YLECLIPSE

English lyrics, neo-prog music ("Wind- Tanned Horses") with some symphonic elements ("Sacred Healing Light") or some fine medieval little piece ("Charlotte's Dream") are available on this album from the Italian band "Yleclipse".

All this is well crafted although vocals are below average. But since Alessio Guerrero is in charge of that department from the very beginning of the band, there is nothing new under the sky.

Instrumental sections are by far the most interesting ones like during the wonderful introduction of the title track (also a constant remark throughout their discography): guitar is often emotional but at the end of the day it sounds as a second tier "Pendragon" as far as I'm concerned.

This is also a lengthy album which would have gained if cut by fifteen minutes or so. Anyway, if you fancy to listen to an early "Marillion" clone, why not give it a try to this work. As such it is not too bad (except weak vocals overall) but don't expect the fantasy and complexity of genuine Italian prog bands. But there is nothing wrong with this.

The long and closing "The Day The Wooden Leopard Roared" is a perfect summary of the whole album: good neo prog music, delicate guitar and a bit more synths than usual. A good song. As the album.

Three stars.

The previous album from this band left me as cold as ice: basic neo-prog, period. I just hoped that this one would be superior.

The filiation with "Genesis" is still obvious (there are several Hackett-like solo) but the music sounds more mature. It is good to see that the band was moved from RPI to neo...

Vocals somehow reminds of "Marillion" Mark I (the only one as far as I'm concerned). Just listen to the good opening "A Crown Of Gold" to get this confirmed. But this is only the first of a list.

This album is stronger than "Prime Substance" for sure. Compositions are harmonious and guitar work is very powerful and emotional. English vocals are good although somewhat theatrical and willing to remind some other "voices" from the past during the excellent "Reality Show".

Some lighter and acoustic parts are also available: another short Hackett touch but nice to break the mood ("Sailing To Caralis", or the medieval but symphonic "Carol").

This band fits perfectly the neo-prog genre like their country men "The Watch" (whom I prefer). Melodic and crafted that's a given fact, but the phantom of the masters is really catching up later in this "Opus" (title track as well as "Glorious"). These musicians are gifted (but after all, this is normal to expect) and the writing skills on this work is pretty decent too.

The most "Genesis" sounding track is the fine "Tale Of The Black Cloak". One of the longest available and also another one to feature brilliant guitar lines (one of their strong points by all means). Some Banks influence is immediately noticeable as the song starts as well. This track holds a lot of different moods and textures: it is the most sophisticated from this "Opus" and the most achieved; even if not too personal.

If you like the early "Marillion" and the late middle seventies "Genesis", this album is definitely an interesting one for your ears. If you are too much of a purist, you could avoid it. I rate it as a good album. Three stars.

This Italian band proposes a very much "Genesis" oriented music. This feeling is more obvious when lyrics are sung in English like during the good opening song "Prime Substance".

The music that you can find on this album is at times very melodic (thanks to brilliant guitar work) but can as well be average at the same time "thanks" to the vocals. It is my appreciation of "Wizard".

The more I listen to this album, the less Italian flavour I can feel about it (but the band has been moved from RPI into the neo-prog category by now): the remake of "Mercury & Sulfurus" is quite clear about this. Sub par neo-prog in all its splendour. Don't get me wrong: I like neo-prog but not the basic and tricky one like here.

Even when vocals are sung in Italian, the emotion is not really present: average at best. And instrumentation offers too little passion as far as I'm concerned. Very few very good songs are featured on this album. Just short great guitar breaks and some good synths ones. But the whole sounds pretty boring after all.

This album is a weak succession of average to weak tracks ("Levati In Volo") which can only end up on a two stars rating.

Trails and hints of 70's RPI . . .

The Yleclipse--formerly Eclisse--started in 1998 and still boast the founding four member lineup. They list their main influences as medieval music, classic rock, and Celtish music (particularly Irish and Scottish). The band states that they continually push boundaries of their own music, trying to incorporate new ideas that they discover in their musical research. (This information from the band's website.) The result is an eclectic mix of old and new, of experiment and accessibility.

I have to agree with Tarcisio's review--this is a wonderful modern Italian album that often hearkens back to the 70's heyday. The bands first three albums are squarely in the neo-prog category, and while this album is more varied and interesting than the others they have not completely shed the neo-prog tendencies. Rather, they have combined the strengths of neo- with some of the appealing characteristics of RPI. For example on this album more than their previous ones, the compositions are varied, at times complex, always melodic. In fact a strong sense of melody, along with great interplay between guitar and keyboards are the strengths of this album. My favorite track is "Arcontes Merees Karaleos," which is an instrumental featuring layers of acoustic guitars augmented by keyboards, bass, and drums, and is probably the song most reminiscent of the RPI heyday.

Like Tarcisio, I feel that the biggest weakness is the production. However, I don't worry too much about that when the music is great! The vocals are so-so and are in English, which also lessens the impact, but again can be overlooked because of the great music.

This is a great effort, a wonderful example of modern sounds with hints of RPI. Three and a half stars, rounded down to three.

