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LOGOS

Rock Progressivo Italiano • Italy


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Logos biography
Founded in Verona, Italy in 1996

Logos was formed 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. In 2001 they released a second interesting self produced album, "Asrava". Their sound is clearly inspired by Italian classic prog bands like Le Orme, BMS, PFM but also by Genesis, King Crimson...

After many troubles and line-up changes they are working on a new album. The present line-up features Luca Zerman (keyboards), Fabio Gaspari (drums), Massimo Maoli (guitar) and Claudio Antolini (keyboards)

In 2014 they release their long anticipated 3rd album "L'enigma della vita".

LOGOS Videos (YouTube and more)


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LOGOS discography


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

3.49 | 26 ratings
Logos
1999
3.49 | 33 ratings
Asrava
2001
4.19 | 383 ratings
L' Enigma Della Vita
2014
4.19 | 246 ratings
Sadako e le mille gru di carta
2020

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

LOGOS Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

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

4.38 | 6 ratings
Bokeh
2023

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

4.00 | 3 ratings
Sadako e le mille gru di carta
2020

LOGOS Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Bokeh by LOGOS album cover Boxset/Compilation, 2023
4.38 | 6 ratings

BUY
Bokeh
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by TenYearsAfter

4 stars LogoS was founded in Verona in 1996 as an Italian progressive rock cover band of the 70s performing songs from Classic Italian Prog bands Le Orme and Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso. In 1999 LogoS released its debut album entitled Logos, followed by Asrava in 2001. Then it took many years (in 2010 the band opened for the known Biglietto Per L'Inferno at an Italian festival) before LogoS released the successor in 2014, the concept album L'Enigma Della Vita (CD and vinyl, see review), on the Andromeda Relix label. LogoS gained international acclaim and played at several foreign festivals, like the Dutch ProgFrog and the French Rock Au Chateau (along Ars Nova from Japan, and Pendragon). In 2020 LogoS released the concept album Sadako E Le Mille Gru Di Carta, I wrote about it on PA: "This is my first musical encounter with LogoS, and I am very pleased with the melodic and harmonic keyboard driven prog, the two keyboard players deliver lots of exciting work on Hammond and synthesizers." On this album LogoS feature the original band members Luca Zerman on keyboards and lead vocals, Fabio Gaspari on bass, and Alessandro Perbellini on drums, along Claudio Antolini on keyboards who joined LogoS in 2004. Guitar player Massimo Maoli has turned into one of the guest musicians. Late 2023 the band released remastered reissues of their 1999 and 2001 albums, this double-review is a focus on these efforts.

CD 1 - Logos (43:04) 2023 Remix - Digitally remastered from the original master tapes.

1. Il Grande Fiume (18:06) : Despite the long running time LogoS succeed to keep my attention, due to the flowing shifting moods (from a dreamy atmosphere to a swinging rhythm and sumptuous outbursts), the wonderful native vocals (mighty close to Le Orme) and the lush instrumentation: varied keyboards (Grand piano, Mellotron, synthesizer, strings), a tin-whistle sound, pedal steel guitar, and jazzy - and moving electric guitar play. What a wonderful 24-carat symphonic rock composition!

2. Arc En Ciel I (2:36) : This short track contains a majestic church organ sound and inspired vocals, a nice musical idea.

3. Sentiero Del Prato, Porta Nell'Universo (9:47) Lots of dynamics, from dreamy and up-tempo to bombastic, embellished with twanging guitars, howling electric guitar, tender piano, dazzling keyboard work and swelling strings. And what a great bonus the Italian vocals are.

4. Un Giorno (5:19) : Wow, so much is happening here: a mid-tempo featuring flashy synthesizer flights, then mellow with pedal steel guitar and dreamy vocals, followed by a bombastic atmosphere with powerful emotional vocals, blended with pedal steel guitar and synthesizer runs. Halfway through a catchy rhythm guitar, organ, fiery guitar work and a sparkling organ solo. And finally, a mellow climate with a slow rhythm topped with romantic vocals and fragile guitar work. Never a dull moment.

5. In Una Nuova Terra? (4:40) First dreamy with soaring strings, sensitive electric guitar and melancholiac vocals. Halfway a sensational break with an up-tempo featuring fiery guitar runs, sparkling piano, lush organ and powerful drum beats, this is more the 'Banco' side of the band, wow! Then the sound shifts between dreamy with tender piano and vocals and bombastic eruptions with guitar riffs and organ, this creates a lot of tension and excitement.

