PHAEDRA

Catia initiates the dual vocal with Mateo operating right under her scintillating vocal, a sublime piano weaving an intricate and spellbinding melody, churlish organ and strings penetrating the nearly medieval arrangement, until a rough guitar and rhythm section assaults the senses only to teeter back and forth between speed and serenity. There is a symphonic hint of Gentle Giant, in that the sonic evolution constantly incorporates hypnotic twists, Matteo doing a fine variation on Derek Shulman's dance with violins and cello. This 10-minute epic also infuses some narration before returning to Catia's echoing lament, channeling darker confines before screeching vertiginously into a wild assemblage of conflicting sounds and opposing emotions, waiting for the solitary piano to tuck you in for the night.

A completely altered soundscape is exhibited on the ultra-cool and jazzy shuffle of "Canto Per Lucy", an immutable bass groove that stops and starts as if dealing with congested traffic, sprinkled with glittering piano passages that flow like the Tyrolian Mountain rivers. The softer auditory realms are markedly attractive and evocative of countless imaginary visions, hints of old school Genesis in the keyboard/guitar interplay and an all-around laid-back delivery, highly confident and relaxed, a truly inspiring number.

The ornate piano rules once again on the classical tinged intro of "L'Empio Simulacro", before choir mellotron throws all caution to the wind, and maximum acceleration is locked into gear for another extended roller-coaster prog rock ride. The alternating male/female vocals give each singer the spotlight to show off their skills, constantly disrupted by unexpected variants that may include oddly muted sound effects that induce a sense of dark tension and explicit drama. The strings do a danse macabre with the eccentric syncopation, enhancing hints of a vaporous image of a "Glass House" and still colliding with pristine piano chords, this is quite the aural labyrinth. The ensuing and extended organ solo is priceless and bloody amazing!

Then comes the marathon 23-minute mastodont that stamps this album with various waxed seals of excellence, a cornucopia of meshed intersections slicing across the focal core of the story, overloaded with a surfeit of dramaturgical pyrotechnics, verging on a progressive opera of the highest order. Flush with offbeat time signatures, turn-on-a-dime ricochets, screwing guitar drills, and enough robust rhythmic exuberance to thrill the most percussive of fans. Half-way through, the atmosphere enters pastoral realms not far from the bucolic sections of Anthony Phillips' classic works, such as the celebrated masterpiece "Slowdance", then moving into another phase of female voice-led exploration, accentuated by some stunning lead guitar exertions from Girard as well as Gasparetti's redolent mellotron efforts. Yet, all this apparent mayhem seems totally targeted with intelligent purpose and it works subito presto! Multiple auditions only increase the level of genius displayed here, truly mind- boggling! A fine companion to PFM's classic "Promenade the Puzzle"

"La Radiante Foresta" completes the program with one final onslaught on the senses, though a softer climate was deemed necessary in order to calm down the pulsating heartbeat and return to some semblance of sanity and equilibrium. Once again, the cello and strings play a large role, augmented by cascades of acoustic guitars clanging in harmony, Matteo fluid voice navigating the gentle winds emanating from his lungs as the ever-growing arrangement swells into a paroxysm of celestial voices and sounds that can only cure all the ills of a weary and abused brain.

This is a stellar slice of RPI, a must discovery for those seeking to broaden their horizons and fall under the spell of musicians who cherish their traditions and seek to develop them ever further. On par with Celeste's latest offering as well as Barock Project's "Time Voyager", the crafty Italians never fail to show up, year after year, with quality progressive rock releases. Forza Italia!

5 Norse deities

This album of five tracks that runs for almost 61 minutes is a rock opera composed and arranged by the band's leading members Claudio Bonvecchio (bass, 12 string guitar) and Stefano Gasperetti (keyboards, acoustic guitars, cello). The concept started out as a gothic novel of sort titled "The Prisoner" and evolved into a bonafide prog extravaganza. NORN refers to three deities of Norse mythology whose destiny was to oversee the affairs of humanity and the lyrics are supposed to connect all of these nerdy mythology themes. If don't speak Italian then you're SOL because PHAEDRA delivers in the classic RPI format of singing in the mother tongue and crafting a heady, even knotty mix of prog styles that includes the traditional symphonic prog of yore as well as heavy guitar moments and eclectic passages that meander.

