LOGOS

Logos' history starts back in 1996 in Verona,when keyboardist Luca Zerman, bassist/flutist Fabio Gaspari and drummer Alessandro Perbellini formed the band,later to be joined by Massimo Maoli and Andrea Dossi on guitars.Initially they started as a Le Orme cover band,later to focus on composing their own material after the addition of the two guitarists,while they played numerous live shows in the meantime.1998 sees the departure of Dossi and the group moved on as a quartet, self-releasing their self-titled debut the same year.

The album is highlighted by the soft Symphonic Rock/New Age 17-min. suite ''17-min.'',obviously influenced by the likes of LE ORME (grand piano parts), PFM (acoustic textures but also somewhat plastic-sounding flutes) and FOCUS (in a few almost jazzy guitar parts) with some nice electric solos as well.The two short ''Arc en ciel'' pieces are absolutely fantastic with grandiose symphonic synths and sensitive vocals leading the way.The 10-min. ''Sentiero nel prato, porta dell' universo'' is heavily influenced by LE ORME and heavier bands like BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO with a modern touch,where calm lyrical acoustic parts are alternating with heavy organ-driven passages to produce some good progressive music along the way.''Un giorno'' is sort of modern Symphonic/Psych/Neo Prog in the vein of ATON'S and SITHONIA with guitars on evidence and romantic vocals.Finally ''In una nuova terra?'' follows the same vein: Soft sung parts with a Classical touch switch into complicated instrumental music with complex bass, furious piano lines and obscure synths.

Logos' debut will not win the prize of the most talented band or the most ground-breaking album of the year,but their music is demanding and captivating despite the flat production with strong roots on 70's Classic Italian Prog.If you are a fan of the style,this album is more than recommended.

The second album from Logos and another free download from their website.

The band skilled up and took a lot more technical approach on this album than on their debut album. The result is a sometimes jazzy and complex album. This album is also a bit of a heavyweight compared to the debut album. The vocals are still superb though and carries the album to a large extent. The sound is typical Rock Progressivo Italiano. So is the songs too. There are some quiet pastoral sounding melodies here too. In short; this album has it all.

.........Almost.....

What is missing is some truly great songs. There are some great melody lines here. But they are a bit scarse on the ground, I am afraid. This is still a good Rock Progressivo Italiano album and well worth the free download and megabytes.

3 stars

A very good debut from this Rock Progressivo Italiano band. It is even a free download from their website too. It cannot get any better than this.

For those who wonder what Rock Progressivo Italiano is all about, I would recommend you to download this album and find out yourself. The music here is melodic, still symphonic and very lush. The music is not particular hard. Neither is it too soft. The music is both Hammond organ and guitar based. But most of all; the soft Italian vocals dominates the songs. This album is a good throwback to the 1970s, but with a far better sound. A sound which I cannot fault at all.

Although the sound is excellent and this album has everything a Rock Progressivo Italiano fan would like, the lack of some truly great songs is a problem for me. But this being a free download and on par with most of what I am remortaging my house to be able to buy, I cannot complain that much. Hence; this is in my view a great album and one I will continue to play well into my rocking chair retirement age. Then again; the lack of some truly great songs..... It is a borderline three or four stars album. I give it four stars though.

4 stars

It's always nice when a package of new CDs drops through the letterbox, but nowadays there's no shortage of free downloads out there if money's a bit tight in any given month. One such freebie is ''Asrava'', the second self-produced album by modern Italian band Logos that's available via their website. ''Asrava'' comprises a diverse mix of styles (prog, jazz, electronic, etc) that makes for a rich and interesting tableau, in my opinion a bit like Finisterre's ''In Limine''.

The album begins in reflective mood with ''Prologo'' but its hypnotic pattern of moody electronics is soon swept away by the loud and rhythmic ''Ezra Pound'', a hard-edged instrumental that's driven along by irregular funk-fuelled beats. On the following track ''99'' the lyrical content apparently deals with the anxiety associated with the risk of a potential nuclear accident. It reminds me melodically of Hackett-era Genesis although rhythmically it has a more modern feel in places, having something of Anglagard about it. This song's complex structure and slightly tentative vocals successfully create a sense of turmoil, accentuated by some doomy choral effects and the eerie organ that smoulders away in the background. It's an ambitious idea for sure but the guys in Logos manage to pull it off with some aplomb.

