LE PORTE DEL SILENZIO

Judging by the opinions and reviews of many collaborators, MALIBRAN is contemplated as one of the best contemporary progressive rock bands from one of the most influent countries of this genre, and speaking for me, I think so too. This Sicilian sextet produces in 1993 their second album "La Porte del Silenzio", which many consider, me included, one of the greatest musical works of the last ten years. The previous circumstances surrounding this album, such as "The Wood of Tales"; were precisely the most propitious to project a brand new reorganization, to reborn not only as a band but as a revealing yet convincing musical process.

From the first moment the album captivates you into an indescribable world, most of all when it takes you through passages of extreme symphonic contents, almost classic I'd say. A special mention deserves this CD's last cut, a 27 minutes suite named after the album, a majestic and solemn piece, a walk through several mood types, all of them intense and versatile. I have always enjoyed pointing out the best track from an album that deserves the mention of a "suite", but if I could, this time, I'd pick them all and review each one of them respectively. thing I won't do in order to get you hooked on this incredible Italian prog production.

Individually each instrument is superbly interpreted, the flute performing by Giancarlo CUTULI, unarguably exquisite, very appealed to the one played by Kollar ATTILA of SOLARIS than the JETHRO TULL's; is not only virtuous, fast, precise, but delicate, fine, varied and jolly as well. The keyboards played by Jerry LITRICO sound off classic in some interludes, mostly the piano, quite spacey sometimes, creating atmospheres propitious for the enlightenment of the flute and the guitar, where this last one has many moments of extreme brilliantness, profoundly sensed, inspired and very provocative due the inconveniences of sounding sort of neo-progressive sometimes, but I'd difficultly label it that. Maybe the virtuosity and sensitiveness displayed in this album are the most convincing combination it's got besides the harmonies, cadencies and rhythms accompanying all the tracks masterfully played in here.

It is imperative to underline that the highlighted weakness of this band is undoubtedly its vocalist; where the quality of his voice lacks of preciseness. This may be the only reason of why I wouldn't consider MALIBRAN as one of the top class bands of the modern era nor the Italian art rock as well.

Still, no matter the flaws this album may contain, I'd dare to say it's one of those productions I could widely recommend practically to any respected lover of good music, independently of its musical preferred genres.