This album features four musicians and two lead vocalists. Bonvecchio and Gasperetti are the only members remaining after 2013's "Beyond The Storm" and new to the team are electric guitarist Gabriele Girardi, drummer / percussionist Cristiano Conte and two lead vocalists which makes the album a bit more diverse than the average RPI release. Matteo Lorenzi delivers the classic romantic male vocals in the tradition of classic Italian prog while new to the band is the addition of the diva Catia Borgogno who delivers the feminine touch to the album as a classically trained opera singer. While the album has connections to the past glories of Italian prog, NORN really sounds like a modern contemporary prog album with not only a polished production but a much a diverse array of prog elements that takes it into a completely different level from the majority of retro prog bands that simply copy and paste ideas from the past.

The album starts off with a mysterious Dead Can Dance gothic vibe with a droning synthesizer as the backdrop and Catia Borgogno delivering a divine feminine introduction. Arpeggiated piano rolls follow and then the musical flow keeps incorporating new elements that keep the procession going until the album's ending time. Steeped in classically infused cello sounds and crafty melodic motifs, the track jumps into bonafide prog rock as well with guitar riffing and a heavy percussive drive but generally simmers down to allow the classically infused softer touches cast that magic spell. Graced with beautiful melodic flow as well as more technical time signature workouts and rock heft, PHAEDRA truly delivers a delectable slice of modern Italian prog that doesn't sound like it's trying to merely copy past glories from the classic era although Gabriele Girardi's vocal style definitely evokes the world of 70s Italian prog thus giving it all somewhat of a connection to the past.

The overall effect of the album is fairly dreamy with robust atmospheric backdrops but virtuosic moments do occur such as the frenetic keyboard runs on "L'Empio Simulacro" which displays a Keith Emerson style of wizardry but generally speaking these moments only accent the main scheme of things. The brilliance of this album is how the two vocalists trade off from time to time and the band engages in unexpected key changes, breakdowns of continuity and interesting sound effects inserted craftily throughout the overall melodic flow. Given PHAEDRA's involvement with the various artists effort "A Flower Full Of Stars: A Tribute To The Flower Kings," the band features all the accouterments afforded in the modern world of symphonic prog as well as a hint of neo-prog now and then.

The lengthiest track "Prigioniero di Prisca Doglianza" exceeds the 23 minute mark and runs the gamut of modern Italian prog but rather than beginning with some sort of lush epic opener pretty much jumps into mid-temp rock and then proceeds to offer an endless supply of variations. Surprisingly the track stays bouncy and upbeat for nearly 12 minutes before any chill out moments occur when finally an acoustic guitar break is called for. It's only at this point the track expands its horizons. A surprisingly different sort of epic prog and IMHO the weakest track on the album as it doesn't deliver in the same way the other tracks do especially for the bloated length however it's not really unpleasant, just needlessly long. Perhaps a comprehension of the storyline would go a long way. The album ends with "La Radiante Foresta," a knotty folk infused track that offers a pacifying closing performance with Borgogno's sensual vocal style ending the album as it began.

Overall i wouldn't call NORN an Italian classic but it certainly is an excellent slice of modern Italian prog worthy of everyone's attention who loves complex well thought out compositions fortified with a healthy supply of instrumentation. The music is melodic throughout and yet deviates just enough to give it all an edge. While the storyline may elude non-speakers of the lingo, the music more than is enough to enthrall the soul into a dreamy symphonic prog style that melds past glories with the more modern stylistic approaches. The two vocalists in tandem offer a nice range of vocals without either becoming overly dominant and the tracks vary enough to keep the album captivating throughout however i do think that the first half of the album is a bit stronger than the second which seems to lag in certain areas. For example i was expecting something more dynamic for the 23 minute sprawler.

Their sound on Ptah is a very melodic and pleasant mix of classical, folk and symphonic rock. The vocals often reminds me of early Le Orme, but not on that level, a bit less powerful. The instrumentation is very varied, from violin, piano, acoustic guitar and flute to organ, harpsichord, harmonica and mandolin, tastefully blended into the 14 tracks.

