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JUGLANS REGIA

Heavy Prog • Italy


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Juglans Regia biography
JUGLANS REGIA is an Italian band from Sesto Fiorentino (Tuscany). They started in 1992 as a metal band (with the name of RAISING FEAR), influenced by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, but their style changed along the years and, according to Max DIONIGI, founder member and bassist of the band, nowadays their favourite album is BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO's eponymous one, a classic of the Italian progressive scene of the seventies.

Their debut album, 'Prisma', was released in 2002. It is a self-production featuring keyboardist Lapo MARTINI who left the band in 2003. The present members are Alessandro PARIGI (vocals), Antonello COLLINI (guitar), David CARRETTI (drums) and Massimiliano DIONIGI (bass). In 2005 they released 'Controluce', another self-release with good ideas but an overall poor sound quality where some pieces seem to suffer the lack of keyboards. In 2008 they released 'Visionie parallele', their best work so far, featuring an improved studio mix and some guest musicians that helped to enrich their sound.





Why this artist must be listed in www.progarchives.com :
This band is both heavy and prog, and deserves its small corner in PA.



Discography:
Prisma, studio album (2002)
Controluce, studio album (2005)
Visione Parallele, studio album (2008)

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JUGLANS REGIA discography


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JUGLANS REGIA top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.33 | 3 ratings
Prisma
2002
3.33 | 3 ratings
Controluce
2005
2.96 | 5 ratings
Visioni parallele
2008
3.91 | 3 ratings
Neranotte
2023

JUGLANS REGIA Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

JUGLANS REGIA Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

JUGLANS REGIA Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

JUGLANS REGIA Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

4.05 | 2 ratings
Memorie dal presente
2019

JUGLANS REGIA Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Neranotte by JUGLANS REGIA album cover Studio Album, 2023
3.91 | 3 ratings

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Neranotte
Juglans Regia Heavy Prog

Review by tszirmay
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Tuscan band Juglans Regia (Latin term for English Walnut) have been around for 21 years, starting out as a metal band that has, over the years, infused some intense RPI influences (Biglietto Per L'inferno in particular) and now progressing into a more self-assured creation with this new 2023 release. Led by a very muscular rhythm section, composed of leader/bassist Massimiliano Dionigi on bass and drummer David Caretti, who along with singer Alessandro Parigi have been around since their debut Prisma in 2002, have added two new recruits in axeman SamUele Scandario, as well as keysman Riccardo Iacono. My musical preferences are firmly entrenched with crossover, symphonic, neo, jazz-rock and electronic, I do like to venture out of the musical box on occasion, exploring harder edges but only if I detect my standard PAM (passion, atmosphere, and melody) needs. I was perhaps slightly worried that this band and album may be little too metal for my tastes (not the case at all), but truth is it is quite progressive as well as providing all kinds of little details that make them, I daresay, quite adventurous. I made sure by doing a common tweak when reacting to harder material: I raise the listening volume to a much higher level than normal! There 3 mini intermezzos spread around the menu, giving a set up feel to the tracks.

On a stellar track like the slippery "Fragili Equilibri", the overall impression is hyper positive, featuring sturdy, operatic and vibrant vocals, some gritty but adroit guitar shavings (the scorching solo is an impressive display), snippets of deft, and at times orchestral keyboards and the rhythmic locomotive chugging along, the bass curling wildly as an ostensible arbitrator of equipoise. This is an excellent overview of the setlist. The rockier and more cemented "Chimera" is a blazing blow out, with deviating voice transitions, at times like early 80s Stranglers in terms of stylistics, a brief guitar solo and 'ciao bello'! I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. I couldn't help noticing a slight Blue Oyster Cult feel to "Oltre Lo Schermo", in everything from the overall melody, the dramatic vocals, the rhythm guitar interfacing with the subtle keyboards and a fretboard solo that Buck Dharma could have pulled out in his sleep, fast and poisonous. I really relished this one as well. Another mid- tempo piece, "Confine" puts the spotlight on Alessandro's assured vocal delivery, articulating each word to perfection, as well as highlighting the filthy guitar flicks that Samuele sprinkles liberally in his rhythmic work, a joy to behold, because his soloing is already lethal, in tone (very cool), intensity and delivery! A sense of nautical keyboard dynamics rules on the rollicking "Dentro Il Mare", a gloomy onslaught that focuses on a straightforward arrangement with little frills, a good rock song. The orchestral keyboard backdrop adds the needed dramatics, in order to elevate the assured vocals as the ravaging guitar rasps like a carpenter carving alabaster. The mid-section slows down for the solo that ensues. The longest piece is Neranotte" (the black night) title track, a gradual build-up into a barracuda guitar rant, the devilish bass guiding the light in the abyss, some ornate keyboard reflections as well as effects to bolster the pervading atmosphere. The compressed and distant guitar solo is a gently uncoiling marvel, as the voice dips and rises wonderfully within the instrumental passageways being offered. This is a definite winner. The short "Se" acts as a sonic farewell, sweet as well as sombre as the waves splash over the pier.

