ATTOSECONDO

4.5 - really. For my ears, a tad slightly better than their 1973 debut and that's saying a lot considering I'm a huge fan of 1970's RPI and prefer 1970's prog over today's prog (although there's excellent new prog as well so I'm not saying new prog is bad). This is a new album in 2012 with a crisp clear sound in the studio but the style is still vintage 70's.

2 years in the waiting. It did not disappoint. I remember finding out over 2 years ago that Alphataurus was working on a new album. It was mentioned that it would possibly be ready sometime in 2010. It was not released until last month. I am not sure of all the reasons for it but I am glad that their 2nd "official" studio album (the incomplete "Dietro L'Uragano" not being included) was released.

In this day and age, it is so nice/refreshing to hear an album like this that works hard to sound nostalgic and so 70's like. The members may be pushing 60 (so what!!!) and it may have been almost 40 years since they're last studio album (wow!!!) but this album sounds like it could have been made 1 year after their classic 1973 s/t.

For the singer Claudio Falcone, I do not consider him to be a step down from the singer on the 1973 s/t album. I consider Claudio Falcone to be a positive addition to the group considering Michele Bavaro was not available. Claudio fills in perfectly and is a very important part of the Alphataurus team. Vocal styles similar to Bavaro but Claudio has his own unique touch and I consider both Bavaro and Falcone as equally important to Alphataurus' history. They made an excellent choice in Claudio!!

Musically, the band has not digressed at all in talent. They added some new band members and both the original and new band members gel together along with the singer for an end result being an album that is pretty much as good/on-par as the 1973 album.

The 1974 album "Dietro L'Urangano" by them was an "incomplete" album that was mostly instrumental with 4 tracks that had potential (Claudette being the best). It was released around 1993 or so as a "never before released and stuck in the archives" album that Mellow Records released. I enjoyed this album too but it was obvious that the group had to "shelve" this. None- the-less, it contained some good stuff but the album "begged to be done" someday even if the group had to reform some 40 years later...

And that's exactly what happened :-) Besides the (1:52) track "Idea Imcompuita" track from Dietro, the other 3 tracks were "redone" back in the studio some 40 years later with the reformation of Alphataurus. And they were done brilliantly with energy and drive. Not to mention the superb sound quality but now you have the addition of vocals in the forefront (not done on the original Dietro album).

And it's not over there. The album opens up with new material in 2 tracks which total close to 20 minutes. The Progressiva Mente reminds me of Locanda Delle Fate's classic album (including the vocals) and the 2nd track Gocce is dark and sinister and has all the qualities of good/solid italian progressive rock. The keyboards and synths bring back that 70's nostalgic sound well. I could be wrong but I think I'm hearing analogue keyboards rather than the modern digital stuff that you hear so much of these days.

All and all, this album was worth the weight and it was an all out well-done effort by Alphataurus. They proved to me they had something to say even 40 years later. And they said it with energy and vigor.

I sure like some of the new albums done by 70's progressive bands. I was quite happy with the new albums by Delirium, Locanda Delle Fate, New Trolls (Seven Seasons), Murple, etc... Now adding to that list, we have Alphataurus. 70's Osanna, "Are you out there somewhere getting ready to do Palepoli part 2? Il Volo? Alusa Falla? Maxophone?".

As Tommy used to say on his Forest of Progressive Rock web site in the late 90's: "You're sure to like this if you like italian progressive rock", I'm echoing his comment: "You're sure to like this new Alphataurus album if you like 70's italian progressive rock".

In many ways, this album may be more progressive than their 1973 debut. The debut was excellent but had some non-progressive music (ie, hard rocking blues, etc..) in as well. This album is 100% progressive!!

If you like Alphataurus' first album (or even their 2nd incomplete album released by Mellow) and have concerns about this one (because it is in the modern times) as to whether or not it's worth buying: please wipe those concerns away as there's really no reason to not get this album!!!