annie Haslam-like vocalise and the rest of the band coalesces into an intricate, almost-Celtic dance with everyone playing the same ostinato speeds. The song then slams to a pretty electric guitar solo stop around 13:35 which then turns into more of Emanuela's vocalise repeating the same melody lines that the guitar just played, taking us almost to the end of the song ? and album. Wow! I am worn out! And yet I feel so good, grateful and privileged to have been a witness to this gorgeous music--to this beautifully rendered album and story. (28/30)

Total Time 61:14

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music and one of my favorite albums to come out of Italy in this, the 21st Century. Highly recommended to any and all self-professed prog lovers.

Melting Clock came to life in Genoa in 2001 to play progressive rock covers of bands such as Pink Floyd, Genesis, PFM, Porcupine Tree, Riverside, Opeth or Ayreon just to name a few. After many years spent honing their skills and some line up changes, in 2019 the band released an excellent debut album, entitled "Destinazioni", on the independent label Black Widow Records with a line up featuring Emanuela Vedana (vocals), Simone Caff' (guitars), Stefano Amadei (guitars, bouzuki), Sandro Amadei (keyboards, vocals), Alessandro Bosca (bass) and Francesco Fiorito (drums) plus the guests Stefano Cabrera (cello) and Fabrizio Salvini (percussion, flute). According to the band, it's a concept album sui generis with pieces revolving about the theme of travel in all its meanings and the art cover by Matteo Anselmo gives a clue of its musical and lyrical content...

The ethereal opener 'Caleidoscopio' (Kaleidoscope) is a long, complex track that takes you by the hand for a walk on an inner path leading through visions and dreams, where doubt is the rule and consistency is short lived. The theatrical voice of Emanuela Vedana is charming as she evokes a chant of free dizziness, unequal flows and rhythms soaring from the heart or inner demons dancing in circles while the soul emerges from a dark abyss of emotions and feelings...

'Banalmente' (Banally) starts softly by a piano solo intro. It's a beautiful, bittersweet ballad drenched in sarcasm and indignation that criticizes conformism and passive acceptance of injustice, the lack of solidarity and the renounce to fight for a better future. The lyrics depict images of men of power trying to defend their castles of sand by building useless fences and bloodstained beaches where the dead bask in the sun. Right on those beaches the rich dig trenches to defend their high season party...

The disquieting 'Vetro' (Glass) is a dark piece with operatic vocals and a mysterious, Oriental flavour. The music and lyrics conjure up a cage of glass where the protagonist is trapped in anguish and pain. It's a kind of nightmare that melts only when the night falls down hiding the spectral landscape of hundreds of glass cages, each one containing a captive soul. Hugged by darkness the protagonist can fall asleep and fly away...

'Strade affollate' (Crowded streets) is an acoustic ballad where the sense of redemption prevails. It depicts people without dreams that keep on walking like shadows through silent streets, then the lyrics exhort those persons to break free from the chains of Time and start singing again, expressing their feelings, trying to find a new sense of human dignity...

'L'occhio dello sciacallo' (The jackal's eye) is a surreal short track that alternates nervous passages and lighter ones. The music and lyrics compare a business company meeting to an obscure ritual where the team manager plays the role of the priest and the employees have to pray since only the most devoted will be saved. But a voice speaks up, refusing to be accomplice, slave and executioner, she asks for help because she knows that she can't save the world alone... In vain!

The slow, mysterious 'Antares' tells of a journey towards the horizon, following a call coming from a place full of music and poetry. A shining star, Antares, shows the way in the darkness. Unknown, faces, voices, streets, strange melodies, a dream of freedom that takes you away...

'Sono luce' (I am light) is another beautiful, introspective piece where music and words describe a mystical experience. Space and time melt and the protagonist takes off, flying over pain and sadness, becoming light and air in a perfect symbiosis with her inner self and the nature that surrounds her...

