DUE MONDI

Anacondia is a 5-piece band from Milan born in 1995 who claim influences ranging from the English and Italian '70s giants to Iron Maiden to new-wave bands. After releasing two prior EPs the band put them together into one full-length album available for free on their website.

"Due Mondi" is a difficult genre placement which encompasses elements of heavy neo, symphonic-metal and heavy-prog along with some nods to the RPI, mostly via the expressive Italian vocals and occasional delicate intricacies of the title track and scattered moments. Mostly however "Due Mondi" is about the heavy rocking sound of big guitar and crazy-eyed keyboard runs which occasionally sound like a combination of Dream Theater and Iron Maiden but with a lighter touch than both. Walter Marocchi is a talented guitarist who employs a range of styles in his other band ventures, here he mostly rocks out. But in the short title track you can hear him deliver a delicate and lovely acoustic treatment to what sounds like a lullaby. In my other favorite "Nuvole di Polvere" he lays out some beautifully smooth electric leads especially in the songs waning moments. Vocalist Gabriele Ramilli is another main ingredient as he possesses a good range and a very dexterous ability to express a wide range of mood. Dramatic and powerful he convincingly carries the expectations placed on Italian prog vocalists. Again in "Nuvole" you hear the examples of the band's potential with good arrangements of backing vocals and the light/heavy mix. The rhythm section easily navigates the waters between the light and heavy segments and the transitions are generally natural sounding. Keyboardist Andrea Canonico is quite talented as well but chooses a more flashy-synthy sound and style---there are moments when I'd like to give him a double scotch and a Valium, then unplug the synth and sit him at the grand piano. Both Canonico and Marocchi shred on occasion and these are always the album's weakest moments, on the flip side they are at their best when they slow down and play thoughtfully and with intentions geared toward the track's atmosphere. (Sorry for the coaching guys!) The first minute of "Grida" with the effects-laden guitar skyburst is a great example of the kind of atmosphere the band can generate. The tracks from the second EP are a bit stronger and likely indicate the band's improvement on the songwriting front.

My hope is that the band ditches the glossy metallic sheen of their sound and attempts to make an earthier RPI flavored album next time out. Without question they have the tools at their disposal to make a fantastic album if they pushed the songwriting and sound choices a bit more to that side. For now this is an interesting hybrid that should please metal/heavy-prog fans and some modern RPI fans as well. Tracks from the first EP are generally 2 stars, the second EP 3 stars. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for the overall collection. You can hear the entire album for free right on their website linked to our PA artist page. Enjoy!

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