6. Arc En Ciel II (2:36) This is a reprise, again a duet with church organ and vocals, but now blended with a soaring string-ensemble sound and beautiful vocals, strongly evoking Le Orme.

Although at some moments the sound quality is not optimal, I am very pleased with this reissue, it will especially appeal to the fans of Classic Italian Prog and 70s symphonic rock, like me, haha.

CD 2 - Asrava (46:27) 2023 Remastered Version

1. Prologo (5:04) : This album starts with an instrumental with a lush electronic music sound featuring wonderful synthesizer strings and choirs.

2. Ezra Pound (7:15) : Next another musical story, lots of dynamics, changing atmospheres and surprising breaks, topped with strong work on guitar (from propulsive runs to powerful riffs) and keyboards (from flashy and freaky solos on the synthesizer to soaring strings and orchestral layers).

3. '99 (10:46) : More cascades of shifting moods and breaks, embellished with a lush instrumentation, from an accordion sound and Mellotron choirs to fiery guitar, soaring string-ensemble, funky bass and majestic church organ, topped with beautiful native vocals.

4. La Leggerezza Della Libertà (2:50) : Now back to dreamy with twanging guitar, soaring strings and romantic vocals, how beautiful it sounds.

5. Asrava (9:08) : The title track begins with a swinging rhythm featuring powerful guitar and organ, tight drum beats, soon a lush keyboard sound joins. Then the music turns into a dynamic and swinging kind of jam session featuring a funky bass solo, a sensitive electric guitar solo with wah-wah, electric piano runs and a trumpet solo.

6. Terra Incognita (7:49) : This mid-long track alternates between atmospheric, swinging and bombastic, very dynamic, and tastefully coloured with choirs, distorted vocals, fat guitar riffs, swirling Hammond runs, a sensitive guitar solo with swinging bass and a bombastic final part featuring guitar riffs and a Mellotron choir sound.

7. Epilogo (3:35) : Like the starter Prologo this concluding track contains mellow synthesizer flights, soaring strings and dreamy vocals. Finally, a tender acoustic guitar solo, simply wonderful.

This album sounds a bit more elaborate and better recorded than their wonderful previous effort, but also very melodic, harmonic, and tastefully arranged, with excellent work on keyboards and guitar, and beautiful native vocals, I am delighted about LogoS.

Both CD's get my four star appreciation.

 Bokeh by LOGOS album cover Boxset/Compilation, 2023
4.38 | 6 ratings

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Bokeh
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by tszirmay
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars In 2014, I took a chance on a Verona based band Logos and their majestic "L'Enigma della Vita" release, presumably because the title (The Enigma of Life) has always been a source of personal inspiration. The fact that the cover was extremely appealing also contributed greatly to relieve any apprehension. But when I heard the contents, 'I could scarcely believe all the pleasures Inside', to quote Dave Cousins of the Strawbs on Out in the Cold from the masterpiece Hero and Heroine album. I instantly fell in love, thunderbolts, and lightning, forevermore and remains firmly rooted in my all-time top albums of the 21st Century. To then follow up six years later with the similarly stellar "Sadako e le mille gru di Carta" was the proverbial cherry on the gelato! So much so that I went on a hunting expedition to search for the debut Logos album (from 1999) and its sophomore suite Asrava in 2001. In listening to these earlier efforts, it was abundantly clear that this group had their eyes on the prize right from the get-go, with impeccable vision and desire to express themselves very much in the classic RPI tradition. Patiently taking their time in fostering their already glowing reputation in the world of Prog, the continuously stable line-up of guitarist Massimo Maoli, keyboard wizard Luca Zerman, bass boss Fabio Gaspari and syncopation maestro Alessandro Perbellini took the rather audacious step pf revisiting these two earlier efforts and rearranging, re-mixing and remastering the entire 2 albums after nearly a quarter of a century, with new packaging, art work and fresh sound, a concept I admire deeply. Two separate CDs , each focusing on the respective albums demonstrate a deserved respect for their respect of past endeavours as well as providing their fans with something uniquely endearing.

