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IL BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE

Rock Progressivo Italiano • Italy


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Il Ballo delle Castagne picture
Il Ballo delle Castagne biography
Il Ballo delle Castagne is an Italian band that was formed in 2007 by two musicians coming from different experiences: vocalist and lyricist Vinz, previously brainchild of a "low-fi project" called Calle della Morte and Marco Garegnani, previously with a band called The Green Man, who is the main composer and plays guitars, sitar, keyboards and moog. The line up was completed by Diego Banchero (Malombra, Recondita Stirpe and Egida Aurea) on bass and Jo Jo on drums. The name of the band means "The Chestnuts Ball" and it was inspired by a legend involving the Pope Alexander VI (1431-1503) and his luxurious habits: the "Chestnuts Ball" was a kind of "Satanic Sabbath" where naked women used to dance in the light of candelabrums picking chestnuts from the floor with their mouths. The music of Il Ballo delle Castagne is an interesting blend of hard rock, progressive and new wave. Their sound is gothic and dark and it could remind of bands like Antonius Rex or Il Biglietto per l?Inferno. Their debut eponymous album was released in 2009 by the independent label HauRuck SPQR. -Andrea Parentin

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IL BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE discography


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IL BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

2.96 | 6 ratings
Ballo delle Castagne
2009
3.40 | 22 ratings
Kalachakra
2011
3.55 | 9 ratings
Surpassing All Other Kings
2012
4.25 | 15 ratings
Soundtrack for an Unreleased Herzog Movie
2015

IL BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.45 | 4 ratings
Live Studio
2015

IL BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

IL BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

IL BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

3.00 | 2 ratings
108
2009
0.00 | 0 ratings
Kundalini Shakti
2021

IL BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Kalachakra by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.40 | 22 ratings

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Kalachakra
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by TenYearsAfter

3 stars The funny name of this Italian band is derived from a perverse Medieval play, dancing naked ladies picked up a 'ballo delle castagne' with their mouth from the floor. In 2009 this band released their debut CD entitled 108, the first part of a trilogy, then the second part named Kalachakra (from 2011), one year later followed by their third effort Surpassing All Other Kings. In 2015 Il Ballo Delle Castagne released their fourth studio album entitled Soundtrack For An Unreleased Herzog Movie and the Live Studio CD. This review is about their second album. I read that the band members consider themselves as a tribute to a variety of Italian artists and to the Classic Italian Prog era.

Indeed, but not only the atmospheres evoke these Italian artists and Classic Italian Prog bands, also the way Il Ballo Delle Castagne deliver variety, adventure and creativity in their music, blended with skills, strongly reminds me of that.

Most of the compositions are drenched into psychedelic atmospheres, in which a huge variety of instruments (from guitar and organ to sitar, synthesizer and violin) are used to create hypnotizing and atmospheric music. A few examples where Il Ballo Delle Castagne succeed to generate these very 'pleasant mellow moods'.

Fat synthesizer flights and howling Floydian guitar runs in Tutte Le Anime Saranno Pesate.

A hypnotizing climate with varied samples (especially the sitar) in the titletrack.

A wonderful combination of vocals, Hammond and sensitive electric guitar in the opener Passioni Diabolische.

At some moments the music turns into harder-edged, like in the propulsive and sumptuous La Terra Trema (strong vocals and exciting guitar riffs), also including a break with mid-tempo featuring swirling organ and guitar.

More experimental is de final track Ballo Delle Castagne, it contains a variety of synthesizer sounds and monotone drum beats.

Here's another interesting Italian prog album, varied and adventurous.

My rating: 3,5 star.

 Soundtrack for an Unreleased Herzog Movie by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Studio Album, 2015
4.25 | 15 ratings

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Soundtrack for an Unreleased Herzog Movie
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Matti
Prog Reviewer

4 stars I haven't listened to IL BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE before this album, which is very far from the R.P.I. style. The liner notes reveal that the Eastern influence so crucial here is not a new thing for the band. "In every album you can recognize the importance of the Middle-Eastern element and how this deliberately conflates with European Cosmic Rock music."

