LA CRUDELTÀ DI APRILE

Good to see that Classic Italian Prog have reached the ears of young musicians.Unreal City is yet another group to revive some of the Italian Prog majesty of the 70's, starting in Parma in 2008 as a trio with Emanuele Tarasconi on keybards/vocals, Francesca Zanetta on guitars and Carlo Rainone on drums.In 2011 the addition of bassist Francesco Orefice gives the band a more balanced sound, while Rainone was replaced by Antonio Schingo.Come spring 2012 and Unreal City recorded a debut EP with three tracks and English lyrics.But, as the studio and live responsibilities of the band started to increase, Schingo was struggling to keep up with them and decided to quit, leaving his place to Federico Bedostri.The band then met Fabio Zuffanti, who decided to help them with the recordings of their debut.Thus, the young Italians travelled to Genoa, entered the Hilary Studios and the dream of a proper album came true in January 2013.In April 2013 ''La crudelta di Aprile'' was released on the Italian label mirror.

Fortunately the band abandoned any attempt on singing in English and their debut was totally delivered in their native language, complementing nicely with the retro aesthetic and Italian spices of the musicianship.''La crudelta di Aprile'' is basically a Symphonic Rock album along the lines of the legendary Italian bands of the past, featuring an excellent keyboardist and singer, who offers some of the very best performances you can hear in an Italian Prog album.But as a whole the team of Unreal City is extremely tight as well and the compositions are executed with accuracy and passion.Tons of piano, harsichord, Hammond organ and Mellotron showcase the straight links and influences of Unreal City with the 70's, supported by the romantic, slightly irritating voice of Tarasconi, somewhere between Gianni Leone and Aldo Tagliapietra.Musically they remind me a lot of LA COSCIENZA DI CENO and IL TEMPIO DELLE CRESSIDE, they have a big symphonic sound with some heavy guitar parts and bombastic analog keyboards, akin to MUSEO ROSENBACH with bits of IL BALLETTO DI BRONZO and ALPHATAURUS.The compsitions are extremely intelligent, having a genuine ability to turn from melodic and romantic textures to haunting and occult orchestrations, while I cannot do else than praise the powerful violin drives of guest Fabio Biale in a pair of pieces.Now, even the use of synthesizers goes far beyond the usual sound on modern Neo/Symphonic Prog groups, Tarasconi appears to torture the synths in order to priduce atonal and sinister flashes, which fit well with his old-styled keyboards.Compositions are full of grandieur, tension and romanticism with a high level of coherence between the variations and a decent sense of melody.

High-class act to say the least.Emphatic Italian Symphonic Rock with vintage references but also a pretty personal approach.Great and strongly recommended stuff, especially if you love BANCO, IL BALLETTO DI BRONZO, CORTE DEI MIRACOLI, CAMPO DI MARTE, ALPHATAURUS and similar acts.