The short acoustic ballad ''La Leggerezza Della Liberta'', which sits at the album's midpoint, is the most straightforward song although it's none the worse for its simplicity. The instrumental title track follows and it takes on two main shapes, the first led by forceful bass and drums while the second culminates in jazzy flute and trumpet solos set against backdrops of spacey guitars and synthesizers. There's even more diversity in store with the tapestry of sounds that make up ''Terra Incognita''. It opens up with effects of gushing water, while a robotic spider's web of vibrating electronics continues to weave its way across the entire track. This track also benefits from some excellent guitar play, undercut with ghostly choirs and psychedelic organ. The dreamy ''Epilogo'' is a pleasant little postscript of nylon guitar and synthesized strings to close the album.

Logos is one of the most exciting new bands I've discovered here during the past twelve months or so. However given that I'm listening to this album so much it's a major source of frustration not to be able to buy a hard copy of it; the fact that you can download it for free is really of secondary importance to a dinosaur like me. I'm hoping that any future releases by this band will be available in CD format. Perhaps Black Widow, or someone, could sign them. Of course Logos may have other ambitions, but I definitely think their music deserves the attention of the record labels. ''Asrava'' is a mere whisker away from being a 5-star album, so if RPI is currently the one true love in your musical life you really should check this one out.

Wonderful atmospheric symphonic

Logos is a very accomplished symphonic prog band from Verona Italy, active since the mid 1990s. They have released two good albums to date and are currently working on their 3rd as we speak in 2009. They are quite impressive across the board from composition to performance. The first album seemed most influenced by the masters of classic RPI like Orme and Banco, while the second album seemed to get a bit heavier and more eclectic. I'm quite excited to see where they go with their 3rd album which is the first to be written in this mini resurgence of provocative RPI we are seeing around us---I believe this band has much potential to deliver something wonderful. But back to this album, their debut. Recorded in Verona in the spring of 1998 on 8-track analog equipment, the self-titled Logos featured 6 tracks including one 17 minute epic. The music is really pretty wonderful stuff, combining the qualities of good RPI and symphonic with a bit of neo tendency I believe, in the attitudes of the synths. There are also plenty of straight piano runs, acoustic guitar melodies, buoyant vocals, and impressive rhythms. Lots of generally upbeat atmospheres pervade the background of Logos and all of the musicians quite carefully choose their parts, there doesn't seem to be much left to chance here. Keyboardist Luca Zerman actually did the artwork for both albums. I just love it when the band does their own artwork. It's another little glimpse into the musician's personal lives and so much more meaningful to me than some fancy corporate designed crap that comes with the latest big release. I actually prefer this more laid back debut to the more adrenalized follow-up but am just shy of 4 stars. Logos is a very good RPI band and you can download both albums for free from the band's official site.

I was very much pleasantly surprised with this album, mostly because I got it for free, but don't let the price fool you, this is good stuff. I don't speak a lick of Italian but there are very nice vocals throughout the album and when it comes to instrumentals these guys are very good at it. Overall though, the reason I like this album is not because of the quality of the release, it's because of the atmosphere it gives off. It is at times spacey, (Like Pink Floyd not Kevin Spacey) but sounds very much like Yes or PFM. The 17-minute Il Grande Fiume is an excellent example of this feel and the thing that sticks out to me on this track is definately the piano playing. Un Giorno gives off that atmosphere too and well... I guess all the tracks do but it sticks out more on those two. You'll know what I mean when you give the album a listen, and go ahead because it is free on their website, along with their sophomore release.

A refreshing modern prog outfit

Logos is a band from Verona Italy who began in the mid 1990s and despite line-up changes over the years, remain together to this day (2009). They sport a variety of both English (Crimson, Genesis) and Italian (Orme, Banco) prog influences, have a good history of live shows, and have performed both covers and originals. At this time they have two studio albums under their belt and are working on a third which is due in September 2009. This second album is my first experience with Logos and I remain impressed with their chops and the variety of styles played with assurance and ease. There seems to be a bit of something for everyone with "Asrava" and it is an easy recommendation for most fans of prog-rock.