The compositions and initial demos had been made during recording the last two albums. The group was inspired by German film director Werner Herzog, whose "influence on our music has been constant over the years and now we finally pay homage to his genius and his vision." Strangely the liner notes don't mention POPOL VUH who made music for several Herzog films and who must be an enormous influence musically. Gratefully the opening track is called 'In the Garden of Popol Vuh', and it strongly reminds me of albums such as Hosianna Mantra (1973). The hypnotic music containing harpsichord, percussion and choral samples is truly celestial.

The rest of the album is not quite as spellbinding but the whole work has a special, unique atmosphere. The best occasion for listening to this music is after having gone to bed and waiting for sleep. The more or less spacey arrangements are always exciting and elegant. Angelic female vocalese is used a lot, and some tracks feature also male spoken word in Italian, which is not a bad thing. Sometimes I just feel that the tracks are a bit too extended and it would be time to move on. But there's no doubt about it: if you appreciate ethereal and ethnically & classically flavoured soundscapes, introspective music for the inner visions, this album may turn out to be a rare discovery. Especially if POPOL VUH is among your musical delights.

 Live Studio by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Live, 2015
3.45 | 4 ratings

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Live Studio
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Angelo
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

3 stars The Austrian (and according to some Italian) band Il Ballo Della Castagne is the brain child of singer Vinz Aquarian and guitars/keyboard player Marco Gargegnani. They founded the band in 2007 and released four studio albums since then. The album under review here, Live Studio, is the fifth, and was recorded live (in band setting) in the Nadir studio in Genua, Italy.

Il Ballo Della Cassagne is considered part of the Rock Progressivo Italiano (RPI) movement within progressive rock, but is more fittingly described as Dark Italian Prog. Unlike most RPI bands, they don't copy the sound of the progressive rock acts that Italy brougth forth in the 1970s (PFM, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Le Orme, Museo Rosenbach), but rather create their own mix of styles. As a result, this album contains a mix of Italian prog, krautrock, space rock and even a little bit of jazz influences, creating a foundation for the dark, mysterious vocals of Vinz Aquarias and guest vocalist Marina Larcher. Her chants add a druidic feel to some of the tracks, lie Tema di Gilgamesh and Il Viaggio.

Musically, the album is varied, with a solid rhythm section (Diego Ranchero does seem to have some jazz background in his playing, just listen to Il Trema), space rock like guitars and enough from for some good old fashioned organ playing.

The album, which is released as a limited edition CD (108 hand numbered copies and a few also hand marked promo copies) contains three covers of the band's own idols. The most interesting one for me was their rendition of Appearance of the Voice by Eloy. The track's lyrics were replaced by Italian lyrics, and Vinz really shines on this one. Next to this, the covers are Areknames by Italian Franco Battioto and Fire in the Sky, by Ya Ho Wa 13. Both bands I don't know, but the way Il Ballo Della Cassagne plays their works makes that they are now added to my list of acts to check out further, together with Il Ballo themselves.

The darkness of the bands sound may not be something one wants to hear on a daily basis, but at the right time and in the right place this is certainly worth listening - and listening attentively as well. Recommended!

Also published on my blog www.angelosrockorphanage.com

 Soundtrack for an Unreleased Herzog Movie by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Studio Album, 2015
4.25 | 15 ratings

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Soundtrack for an Unreleased Herzog Movie
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars The cinematic vision of German born film-maker Werner Herzog has long been a great influence on the work of dark Italian prog band Il Ballo delle Castagne. Paying homage to the director, `Soundtrack for an Unreleased Herzog Movie' is the fourth studio album from Vinz Aquarian's RPI group, arriving only a few weeks after their `Live Studio' performance, and it is their most lavish, diverse and multi-faceted work to date. Compiled and worked on from demos originating from various recording sessions for their past couple of albums, `Soundtrack...' incorporates more Middle-Eastern sounds than ever before from the band, with a rich concoction of space, psychedelic and gothic rock and even classical fancy that is still frequently identifiable as proper daring RPI. This sumptuous work offers a greater depth and complexity only hinted at on their previous albums, and never before have they released something so mature and varied as this gorgeous, exotic and darkly ambient work.