The short, evocative instrumental 'Quello che rimane' (What is left) leads to the final track, 'Destinazioni' (Destinations), a long suite divided into three parts, 'Il cerchio del tempo' (The Circle Of Time), 'Crepe' (Cracks) and 'Partenze' (Departures), inspired by the cyclical nature of Time. There are many changes in rhythm and atmosphere, aggressive electric guitar riffs alternate with softer, dreamy passages and soaring operatic or narrative vocals... The music and words evoke fragmented images and illusions of a journey that eludes boundaries and time, of an endless flight where songs change and dress in new notes... Until the circle closes and everything starts again.

On the whole, a wonderful work that grows spin after spin.

Melting Clock guitarist Stefano Amadei explained the band's moniker, commencing the tale in the Department of Physics at university in Genoa in 2001: the original objectives of a small group of friends was to have fun making music, describing the attempts of the fledgling group to play covers from the bands they loved as being 'so bad that we were off beat on the various section of the songs'. This prompted bassist Alessandro Bosca to apply the Italian slang 'ci sciogliamo il tempo' ('we are melting our time'), meaning 'we are forgetting/loosing the rhythm/beat' and sparking the connection with the melting clocks in Salvador Dali's 1931 masterpiece The Persistence of Memory that some have suggested was inspired by Einstein's theory of General Relativity. According to Stefano they adopted the band name Melting Clock as a private joke: a comment on their musical skills and a pretentious link to their academic background.

Four of the original line-up remain: brothers Sandro and Stefano Amadei (keyboards and voice, and guitars respectively); Alessandro Bosca (bass); and Francesco Fiorito (drums), while the current sextet is completed by Simone Caffè (guitars) and Emanuela Vedana (vocals.). It surprised me that their coherent, largely symphonic style should result from a wide range of influences because Francesco and Stefano are metal-heads, Simone is a David Gilmour fan, and Sandro listens to Scandinavian jazz, though he has played with Daedalus, a Genoese prog-metal band alongside Fabio Gremo of Il Tempio delle Clessidre, and was a huge fan of Jordan Rudess, lending Rudess his Kurzweil K2600 when the Dream Theater keyboard player was on holiday in Italy and agreed to perform for the Italian Dreamers. The influence of contemporary acts like Porcupine Tree, Riverside, Opeth and Ayreon that the band say have shaped the direction of their sound is tempered by a critical understanding of the cultural significance of the music that came out of Italy in the 70s along with an appreciation of classic UK progressive rock; accompanying them to a gig reveals the depth of their knowledge of Italian prog, and each time they play live, they've included a classic prog cover in the set.

An indication that their music has the potential for broad appeal was the decision of Black Widow Records to allow the band to produce a limited 2LP edition of their debut album DESTINAZIONI. Black Widow co-owner Massimo Gasperini may have thought long and hard about the vinyl release when the band had enough material for three sides of an LP but a cover medley of King Crimson tracks 21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN, IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING and STARLESS, first aired to great response during a gig at Genoa's L'Angelo Azzurro club in March 2019, would provide the material for side four, renamed ALLA CORTE DEL RE CRIMISI for the album, artfully segued together and enhanced by violin from Hanako Tsushima.

There's a huge debate about the merits of singing in your own language or writing lyrics in English to broaden your appeal and though some might think it a brave choice for a band producing their first album, the band were adamant that the right choice for them was to sing in Italian. As a compromise they include English translations of the Italian lyrics on both CD and vinyl editions of DESTINAZIONI, provided by Emanuela and Stefano as an interpretation for non-Italian speakers. The singing is expressive, poetic and at times almost operatic; the translations reveal an impressionistic flair that reminds me of Peter Sinfield's best work ? much of it for PFM. There can't be many better voices than Emanuela's in any form of rock.

