Ubi Maior |
Post Reply |
Author | ||
avestin
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
Topic: Ubi Maior Posted: October 13 2007 at 18:17 |
|
UBI MAIOR are a rather recent band from Italy and in their Nostos album from 2005 they play a compelling and beautiful symphonic-rock.
Here is Raffaella's bio here in PA:
UBI MAIOR were formed in 1999, when Lorenzo Marotta (vocals) and Stefano Mancarella (guitar) joined forces together with keyboard player Gabriele Manzini. Bass player Walter Gorreri came in a few weeks later, and at the same time Gabriele brought in his friend and old bandmate Alessandro Di Caprio to play drums. After some months spent rehearsing compositions by UN BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO, Le ORME, PFM, BALLETTO DI BRONZO and BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO, some new original tracks were written. “Messia”, “Vendetta” and “Terra Madre” are a perfect combination of symphonic prog and hard rock, and they remain a cornerstone in the evolution of the band.
In 2001 they recorded their first demo, Frontiere. In the same year Gabriele Manzini joined GENESIS-inspired band The WATCH as keyboard player, and played and recorded with them until the end of 2004. In 2002 Lorenzo Marotta left the band to study bel canto. His place was taken by Mario Moi. During 2004 UBI MAIOR played at numerous festivals organised by UN BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO in order to promote their 30th years boxed-set. The performances were very strong and UBI MAIOR received the praise of both public and press. In the same year they recorded a cover of “Prince Rupert Awakes” for the KING CRIMSON tribute album The Letters, released by Mellow Records. After some spring gigs, just before summer they recorded a new demo called Atto Primo – Atto Secondo, featuring new versions of old tracks, and a new, longer composition which paved the way for their debut CD. In January 2005, at the Prog Day Festival in Lecco, northern Italy, UBI MAIOR played a tribute to UN BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO, sharing the stage with famous Italian artists as Rodolfo Maltese (BANCO), Patrizio Fariselli (AREA), Tony Pagliuca (Le ORME) and Mauro Gnecchi (UN BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO). By the beginning of 2005 the track “Veteran Cosmic Rocker” was recorded for the new Mellow Records tribute album “Higher and Higher – A Tribute to The Moody Blues” which will be available by the end of 2005. Finally the debut CD Nostos was released in October 2005. It also features a cover of BALLETTO DI BRONZO’s “La tua casa comoda”, which has received the appreciation of BALLETTO leader Gianni Leone. : : : Ghost Rider, ITALY : : : Here are the reviews posted here in PA, so you get more of an idea about their music:
Collaborators ReviewsUBI MAIOR — NostosReview by erik neuteboom (erik neuteboom)SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Prog Expert To me this new Italian five-piece band sounded as the most convincing one on the BIGLIETTO PER L’INFERNO-tribute DVD (also featuring members from LE ORME, BANCO and AREA). So I was very pleased to discover this debut-CD from Ubi Maior, it will be one of my Top 3 albums in 2005! Vendetta (9.21): After an intro with twanging guitars and sensitive piano, a fluent rhythm follows delivering a Procol Harum-like Hammond organ sound and an adventurous rhythm-section. Then the music turns into the best progrock of new Italian bands I have heard since many years: heavy guitar-riffs, majestic choir-Mellotron, powerful and moving Italian vocals (a bit theatrical), howling electric guitars, SPLENDID! Terra Madre (6.38): This track sounds as the Italian version of ELP their single success Lucky Man: the same dreamy, a bit melancholical climate, acoustic guitar and those sensational Moog flights. Livia (3.12): Another dreamy piece with halfway a bombastic eruption. The piano play is wonderful. Messia (9.36): A very strong composition with tasteful arrangements and subtle musical ideas. Lots of compelling parts featuring sumptuous Hammond organ, inspired vocals and fiery electric guitar. The flashy synthesizer runs bring early Marillion to my mind. This is a very dynamic song, especiallly in the final part delivering heavy guitar-riffs. Oltre Il Vetro (3.45) : A mellow song featuring warm vocals, sensitive acoustic guitar (including a short solo) and soaring violin-Mellotron Nostos (23.06) : The titletrack is the 'magnum opus' on this CD, it starts with twanging guitars, soaring keyboards and warm vocals, followed by a fragile Hammond solo, very tasteful. Then lots of flowing shifting moods, from dreamy to bombastic. Halfway a great build-up with a huge tension featuring propulsive guitar-riffs, powerful, a bit theatrical vocals, howling electric guitar runs, impressive choir-Mellotron and a grand finale delivering swirling organ and fat guitar licks, GREAT! La Tua Casa Comoda (5.22) : The final song is a compelling and captivating one with pleasant work on the keyboards: sparkling piano, fine Mellotron and mellow organ. The final part contains a biting, wah-wah drenched electric guitar solo and floods of Hammond organ. THIS CD DESERVES WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION, WHAT A WARM, INSPIRED AND STRONG PROGROCK SOUND!! Posted Friday, December 30, 2005, 17:14 EST | Permanent link UBI MAIOR — NostosReview by mickySPECIAL COLLABORATOR Italian Prog and Art Rock Specialist Ubi Maior is a new group formed last year in Milan Italy with the warm regards of many masters of the classic Italian prog that we all love. In listening to this, Ubi Maior's debut, it serves notice they were not just masters of making great music, but possessing a keen eye in recognizing a budding talent. Nostos is the debut album recorded over a period of three months over the spring and summer of 2005. The album was released in October 2005 and was immediately hailed as a great debut album and a group worthy of watching. Posted Monday, September 04, 2006, 09:17 EST | Permanent link UBI MAIOR — NostosReview by Andrea Cortese (Andrea Cortese)SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Italian Prog Specialist Νοστος (Nostos) – Return Posted Monday, January 22, 2007, 16:53 EST | Permanent link Guests ReviewsUBI MAIOR — NostosReview by divinewind1971Very good an album. Old italian progressive style with strong hammond, piano and guitar oriented tracks. Good vocals. With italian singin, Nostos brings back the memory to the old italian school but it also bring some news. "Livia" is a strong isntrumental which reminds of terror movie like Balletto di bronzo, Terra Madre has a strong middle eight in 7/8 which is a mix between IQ and Genesis' Cinema Show. The keyboard player Gabriele Manzini played in The Watch, Genesis-like band from 2001 till 2004, so the influence is clear. Not bad at all! Get it! Nostos is a long suite based on Odissey. Strong lirycs, very filological. Also the cover of LA tua casa comoda of Balletto di bronzo is worth the price. One of the best italian prog albums of the last year. You can find it on www.btf.it Posted Wednesday, November 09, 2005, 12:00 EST | Permanent link Recommended band!!! |
||
TheProgtologist
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: May 23 2005 Location: Baltimore,Md US Status: Offline Points: 27802 |
Posted: October 13 2007 at 18:21 | |
Awesome band,and one of my favorites out of the new wave of Italian prog besides La Maschera di Cera and La Torre Dell'Alchemista.