Ethereal gothic siren cries call through echoing crystalline caverns of the opening track `In the Garden of Popul Vuh', with spiralling dreamy harpsichord, drowsy horn and fragmented piano bursts in the final moments. The piece almost calls to mind Antonio Bartoccetti's Antonius Rex with its eerily seductive and uneasy dream-like atmosphere. Even better is the evocative mix of sounds throughout the highly disorientating and hallucinogenic instrumental `Lentus in Umbra'. Wavering psychedelic synths spin around wild harpsichord, a sporadic pulsing beat, low-key organ, gentle earthy hand percussion and thoughtful yet spirited acoustic guitar runs. Sweeter, almost romantic themes gradually reveal themselves along with a mix of regal and medieval flavours, and it covers many sides of the classic pure RPI sounds.

The dark spirit of Jacula and Il Babau & I Maledetti Cretini haunts `Il Pianto di Cristo su Gerusalemme'. Vinz's raspy narration frantically croons over Il Segno del Comando's Diego Banchero's murky bass, ruminating one moment then heading straight to the skies of space-rock heaven the next. Wailing voices courtesy of female singer Maetheylia, also from the last Comando album `Il Volto Verde', hisses, electric guitar distortion groans and droning sitar weave around harsh electronic slices and lustful electric guitar burnings, all growing in intensity as the piece climaxes.

Eastern themes ripple through the second side's `Profumi D'Oreinte', a brooding dark folk piece that is actually quite an accessible tune, yet still implements plenty of lavish instrumental character. Dark synths, sombre acoustic guitar and a breathy unearthly vocal over rattlesnake-like percussion form the piece, with careful washes of scratchy Mellotron wisps and some stirring electric guitar soloing from Roberto Lucanato in the later half. Ten minute album closer `Sicut in Caeloo' displays the most restraint and supreme taste of all. After a gloomy narration gets out of the way, the track solely becomes a ghostly melancholic classical piano piece full of moody drama and great subtlety, a true showcase for Marco. It's as equally darkly thoughtful and exquisitely beautiful as it is haunting , and it's a very stark yet confident way to end a most unexpected of albums.

Despite several solid albums already in their discography, `Soundtrack for an Unreleased Herzog Movie' is truly Il Ballo delle Castagne's boldest, most sophisticated and defining musical statement to date. 2015 may have already offered several standout Italian progressive releases, but this sounds like nothing else entirely, and it could be a real kick up the ass to ignorant listeners under the impression that all RPI albums are bombastic keyboard-driven symphonic prog. Italian progressive aficionados absolutely need to investigate this wickedly addictive, exquisite collection that hides buried deep within that spicy hint of danger that inhabits all the best Italian progressive albums, and the band have delivered not only a career best work, but one of the strongest Italian releases so far in 2015. Go on, take a walk on the dark side with Il Ballo delle Castagne.

Five stars.

 Live Studio by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Live, 2015
3.45 | 4 ratings

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Live Studio
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Lurking in the shadowy corner where the darker Italian prog bands dwell, Il Ballo delle Castagne closed out their 2014 with the recording of a live album simply entitled `Live Studio'. Performed live, sure enough, at the Nadir studio in Genova in the Spring of 2014, main composer Vinz Aquarian and his cohort Diego Banchero from fellow Italian dark prog masters Il Segno del Comando, along with other members of the band, played a selection of Castagne pieces and an interesting choice of covers by artists as diverse as Franco Battiato, psychedelic band Ya Ho Wa 13 and even German symphonic prog legends Eloy! The results are a superb little forty minute vinyl length live release, and fans of the band should greatly enjoy the results!