In general the classical overtones are obvious, with subtle use of keyboards: a clavinet (swinging sound like Wakeman solo) in Il Ciello Stellato, Mellotron choirs in Preghiera and Hammond in Il Peso Del Rimorso.

The use of the distinctive mandolin gives a folky touch to some songs.

My highlight is the long and alternating Dilemma Interiore: the one moment classical with violin and flute, the other moment 24-carat symphonic rock featuring a Hammond solo and heavy church organ waves.

To me this album sounds as a very fine and promising first effort, especially recommended to fans of Italian Prog like Il Castello Di Atlante.

My rating: 3,5 star.

This sci-fi concept work is written around an ancient extraterrestrial, delivering strong social and emotional messages, an idea captured by Stefano Gasperetti.Musically though ''Ptah'' comes in the best Italian Prog tradition with more than evident PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI influences as well as notable QUELLA VECCHIA LOCANDA touches due to the constant presence of the two violin players, Elisabetta Wolf and Antonio Floris.What is extremely strange is that this very rich and delicate musicianship is rarely performed on electric guitars.Phaedra's music is almost entirely based on keyboards, violins and flutes with a tight rhythm section supporting, having overall beautiful folky colors.The basic path though is an elaborate and sensitive Symphonic Rock with melodic flutes, Classical-inspired violins and excellent performances on keyboards with organ, synthesizers, clavinet and harpsichord in evidence.Moreover the vocals are trully magnificent, very poetic, warm and expressive with great singing lines.Despite the lack of electric explosions ''Ptah'' remains a balanced album all the way with intricate instrumental variations, characterized by the sudden shifts from elegant flute-driven themes to darker passages with dual violins, always surrounded by the deep use of keyboards.The music gets even quite complex at moments with pronounced bass lines, orchestral movements and complicated keyboard turns, all these ideas are amazingly connected to each other, resulting a solid work with many exceptional moments.

Another great discovery from one of the best countries regarding Prog music.Old-school Italian Prog performed with passion and inspiration, offered in a perfectly executed concept effort.No less than highly recommended.

The excellent instrumental "Overture" set the atmosphere and draws some melodic lines that will be developed later... "They say that once upon a time the sky was blue / They say that the sun was shining / There were green lawns over there and there was a river as well... They say, but for me it's just a dream... They say that there were many children... And now I'm alone...". On "Dicono" (They say) the very particular voice of Claudio Granatiero interprets a lonely child on a dying planet, victim of the human ambition. What happened to the Earth?

The next track "Sotto un cielo stellato" (Under a starry sky) takes us far back in time, on another planet where some people are leaving their advanced civilization to seek for another world where they can live and start again. The people of that planet had defeated maladies and aging but they couldn't survive to a sudden natural catastrophe provoked by their endless quest for knowledge. The vocals are broken, almost out of tune, when depicting a sad farewell and the nostalgia for what was left behind while the music in the middle section describes a journey through the space.

Next comes "Il reietto" (The outcast) that describes in music and words a strange character, one of the people who left the doomed planet when he was just a child... "We escaped from Death / We tricked our fate / We wondered through the space looking for a better day / Nobody run after us / Nobody regretted us / But fear has not left us since then...".

"Un mondo nuovo" (A new world) is a beautiful instrumental track featuring nice flute passages. The music here tries to describe the feelings of joy and relief that the space- traveling survivors prove while they're getting closer to the Earth. Then they go down from their starship to explore the new planet and realize that they are finally ready for a new start...

"Come un bambino" (As a child) describes the meeting with a primitive form of life whose strength is the brain: man. The survivors don't get old but they are not immortal and they are not able to breed anymore. They "adopt" men as children, they start to manipulate their DNA to accelerate their evolution to build up a new civilization... "Life is growing up, new hope / Offspring of the Earth and of an ancient science / Here men will live their innocence / They will grow up strong, they will be mighty / Our leadership will make them wise / We will be free again...".

"La costruzione di Atlantide" (The construction of Atlantis) is another instrumental track which begins with a nice marching beat, then soaring melodies played by flute, violin and synthesizers interact painting a busy scene with "Renaissance colours". The music tries to depict a scene where the survivors and their new "children" build up a new city and a new civilization.