"Asrava" took me many plays to warm to, initially it struck me as a bit too "all over the map." I felt like I did about quite a few of the 90s Italian bands that had a certain synth sound and compositional style that did not move me like the classic RPI sound, nor like the warmer organic sound of current day heavy hitters like Il Bacio della Medusa. After spending the time necessary to absorb Logos the beauty of these compositions began to come forth. There are so many different places they venture here that trying to describe the sound is very difficult. What came to mind were the epics of Phideaux through the Italian lens of the band Minstrel perhaps, with a bit of DFA's fusioney muscle, maybe Gourishankar in the frantic moments, and still a dozen other bands. All of these various and different feelings are held together by occasional touches of characteristic RPI, but are not ruled by them by any means. The album flows like an adventurous musical story with a stately, dramatic opening of synths and gongs-enough to conjure the feel of the "2001 Space Odyssey" theme. The energetic rock and heavy riffs of "Ezra Pound" give way to the album's anchor, the 10 minute epic that is "'99." Here Logos really push and pull every lever and button, taking us on a wild ride. An apocalyptic moment in the middle leads to a quiet break from which the guitar comes back with a repeating motif. This is followed by a lovely classic organ interlude and "painted sky" guitar strokes, very nice. After a short, lovely acoustic interlude the final three tracks feature spirited instrumental feasting and some dynamic creative crescendos. "Asrava" is almost "jam-band" in feel, more Phish than Orme, finally breaking into a delicious trumpet part near the end. The entire band deserves praise for these performances-at times the production could be better as could the transitions, but these are fairly minor quibbles for me. (Also as much as I love the snare drum it is mixed a bit too high, too frequently.) A special tip of the hat to the bass player who is just gonzo at times, playful and bold, but without tipping the boat. "Terra Incognita" is the final track before the closing "Epilogo." This track seems less coherent than the others, drifting between a mid-paced synth rock and quiet contemplative moments where they should have remained, though it features a nice guitar solo. The closing is very beautiful and creates a nice "bookends" feel along with the formal opening.

In my eyes "Asrava" is a very good album but not the best album Logos will make. All of the potential is there. I believe their growth will continue and have big hopes for their new album coming later this year. But I can recommend "Asrava" without hesitation to prog-rock fans who enjoy a varied and muscular sound. It will not disappoint. 3 ½ stars

After the interesting but immature eponymous debut album, between August 2000 and February 2001 Logos recorded their second effort "Ásrava". It's another self production but the sound quality is definitively improved if compared with the previous work. The line up featured Fabio Gaspari (bass, acoustic guitar, nylon string guitar, vocals), Massimo Maoli (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, nylon string guitar, pedal steel guitar), Alessandro Perbellini (drums, vocals) and Luca Zerman (keyboards, vocals). You can find on this album influences of artists like Le Orme. PFM and Franco Battiato, but the band managed to add a touch of originality mixing new ingredients with the classic "Italianprog" style.

The album opens with "Prologo", a symphonic instrumental introduction featuring a multiple overdub of keyboards. Next comes another instrumental, "Ezra Pound", full of energy and well balanced changes of rhythm and atmosphere, from symphonic to funky...

The long and complex "'99" is about the fear for a nuclear disaster... A nightmare where the protagonist dreams to fall asleep in the footprint of a dinosaur and to wake up alone in that peculiar and gigantic cradle. The music is good enough but vocals every now and again seem to be a little insecure...

"La leggerezza della libertà" (The lightness of freedom) is a beautiful short acoustic ballad featuring acoustic guitar and keyboards, "not too delicate, not too simple"... Next comes the title track, a long instrumental featuring a trumpet solo where rock, funky and jazz are blended in an original way.

The mysterious "Terra incognita" (Unknown land) is about the discovery and conquest of a new world in the name of a king that will come to upset the quietness of a beautiful savage nature. Clear melodic vocals alternates with distorted ones while music gives a sense of impending tragedy... "When on the first of these new days / The sunset will come out from its hiding place / It will cover with darkness a new world / The World of the new Kingdom".

Last track "Epilogo" (Epilogue), reminds of some works of Franco Battiato of the Eighties and features just keyboards and an acoustic guitar solo... "Wind and snow play together / Ten children run after each other in the empty square...".

On the whole an interesting work. The album can be legally downloaded for free from the official website of the band (maolimassimo.free.fr/Logos/Engmp3.htm), so... have a try! At the moment, after many troubles and line up changes, Logos are working on a new album: I'm looking forward to listen to it!

Logos is an Italian prog band from Verona that was formed in 1996 by Luca Zerman (keyboards), Alessandro Perbellini (drums) and Fabio Gaspari (bass and guitar) as a cover band of Le Orme. Later guitarists Massimo Maoli and Andrea Dossi joined the band (although Andrea Dossi only for a short period) and they started to work on original compositions. In 1999 they released a first self produced eponymous album that was recorded in two weeks with the help of two friends, Simone Chiampan and Tommaso Carrara, using a 8 tracks analog recorder in a home-made studio. According to the band, all the tracks were recorded "live" and there is very few overdubbing. As a result, the sound quality is very far from perfect but at least you can appreciate the freshness of the compositions and the good song-writing...

