NOSTOS

The very high quality of the new generation of RPI bands amazes me. No disrespect, but I am starting to wonder if the RPI scene in the 1970s was better than today's RPI scene. Today's scene would not had been here without the 1970s scene so this debate is wrong anyway.

This album, the debut album from Ubi Maior is in any case very close to what Biglietto and Osanna did in the 1970s. A very nice vintage sound with Hammond organs and keyboards is the building foundation of this album. The music is then both lyrical, pretty epic and at times heavy. The vocals are excellent and in Italian. In other words; this is a very RPI sounding album and one that warms the hearts of all RPI fans. Mine included, I have to say.

This album is also filled with some great melody lines too. It starts with the excellent nine minutes long Vendetta and continues in the same vein. The almost ten minutes long epic Messia is the strongest track here with it's excellent melody lines. The rest of the album is great too.

This is an album I would put in my top ten RPI albums from this decade. It is a true heart warmer from Italy. As simple as that.

4 stars