CD1 Logos album explodes out of the launch pad with the hypnotic epic 18 minute + "Il Grande Fiume", an extraordinary convergence of refined melodies, dense atmospherics, and vivid imagery, just like the depiction of a major river that sprouts out of some distant glacier, inexorably growing in stature, as it finds the path of least resistance in order to reach the sea. When Gaspari snorting bass guides the stream, the continuous flow swerves through all kinds of tributaries, where splashing organ swells resonate, serenity found in occasional calm lakes expressed by fluid flute sounds. Passing through lush meadows, deep valleys, charming villages as well as larger cities, nothing can hold back the incredible urge to find the end of the line. The sweet vocals tell the tale with impeccable ton, accompanied by large doses of acoustic guitars in the more pastoral moments, yet unafraid the ramp up the energy when faces with various man-made barriers such as dams and bridges. When the electricity elevates the volume, eventually reaching bombastic levels of symphonic delight, swirling eddies of synthesized fortitude colliding with liquid waves of piano, the climactic final sequence exhilarates the drenched soul, the synth diving headfirst into the ocean. Impeccable. A solemn church organ introduces the rainbow colours of "Arc en Ciel" which will be reprised to finish off the debut album. A serene vocal sermon functions as an interval of reverence between the larger tracks to follow. Case in point, the near 10 minute "Sentiero Nel Prato, Porta Nell'Universo" coming across as a typical Italian RPI ballad, laden with folky theatrics until the growling bass, the stern organ and booming drums enter the fray, energizing the arrangement, yet undaunted in transitioning into gorgeous piano-led reflections. The wilder expressions are always nearby, keeping the pulse tense and exciting, until next dip into peaceful ponderance, just like the sun appearing through the rain clouds after a sudden deluge. A shorter song orientation is to be found on "Un Giorno", featuring some acidic synth from Zerman and strident Maoli electric guitar interplay as well a rather old school early RPI feel, with echoing vocals and spooky organ makes the feel intriguing. "In Una Nuova Terra" follows somewhat the same path, perhaps invoking more melancholic vocal intonations, but still armed with tormenting guitar colourations, aggressive piano, catapulting bass, and a fair amount of cyclonic rage. Out of the blue, as if emerging from a dense forest into a bucolic field, there is a brief moment of calm before exploding into chaos once again.

CD 2 Asvara. Unsurprisingly, the profound "Prologo" positions an obscure canvas, streaking synthesized echoes, ominous and disturbing gong banging notwithstanding, the impression is highly electronic, sorrowful, and even eerie. A perfect introduction for the enterprising instrumental "Ezra Pound" an avant-garde modernist poet, who had a rather controversial reputation, certainly intended as such. The music fits the description, with shifting esthetics, menacing bass lines, dense dispositions, and a harsh rhythmic pulse. Gaspari plays this insistent, effect- laden bass line, in close collaboration with the sledgehammer chop of Perbellini's rather manic drumming. Maoli adds the slivers of guitar insanity that verges on mania. "'99" is another epic piece, clearly in the more symphonic style with tons of mellotron, but in a rather more muscular mood mainly due to the pounding rhythms, the buzzing guitars and the relentless organ flaming through the arrangement. Plenty of polyrhythmic twists and turns, transitions ands shifts galore overtake the speakers, keeping the listener on a knife's edge (Hello Keith), unable to predict what will come next. Church organ offers brief prayers of salvation, signalling a new sonic direction, cleverly playful, the vocals offering a hint of Aldo Tagliapietra (Le Orme) style, almost angelic but the image ruined by a monetary evil bass flurry, a beastly drum harassment and a kneeling at the shrine bow. Rustic beauty is much needed after such a turbulent ride, "La Leggerezza della Liberta" has a strong PFM ballad feel, where simplicity is incarnate, just a suave voice and an acoustic backdrop, light harmonies, and poised thought. "Asrava" is in reference to the influence of body and mind causing the soul to generate karma and it's a surprisingly funky ride, with a virtuoso bass groove that one can almost sway to, perhaps even to the point of finding a sense of destiny and fulfillment. Jazzy guitar flicks with some superb effects, pulsating syncopations, at times very reminiscent of the Alan Parsons classic piece, "The Voice". Cinematographic in texture, this could easily be a soundtrack for an intense movie, the trumpet solo from Alessandro Foroni is utterly exemplary in finishing off this delight! A definite highlight track here, all instrumental but exhilaratingly seductive. The dreamy side of the band is exposed on "Terra Incognita", with plenty of aquatic effects, distant sounds and electronic sheen, courtesy of Luca Zerman's arsenal of keyboards and that choir mellotron that inspires the eventual transition into more athletic expanses. The voice is shuttered in echo, the chorus grandiose and the guitars appropriately razor sharp, before reverting to the liquid aural canvas. When the organ, bass and guitar resume their onslaught, the bluesy feel becomes apparent, once again a nod of respect to the past Italian RPI greats we all know and love. And finally, arrival to the terminal station of "Epilogo", a profoundly impactful finale, with an exquisite melody that reaches for the stars and the heavens beyond. Keyboards and a tired voice that still infuses deepest emotion and finality, and Maoli picking gently into the sunset. Lovely.