The opener "Il grande fiume" (The great river) is a long suite that reminds of Le Orme. It begins calmly with keyboards in the forefront and a "mysterious" atmosphere, then comes in a repetitive bass line and the rhythm goes up and down until vocals soar upon a classical piano pattern depicting a river slowly flowing towards the sea... Lyrics were inspired by Hermann Hesse's novel "Siddharta" that tells about the spiritual journey of the protagonist to reach the "enlightenment". After many troubles, he at last finds his way by listening to the murmurs of a river... There are many changes of tempos and moods, but the music perfectly fits a subject where joy and pain walk along the same spiritual path that leads to awareness... "Time passes by and doesn't forgive / The empty days of a sad age / While the old man is still learning / Why to live, why to fight / If life wins against you...".

"Arc en ciel" (Rainbow) is a short dreamy ballad with a beautiful melody featuring keyboards and strummed acoustic guitar... Imagine to be on the outskirts of a forest with some friends when the dark is falling. Near a bonfire your eyes mirror the nature and you can talk to each other about the future and about the past until the morning comes... Well, more or lees lyrics are about this.

"Sentiero nel prato, porta dell' universo" (Path on the lawn, door of the universe) is a long track that starts with an acoustic guitar arpeggio and then develops with fiery organ rides and delicate piano passages. Lyrics tell about the loss of a child in a poetical way... "It's not a star nor a fire that far light / It becomes just a little point in the universe / Until you can't see it anymore...".

"Un giorno..." (One Day), is another good track about an impending journey towards the unknown while "In una nuova terra?" (In a new land?) is about the come back from a journey in the space. In these tracks you can find slight echoes of Le Orme and Franco Battiato... An alternate version of "Arc en ciel" concludes the album.

The album was self produced with poor means, self distributed and in 1999 it couldn't reach a "large audience". I really hope that in the future the band could re-release it with an improved sound quality. Anyway, for now you can listen to it and legally download it for free from the official myspace page of the band (www.myspace.com/logosmusica). Have a try! I'm sure you won't waste your time.

There's always something in the mid 90's Italian Prog Scene that bothers me a lot, the dated keyboard sounds/the shameful sound of drums, I really don't understand some of the things recorded in this particular time of decade, the bands wanted so bad emulate the 70's sound, but most of them just don't have equipement or structure to record their sound nicely, some of them had great writing skills, but most of them...

'Prologo' is no diferent, the 'spacey' keyboards gets me a little bored, and I think it's too long for a 'prologue'.

'Ezra Pound' has this awful sound that I talk about, drums and keyboards working in a bad way, and the guitar doesn't help them, the unique saviour is the bass, a nice warm/rickenbaker alike sound, and I really like this kind os bass sound, but, in the second part of the song he ruins his sound with a Wha emulator, and the keys on this particular part is no different.

''99' has once again the terrible Wha bass sound, I really don't understand why use it so much, and the keys is like a like to call 'barbacue sound' (don't ask me why). The vocals from Fabio Gaspari (responsable for the strange Wha bass sound too) is quite good, that once old mood we well known for the Italian bands. But I really like the last part, where keys really reminded the 70's (around 07:00), but in the sequence they come back with the 'poor' sound, sad. But once again, the vocals from Fabio are very good.

'La Leggerezza Della Libertà' is a calm ballad commanded by acoustic guitar.

'Ásrava' is a 'rock drive song' as you wish. The mid part is almost a 'funk', flutes included! But if it makes your head shake it's OK. Nice guitar solo and nice trumpet solo too, really nice.

'Terra incognita', very nice start here! Full of atmospheric sounds, waterfalls, dreamy keyboards like in Tangerine Dream, warm sound, I really can't tell why the guys don't explore more of this sounds at that time, the following is just the same. The vocals full of effects is not a bad touch, Fabio have a really beautifull voice, I think that the band could (at that time) invest more in this line of sound, it could be the best for the band.

'Epilogo' have a nice melody line, really nice with cool vocals, worth for an album ending, but, way too late for save this record!

All my reviews included here and in my website had some optimistic point of view, I like to see the good side on all the music I listen to, but in this one is quite complicated, cause it have the most things I dislike in Prog scene. And for people who didn't listen to their music yet, or wanna listen with own ears just chek out this link www.maolimassimo.free.fr/Logos/Engmp3.htm this record is available for free download at their website.