Marina Larcher's hissing chants and gothic priestess wail weaves around Vinz's weary vocal that's seemingly carved from a cursed altar stone throughout opener `Tema di Gilgamesh'. Heavy slab guitars and sprinkles of organ ploddingly lurch along until spacey swirling synths flitter around strangled electric guitar soloing in the climax. The slow burn bluesy/acid rock guitar strutting that quickly turns wailing throughout `La Terra Trema' over spectral church organ instantly calls to mind Antonio Bartoccetti's Antonius Rex, and Diego gets some playful jazzy bass soloing before Fernando Cherchi's drumming erupts to life with fiery purpose. Lusty foot-tapping guitar grooves saunter through the hallucinogenic synths and ghoulish female beckonings of `Il Viaggio', the most subtle of jazzy flavours dancing throughout, and a rollicking piece originating from one of Diego's side projects Egida Aurea, `Odore di Benzina', offers frantic dark funk, his relentless bass purring with wicked delight.

`I Giorni della Memoria Terrena' is a dramatic and dreamy reinterpretation of German band Eloy's `Appearance of the Voice', Vinz's distorted spoken vocal (with new Italian lyrics) groaning over reflective and tasteful guitars replacing those shimmering synth lines of the original. A further cover of Italian legend Franco Battiato's `Areknames' is given a frantic new-wave punky sprightly pop/rock makeover. A ranting narrated introduction over rising church organ builds a brooding mysterious menace throughout `Omega' before the band twist it into a devilish Black Sabbath stomp, and the band close on Ya Ho Wa 13's acid-rocker `Fire in the Sky', where endless scorching electric guitar soloing burns with hellfire intent, the repeated chanted chorus crushes your precious hold on sanity and a repetitive bass-line smashes down on your skull over and over for all eternity!

`Live Studio' is limited to just over a hundred copies, and despite it being a CD release, it comes in a glossy fold-out 7" LP sized sleeve, with the disc carefully placed in a plastic pocket inside. It's a beautiful presentation for a special little live document that, although not essential, offers a frequently exciting live performance with plenty of spontaneous fire and rough intimidating gloom from a fascinating darker Italian band. It's meant as a friendly gesture of thanks to fans for supporting the band, and while it's definitely recommended, the March 2015 release of their next studio album, `Soundtrack for an Unreleased Herzog Movie' promises to surely be even more exciting!

Four stars nonetheless.

 Surpassing All Other Kings by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.55 | 9 ratings

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Surpassing All Other Kings
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars The last forty-plus years have seen a number of evocative and intoxicating dark-themed progressive projects originating from Italy, carving themselves a nice shadowy corner in the R.P.I field. The defining acts from the early days such as the Bartoccetti-led Jacula/Antonius Rex and the horror soundtrack kings Goblin, Abiogenesi and Standarte in the 90's, and the current renaissance with Three Monks, Il Babau & I Maledetti Cretini and others lighting a black candle in the modern era. Il Ballo delle Castagne, a joint project led by Vinz Aquarian (vocals/lyrics/keyboards) and bass player Diego Banchero, main composer in fellow modern dark Italian project Il Segno del Comando, is an addictive mix of gothic, psych, hard rock and even Kraut, filled with typical Italian classical bombast and sophistication wickedly woven into the dark atmospheres.

In much the same way that conducting some extra research or study benefits all the Il Segno del Comando albums, listeners will be rewarded by delving into the background of this work. `Surpassing All Other Kings' is the third act in a trilogy of works based around `The Epic of Gilgamesh', an ancient poem from Mesopotamia that remains one the earliest surviving works of literature. This particular album takes it's translated title from `Shuter eli Sharri', dating from the 18th century BC. On the surface, it tells the tale of gods, goddesses and kings, an oppressed people, and a search for the secret of eternal life. But, like many of the best Italian dark progressive creations, there's this eerie, cryptic tone to the music, and Vinz and Diego incorporate various esoteric reference points and mystical unease to this work. The lyrics often favour surreal imagery over a direct narrative or a straight interpretation of the ancient writings.

The music here often has a brutish, intimidating quality, not surprising considering the source material, and the band attempts to cover a wide range of styles and genres to present the story. The imposing opener `Tema di Gilgamesh' (Gilgamesh Theme) is full of creeping church organ, militaristic drumming, devilish female chants and a croaking, raspy vocal from Vinz himself with very hypnotic spacey finale. A propulsive constant beat surges `Il Risveglio' (The Awakening) constantly onwards, a stalking quality to the grand church organ and moaning voices that perfectly captures the violent imagery of the lyrics. Chanted female vocals and a searing electric guitar solo over echoing whispered recitations in the finale draws directly from dark Italian occult proggers Jacula/Antonius Rex, the suffocating atmosphere threatening to overwhelm the listener.

