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Leviathan biography

It's very common to find Italian Symphonic bands, but no so much when we are talking about Italian Neo Prog bands. So when I knew I had to write again the LEVIATHAN bio, I placed special interest in them, to see how they blended their traditional and peculiar melodic sense with the strength and modernity of Neo Prog.

LEVIATHAN was formed in 1985 by three very young Italian musicians, Alex Brunori, vocals and lyrics, Franco Pezzella keyboards and Andrea Moneta, drums. Immediately the band started to work at their first demo "The 7% Solution EP" which saw the light in the same year. This demo has two long tracks, but sadly and because it was a tape and the distribution was limited, there are almost no copies of it today. But the point was made and they caught the attention of the critics due to their particular sound.

In 1987 LEVIATHAN recruits Sandro Wlderk (Bass) and Rocco Paterna (Guitar) and their definitive lineup is complete, with Wlderk credited for all the compositions and Brunori for all the lyrics and the conceptual art direction. Just before recording their first album, Rocco Paterna leaves the band, replaced by Giorgio Carana (recently deceased in 2016). They produce and release their official debut called "Heartquake", which for many is the first Neo Prog Italian release, in 1500 copies, 300 of which in red vinyl limited edition. The band starts a long and successful tour in Italyin 1988  to support the album.

"Heartquake" presents clear influences of GENESIS, MARILLION and PENDRAGON, but with a clear respect to the lyrical and melodic roots of Italian Symphonic bands like PFM or BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO.

In 1989 Pezzella leaves the band and is replaced by the classically trained keyboardist Andrea Amici and they start the recording sessions of their second album, "Bee Yourself", which was again released independently in 1500 copies, , 300 of which in yellow vinyl limited edition. The album will be later reprinted in CD by Contempo and in vinyl by the Korean label "Jigu Records" (in 1991).

The album was a great success among critics and fans. It presented a 25 minutes suite, Bee Yourself, that gave them the chance to perform not only in Italy, but also in France as well as in an epic presentation at the "Teatro Olimpico" in Roma. 

In this occasion the Neo Prog tendencies blend with an exquisite Jazzy vibe which makes of "Bee Yourself" a rich and versatile album.

In 1993, Musea Records gets interested in the band and releases a CD version of "Heartquake" with a previously unreleased bonus track, but it is the beginning of the end. Giorgio Carana first and Sandro Wlderk later leave the band with internal problems culminating with Alex Brunori, singer and lyricist, leaving the band as well. Leviathan remained almost in a sabbatical until 1998, when they released their third album "Volume", which was the first to be sung exclusively in Italian by the new singer, Paolo Antinori (while the previous ones where sung in English). 

Sadly, according to their fans, "Volume" is also the weakest of the trilogy, but still you can find many wonderful sounds, arrangements and solid guitar performances that make it worth getting.

In 2003, the Finnish Prog Conceptual Epic Opera "Kalevala" is released, and "LEVIATHAN" is invited to contribute to the project, adding the 10 minutes track "Filo di Lama" (Edge of the Blade). The success was so strong that they were invited to participate in a similar project called "Colossus of Rodhes" in 2004, where they contributed with a 26 minutes suite called "Un Pensero e Sempre Libero", which symbolizes their long and solid 24 year career.

Still it's not too late to see more from them.

Iván Melgar Morey