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La Torre Dell'Alchimista - Neo CD (album) cover

NEO

La Torre Dell'Alchimista

 

Rock Progressivo Italiano

4.05 | 89 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

BrufordFreak
4 stars The sophomore album from Italians from a suburb of Northern Italy's Bergamo. For some reason this album--these musicians--feel and seem to be on a level above most of the others I've heard and reviewed from the 2000s.

1. "Disimmetrie" (6:56) I love the off-beat rhythm track (in particular, the drumming) of this opener. This is my kind of symphonic prog! (13.25/15) - Golem (Storia Di Una Goccia) - - Suoni Di Plastica -

2. "Medusa" (8:27) here, for some reason, the drums don't sound as good with the Emersonian keys. I think they're too straightforward, not as syncopated and interesting as the previous song/suite. (17.25/20) - Fede - Fuga - Corale - Samba V

3. "Idra" (1:51) piano solo. Impressive but nothing new or ground-breaking. A bit of Gershwin, it seems. (4.25/5)

4. "Risveglio, Procreazione E Dubbio Pt. I" (11:31) A top three song for me. (18.5/20) - Preludio - full on ELP with impressive Hammond, bass, and drum play. This really does sound like ELP at their fiery best. - Primo Esperimento - cool/beautiful vocal choir work--turns KANSAS-like when full band joins in. - Secondo Esperimento - gentler, more softer and melodic section. - Dubbio - beautifully cinematic symphonic outro.

5. "L'Amore Diverso" (2:28) piano intro turns into two-handed masterpiece--though could be considered a New Age/George Winston piece. (4.5/5)

6. "Cerbero" (9:25) My favorite piece on the album. Very impressive. (19/20) - Promenade - a swinging bassa-jazz-rock piece with Hammond and incidental synths in support. Vocals and violin help out later. - Le Tre Teste - bass, bird noises, and plaintive solo violin are joined by Hammond, drums, Fender, and Mellotron in turns before Minimoog takes the fore. The three heads are presented with vocal acting and three instruments: Hammond, Mellotron, and Fender Rhodes with electric guitar and violin playing lesser roles. - La Guerra All'Idrogeno - an excellent and nicely dramatic musical finish to the suite.

7. "Risveglio, Procreazione E Dubbio Pt. II" (9:31) very nicely constructed symphonic prog registering on the softer, more melodic side. (18/20) - Epilogo - Coda - L'Addio

Total Time: 50:06

'There's something about the constructs and compositional style of this music that hits all my "like" buttons: there's an ELP/YES/EGG/Canterbury quality and sound here that really grabs me unlike most Rock Progressivo Italiano. Glass Hammer is the closest band I can compare these guys with from the Anglo World.

A-/4.5 stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music and one of the finer RPI albums of the 2000s.

BrufordFreak | 4/5 |

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