`Il Viaggio' (The Journey) is just that, a voyage through a variety of sounds - funky wah-wah and bluesy electric guitar soloing, groovy bass strutting, jazzy strolling piano and some seductively dark and purring vocals from Carmen D'Onofrio. The piece is a nice break from all the true gloom of the rest of the disc that recalls not only fellow Italian gloomsters Abiogenesi but mid 70's Pink Floyd as well. The brief interlude `Rorate Coeli' is a cold electronic experiment based around churning repetitive synths. The mix of haunted house tip-toeing piano and eerie electronics that opens `Konighn der Nacht' could be straight of a later 70's Antonius Rex album like `Praeternatural'. The piano quickly grows in desperation, Vinz's mournful yet intimidating crooned vocals take on a wretched faraway quality that sounds like he's falling further and further down a deep well. The pummeling `Il Segreto' (The Secret) is a showcase for Diego's rumbling and fluid bass playing, with some unusually uplifting electric guitar soloing from Roberto Lucanato over a lovely female choral voice in the later half.

`Aquarius Age' is a fascinating instrumental that incorporates Post-rock influences with it's drawn- out ambient guitar flavours, `Fire In The Sky' is a slightly plodding jam that somewhat resembles the early Amon Duul albums with a scuzzy and wasted slurred vocal, as well as the early Abiogenesi albums again. `Eoni' features lovely chiming classic period Genesis-like acoustic guitars and gentle Mellotron, a male choir from the band brings a nice sense of foreboding too. Deranged strings and stabbing orchestral synths offer a climactic fanfare reprise of the opening piece in `Apochriphon of Gilgamesh', but sadly the music is pushed right to the background under a collage of sounds of war, transmission snippets and presidential speeches. Had the piece been purely instrumental, it would have ended the album in a suitably grandious E.L.P-styled manner.

Still, `Surpassing All Other Kings' is a very strong album for lovers of the dark Italian works, and this one might even appeal to newcomers unsure of where to begin exploring these sort of albums. It is never endlessly gloomy, instead balancing easier-going pieces in numerous different styles, so it might serve as a suitable introduction. Vinz, Diego and their musical companions have released a fine dark work here, and hopefully a follow up is in the works for the near future.

Four stars.

 Surpassing All Other Kings by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Studio Album, 2012
3.55 | 9 ratings

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Surpassing All Other Kings
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Finnforest
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Doom laden heavy-psych-goth storytellers

Il Ballo delle Castagne is a Milan based collective led by the duo of vocalist/keyboardist/lyricist Vinz Aquarian and bassist Diego Banchero. They are assisted by musicians from other bands and on this album the supporting players are Carolina Cecchinato, Marina Larcher, Davide Bruzzi, Roberto Lucanato, Fernando Cherchi, and Carmen D'Onofrio. "Surpassing All Other Kings" was released in late 2012 and is the third installment in a trilogy by the group, the subject matter looking at universal mysteries of life and the universe.

"The last chapter of the trilogy is based on the first poem ever written in the whole history of mankind: "Gilgamesh". The legendary king of Uruk and his incredible story was the very first step in this new journey of Ballo delle Castagne. Beside the myth and the most obvious research of eternal life, the figure of Gilgamesh offer the chance to reflect generally on the constant problem of man to look always for an answer for all things in the universe. Indeed, the thousand year sleep of Gilgamesh is now interrupted by the challenge of a new search. The man has lost its meaning, its beliefs. The King rises up from his grave (somewhere in the universe) and starts a journey back to the earth, meeting new and old characters of the ancient saga. The mission is now to reach a new state of consciousness, embracing a new golden age called "Aquarian Age"." -Band album overview