On "Uomo!" (Man!) the tension rises. Something goes wrong between teachers and pupils. Men get old and die while their masters are always young, immutable and strict. Seeds of rebellion are spreading... "How many years have passed by? I still remember my defeat... It's sad when you see the work of a whole life destroyed by a son who can't understand / That all what you were doing was necessary to give him a better world and a happy life...".

"La distruzione di Atlantide" (The destruction of Atlantis) begins with an acoustic guitar arpeggio. It's a dark, sad instrumental track that marks the end of the new civilization. All the masters but one are killed, dreams explode and Atlantis crumbles... The men escaped from Atlantis go back to their nomadic primitive life and the knowledge of the masters gets lost in a few generations. The memory of Atlantis survives just as a myth...

"Dilemma interiore" (Inner dilemma) describes the pain of the only master escaped, Ptah. For many centuries he shunned men. His feelings were contradictory: hope, fear, disappointment, love. But eventually despair gives way to hope... "Leave the past behind you / Dream again / Don't let fear rule over you / You will find all the strength you need inside you...".

"Il saggio errante" (The wondering wise man) is a nice instrumental that describes the peregrinations of Ptah while he tries to transmit his knowledge and help humankind undercover. From the Egyptian city of Qena to Benares in India, to the dark sea of the coast of Norway...

The next track "Preghiera" (Prayer) deals with the issue of Faith. It begins with organ chords and a church like choir, then from a strummed acoustic guitar pattern heartfelt vocals soar... When Ptah came back seeking contacts with men, after centuries of solitude, he realized that humankind had developed the faith in God. Of course, God was just a distorted memory of the old masters, but he started to think about it for the first time... "I don't know if you can hear me, if you exist or you're nothing but a dream / Many people believes in you / No one can know if you are real / But listen to the pain which is destroying me / It doesn't give me any hope... Give me hope... Knowledge has always been my only faith, my only God / But when everything falls down and time bestows on you the gift of eternity / There's no reason to go on living and fighting / Please, give me a sign...".

"Il peso del rimorso" (The burden of remorse) describes a spiritual struggle. No sign came from God and Ptah wonders whether is it better to give up trying to transmit his knowledge to humankind or not... Ptah can't bear the burden of the remorse, he feels that he must help what he still consider his children, he has to help men...

"La decisione" (The decision) concludes the album. Thanks to the hidden help of Ptah, men were able to build up a new advanced civilization that could even compete with the one of the old masters. When Ptah reveals himself nobody believes him and a new destructive war is going to begin. The impending doom closes the circle and you can now imagine Ptah talking to the wind clod in a crimson cape while beside him a child dreams of a better world with green lawns and rivers and other children to play with...

Well, on the whole this is a very good album although the vocal parts are not flawless. Claudio Granatiero wrote the lyrics and the liner notes in the booklet that contribute to explain the plot but in my opinion he should have shared the vocal parts with other singers since he had to interpret too many characters and passages in this "rock-opera" and the result is not always convincing...

The musicians in Phaedra have created an accomplished and individual sound world courtesy of the instruments at their disposal. The line-up includes two violinists and a flautist, all with a background in classical music, and the album is festooned with their colourful contributions. In fact, acoustic instruments form the backbone of the disc with mandolin and 12-string guitar adding to the intrinsically unplugged feel. However there's a general lack of textural variety between tracks and although there are occasional bursts of activity and aggression, things overall just seem a bit too tame with very little electric guitar or keyboards to light up the fire on the mountain. There's not much to attract non-RPI diehards, and there's none of that famous Italian fervour that the band must have left behind in the studio.

''Ptah'' is certainly an ambitious and visionary tableau, but with 14 tracks and a running time of 75-minutes it's very long, perhaps too long. I hate to be critical about the album, especially as the band has clearly invested a great deal of time and effort in its creation, but someone really should have separated the sonic chaff from the wheat. It's not all bad news, mind you. The album has moments of calm beauty and an overall atmosphere of quiet intimacy, while my favourite pieces are the intermittent instrumentals that intersperse the longer tracks. Although graceful and well crafted, ''Ptah'' just seems to lack spontaneity and something of an edge. Phaedra is undoubtedly a band with great potential, although if it's a further ten years until the band's second release I'll consider myself lucky if I'm still around to listen to it.