PHOTOSYNTHESIS

One of the well-hidden Italian secrets until Mellow Records reissued their album, Slogans came from Bassano del Grappa near Vicenza and were found in 1981 by singer/guitarist Roberto Gemo.They performed various live concerts in 1982-1983 throughout the Veneto region with Silvia Bizzotto on vocals, Marco Carlesso on drums, Michele Bianchin and Ivano Tolio on keyboards and Palmiro Gnoato on bass, until they released their debut ''Photosynthesis'' in 1983.

With all tracks written by Gemo and Tollio, the sound of Slogans had nothing to do with the 80's, being deeply grounded in the fields of 70's Italian Prog.''Photosynthesis'' is mostly a keyboard-based light Symphonic Rock album with a fair dose of jazzy overtones in the guitar parts, extremely similar to GUERCIA and also close to the likes of HOPO, PIERPAOLO BIBBO or L'ESTATE DI SAN MARTINO.The album contains all the familiar elements of the Italian Prog scene, that means melodic passages, clever interplays, synth-driven workouts and romantic sensitive vocals.''Photosynthesis'' has plenty of piano/synth changing themes, interesting guitar parts and decent arrangements, often with a semi-dramatic but always highly emotional atmosphere.On the contrary everything seems to be placed on the smoother side of Progressive Rock with the music rarely taking off, while the production is bearable but very far from professional.The Mellow Records CD reissue contains five additional recordings of the band, but their value is rather low.Four of them are actually alternative versions of tracks already contained on the original LP, this time recorded live in the studio, while the one and only unreleased composition is ''Fotosintesi'', a pleasant track, which however suffers from bad sound quality.

The first and last offering by Slogans, who seems that became history after the release of ''Photosynthesis'', is an enjoyable work of 70's-influenced Italian Symphonic Rock, that steps right over the traces of the legendary bands of the style.Recommended.