NOT A GOOD SIGN

Producer Marcello Marinone is the hidden person behind this Italian project, an All-Star band of the AltRock/Fading Records labels' line-up, started in 2011 with keyboardist Paolo Ske Botta and guitarist Francesco Zago, both from Yūgen, soon to be joined by singer Alessio Calandriello and veteran bassist Gabriele Guidi Colombi, both coming from La Coscienza di Zeno.The line-up became complete with the arrival of drummer Martino Malacrida.In March/April 2013 they recorded their self-titled debut, produced of course by the leading founder Marcello Marinone, while Botta was also responsible for the artwork of the album.

Not a Good Sign sound like an Italian Prog band playing at extreme levels, both soundwise and in technical terms, it may sound a bit like LA COSCIENZCA DI ZENO, but all lyrics are provided in English, while the proposed style is definitely heavier and darker, somewhat flirting with the Scandinavian school of new Prog, ANEKDOTEN and LANDBERK are the closest comparisons.Tons of heavy Mellotron, sinister and mascular slow rhythm guitars and poetic breaks with lyrical overtones are all over the place, still they occasionally break into the more symphonic values of the Italian Prog tradition.But overall they sound more complex and quirky than most of the national symph-based bands, there are some pretty odd vintage (Mellotron and organ) and modern keyboard fests in here to go along with pounding guitars and even some new Post Rock attitude.Comparisons with ANEKDOTEN do not stop only in the haunting Mellotron entries, Colombi provides these angular bass lines, which sound over the top and often cover the whole instrumentation.They enter some sort of a cinematic nature quite often, especially when Mellotron and piano combine, while Calandriello's voice sounds as fresh as ever.A few tracks follow the more conventional path of modern Symphonic Rock with pronounced synths and elegant arrangements, supported by dramatic melodies and epic arrangements.But the general rule was to play dark, complicated and muddy music with retro aethetics and a very dense sound.

A missing act of the AltRock bandlist.''Not a good sign'' sound like KING CRIMSON and ANEKDOTEN mixed with some modern Italian Sympho Rock ala LA COSCIENZA DI CENO and the result is a technically efficient, mysterious and atmospheric progressive work.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.