FELONA E SORONA

What the band achieved in their previous album they perfected to form one of the most essential Italian prog albums, Felona De Sorona. It is in all respects identical in sound to their previous such that it could be considered an extension of it, yet the songwrting is even more solid. The eclectic nature of the band is still present, combing the sounds of symphonic rock, jazz, and the intensity and beauty of RPI.

Like the previous album, the songs are for the most part consistent, and cover a plethora of styles and sounds. The opening song is example enough, switching from high energy prog, to beautifully defined themes, to delicate yet brooding atmospheres. Besides this, the band can slow the intensity a bit to achieve the melodic fun of songs like 'Felona.' Each song is a constant surprise, yet nothing out of the realm of the band's sound. Perhaps the most astonishing fact is that it is all achieved in only 33 minutes. The succinct nature of the album is probably its strongest point, as it could have easily gone for another 10 minutes, but it needn't.

Perhaps the only weak point is in the middle, with the two song series of 'Serona' and 'Attesa Inerte,' whose song structures are a bit repetitive and without any real dynamic melodies. But this can be overlooked with the strength of the rest of the album.

Overall, Felona De Sorona is a great follow up to their previous, and is a good example of an album that achieves dramatic intensity and melodic prowess, all while retaining that classic Italian prog sound.

8/10