This wonderful gift only serves to further invigorate the legacy of Italian Progressive rock, showing that returning to one's roots is a source of not only comfort but ongoing inspiration. Logos continues to shine ever so brightly in our hearts and souls.

5 out of focus blurs

 Bokeh by LOGOS album cover Boxset/Compilation, 2023
4.38 | 6 ratings

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Bokeh
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by andrea
Prog Reviewer

4 stars "Bokeh" is a double album containing the remixed and remastered version of Logos' eponymous album from 1999 and the remastered version of the following "Asrava", from 2001. It was released in 2023 on the Andromeda Relix label and distributed by Pick Up Records. According to the liner notes, this is a photograph of the early years of the band, when their artistic identity was still out of focus but their project was full of fresh energies and enthusiasm. As you can guess from the art cover, the aim of the band was to look back at their youth and save those memories from oblivion trying to improve the sound quality of the old tapes but avoiding re-recording and overdubbing to let the magic of the moment linger...

The eponymous debut album was recorded in the spring of 1998 and self-released in a few physical copies the following year with an art cover by Luca Zerman inspired by the style of the painter Giorgio De Chirico. According to the official website of the band, it was recorded live in the studio with an old 8-track deck, with all the members playing together, except for the overdubbing of the voices and some guitar solos. From a sound quality point of view the result was very far from perfect, but the band is still very proud of it, in particular of the long suite "Il grande fiume", inspired by Herman Hesse's novel "Siddhartha" and of "Sentiero nel prato, porta nell'universo", which tells of the meeting between a child and an alien. Given the quality of the sources, the band couldn't do miracles but, in my opinion, the result is remarkable...

Logos' second album, "Asrava", was recorded in Verona between August 2000 and January 2001. The art cover by Luca Zerman tries to describe the musical and lyrical content, harder and darker if compared with their previous work. The overall sound quality is better since the band spent a lot of time in the studio working painstakingly to properly record all the pieces in a satisfactory way. Originally it was self-released in a few physical copies and, unfortunately, in 2001 it went under the radar but it's an excellent work and the new version offers to possibility to fully appreciating it...

On the whole, I think this double CD is an excellent chance to complete your Italianprog collection with two very interesting albums in a restored version and a beautiful packaging. It's a kind of gift the band made to their fans and I'm happy about it.

 Sadako e le mille gru di carta by LOGOS album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.19 | 246 ratings

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Sadako e le mille gru di carta
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Warthur
Prog Reviewer

3 stars This 2020 album by Logos is certainly compelling, presenting a style of Italian prog informed by the greats of that scene but with a big injection of other influences. The more aggressive moments of IQ come to mind at points, and the keyboard and synths of Luca Zerman also play a prominent role.

As with their preceding album, I find that Luca's vocals don't do much for me; I wouldn't call him a bad vocalist, but I wouldn't call him a great vocalist either; his performance is just kind of there, present for the sake of including vocals on a track but not really adding an enormous amount from a musical perspective. This could have been an instrumental and I suspect nobody would have been especially put off - if you're this into prog-for-prog's-sake stuff, chances are you don't mind instrumentals.

With enough force and bombast to give the listener a concussion, the overall effect is rather heavy-handed; that may be no bad thing if you're especially keen on what Logos is offering, but if you're more on the fence (as I am) then it can make it hard to get into.

 Sadako e le mille gru di carta by LOGOS album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.19 | 246 ratings

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Sadako e le mille gru di carta
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by andrea
Prog Reviewer

5 stars "Sadako e le mille gru di carta" is the fourth studio album by Logos, an Italian prog band from Verona whose roots date back to the nineties. It was released in 2020 on the independent Andromeda Relix label with a renewed line up featuring Luca Zerman (vocals, Hammond, synth), Fabio Gaspari (vocals, bass, guitar, mandolin), Claudio Antolini (piano, synth) and Alessandro Perbellini (drums) plus some special guests such as Elisa Montaldo (vocals - from Il Tempio delle Clessidre), Massimo Maoli (guitar), Simone Chiampan (drums) and Federico Zoccatelli (sax). It's a wonderful conceptual work inspired by the story of Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who died because of the consequences of the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the American Air Forces during World War II. As you can read in the liner notes, a Japanese legend tells that anyone who folds one thousand origami cranes will see his wishes come true. Sadako unfortunately didn't complete her task and stopped at 644... The beautiful artwork by Marica Fasoli reflects the subject matter.

The short instrumental opener "Origami in Sol-" (Origami in G-) sets the atmosphere with its strong symphonic flavour and solemn pace. It leads to the disquieting "Paesaggi d'insonnia" (Insomnia landscapes) that starts by a frenzied rhythm and a stormy atmosphere. The music and lyrics depict apocalyptic sceneries where you can see asbestos flowing into a creek and deer with amaranth fleeces, deformed lanterns in fire slowly moving in a strange bronze ballet between mad chants and litanies, there's anguish and fear all around... Then the rhythm slackens and soaring sax lines drive you through sad expectations and dark omens. As the nightmare fades away you're exhausted but lying in bed in not enough to sleep...

"Un lieto inquietarsi" (A happy way to get worried) is another long, complex track evoking troubling visions and nightmarish atmospheres. As the music goes through many changes in rhythm and mood, the hermetic lyrics evoke a pain that lies somewhere below the sounds, beyond the frontier between obsession and vice, among half crumbled skyscrapers and gloomy thoughts, collective hysteria and dull ignorance. There's people who need just a room to pray while others need a church or an altar. Then, there are those who can imagine a merry countryside and meadows in bloom behind origami paper figures and colours in the chemical warmth of desire...

"Il sarto" (The tailor) is an amazing, dreamy acoustic ballad, enriched by the charming vocals of the guest Elisa Montaldo, that conjures up with passionate sounds and extraordinary poetical force the image of a fantastic, merciful guardian. It's the image of a tailor who creates magical clothes for a little girl by weaving bits of sky and sea waves, sun rays and fabrics stolen from the fairies, stars and dreams. All in the desperate effort to keep her close and not let her go. But in the end there's nothing to do, silence falls down, tomorrow there will be someone else who will have to provide her with a new dress of musical notes...

The joyful "Zaini di elio" (Backpacks of helium), depicts in music and words the release from pain by a surreal ascension to the sky. The little girl, thanks to a backpack loaded with helium and without ballast, takes off through the smoke of burning trees and plunges into the sky over the icy top of her dreams, crossing rivers of feelings and sensations, gliding over memories and regrets, towards shining suns and soft streets. Her heart is light and she's ready to fly higher and higher, over and over...

The long epic "Sadako e le mille gru di carta" (Sadako and the one thousand origami cranes) ends the story with a message of hope and a warning. The music and words depict Sadako looking down while flying across the sky, hanging on one thousand origami paper cranes held together by strings. She can see from above stories of war and ravaged nature that have been unfolding for thousands of years on Earth. There are many people who try to express their grief over a dying little girl, her story moved them. Now she sleeps near a bomb and becomes a symbol. In heaven Sadako can listen to the sound of death rising from below and gets angry because war never stops and so famine, greediness, lust for power. How many years will it take to get rid of hatred and selfishness? One thousand origami cranes get wet and fall down from the sky while a light little girl finds her grave hugging a bomb. But a new war is raging and it's even worse than those before, hidden behind TV screens, smoothed by the fake news riding on social media. It seems far away, from our safe place we can see only a few glimpses of what's happening but we've better wondering how many more innocent victims are still in danger or suffering because of a brand new shining bomb that's going to blast...

On The CD there's still room for a Radio Edit Version of the title track and you can look for the video the band shot for it.

On the whole, a wonderful work!

 Sadako e le mille gru di carta by LOGOS album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.19 | 246 ratings

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Sadako e le mille gru di carta
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by The Crow
Prog Reviewer

4 stars "Sadako e le mille gru di carta" is the first Logos album I've listened to, and I've been very pleasantly surprised.

It is true that the group does not have a very original sound. In my opinion they are a mixture between IQ-style neo- prog, and a more classic symphonic prog in the vein of Genesis and some classical Italian prog acts like Premiata Forneria Marconi.

But their ability to create evocative melodies is absolutely intoxicating, making the album a joy to listen to from start to finish, and leaving you wanting to come back.

Too bad the quality of the voices is below the rest of the album musically! With proper singer, I might even have thought of giving it five stars. But Luca Zerman not only does not have a remarkable voice, but almost always sounds out of tune. What a pity!

In any case, four well-deserved stars, and one of the best albums of 2020!