I highly recommend Nostros.
|
||
|
||
micky
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 02 2005 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 46827 |
Posted: October 13 2007 at 19:15 | |
couldn't have said it better myself nice thread Assaf |
||
The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
|
||
memowakeman
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 19 2005 Location: Mexico City Status: Offline Points: 13032 |
Posted: October 14 2007 at 01:30 | |
Nostos is an outstanding album, thanks for suggesting Ubi Maior!!
|
||
Follow me on twitter @memowakeman |
||
Raff
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 29 2005 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 24391 |
Posted: October 14 2007 at 03:59 | |
As I think I'll see at least some of the band members on Oct 23 at the Rush gig in Milan (they all live there), I'll be sure to tell them of this thread, as well as ask Gabriele Manzini about his solo project, which should be out by the end of this year. As far as I know, their next album is due in 2008, and I'll try to get them to send me a promo copy.
|
||
avestin
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
Posted: October 14 2007 at 10:10 | |
It be great to have on them board this forum board, tell them they're most welcome.
And I'm looking forward to their next album eagerly (as I'm sure all the other folks who posted here are).
|
||
micky
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 02 2005 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 46827 |
Posted: October 14 2007 at 10:23 | |
exactly... really looking forward to it
|
||
The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
|
||
erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: October 14 2007 at 10:39 | |
Another good thread about a lesser known new progrock band, Assaf, a big hand for you But I am astonished that my review is still the only one about this DVD featuring Ubi Maior:
TRIBUTES — Un Biglietto Per L'inferno-Concerto TributoReview by erik neuteboom (erik neuteboom)SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Prog Expert This DVD is a 'tribute concert' to the legendary Italian progrock band BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO, this sold out concert was given in Lecco (Italy), early 2005. It was a memorable day for the Italian progrock fans that day because some line-ups featured musicians from other legendary Italian progrock bands like Rodolfo Maltese from BANCO, Tony Pagliuca from LE ORME and Patrizio Faresseli and Paolo Tofani from AREA. The first band on this concert was Ubi Maior, they played tight and dynamic with a humorous and very energetic singer. Their keyboard sound sounded modern, only the Hammond organ took us back to the typical progrock sound of the Seventies. Next the band Greenwall, they presented a female singer with a very distinctive voice, not always my cup of tea. Greenwall played mainly acoustic but on "Abbiamo ragione" the band members took a key-tar and a twin-neck, always nice to see those instruments! The next two musicains (both from AREA) performed solo: first Paolo Tofani on a sitar-like acoustic guitar and then Patrizio Fariselli on the acoustic piano, both delivered a great performance. The band Fonderia started to play "Dubbio II", when this song was finished guitar/trumpet-player Rodolfo Maltese from BANCO entered the stage, he surprised the audience with the BANCO songs like "RIP" and "Non mi rompete", GREAT! Between the band Destabanda and musicians from Claudio Rocchi, keyboard player Tony Pagliuca from LE ORME joined the band Gas for two Le Orme songs entitled "Era inverno" and "Uno sguardo verso il cielo". In both songs a violin player has been added, he gives the music an even more classical touch, along the powerful Hammond organ sound. Don't excpect on this DVD a perfect dive into the Italian progrock sound from the Seventies, just enjoy the pleasant and inspired appearances from some members from that era, they delivered a good performance so we could taste a few moments from that wonderful era! If you are an Italian Seventies aficionado, this DVD is essential. Otherwise this DVD deserves 3 stars. But it's my review so 4 stars! |
||
avestin
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
Posted: October 14 2007 at 13:09 | |
Thanks Erik.
I am not a fan of live shows and dvd's, but I know many others here like them, so that's very nice of you to have included that.
For those interested, here's their album for sale at BTF in Italy, Greg Walker and Laser's Edge both in the US.
|
||
erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: October 14 2007 at 14:08 | |
Don't forget www.progwalhalla.com Assaf !
|
||
avestin
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
Posted: October 14 2007 at 14:12 | |
Oh yeah, right...
Seriously folks, get this!
|
||
memowakeman
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 19 2005 Location: Mexico City Status: Offline Points: 13032 |
Posted: December 13 2007 at 12:33 | |
Just listened to it again, what a great album, really! |
||
Follow me on twitter @memowakeman |
||
erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: December 13 2007 at 12:58 | |
Not very much Ubi Maior at this moment, they seemed to have turned into Ubi Minor
|
||
Post Reply | |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |