Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

PANDORA

Rock Progressivo Italiano • Italy


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Pandora picture
Pandora biography
Founded in Bra, Italy in 2005

"The band was born in September 2005, when Claudio Colombo (drummer) decided to start a musical project with keyboardists Beppe Colombo and Corrado Grappeggia. At first, their main inspiration came from the progressive rock of the 1970s - they wrote their own music drawing from groups such as Genesis, Yes, P. F. M, New Trolls, Dream Theater, etc....

So, Pandora began as a group dedicated to the composition of progressive pieces - giving life first to large pieces that espouse fantasy and research sounds and melodies. They show the harmony of a group that combines the emergance of Beppe's experience, the musical culture and composition of Corrado, and the talent of Claudio.

The band is open to cooperation with many musicians to ensure that their musical project reaches a good conclusion. In the first years, these collaborations will not lead mainly positive results for the inconsistencies of the musical ideas, but the project of Pandora will live on. The band has done some acoustic concerts that were pretty successful, maintaining the desire for the group to continue.

So begins the recent history of the band: in February 2008 after several concerts, Pandora signed their first recording contract with the record label Milanese AMS-BTF, specializing in the production and distribution of progressive rock. In the same month Pandora welcomed the young, talented guitar player Christian Dimasi into its lineup.

In 2008, the group registered their first CD entitled "Dramma di un Poeta Ubriaco "; it contains original songs that represent the path of Pandora's project. It does not contain "simple songs," but, through accourate research and attention to detail, the group wanted to explore various expressions of progressive rock: from hard rock to medieval compositions, jazz and symphonic melodies. The stories therein weave between personal problems and fantasy stories inspired by the symbol of Pandora's box.


The objective of the group has been to create music with an harmonic and original sound leaving the schemes that most of the music today has, avoiding the trivial and the foreseeable. The band has tried to reproduce a sound of the past in a modern key, trying to highlight the importance of music that is set aside today many times in favour of commerce.



-Claudio

PANDORA Videos (YouTube and more)


Showing only random 3 | Show all PANDORA videos (1) | Search and add more videos to PANDORA

Buy PANDORA Music


PANDORA discography


Ordered by release date | Showing ratings (top albums) | Help Progarchives.com to complete the discography and add albums

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

4.11 | 86 ratings
Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco
2008
3.75 | 107 ratings
Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno
2011
4.00 | 42 ratings
Alibi Filosofico
2013
3.47 | 17 ratings
Ten Years Like In A Magic Dream...
2016

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

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

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

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

PANDORA Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2008
4.11 | 86 ratings

BUY
Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars The debut album from these modern prog artists. My question is: Am I listening to RPI? or is this really Heavy Prog, Prog Metal, or even Neo Prog? Some of the sounds used here are quite dated (especially the keyboards).

1. "Il Giudizio Universale" (7:37) opens with 90 seconds of someone dialing through a radio that is playing, catching all kinds of international flavors in both talk and music formats. Then a heavier, 1980s hairband-like sound palette burst upon the scene, exposing several somewhat familiar styles--including one that is heavily dominated by a Hammond organ. In the fourth minute things smooth out until at 3:45 a new theme shoots forward over which guitar, synth and voice take turns leading. This is very solid, very polished heavy rock/heavy prog. In the sixth minute, things back off and a nice potential-energy passage holds the forward motion as Corrado Grappegia tones down his vocal a bit. But then things get inexplicably heavy/djenty again for the final wordless minute. Odd! (13/15) 2. "March to Hell" (5:59) more heavily paced music, this one, and instrumental, is a little slower, which, to my ears, feels more similar to the heavy palette of Neo Proggers PALLAS, TRANSATLANTIC, or PENDRAGON. In the middle it takes a strange turn into a faster gear over which Hammond and synth take turns soloing. Machine gun bullet kick drum play makes me feel as if this is really not RPI but Heavy Prog or even Prog Metal. Dated keyboard sounds take turns soloing over the final two minutes. (8/10)

3. "Così Come Sei" (8:21) sensitively picked steel-string guitar solos for the first minute before being joined by bass and wavering pitched synth and then vocals. Corrado sounds much older, more mature on this one--and way more classic RPI in his style. Nice instrumental section in the third and fourth minutes--very solid rhythm section and great melodies from the lead synth. Great transition to a in the end of the fifth minute followed by some cool drumming and organ play. As near to a perfect RPI song as there could be and a top three song for me. (20/20)