Best Tracks: the album goes from less to more, and my favorite songs are the last three, highlighting in my opinion Zaini di elio with his enormous work on the keyboards, and the suite that gives the album its title. Pure beauty!

My Rating: ****

 Sadako e le mille gru di carta by LOGOS album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.19 | 246 ratings

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Sadako e le mille gru di carta
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

4 stars LOGOS released their first two studio albums in 1999 and 2001 only to disband but then return to the action in 2014 with "L'Enigma Della Vita" an album that made me an instant fan. Symphonic with Italian male vocals and very much a synth dominated record this the followup some six years later continues in that style. All the information in the liner notes is in Italian but there is a lot of stuff in there. You can actually purchase the cover art and in different colours. I like it a lot actually, the blue origami paper. And yes a concept album(although I know not what he's singing) about a Japanese girl who made a thousand origami's while sick with radiation from the atomic bomb dropped on them back in WWII. I haven't read her story yet.

I do prefer the 2014 release but that one did surprise me while I had expectations here. LOGOS are one of my favourite modern RPI bands along with LA BOCCA DELLA VERITA and INGRANAGGI DELLA VALLE although I prefer NODO GORDIANO and D.A.A.L. as far as the style of music goes. Oh we get several guests including IL TEMPIO DELLE CLESSIDRE's own Elisa Montaldo a keyboardist and singer she adds her vocals to one track. Some guest sax, guitar and drums as well all on one track each. The main band is a four piece and keyboards rule the day.

That track Elisa sings on is a duet basically and it's called "Il Sarto". A beautiful song with mellotron too. The fragile male vocals early reminded me that no one does fragile vocals like the italians. One of my favourites on here is the song that we get the guest sax on called "Paesaggi Di Insonnia". Some moving stuff on this one. The 2 minute intro track is a great warmup piece as we get some powerful instrumental music. As far as huge bass lines and nasty keyboards check out "Un Lieto Inquietarsi". Another favourite is "Zaini Di Elio" for it's power and contrasts along with tempo changes. The majestic sound after 9 1/2 minutes is a nice touch. The closer and title track is all over the place and at over 21 minutes it is epic to say the least. The sounds of children playing early on and that cool sounding percussion 13 1/2 minutes in before it turns epic then majestic and everything almost in between. A great way to end the album.

A very solid 4 stars and an album rated in the top three here for 2020 by both the overall ratings and the collaborators picks for that year.

 Sadako e le mille gru di carta by LOGOS album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.19 | 246 ratings

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Sadako e le mille gru di carta
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Smurfreviews

5 stars Review #12 Here it is again! One of those albums that won't let you go after hearing it for the first time. An album, with such intensity that you can't get enough of it. We are talking about the Italian prog band "LogoS", who have created something magical on their album "Sadako e le mille gru di carta". Admittedly: This is my first contact with Italian-language prog, which is why this album brings an additional component that generally excites me. But hovering over all this is the band's talent for implementing fantastic melodies in their songs, whether sung or played. In the end, that should always be the goal, no matter what kind of music you play. But especially in prog, it's always nice to hear catchy melody lines built into complex arrangements. Luca Zerman's voice transports a lot of energy and emotion within these melodies, so it's always a pleasure to hear his vocals. But also apart from the vocals the band has a lot to offer instrumentally. Starting with the many innovative ideas to present the songs, sometimes tidy, sometimes playful and sometimes complex, "LogoS" manages to present a tremendous variety. The interplay between keyboards (what great sounds!) and drums can absolutely convince.

One of many highlights for me is the second track "Paesaggi di insonnia", which not only contains the already mentioned wonderful melody line, but is also characterized by the playing of saxophonist Federica Zoccatelli. This is immortal prog - simply beautiful.

For me, this album is a masterpiece in many ways, because it touches, inspires, surprises and never gets boring. Every prog fan should get to know this album and enjoy this music. I am absolutely thrilled.

 Sadako e le mille gru di carta by LOGOS album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.19 | 246 ratings

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Sadako e le mille gru di carta
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by VianaProghead
Prog Reviewer

5 stars Review Nº 432

As happened with some of my colleagues on Progarchives, I was contacted by Logos to review their last work, "Sadako E Le Mille Gru Di Carta". But, when I was contacted I was a bit busy, at the moment, preparing some other reviews planned before. So, it only now was possible for me to check and review this album. So, here they are my public apologies to the band. Though, I knew the band already through their previous studio work "L'Enigma Della Vita", which was actually one of the albums I was preparing to review. Actually, it was the object of my previous review here.