The album artwork was painted by their friend Matteo Anselmo, depicting a young woman at a bus stop waiting for a boat. This is a conceptual link to Genoa, especially the tracks ANTARES and title track DESTINAZIONI to Genoa. The compositions are thematically linked by the representation of different aspects of a journey. Though the music is largely credited to Simone and Sandro, with a good proportion of the lyrics provided by Emanuela, the process of structuring each piece is dependent on rhythmic arrangement by Francesco and Alessandro and colour and mood supplied by Stefano. Having originally begun recording the album in November 2018, the time spent in Studio MAIA under the direction of Andrea Torretta was used wisely, settling on the most satisfying arrangements that capture the drama of each individual story. Stefano explains that he wasn't interested in music that he found unchallenging, describing their style as being characterised by evocative and engaging sounds which belie the compositional complexity, drawing in the listener.

Album opener CALEIDOSCOPIO was an excellent choice as a first single because it's archetypal, condensing Melting Clock into a shade less than eight and a half minutes. It's incredibly well-structured, built up from short phrases emphasised with distorted guitar yet despite its intricacy, the multiple instrumental layers are all clear and distinct and floating above is Emanuela's gorgeous vocal melody. There are tempo and metrical changes and a fast organ solo but generally the lyrics express reflection, representing an inner journey. BANALMENTE is a political song, played in a recognisable Melting Clock idiom attacking those who don't question, preferring not to know or hold any responsibility for any atrocity carried out on the orders of others, along the lines of John Stuart Mill's 'Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.' The references to 'sand covered in blood where corpses are lying in the sun' followed by 'digging our trench to defend the high season party' bring to mind the fate of refugees who have risked their lives crossing the Mediterranean and landed on Italian territory, a journey of desperation and hope that sadly too often ends in tragedy. There's poignancy in Sandro's particularly effective baritone during this piece.

Like a number of rock progressivo bands celebrating their Mediterranean roots before them, Melting Clock employ Middle Eastern scales and rhythm patterns on a couple of sections of VETRO which enhance the feeling of imprisonment and suffocation spelled out by the lyrics inspired by Yevgeny Zamyatin's dystopian classic We. A song of different moods, the brief cinematic opening is followed by bright acoustic guitar which gives way to the eastern Mediterranean flavour and the start of the vocals. During the singing, which has a story-telling quality Emanuela holds the melody while the instrumental backing is largely rhythmical (guest percussion is provided by Fabrizio Salvini) though there's quite a lot going on with guitar and keyboards adding splashes of colour in the background. Following the last verse there's a bright synthesizer line before a reprise of the acoustic guitar and eastern theme which precedes a piano flourish ending. I was present when this was first aired at a gig ? it was one of the last compositions written for the album - where Sandro said he had been concerned about both the technical requirements of performing the piece (the verse is in 19/16 time) and its reception. I can report that not only did the music flow well but that it was really appreciated by the audience.

STRADE AFFOLLATE was brought to the band by Simone. The acoustic guitar takes something of a lead but it's obviously gone through the Melting Clock arranging machine. The understated piano that enters during the second verse and the Hammond-like organ arising during the middle eight enhance the melody as the layers build up, with restrained distorted guitar appearing in the third verse. This is a song of hope after the confinement of VETRO and partly because of its message and partly from the way it's structured, it's probably the most accessible track on the album, capable of bridging into more mainstream genres. L'OCCHIO DELLO SCIACALLO is another political song written by Sandro. Lasting less than three minutes and translating as The Jackal's Eye it's a short exhortation decrying corporate culture. The abrasive guitar introduction actually gives away to a pleasant melody where Emanuela and Sandro sing call-and response vocals. The drudgery is represented by drumming on the lower kit (though Francesco does use a limited amount of cymbal) and there's an excellently executed cello solo provided by Stefano Cabrera. The band is particularly proud of ANTARES, the first song they wrote for Melting Clock. It also happens to be a personal favourite of mine because it's structured like a classic early Camel song, with amazing melodies and contrapuntal keyboard and guitar lines. This is another track that links to Genoa and the sea, so it's not surprising that it begins with sea sound effects. Another composition that relies on building upon short phrases (c.f. LUNAR SEA by Camel), it's enhanced by Mellotron-like washes and contrapuntal synthesizer lines and some excellent twin lead guitar work, plus flute played by Fabrizio Salvini and cello played by Stefano Cabrera. Sandro shares some of the vocal duties but its Emanuela's wordless vocals leading up to the dramatic denouement that steal the show, generating the physical signs of frisson, the pilomotor reflex and goosebumps.