Clocking in at 37 minutes, this release bodes very well for the future, when the band really decides to stretch out their instrumental prowess and create some palpitating opus to astound us all. Infusing more keyboards into the arrangements might be a good idea for that eventuality.

4 dim evenings

 Memorie dal presente by JUGLANS REGIA album cover Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, 2019
4.05 | 2 ratings

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Memorie dal presente
Juglans Regia Heavy Prog

Review by andrea
Prog Reviewer

4 stars After a long hiatus, Juglans Regia are back with new energies and ideas. In 2019, more than ten years after their previous album, Visioni parallele (2008), the band from Sesto Fiorentino released an interesting EP entitled Memorie dal presente (Memories from the present) with the original line up featuring Alessandro Parigi (vocals), Antonello Collini (guitar), David Carretti (drums), Lapo Martini (keyboards) and Massimiliano Dionigi (bass). After all this time their friendship is still intact and the flame of their passion burning to give form to their personal mix of hard rock, metal and prog. The evocative artwork by Sara Parigi can give you the idea of a motivated band ready to seize the moment...

The powerful opener, 'L'imperdonabile' (The unforgivable), is a kind of manifesto of the band's come back where the music and lyrics invite you to stand up facing the difficulties of life, fighting for your dreams to come true. If you fall get up, it would be a pity to give up without try hard again, unforgivable! Electric guitar riffs and keyboard waves wash out illusions and deceptions backed by a solid rhythm section...

The following 'Maschere' (Masks) alternates raging parts to lighter passages depicting a sensation of solitude and alienation: even in the middle of a crowd e person could feel absent and distant from reality, other people pass by hiding themselves behind appearances, time runs out... But the music you love can still stir your emotions and set you free from the chains of an ordinary life. All you have to do is open the doors and follow the harmonic tracks in the air you breathe...

Next comes 'Primo istinto' (First instinct), my favourite track on this album. It begins softly by a delicate piano passage and a soaring electric guitar solo, the mood is dreamy but as the vocals come in the dream turns into a nightmare, the rhythm rises, the atmosphere becomes dark and disquieting... The cryptic lyrics evoke something threatening coming up to the surface from under your skin, the fear of the dark and of the unknown, you catch a strange look in the people staring at you, then there's an explosion as your soul separates from the body...

'Le virgole del tempo' (The commas of time) closes the album with bursts of energy and some reflective moments. The music and lyrics evoke nocturnal landscapes where rain, fog and darkness fall down covering unavoidable secrets and vain ambitions, pushing you to reflection. Eventually the border between dreams and reality melts under the thundering sky of this restless, mysterious night...

On the whole, a very good work. Welcome back Juglans Regia, don't give up!

 Visioni parallele by JUGLANS REGIA album cover Studio Album, 2008
2.96 | 5 ratings

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Visioni parallele
Juglans Regia Heavy Prog

Review by andrea
Prog Reviewer

3 stars Juglans Regia is an Italian band from Sesto Fiorentino (Tuscany). They started their activity in 1992 as a metal band (with the name of Raising Fear), influenced by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, but their style changed along the years and, according to Max Dionigi, founder member and bassist of the band, nowadays their favourite album is Biglietto Per L'Inferno's eponymous one, a classic of the Italian progressive scene of the early seventies. Juglans Regia's debut album, "Prisma", was self-produced and released in 2002 and it featured in the line up keyboardist Lapo Martini, who left the band in 2003. The present members are Alessandro Parigi (vocals), Antonello Collini (guitar), David Carretti (drums) and Massimiliano Dionigi (bass). In 2005 they released "Controluce", another self-production with good ideas but with an overall poor sound quality where some pieces definitely seem to suffer the lack of keyboards. In 2008 they released "Visioni parallele", their best work so far, featuring an improved sound quality and some guest musicians on keyboards and back vocals that helped to enrich their sound. The overall result is good...

The first track is conceived as a short "soft" introduction before the sudden burst of energy of "L'ultimo respiro" (The last breath)... "Time flows away relentless / And I'm standing still, observing the pointers / That are running an endless game..."... This piece was one of the best tracks on Juglans Regia's previous album "Controluce" and here it comes to a new life "while silence is there / it is there waiting for...". The other highlights of this work are "Il volo" (The flight), featuring an interesting bass groove and the title track "Visioni parallele" (Parallel visions), with introspective lyrics and keyboards interacting with heavy guitars... Not bad also "I colori dell'aria" and "Cosė vicino...", although not at the same level, while "La sera" and "Lacrima nera" are more straightforward and not completely convincing (every now and again they could suggest of a raw version of the Italian rock band Litfiba).

On the whole "Visioni parallele" is an album very far from essential in a progressive collection, but it's full of energy and has some very good moments... Anyway, you can find some samples on their official website and on their myspace, so have a try and judge by yourself!

Thanks to Atavachron for the artist addition.

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