Logos was formed in 1996 only by three people in a Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Le Orme and The Nice line up base, (bass, drums and keyboards). At the time, they played mainly songs of Le Orme, Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco Dell Mutuo Soccorso. When a guitarist came in the band, they started to compose own songs and recorded their first album "Logos" in 1999. "Logos" and their second album "Asrava" were written with the same line up. But, their last two albums "L'Enigma Della Vita" in 2014 and this one were released after a long hiatus of time. During those years Logos had seen a lot of line up changes, but a pool of different experiences worked well towards the same project and vision.

So, "Sadako E Le Mille Gru Di Carta" is the fourth studio album of Logos that was released in 2020. The line up on the album is Luca Zerman (lead vocals and keyboards), Claudio Antolini (keyboards), Fabio Gaspari (vocals, guitars, bass and mandolin) and Alessandro Perbellini (drums). The album had also the participation of Elisa Montaldo (vocals), Massimo Maoli (guitars), Federica Zoccatelli (saxophone) and Simone Chiampan (drums).

"Sadako E Le Mille Gru Di Carta" is a conceptual album based on the events lived by a Japanese child, Sadako Sasaki, who survived to the Hiroshima's nuclear attack for 10 years at the age of 2. Sadako was luckier than the thousands of people who lost their lives in those interminable moments. However, she died ten years later of leukemia. But, during her years in the hospital, Sadako accomplished a feat that raised it as a symbol of peace. She made a thousand origami cranes to could make the wish of peace in the world. She became a symbol of the innocent victims of the nuclear war.

Musically, we have six pieces with different references to the classic prog rock that had so many fortunes especially in the 70's, a decade of great experimentation and creativity. The album is a state of the art set of performances. This is rock progresivo Italiano at its best. The band was able to deliver a masterfully crafted keyboard work throughout the album supported by a solid and creative rhythm section. The keyboards provide majestic orchestrations, memorable solos and epic progressions too. The impressive, lush style recalls the great masters like Banco Dell Mutuo Soccorso, Le Orme and Genesis as well as Rick Wakeman, classical music and the symphonic rock in general. The vocals in Italian, a traditional characteristic of almost all Italian prog bands are great as well, rich in nuance, emotion and drama.

The album begins with a short instrumental piece, "Origami In SOL". It opens with keyboards in evidence providing a powerful and intense opening. It sounds is prog, wide, emphatic and catchy, a mix between the past and present. It certainly pleases the admirers. "Paesaggi Di Insonnia" is an enjoyable and unpredictable piece with many moods. It's supported by a great rhythm in the same vein of Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso expressed in its instrumental moments. These are eleven minutes of elegant, dynamic and well arranged music. "Un Lieto Inquietarsi" is a lenghty track. Logos prefer to perform in long pieces. It's a great instrumental fugue and music for the mind to follow. This is quite an evil piece of music, at least the first half. The second half has a more optimistic feel. "Il Sarto" is a beautiful ballad. It's full of emotion and sounds genuine and rich. This is a suite embellished by the voice of the guest Elisa Montaldo. It's a pastoral track, rich in the classic RPI sound of the 70's, but sounding modern. "Zaini Di Elio" is a returning to the first tracks. This isn't retro music. Logos doesn't sound like it's trying to emulate the sounds of the 70's as so many modern bands seem to do. Rather, they use those sounds as a template for modern prog music. "Sadako E Le mille Gru Di Carta" is the main piece, the real suite on the album. It concludes the album in a high way. These are almost twenty two minutes of great music with the sadness of the death with notes that bring to us the sound of the nostalgia and chills.

Conclusion: "Sadako E Le Mille Gru Di Carta" is a great sucessor of Logos previous work "L'Enigma Della Vita". This is RPI at its best. If you have in mind the classic RPI, this is what you can expect from this album. This is a conceptual album based on a very moving true story. The album is skillfully played and produced. In some passages the keyboard sounds remind me of the old Rick Wakeman, with the usual little touch of Genesis influence which is a characteristic of the RPI sound, but the story is so dark that the music must be dramatic and intense too. This is a gentle and muscular, multifaceted, imaginative and profound progressive rock album. So, it's an album very recommended to all RPI lovers.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

 L' Enigma Della Vita by LOGOS album cover Studio Album, 2014
4.19 | 383 ratings

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L' Enigma Della Vita
Logos Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by VianaProghead
Prog Reviewer

5 stars Review Nº 431

Personally, I consider the Italian progressive rock music is one of the finest around the world, mainly in its musical composition, from the quality of the musicians and their ability to use classical arrangements and work out their ideas in such a perfectionism and with the ability to fuse the emotional with the intellectual, blending many rhythm changes, with pure classical influences, progressive rock, hard rock, jazz, baroque, with the Mediterranean regional rhythms. There are many examples, especially in the 70's, but probably the best and most important of all are Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Le Orme and Area. However, besides them many others could be mentioned too.

