A NEW BEGINNING

Keyboardist and composer Massimo Pieretti's solo debut is first of all very Italian album. It opens with "Intro" - heavily orchestrated cinematographic piece SanRemo fest will be proud of. Conceptual album, recorded during pandemic, is well put together and wins against myriad of DIY-quality releases from the period, recorded online and mechanically constructed from separate tracks on a Lego manner.

There is lot of non-artificial passion and drama in album's music. Lot of vocals (from all the list of guest vocalists) works surprisingly well. Thanks to well-rounded sound and attention to melodies, many songs balance on the border with pop- music, from other hand, it doesn't confront with decades of Italian prog tradition.

For my taste, rhythm sameness and too simple drummers work doesn't help. More various rhythmic structures, more technically complex arrangements and in general, a bit more sharpness and fire would add more life to well played, but a bit too polished music. Still a great music for fans of Big Sound and emotionally colored tuneful songs.