Very interesting symphonic prog band from Italy. they have obviously strong influences from a lot of those great 70´s groups that made that country famous among prog lovers (PFM, Le Orme, Banco, etc), plus some hints of early Marillion, and a little italian folk here and there. It is my first entry into the Yleclipse universe, so I can´t compare Trails Of Ambergris to their previous works. However, it is easy to conclude after only one hearing that this is surely a fine CD with great symphonic moments. Those 70´s influenced keyboards are a pleasure to hear, but the sound is not retro per se. There is an interesting and modern feeling on the CD as a whole.

The major flaw on Trails Of Ambergris is the production: it is adequade but only barely. For this kind of music they would benefit with a better mixing and mastering. Still, this is only a detail since the music is very powerful and shines all through the CD. Alessio Guerrero voice is very unique and kind of aquaring the taste, but he is a gifted artist. His guitar playing is also very interesting varying from delicate and melodic to some metallic riffs once in a while. The other band members are equally skilled and sometimes is hard to believe they are just four musicians making all those noises. It os a long CD (over 73 minutes), but there are no fillers.

Conclusion: one damn good CD! If you´re into italian prog music with lots of 70´s sounds then Trails of Ambergris is a must have. I wouldn´t call it a masterpiece but it is an excellent addition to any prog music collection.

This is the third album by the Italian four piece band with the weird name The Yleclipse. The sound on the eight compositions (between four and ten minutes) is tasteful and melodic with hints from early Marillion. Some examples of their music: a fluent tempo, tasteful keyboard flights and sensitive guitar in A Crown Of Gold, Floydian slide guitar in Reality Show, a folky sound in Sailing To Caralis and Carol (nice flute and acoustic guitar), alternating in Glorious (from bombastic with fiery guitar to dreamy with flute and soft piano chords) and compelling with howling guitar in The Tale Of The Black-cloak. Don't expect very elaborate songs and adventurous prog, just enjoy the pleasant neo-prog from this fine new Italian formation.

www.progwalhalla.com

As if according to the band's name, which is somewhat the derivative of English and Italian senses of eclipse, one half of the songs on the album are with lyrics in English (1, 2, 3, & 5), and another with those in Italian (4, 6, 7, & 8). And while the very melodious Italian language suitably fits this music, as well as most, if not all, of the kinds of music in general, Alessio Guerriero's singing in English is also very good. "Prime Substance" is an album of a completely unified stylistics, in the basis of which lies a highly original combination of both of the classic and Neo manifestations of the two classic progressive genres: Symphonic Art-Rock and Prog-Metal. Indeed, originality is one of the main hallmarks of the music of Yleclipse, and Prime Substance (1) is the only track here that contains some traces of influences - those of Marillion with Steve Hogarth. The alternation of heavy and mild arrangements is another significant aspect of this album and is typical for each of the eight songs on it. While on the whole, this music is not of a high complexity, it features a wide variety of so-called progressive ingredients, including frequent changes of a musical direction, complex time signatures, etc, and the band plays easy and tastefully throughout the album. Vocals, riffs and solos of electric guitar, passages of semi-acoustic guitar, solos of synthesizer, and those of bass and drums are present on all of the songs here, no less than the half of which though, feature also the parts of piano, Hammond, and a string ensemble. "Prime Substance" is by all means an even work, and only a couple songs here distinguish from the others by some distinctive features. Farewell Chant (3) is notable for the anthem- like vocals, and Dove sei (6), which is probably the best composition here, for great orchestral arrangements. To sum up, "Prime Substance" is certainly one of the most original Neo Prog albums that I've heard for the last two years, at least. Being both accessible and very interesting, it should be liked by thousands people from a few different Prog-lovers' circles.

Unfortunately only 400 copies made in the year 2000. To me it happens to be one of the most original new prog works of recent times, since a variety of styles (my favorites) are widley represented; italian folk with a thorough mediterranean touch, powerful vocal lines and lyrical refrains, as well as a touch of anglo-celtic folk ('reminds some old good fairport convention 'too), all combined with analog synths and logical progressions in 9/8 which might sound a bit like à la tarkus throbbed and echoed, astounding in that context, and unprecedented. I found this little gem (bought it in sweet on line auction mode), and although the audio quality ain't smoothy at all, really enjoyed it and worn it out. Check it out! (if ya able to find it!)

4th June 2004: Prime Substance - is the 2nd release from the Italian band Yleclipse. Symphonic prog rock, a little pinch of prog metal with a dash of delicate folk ballads with some celtic thrown in here and there,l ike on the songs"Dove Sei" with some great vocals and "Farewell Chant" which has some excellent orchestral arrangements. Half of the 8 songs are sung in English while the others sung in Italian. The singer Alessio Guerriero also does a fine job with the english vocals here. The title song "Prime Substance" has a flavoring of some Marillion a la Steve Hogarth sounds. Other highlighted songs are "Wizard" and "Radio Sahara" Over all I would recommened this cd to all. It has all the making of a descent prog recording plenty of complex time changes, frequent flavors of solo synthesizer sounds with piano overtones and some great guitar work, not to be missed. RECOMMENDED. Reviewed by John (The Progfessor) Gabbard (www.missingpiece.net)