But, even in our days the best tradition of the Italian prog rock scene persists in many Italian bands. And one of the best examples that we can mention is really this band Logos. The brief history of Logos has began in 1996 with three musicians that already played for a long time, the keyboardist Luca Zerman, the bassist and guitarist Fabio Gaspari and the drummer Alessandro Perbellini. They started playing mainly Le Orme and Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso exploiting the potentialities of the three instruments formation, so typical of so many groups in the progressive rock scene in the 70's.

Logos released their eponymous debut studio album in 1999 and their second 'Asrava' in 2001. With a considerably delayed, compared to the release of the two previous albuns, Logos reappeared again in the world of the prog rock scene with their third studio work. After a long period of silence, a total of thirteen years, the band finally released their album, titled 'L'Enigma Della Vita', playing a symphonic music, in the same line and with the same energy of the best Italian classic prog rock bands. Logos may be ranked into the symphonic progressive rock style. All compositions on 'L'Enigma Della Vita' are dominated by wonderful atmospheric keyboards creating a variety of amazing arrangements. The guitars come with wonderful solos in the background, where the bass guitar follows the rhythm with the drums.

So, 'L'Enigma Della Vita' is the third studio album of Logos that was released in 2014. The line up on the album is Maoli Massimo (guitars), Luca Zerman (lead vocals, Hammond organ, Mellotron and synthesizer), Claudio Antolini (piano, keyboards and synthesizer) and Fabio Gaspari (bass and drums). The album had also the participation of Gianbattista Bodel (vocals), Simone Bistaffa (guitar), Alessandro Perbellini (drums) and Simone Chiampan (drums). 'L'Enigma Della Vita' contains eleven tracks, 76 minutes of pure emotion. It features everything we've come to love about Italian prog. All tracks have an excellent performance. I could not honestly choose a standout track. They all work well across the album. The attention to the details is really amazing and all the tracks have killer moments. The tracks work in an organic way, full of quality, mixing light and shade, moving from the pastoral to the powerful and back again.

'Antifona' is a short track that opens the album with a dramatic and powerful synthesizer work. 'Venivo Da Un Lungo Sonno' is a magical track trading deftly off one melodic line by another, successively. It highlights what was to come on the album. 'In Fuga' has a beautiful madrigal medieval melody. It manages to deliver a load of musical change ups with a distinct classical feel. 'Alla Fine Dell'Ultimo Capitolo' is a solid track with a vibrant melody and a solid style. It sounds different from the previous tracks but remains delightfull to me. 'N.A.S.' reminds me King Crimson, especially the guitar work. This is a powerful track full of energy with its variety of the instrumental sounds. 'L'Enigma Della Vita' has a very unique peculir sound. The time, mood and signature change several times without losing its continuity. 'In Principio' has a nice intro with keys, acoustic guitar and vocals. The different layers of sound creat a great synergy in the Italian 70's prog rock vibe. 'Completamente Estranei' delivers again a wide range of styles and time changes. It's a lovely track with nice synth and guitar works. 'In Quale Luogo Si Fermò Il Mio Tempo' is a beautiful and eloquent piece for solo piano, despite its shortness. 'Pioggia In Campagna' is a track with true amazing keyboard fireworks. It's representative of the band's sound, including the harmony between keyboards and guitar. 'Il Rumore Dell'Aria' is a short track with a narrated epilog and wind rustling through the trees. It ends the album in the same vein as it started.

Conclusion: 'L'Enigma Della Vita' combines the best of the classic Italian prog, Le Orme, Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco Dell Mutuo Soccorso with the melodic sensibilities of Camel and Genesis and the creativity of King Crimson. Their music, based on the classic prog rock of the 70's, will be loved by many progheads. Most of all by those who enjoy albums made by the aforementioned bands, and who enjoy a good balance between guitar and keyboards, as well as the use of classical elements. Though keyboards feature heavily in this release, unsurprising given the line up, this is well balanced by the superb rhythm section and the hard edged, Hackett style guitar. It has everything we've come to expect from the genre and the band manages to infuse their music with many of their own unique classical influences.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Thanks to andrea for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

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