SONO LUCE has a lengthy instrumental introduction, arranged differently from the first time I heard it though the bass work still catches my attention. Even though there's a Gilmour inspired guitar solo (it was written by Simone) the overall sound is less classic prog and more neo-prog with a delicacy to the piano and brightness to the guitars, giving a feeling of hope. The title (Made of Light) and lyrics are suggestive of a journey towards enlightenment but they still reference the sea and the shore.

The title track is something of a departure from the other melodic-symphonic tracks and it's cleverly presaged by the short late-Floydian or early Marillion-sounding instrumental QUELLO CHE RIMANE. It's here that we get a better feel for individual influences in what is a notch or two up on the challenging stakes, both for the performers and the listener on the longest track on the album. DESTINAZIONI is substantially heavier than anything else the band has done and begins with a nod to King Crimson and Dream Theater prog-metal while managing to stay adventurous throughout. Less reliant on stand-out melodies, it involves a lot of changes of style without breaks or segues, from fast and heavy to stately, from reflective to angular and aggressive, providing a metaphor for the cyclical nature of time. It conforms more to a classic prog template with accurate patches of analogue keyboards sitting well with the updated sound, exemplified by another fast organ run from Sandro but perhaps best illustrated with a few bars of guitar and keyboards that sound like Gabriel-era Genesis which appear toward the conclusion of the song, the most obvious incorporation of a classic prog influence.

The medley ALLA CORTE DEL RE CRIMISI utilises pretty faithful recreations of the original King Crimson material, down to the Wetton bass trills on STARLESS and with the role of David Cross covered brilliantly by Hanako on 21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN. Massimo Gasperini has overseen some of the brightest names in contemporary Italian prog and hints at great things for Melting Clock, saying that he enjoys seeing the band's excitement about their own music. I also think they have a bright future, provided what is really a quite stunning debut gets attention beyond Genoa and Croydon.

I can't imagine too many debuts are worth five stars ? but DESTINAZIONI is

MELTING CLOCK is an Italian prog band originating from the early 2000's. Their debut album Destinazioni was finally released last winter by the Black Widow label. The CD version is 61 minutes long; the 2LP edition contains a 16-minute medley of the material of King Crimson's debut In the Court of the Crimson King as a bonus (I haven't heard it). The band page is packed with information, so I'll concentrate on the music. The album has some conceptualism, dealing of a journey or something. Both Italian and English words are printed, but all singing is in Italian.

A good female vocalist definitely isn't too common in RPI. Emanuela Vedana has a nice, clean voice and her expression is elegant, free of over-dramatization but not without emotion. She would suit in a lyrically oriented vocal music as well. The band sound is also pretty sophisticated and mellow, featuring elements from classical music and folk. Keyboardist and additional vocalist Sandro Amadei and guitarist Simone Caffè are the main composers, and neither of them is pushing their playing in the centre of attention in a virtuotic manner. All the musicians in the group are technically good, they just aren't head over heels to show it off. Does this polite democracy and the lack of more notable soloing result as a mild degree of progressive rock flavour? Well, perhaps a little on some songs, but if you want to listen to intense, ELP-influenced RPI, there are myriads of bands in that style. Melting Clock is a fresh exception, closer to being a cross between Renaissance and the most artistic Dire Straits than edgier prog such as King Crimson that they have covered. Moreover, I think the majority of recent Italian prog bands with a female vocalist have more or less been oriented to hard rock, which is very minimal here. Yes, the electric guitar occasionally speeds up, but the acoustic guitar is often more essential in the sound.

The melodic style is a relatively accessible combination of vocal oriented, calm pop rock and 70's inspired symphonic rock. Even the least proggy songs are enjoyable, and none of them actually is following the verse/chorus structure. Album highlights include 'Antares', which is one of the tracks to feature beautiful vocalise singing, and the three-part title piece which is clearly the proggiest track. This is a band worth keeping an eye on!