4. "Pandora (11:43) another instrumental in which a long spacey synth opening which is eventually joined by male voice reciting something in Italian as drums and bass establish quite a tight and polished musical bass over the next 90 seconds. Then guitars and keys join in with synth leading in the establishment of melodies while metal guitar and piano hold up the middle ground. Very solid. At the end of the fifth minute everybody drops out for an "old time saloon" piano solo. At the six minute mark we burst back into heavy prog, and then Hammond and synth strings led section very reminiscent of classic RPI à la MUSEO ROSENBACH or LE ORME. The organ slowly performs a steady rising arpeggio sequence similar to the one Tony Banks does in "Apocalypse in 9/8." Very nice composition impeccably performed and fairly well recorded. (18.5/20)

5. "Breve Storia di San George" (6:39) delicately-picked and -strummed acoustic guitars with synth flute and (dated) synth strings providing the lead melodies. After two minutes of this pastoral beauty, guitar and harpsichord take more control of the fore as Corrado sings in another performance that would fit perfectly into a classic RPI album like MAXOPHONE's. The final minute turns tribal--gypsy, paisano, or Native American, I'm not sure. A beautiful song for which my only complaint is in the dated keyboard-generated sounds of flutes and strings. (9/10)

6. "Dramma di un Poeta Ubriaco" (9:05) sounds of agua con gazeta being poured into glasses on the wooden table top precedes an outburst into rock-ified classical music that sounds very much like the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA. At 2:40 we stop that and move into a more BILLY JOEL "Just the Way You Are" keyboard base before Corrado enters singing in a raspy, strained "older" voice again. Some of the melodies here are either Russian or from very deeply traditional folk traditions. The bombastic "orchestrated" final section sounds nice, conveys the operatic power that it's meant to, and then backs the plaintive lead synth and buzz saw lead guitar in a nice Mellotron-like way. This is, however, the only part of the song that I enjoy. Not my favorite. (16.5/20)

7. "Salto nel Buio" (13:45) steel string acoustic guitar played delicately--almost harp-like--before banked strings chords enter and the guitar begins producing a progression of slowly arpeggiated chords. Slow build and transfer of instruments over the next two minutes. Very pleasant pace and instrumental palettes throughout, with opportune switches for vocal passages in the fourth and fifth minutes and, later, for some folk-sounding passages. In the ninth minute, unfortunately, the band chooses to go back to a heavy/prog metal palette and style. The band does, however, remain tight and focused, delivering an excellent (if TFF "Carole of Bells" like) motif--but then it goes cheesy exaggerated lounge jazz with less than two minutes left. (28/30)

Total Time 63:09

A-/4.5 stars; an album of much more diversified sounds and stylings that I expected. This makes it sometimes difficult to categorize as "RPI" as it is not always the case, but, overall, I'll give in to that assignation.

 Alibi Filosofico by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2013
4.00 | 42 ratings

BUY
Alibi Filosofico
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by andrea
Prog Reviewer

5 stars "Alibi filosofico" is the third studio album by Pandora and it was released in 2013 on the independent label AMS/BTF Records. After the release of their previous work, "Sempre e ovunque oltre il sogno" (2011), guitarist Christian Dimasi left the band and wasn't replaced, so Pandora went on as a trio with a line up featuring Corrado Grappegia (vocals, keyboards), Beppe Colombo (keyboards) and Claudio Colombo (drums, percussion, bass, guitars, keyboards, flute, cuatro, backing vocals) but during the recording sessions they were helped by many prestigious guests such as Arjen Lucassen (Minimoog, guitar), David Jackson (saxophones, flute, tin whistle), Dino Fiore (bass), Leonardo Gallizio (bass), Emoni Viruet (vocals, percussion) and others. The result of their efforts is a brilliant mix of vintage atmospheres and modern sounds. The art cover by Emoni Viruet reflects the musical content and in the rich booklet every track is described with a painting and a short story by Claudio Colombo...

The long, complex opener "Il Necromante, Khurastos e la prossima vittima" (The Necromancer, Khurastos and the next victim) is a sequel to the fantasy story of the druid Chad-Bat, protagonist of some pieces on Pandora's previous album where he helped a king and his army to defeat their enemies. Anyway, his final enchantment consumed almost all his energies and here Chad-Bat's adversary, the Necromancer, takes his revenge: he breaths new life in the bodies of his dying soldiers and awakes an ominous monster called Khurastos that storms upon the king's army. The theatrical vocals interpret the Necromancer's fury while the music evokes the battle and the bloodshed...

