III (VIAGGIO NEGLI ARCIPELAGHI DEL TEMPO)

"Delirium III - Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo" is a kind of confused concept album about time and reality with lyrics not always inspired and beautiful instrumental moments. It's more symphonic if compared to "Dolce acqua" and "Lo scemo e il villaggio", featuring less flute passages but more strings and sax. In other words, a sound more distant from Traffic or Jethro Tull and closer to ELP, PFM, BMS, Le Orme etc. Nevertheless here Delirium are still able to keep a touch of originality and the result is not bad.

The opener "Il dono" (The gift) is a delicate ballad introduced by acoustic guitar and flute. "At distant god's wish / You'll live thousands years in just one hour / Eternal keeper of a civilization / Pale and filled with his goodness / At distant god's wish / You'll be able to understand your role / And then mould the time as you like / You will rule moon and sun / Strange colours deep into your eyes / Drops of fire set in the sky / Young face, the time will reveal / Only ashes of glances and then."

"Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo" (Journey into the archipelagos of time) is more complex with gloomy vocals, changes of rhythm and jazzy interludes soaring from "the Earth still smelling of blood."

"Fuga N.1" is an instrumental track with a good organ and sax work, many changes of rhythm and of mood. Maybe a little bit too experimental but not bad at all.

"Dio del silenzio" (God of the Silence) is an amazing short acoustic ballad featuring a good sax solo. "In a moment of eternity / I'm the blaze without mercy / My body is made only of wind / Bright is the moon into sapphire's waters / There are only the stars into my singing / God of the silence, please don't go away. God, do you think that was just an act of goodness / To give me the gift of eternity?".

On "La battaglia degli eterni piani" after a quiet intro, "the battle rages on." and the rhythm goes up: this track is more complex and the mood is more epic and symphonic, though with a slightly jazzy interlude.

"Un uomo" is just a short melodic piano ballad and in my opinion this is the weakest point of the album. "I will find again / The faith in me / Or I'll run away. A man can never stop / He'll find into himself / His reality."

The last two tracks are instrumentals: "Viaggio N.2" with a good sax work and a jazzy feeling and the quiet and symphonic "Ancora un'alba" (Another sunrise). Both good but not outstanding.

On the whole a good album and, in my opinion, an excellent addition to any Italian prog collection.