The sound of BdC is right at home within this joint project of Bloodrock Records and Black Widow Records. Their doomy and goth-tinged heavy psych recalls other dark and dramatic artists like Goad and Orne, and to an extent Areknames and Antonius Rex. The tracks feature both male and female vocals in a dramatic style, there is a theatrical flair to the presentation that is very RPI to the core even during the passages in English. (There is a mixture of language). Drumming is also varied rather than purely typical beat-keeping, there are march-like drums and slower, lumbering pacing with that Antonius Rex feel. Organ and keyboards are not overwhelmingly complex but they are filled with spooky moods and choking atmospheres like sooty smoke. I notice a penchant for long repetitive patterns of song structure that often borders on oppressive, challenging the listener a bit, and indeed on their page BdC challenge their listeners to turn this WAY up. Chunky guitar chords and distorted tones contribute to the heaviness and fun. "Il Viaggio" is a cool track typical of the album, with a Doris Norton style vocal over dark, shimmering, hallucinogenic sound that can only be described as unsettling.

The psych/goth-doom sound is changed up on "Rorate Coeli" to express a post-rock sound and this is really refreshing in the throes of such intense material. The change-up continues in "Konigin Der Nacht's" superb and nightmarish recitation over piano and sound effects. Wonderful! "Il Segreto" continues a strong middle section that just cooks with heavy guitar, deep organ tones, and choir vocals to create chilling and heavy, aggressive dark prog. "Eoni" is a huge departure, an acoustic interlude with lofting, lovely synthesizers and male choir vocals--I was wishing this track was longer! A few missteps exist. "Fire in the Sky" is pretty mediocre compared the cool tracks leading up to it, just a very basic, somewhat boring jam that goes on too long. And the closing track is an unfortunate choice. It's the requisite anti-war track with the old "scary music over US presidential speech" thing. It's really old hat in 2012 and it's been done hundreds of times now. While I respect their right to their opinion, my own is that it comes off as a pretty thin way to address such a complex issue, and it ends a great musical ride on a low, awkward note.

Despite my annoyance with that last song, I truly enjoyed "Surpassing All Other Kings" and I like this band. This is an album that will please explorers of the dark, heavy/psych-prog, those fans who love Black Widow and their associated bands. I recommend it to the dark/heavy RPI fans and want to point out that this album is available for a limited time on vinyl! Don't miss it you vinyl hounds! 3 1/2 stars.

 Kalachakra by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.40 | 22 ratings

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Kalachakra
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Windhawk
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Italian quartet BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE was formed in early 2008, initially founded by Vinz Aquarian and Marco Garegnani the previous year, but not formally realized until Banchero and Jo Jo joined the ranks. They made their debut with "Ballo delle Castagne" in 2009, and "Kalachakra" from 2011 is their second full-length production.

Ballo Delle Castagne has created a strong album with a distinct and almost idiosyncratic sound with "Kalachakra". A strong feeling of unity of mood and atmosphere is probably the main reason for an album slightly sprawling in style appearing to be a concise and unified creation. Fans of psychedelic art rock should take note of this one, in particular if they enjoy vintage-oriented material covering a broad musical canvas.

 Kalachakra by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.40 | 22 ratings

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Kalachakra
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by avestin
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars A band I knew nothing of before receiving this album, I gradually became entranced by their psychedelic music. Il Ballo delle Castagne are an Italian band, now consisting of four members, but started out in 2007 with two of them: Vinz (vocals) and Marco Garegnani (keyboards, guitars, sitar, samples). The other two musicians are Diego Banchero (bass) and Jo Jo (drums). Vinz is also in Calle Della Morte. Marco is in The Green Man. Diego is in Ediga Aurea, Recondita Stirpe, Malombra and Segno Del Comando. This album, Kalachakra, is inspired by the documentary "Kalachakra: The Wheel Of Time", by Werner Herzog about the ritual of the same name in which Tibetan Buddhist monks become ordained.

The album's songs offer a wide range of styles and moods and as such display little coherent sound by the band. The opening song for instance, Passioni Daiboliche, is a rich and heavy rock piece with prominent keyboards and supporting guitar work, male and female vocals and a beautiful musical peak at the end with piercing keyboards-produced string sounds.