The epic instrumental "Né titolo né parole" (No title nor words) is also linked to Chad-Bat's saga. According to the short story in the booklet, a female elf with a magical voice and her faithful knight called Lord Jon perceive the approaching sound of evil forces and set off to the rescue defeating the Necromancer's army with the charming power of their music. Every now and again the atmosphere could recall the score of an old spaghetti western... By the way, this piece is dedicated to the memory of Jonathan Douglas Lord (1941-2012).

The piano driven instrumental "La risalita" (The ascent) describes a difficult escape from the treacherous waters of the Styx river where Pandora, the protagonist, is trapped after her meeting with Hades, the god of the dead and the king of the underworld. The story continues in the following "Apollo" where Pandora goes through a kind of psychedelic dream and gets lost in a labyrinth of sounds and melodies after ran into Apollo, the god of music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, and more... Eventually she awakes in the middle of a village where there's a celebration going on and she begins to dance. The narrative vocals express, through the dialogue between Apollo and Pandora, some reflections about the ever changing concept of art and its capability to mislead who tries to understand it...

The colourful, jazzy "Tony il matto" (Mad Tony) is dedicated to the memory of Antonio Ligabue, an Italian painter and one of the most important Naïve artists of the 20th century, a peculiar character that emerges from superimposed layers of silence with his madness, his genius and the memories of his troubled life spent as a loner, wondering along the banks of the river Po, near the town of Guastalla, Emilia.

"Sempre con me" (Always with me) starts softly, the mood is dreamy. It's a piece about a love stronger than time. The music and lyrics depict a man and a woman that have been together for a lifetime and keep on walking side by side, overcoming every obstacle, until they're in front of a celestial orchestra. Their love generated other lives and more love, their image is a true celebration of happiness... The long final track, "Alibi filosofico" (Philosophical alibi), on the contrary, describes the crises of a relationship where the love between a man and a woman can't stand up against the difficulties of life. The man is trying to find a reason to leave his partner, making up an alibi to hide his plans, searching for the right words to break free. It's just a matter of different point of views, a philosophical topic about time passing by and the need of new goals...

An excellent album!

 Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.75 | 107 ratings

BUY
Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by TenYearsAfter

4 stars After their exciting debut CD entitled Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco from 2008, I declared Pandora as my favourite new Italian progrock band, even above Il Bacio Della Medusa and VIII Strada, so I was very curious to this successor. Well, it sounds overwhelming, what a thrilling blend of Classic Italian Prog (Banco, PFM, New Trolls), Seventies Symphonic Rock (Genesis, ELP) and Prog Metal (Dream Theatre). And this very promising four piece band even sounds better, more mature and tighter.

Over one hour we can enjoy a lot of variety, fluent shifting moods, musical surprises and craftsmanship. The new album starts with a stunning sumptuous classical sound in Re Degli Scemi, halfway mixed with fat Minimoog flights. Then four captivating and alternating compositions.

Lush vintage keyboards (Moog, Hammond, Fender electric piano) with a sensational duel between a fiery guitar and flashy synthesizer in L'Altare Del Sacrificio.

Passionate vocals, a swirling rhythm-section and wonderful work on guitar and keyboards in L'Inccantesimo Del Druido.

Warm acoustic guitar and vocals with soaring Mellotron violins in the beautiful Dicesa Attraverso Lo Stige

Ade, Sensazione Di Paura contains a strong tension between dreamy and bombastic featuring great vintage keyboards and strong guitar play.

The sixth song entitled 03-02-1974 is a very fine tribute to early Genesis. The booklet contains a painting in which we recognize Peter Gabriel with his flower mask. The music delivers twanging acoustic guitar, swinging piano and majestic Mellotron choirs, subtly blended with small parts of The Knife, Cinema Show and Supper's Ready. Then the short but strongly build-up track La Formula Finale Di Chad-Bat, the final part takes us to Progheaven: Mellotron choirs, propulsive drums and intense vocals. It's a perfect bridge to the epic final composition Sempre E Ovunque (more than 20 minutes) that delivers plenty of excitement and variety.

