APOTEOSI

Apoteosi was an Italian progressive rock band. Apoteosi was a very rare, if not the one and only progressive rock band coming from Palmi of the Calabria region. Apoteosi was one of those bands that only released one album and then disappeared. It was formed shortly before releasing their eponymous single album. Apoteosi was an excellent quality Italian quintet led by the three young brothers Idà and produced by the father himself. The band was a very familiar thing. In fact, the father of Idàs, Salvatore, practically gave them the release of their album in his own company Said Records, and the album was edited by Massimo Idà himself. Although its members were very young, the group had been playing together for some time, but the album was only released in 1975 by the small label Said, with a limited edition and local distribution, which made of it a rare album. The original LP fetched absurd prices among collectors. The band never recorded live, and for lack of support and stability, break up due the different decisions of each brother.

So, "Apoteosi" is the eponymous debut and only album of Apoteosi and was released in 1975. The line up on the album is Silvana Idà (vocals), Franco Vinci (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars), Massimo Idà (grand piano, Hammond B3, Eminent organ and ARP Pro Soloist synthesizer), Federico Idà (bass and flute) and Marcello Surace (drums). The album had also the participation of Coro Alessandroni (chorus vocals) on the track "Oratorio", as a guest artist.

Apoteosi plays a progressive symphonic rock with a great sound with something of some foreign bands especially the greatest names of the English symphonic prog bands at the time, but keeping some typically Italian characteristics. Its main musical characteristics are supported by piano, flute and beautiful melodies with a light folk influence that is closer to Renaissance and that sometimes reminds us to a lot of Genesis and Premiata Forneria Marconi too. Behind it, there's a greater influence of the 18th century classical music. The sound alternates between quiet, acoustic moments and heavier electric parts. The quality of the piano parts stands out on the album. It's a little sweet but very beautiful and sophisticated that often is compared to Osanna's work for its experimentation, although the album is actually a bit more symphonic. This is one of the best "copies" of this sub- genre, the RPI, with eight tracks, but with two long suites.

It's driven by Silvana's beautiful vocals that give a very nice feminine touch to the Italian progressive rock, which is commonly performed by strong male vocals. So, with a female vocalist, the vocals are a little different, but Silvana uses her beautiful and delicate voice very well. Besides Silvana, we have her brother Massimo that was only 14 years old when the album was released. The kid was driving a piano, a Hammond and a Moog with such excellence and familiarity that certainly leaves any renowned keyboard player to shame. Federico also gives a show on flutes making the album even more spectacular. His solos remind us of Gabriel's wonderful phase in Genesis. Marcello also stands out for beautiful drum passages and great turns. Franco made a discreet but very effective guitar work, completing the picture.

"Embrion" opens the album as an aperitif with a keyboard tour the force and shows compositional qualities, too. The song ends with organ chords. "Prima Realta/Frammentaria Rivolta" is the central piece on the album which, in fact, is two tracks floating into each other. It has gentle keyboards, lyrical flute, classically inspired piano and the beautiful singing of Silvana. In between there are always interesting Moog solos. "Il Grande Disumano/Oratorio (Chorale)/Attesa" is no less good with a festive atmosphere with keyboards and elegant piano notes, few heavier guitar passages before complex drums with the bass join. The second half becomes almost sacred with the beautiful choral vocal harmonies section. "Dimensione Da Sogno" is a pastoral piece with plenty of awesome moments and reaches its climax towards the end when the vocals get more intensive and guitar pulls of a nice solo. "Apoteosi" is different from the rest of the album. It seems to be a more jam-based fully instrumental and less heterogonous than the other tracks. It's more an atmospheric track aimed at soloing and not so strong compositionally. It's more in the psychedelic/space rock style.

Conclusion: The only album of Apoteosi offers melodic progressive rock surprisingly easily accessible of the Italian progressive rock of the 70's. The overall sound reminds me of early Premiata Forneria Marconi, yet not quite as direct. Driven by keyboards and guitar, with occasional vocals, this is quintessential progressive rock. All the right elements are there, complex musical interplay, a solid rhythm section, time changes, and so on. The romantic female singing and the symphonic keyboard entries are a real pleasure. In addition, there is magical flute playing, which rounds off this gem of the symphonic prog rock. My only complaint is that the production is a little bit thin and has too much treble. But the music itself is very good, so you should check out the album anyway. All in all, this is a recommendable album, especially for all the Italo progressive lovers and surely a pleaser to all fans of the mellow symphonic progressive rock.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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