FLEKTOGON

As Nodo Gordiano started life playing King Crimson covers it's hardly surprising that they had such an impact on their sound which is clearly evident throughout Flektogon, their third album. We're talking Larks Tongues to Red era here.

Heavy guitar riffs collide with powerful upfront bass work and shifting drum patterns against moments of quiet beauty just waiting to explode into the next high octane musical onslaught. Flektogon is largely an instrumental album, the exception being opener Theatro Di Memoria which features female operatic vocals courtesy of Silvia Scozzi. It doesn't put a foot wrong until well into the album; particularly enthralling is the thirty minute Avventure Di Mastarna which after and explosive first eight minutes drifts into more ambient territory with oriental overtones. A short percussive section is curtailed by a sequenced synth and warmer guitar textures which leaps into a driving and powerful bass/drums/sax section. This shifts down a gear into an even more intense almost cacophonous section and out of this without warning it's suddenly in mellow land again on this flute led part. And so it goes; as you can see this music is ever changing creating lots of musical tension.

Where it loses its way a bit is towards the end of Avventure Di Mastarna and on the percussive Ozymandias Part II. With nothing but drums and percussion for most of the track, although well executed it's a bit dull. Fortunately things get back on track for album closer Zeitgeist.

Flektogon in the main is a modern sounding prog album, largely of cold clinical precision though it's certainly an exciting ride. Fans of King Crimson's mid seventies period are advised to check out this promising Italian band.