We can enjoy: orchestral keyboards, a Spanish oriented guitar solo, an interlude with jazzy piano, a prog metal climate with heavy guitar, swirling keyboards and thundering drums, a dreamy part with warm vocals, acoustic guitar and mellow flute play and in between lots of sumptuous keyboards and powerful interplay. The 'grand finale' is very compelling with fiery guitar, fat Moog runs, a heavy Hammond sound and again majestic Mellotron choirs, supported by a dynamic, pretty propulsive rhythm-section, impressive!

Impressive is also my conclusion about this excellent second album by Pandora, in my opinion one of the best 'new Italian progrock' efforts in the last two decades. I am sure that almost 10 years later Pandora their thrilling blend of Classic Italian Prog, Seventies symphonic rock and prog metal will appeal to many progheads and symphomaniacs, so highly recommended!

 Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2008
4.11 | 86 ratings

BUY
Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by TenYearsAfter

4 stars 'Three members on keyboards, wow !'

Italian four piece formation Pandora is rooted in 2005 and inspired by Genesis, Yes, PFM, New Trolls and Dream Theater. After a serie of concerts in early 2008, Pandora got a record deal with the known Italian label Btf. (specialized in progressive rock). Between 2008 and 2014 Pandora have released four studio albums. This review is about their excellent debut album entitled Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco.

Remarkable, the latest review of Pandora their debut album is almost ten years ago, so time for renewed attention in this section. On Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco the band is scouting the borders between Classic Italian Prog, symphonic rock, Heavy Prog and prog metal, in a very exciting way. We can enjoy lots of bombastic and compelling atmospheres, loaded with heavy guitarplay, sensational keyboardwork (3 members play on keyboards!) and thunderous drumming, like in:

Il Giudizio Universale : exciting break, great wah-wah guitar sound and passionate Italian vocals,

the instrumental March To Hell : swirling Hammond organ solo, fat Minimoog flights and obvious Dream Theater elements,

Pandora : the sparkling piano is wonderfully blended in the heavy sound

and the titletrack : beautiful Grand piano intro and a splendid grand finale with awesome keyboard work and a very moving guitar solo, goose bumps.

In other songs Pandora also deliver great build-ups.

Così Come Sei : from dreamy with soaring keyboards and acoustic guitar to compelling with a strong electric guitar/synthesizer duet and bombastic with furious drum work and heavy guitar.

Breve Storia di San George (mellow climate): wonderful blend of acoustic guitar, flute-Mellotron, warm Italian vocals, classical orchestrations, delicate harpsichord runs and a pleasant flute solo in the end.

The most elaborate composition is the final track entitled Salto Nel Buio (close to 14 minutes), it sounds very varied and contains lots of captivating, very flowing shifting moods and surprising musical ideas. From a short interlude with acoustic guitar and choir-Mellotron to a piece with prog metal overtones and a jazzy vibraphone solo. The final part is very exciting featuring fat synthesizer runs and propulsive drum beats, slowly fading away, I am in Progheaven!

My conclusion: highly recommended, to me this debut CD sounds as one of the best Italian prog in the last two decades!

 Alibi Filosofico by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2013
4.00 | 42 ratings

BUY
Alibi Filosofico
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by DrömmarenAdrian

3 stars Among all prog rock subgenres, the Italian one is one of my favourites and this one had a lot to deliver too. Pandora was created in 2005 and the Italian band has released three records: Dramma di un Poeta Ubriaco in the year 2008, Sempre E Ovungue Oltre Il Signo in the year 2011 and now 2013 the record "Alibi Filosofico". All of the Pandora records have fascinating art works. This thing has a wonderful picture of a person which eyes and mouth are kind of double. I like the colours there too, and this apperence of the cover gives the though of great coming music. Beppe Colombo plays keyboards, Corrado Grappeggia keyboard, vocals and chorus and Claudio Colombo drums, bass, guitars, Puerto Rican Cuatro, keyboards, flute and chorus. The group has been helped by some great guests such as David Jackson from Van der Graaf Generator. His saxophones are very present here and among the best ingredients on this record.

Everything beside the music seems so good. Interesting track list, cover and musicians but the most important of course is the music. That, unfortunately wasn't so fantastic, according to my opinion. The music is brave, true progressive here and there and it changes all the time. I am sure people will like this, some of you more than I do. The title track, the long "Alibi Filosofico" is also the best, with a pleasant melody and a lot of good instrumental parts. This composition is very classical symphonic. The vocals are emotional but not so good. The record's very best track(8/10). Three more songs are worth naming for their attributes. The first song "Il Necromante, Khurastos e la Prossima Vittima" (7/10) is heavy, almost a metal song and the instruments work well together. Partially this is a funny piece. "La risalita" has attributes from the classical music and sounds interesting(7/10) and "Tony il Matto" has fantastic blow instruments; I guess it's Jackson's saxophones. The track is coherent and I like the melody(7/10).