But this song is typical of only half of the album. This release presents to facets of the band: a slow and eerie psychedelic and experimental side, and a more melodic, high-energy heavy psychedelic rock face of the band. The songs, accordingly, seem to come from either of these two factions, which actually reside very well together and have strong links.

Already on the second piece, Tutte Le Anime Saranno Pesate, one can hear their psychedelic tendencies. An efficient and eerie bass line provides tension as the synths provide the main theme, accompanying the male vocals, while later on tribal percussion and a sharp guitar noodling solo continue this otherworldly vibe. All of these elements create a somewhat creepy and weird atmosphere, that is quite characteristic of this type of songs on the album.

I Giorni Della Memoria Terrena follows in the footsteps of the preceding song, albeit in a less spooky fashion and with haunting male vocals, initially accompanied by drumming and then gradually joined by guitar and keyboards. There is a sense of a ritual being prepared, an arrival being anticipated, an escalation of emotions about to happen, in expectation of an event to happen. But this event does not occur in this song, as this monotone piece keeps on going until its end.

The title piece, Kalachakra, counteracts the somewhat somber mood created by the two previous tunes, with a return in its opening part, to the heavy psychedelic rock of the first piece. Although here it's not as prominent (and not throughout the song) and moreover, includes a sitar, thus enhancing a mystic feeling that permeates from the entire album. The ending of this track is quite gorgeous and climatic with the increase of pace and use of synth-string.

La Terra Trema is in the same camp as Kalachakra in style of song, and the climatic ending. These two songs in particular remind me of the Chilean band Angulart and their album, Donde Renacen Las Horas. The atmosphere is similar, as is the vocal style and the guitar tones. It is an odd and special sound that I find quite ear grabbing. The sixth track, La Foresta Dei Suicidi, is as somber as its name suggests. It is percussion- less, abstract in places, peculiar and gloomy. While calm in a sense, it is filled with lots of restrained emotions and controlled rage.

Omega, the 7th piece, starts out in the same otherworldly fashion as the previous track, though less grave d with percussion but midway through it joins the ranks of the other type of songs on here and delivers an Electric Orange-like psychedeic freak-out epic ending.

The closing piece, Ballo delle Castagne, reminds me as well of the psychedelic rock of Electric Orange, sounding at first as if coming from a distant foreign place, changing midway to a jam-session-like psychedelic rock tune (with spoken words on German, enhancing furthermore the Electric Orange comparison).

Il Ballo delle Castagne presents here an album with two main ingredients; one heavy psychedelic rock, and the other a psychedelic abstract and eerie exploration. This has grown on me gradually with each listen and only with concentrated and repeated listening, did this album reveal to me its beauty and nuances (or rather I exposed my mind to it). A worthwhile listen (3.5 stars for those who care about such things)

 Kalachakra by BALLO DELLE CASTAGNE, IL album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.40 | 22 ratings

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Kalachakra
Il Ballo delle Castagne Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by toroddfuglesteg

3 stars Hmmmmmm........

I once liked a band called Type O Negative. A band which really redefined dark rock. Italy has always had a great love for dark rock. That explains New Order and Van Der Graaf Generator's popularity there. Black Widow Records has released dark rock for ages. And yes, that's where you find this band and this album too. Black Widow Records has blackened the soundwaves again with this album.

Others than me has explained the Ballo Delle Castagne's background so I will not go there. I will though review the music. Music which is most definate dark rock. Dark rock with roots in the depressive rock scene (and that's the name of this scene) in England back in the 1980s, VDGG, space rock bands like Hawkwind, some blues and the Italian dark rock scene. Well, I am sure the band will deny those influences in the interview with them, but that is what I get out of their sound. Those are my references. So dark rock it is.

The quality is good throughout. The opening track Passioni Diaboliche is the best track of the album with it's Type O Negative and VDGG associations. I do feel the album is loosing it's way towards the end though. The two final tracks Omega and Ballo delle Castagne does not do it for me with their blues connotations.

I am not denying that this album is a fascinating journey though, and this has been a long journey in my case. But in my books; this is not a fully great album. But check it out and make up your own mind.

3.5 stars

Thanks to finnforest for the artist addition.

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