The album's most lenghty bit: "Apollo" contains ingredients of great value and sometimes I just love it. As a whole though it's not very coherent and for me a bit too experimental. But it works and I will give the song 6/10. "Sempre con me" then sounds good but is too conventional (6/10) and "Né Titolo Né Parole" becomes quite a boring track. Over all though is the record very interesting and I love some of it. Parts of these songs really get me caught in the music. I like the fact that this band is vocal, but that is also the band's Achilles' heel. Pandora's third disc will get three stars from me(3,3).

 Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.75 | 107 ratings

BUY
Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Pandora's debut was followed by some nice live gigs next to both Italian and foreign bands, such as Ubi Maior and Riverside, but according to the band's official site they had to face the departure of guitarist Christian Dimasi.Quite strange thing, as he is listed in the liner notes of the second album of the group with the romantic title ''Sempre e ovunque oltre il sogno''.This one was released in 2011 again on BTF/AMS.

Far from being romantic themselves, Pandora belong certainly among the heavier and more bombastic Italian Symphonic Rock acts, moving a bit away from the classic style of the Italian groups for a more virtuosic and technical approach with strong RICK WAKEMAN influences and similarities to JAIME ROSAS' works, while the guitar follows the long keyboard fanfares with powerful lead parts.The music has often a cinematic flavor with atmospheric dual synthesizers, which are also the leading instrument of the album, although great Hammond organ, piano and Mellotron washes appear quite frequently.Melodies are not absent either, coming mostly in a GENESIS style with delicate synth and piano lines, a couple of tracks even contain some mellow acoustic parts.Vocals are not appearing much, the moments they do the band comes very close to the LE ORME stylings yet in a much modern way.Compositions are quite tight and an attempt on their own prog journey is made by Pandora with the 23-min. long title-track, which comes as an amalgam of bombastic DREAM THEATER-like Progressive Rock/Metal with flashy keyboard parts and a very high level of technique with more laid-back moments, typical of Italian Prog, characterized by expressive vocals, acoustic lines and piano-based melodies.They get too excessive at some point with the extended keyboard instrumentals, still this is a pretty good track with changing moods between haunting and calmer soundscapes.

Keyboard freaks will love this work, which can also please fans of Prog Metal and Italian Prog.Dense and powerful Symphonic Rock with endless keyboard attacks, that sometimes needs a bit of refinement.Recommended overrall.

 Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.75 | 107 ratings

BUY
Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by memowakeman
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Review originally posted at www.therocktologist.com

Once again, Italy shows us their musical catalogue is wide and awesome, that is why I love their music. This time, the turn is for Pandora, a band that started back in 2005 with Claudio and Beppe Colombo, Corrado Grapeggia and Christian Dimasi. The music they play is a nice combination of 70s progressive rock with a fresh and new sound from the 00s. In 2011 they released their second studio album, entitled 'Sempre e ovunque oltre il sogno', which consists of eight compositions that make a total time of 57 minutes. Actually, the album could be divided in two halves, the first one composed by seven songs, while the second one finishes with a long epic.

It starts with 'Il re degli scemi', which is a wonderful instrumental introductory track that produces a symphonic sound inspired by classical music. The work of the keyboards here is excellent, creating different nuances and emotions. Here I imagine this music could be used as a film score, because I can see images while the seconds pass. Great first song! The following track is 'L'altare del sacrificio' which happens to be the shortest one of the album. Here drums appear with a solid and decisive sound, accompanying the cool keyboard passages and those nervous bass lines.

When we less expect it, we are already listening to 'L'incantesmo del druido' which has a nice piano sound that contrasts with the powerful drums. Here after a minute, vocals enter for the first time in the album, fortunately, with lyrics in Italian (I say fortunately because I love this language, and I always prefer the bands singing in their native languages). The voice is excellent, a perfect complement for the music, which has a nice mixture of some spacey effects, with heavy rock passages and the inherent symphonic touch. Before the third minute the music slows down and a soft spacey moment is offered; later it changes, the guitar produces a strong sound and the tune becomes a bit heavier. This is an excellent composition, one of the album's highlights!

'Discesa attraverso lo stige' starts with a water running sound, then it vanishes and acoustic guitar enter along with a mellotron as background. After a minute we can listen to some people's noises, creating a kind of desolated mood, which is contrasted with the acoustic guitar sound that puts a sense of hope.'Ade, sensazione di paura' starts with that delicate acoustic guitar, however here the nuances created mainly by keyboards are different- Here the track is purely instrumental and with a lot of textures and colors that let our imagination fly. I have once again the feeling that this track could be used for a movie soundtrack, there are moments that really work for it. In this track we can also appreciate the compositional skills of the band, because it is a complex song where we can listen to the heaviest sound of Pandora, and in other moments, to their softest.

'03.02.1974' has a more delicate sound that shows the beauty of their music. Here the vocals return and perfectly accompany the acoustic guitar. A minute later it begins to flow, progressing little by little until it reaches a climax. At half the song there is a significant change, the music slows down and keyboards, acoustic guitar and vocals return with their soft and mellow sound, but it only lasts for a moment, because later the intensity is increasing once again. This song is a rollercoaster of sounds and emotions.

And the album finishes with a 23-minute epic entitled 'Sempre e ovunque', a challenging composition that shows the pinnacle of Pandora. It starts with a instrumental symphonic- classical sound that once again, reminds of a movie. After a couple of minutes guitar enters along with a piano, creating a tense atmosphere that will become tenser when drums, bass and keyboards enter and implement a faster rhythm. After five minutes there is a new passage, first the music vanishes for some seconds and then a new structure begins, with nice keyboard melody and great guitars that make a heavy symphonic rock sound. What I love from Pandora is that capacity of making creating powerful moments and later transforms them into soft, mellow and delicate passages. In this long song we can appreciate that in several places. The voice is always great, emotional and transcendental for the music's success. This song has in fact different moments that may have their own sound, but that at the same time are necessary to complete the structure, I mean, these short passages are like jigsaws that together will complete the puzzle.

What a great album by Pandora, I quite like it and would like to recommend it to any progressive rock fans, mostly, to those like me love the Italian prog flavor.

Enjoy it!

 Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.75 | 107 ratings

BUY
Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by andrea
Prog Reviewer

4 stars In 2011 Pandora released their sophomore work on AMS/BTF, "Sempre ovunque oltre il sogno" (Always everywhere beyond the dream), with the same line up featuring Beppe Colombo (synth, organ, backing vocals), Claudio Colombo (drums, percussion, bass, acoustic guitar, synth), Corrado Grappeggia (vocals, synth, organ, piano) and Christian Dimasi (electric guitar, backing vocals). The overall sound of this second work is mellow and symphonic and every track is described in the booklet with a painting by the American artist Emoni Viruet (who now is Claudio Colombo's wife), almost a ghost member of the band. She is also the author of the art cover while Beppe Colombo painted the inlay picture titled "Sempre e ovunque".

The instrumental opener "Il re degli scemi" (The king of fools) is a solo performance by Claudio Colombo who composed the piece and played keyboards and percussion. According to an interview with the band it was inspired by a short story that his wife wrote after a dream. It tells of a powerful king who could impress his people with magic but who didn't know what's real love. This track reminds me of the soundtracks of some films of a genre called Sword-and-sandal, Italian low budget imitations of Hollywood historical epics that were in fashion in the early sixties...

The short instrumental "L'altare del sacrificio" (The altar of sacrifice) and the following "L'incantesimo del Druido" (The spell of the Druid) tell the story of a fantasy character, a Druid called Chad-Bat, who with his rites and his magic helps a king and his army to defeat their enemies... "There's no one like me / No one is greater than me...". Well, when listening to this track try to imagine the busy wizard at work...

"Discesa attraverso lo Stige" (Descent through the Styx) and "Ade, sensazione di paura" (Hades, feeling of fear) are two long, complex instrumental tracks linked together that describe the story of a woman who crosses the waters of the river Styx and enters the secret world of Hades. Follow her and you will see fire and ice dancing together, lost souls and demons dancing with Death in the wide hall of immensity... Eventually, if you are lucky, you'll find the way back!

"03.02.1974" (February 2, 1974) is about another kind of magic. The lyrics evoke the feelings and emotions provoked by a Genesis' concert in the seventies... "It wasn't just music that evening / It wasn't just a show in that moment... It was a magic touch flying away... They weren't just songs... Then The Knife broke in / Shouts, shivers, tears / It was the end for us... Even today I think of you / I can still feel the emotion and I cry...".

On "La formula finale di Chad-Bat" (The final formula of Chad-Bat) the busy Druid comes back to offer you his help. All in all there's no one like him to conjure a magical dream...

"Sempre e ovunque" (Always and everywhere) is a long suite in eight parts that concludes the album. It begins with a nice instrumental overture, full of symphonic suggestions to stir your fantasy... "Here I am, my young prince / I'm just back from the past... I'm back to give you all what I gathered in all this time / I'm back to give you the keys of my coffer / My young prince, here you are / That's the key of your empire...". The coffer is full of dreams and emotions, the same dreams and emotions that a father would like to pass on to his son. Opening the coffer you shiver, understanding the real value of that treasure you could be overwhelmed by emotion... "I have lived to give you my world / Here I am, my young prince / Look at your empire / Look where the past comes from, where the future begins... Take up in your hands all my emotions / And keep them with you, always and everywhere...". Now the son is the keeper of his father's dreams... Progressive rock will live on! Well, a great finale for a very good album...

After the album was released Christian Dimasi left the band and now Pandora are a trio again but don't worry, they won't stop...

 Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.75 | 107 ratings

BUY
Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

3 stars While PANDORA's debut won me over easily with it's power and beauty this follow-up album is an altogether different beast. In fact it's a difficult one for me to actually enjoy and there is more of a classical vibe here with the odd orchestral flourishes.This certainly has it's moments but overall this is a disappointment when compared to their debut. It's like the things that I loved about the first one have all been scaled back or replaced with things i'm just not that into. My tastes of course.

I get off to a bad start with the first track "Il Re Degli Scemi" which is bombastic and orchestral in nature. I kept thinking this sounded like part of a soundtrack for a movie. It at least ends well. "L'Altare Del Sacrificio" has a good sounding rhythm section here as the guitar eventually comes in over top. It's a short instrumental.

"L'Incantestesimo Del Druido" is led by piano and drums early then the tempo picks up and vocals join in. A calm before 3 minutes then the drums start to lead. Organ joins in after 4 1/2 minutes. Guitar a minute later then it settles back after 6 minutes.Vocals are back late. "Discesa Attraverso Lo Stige" opens with nature sounds then acoustic guitar takes over with atmosphere.

"Ade,Sensazione Di Paura" is a top two song for me. More acoustic guitar then we get a heavy sound that takes over after 2 minutes. Synths and atmosphere before 3 1/2 minutes. It's heavy again before 5 minutes as contrasts continue. "03.02.1974" opens with acoustic guitar as reserved vocals join in. It kicks in as the tempo continues to shift on this one.

"La Formula Finale Di Chad-Bat" is my other top two. Spoken words to start then the guitar and a beat take over. Nice. Atmosphere after 2 1/2 minutes then it kicks in with the drums out front.Vocals follow. "Sempre E Ovunque" is the closing epic clocking in at 23 minutes. An orchestral-like intro before drums and synths kick in after 2 1/2 minutes. It turns jazzy after 4 1/2 minutes but not for long.The tempo and mood really change a lot on this one. Piano leads after 7 1/2 minutes then we get a calm with spoken words 8 1/2 minutes in. Great sound before 11 minutes as it gets heavier. Unfortunately that doesn't last long. Another calm after 13 minutes. It picks up before 18 minutes then turns heavier a minute later. It settles then gets heavier one last time.

A good album no doubt, but one that's missing that special RPI flavour that I love so much.

 Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno by PANDORA album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.75 | 107 ratings

BUY
Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno
Pandora Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Windhawk
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Italian band PANDORA was formed back in the autumn of 2005, instigated by Claudio Colombo with keyboardists Beppe and Corrado the first to opt in on this endeavor. After stabilizing as a four piece they were signed to AMS Records who released their initial production "Dramma di un Poeta Ubriaco" in 2008. "Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno" is their second album, and was released in early 2011.

If you generally enjoy music branded as symphonic progressive rock, Pandora is a band that you most likely should check out, especially if your tastes are liberal to the extent that listening to a band that blends the retro-oriented strains of the genre with elements of a more modern origin, first and foremost in the shape of metal guitar riffs, sounds like an interesting experience. A fine and well made album overall, sporting some of the best quality drum work I have encountered for some time as an additional bonus.

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

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.