SYNOPSIS

I didn't expect after Mit there would be anything new, but then there was... Synopsis! Amazing stuff, as QLS describes in their nice artworked booklet: an 'evolution with a special emphasis on the past styles'. I don't know if they worked 10 years like Boston to secure their quality, but it could well be: this is not only classical, operatic and melodic in quiet and fierce waves as we know it from the band, this is also their best production until now. Of course, the Italian English is still there (and I love it) and the something 'raw' in their performance, as well known from earlier albums too, but it isn't too obvious anymore. And I says, if you need to start, start with this album, you'll have the most accessable of QLS's discography. There's no bad song, the first is an instrumental rock fugue, I can't tell if it's technically right, but it sounds like that. It's proof right in the beginning where this band is capable of. My favorite, I have to confess, is at the end: the Moses epic (15 minutes), walking with the music amongst the pyramides, angry screeming at the Pharaoh and at last into the open dessert. It took me some time to get this album (via the website in the end), but it was worth the waiting. This album will stand the test of time: all stars, not because there are no weak parts, but because the repeat button asks for it.

This album is not well known at all around these parts, which in my eyes is a huge shame. After listening to it many times, I can safely say that this is my favorite RPI album from the past couple of years. When I first heard about it (after reading the only other review so far) I began hunting for it, and found the bands website, where I checked out the samples and the word "epic" quickly came into my mind.

It was a few months later when I actually finally found this album for sale somewhere, and was able to purchase it. And although it was not as epic, from front to beginning, as I remember it sounding on the website, I was thoroughly pleased with this album.

The idea behind this album was that QLS wanted a Synopsis of their career. So each track is an homage to the various sounds they'd explored in their past. Snake Dream is a nod to their hard rock era, Moses is a nod to their rock opera Abraham, etc...even the opener, Rhapsody and Fugue, is a reference to their classical music roots. As such, what we get from this album is a varied, yet refined, sound.

For the opener, I am not yet an expert on classical music so I can't say for sure that it is what it says it is, but I can say that it is an amazing way to start an album and really catchy. From there, we start in on the songs, and to me the star vocalist is Annalisa Malvasio, who has a very strong singing voice and really imparts an operatic feel on the album. Luca Vignero does the male vocals, and his are also good, although his accent is a bit more obvious to me (all the lyrics are sung in english).

Musically, there's a lot of romance on this album, especially on Arcano, Flighting Dreams, and Islemind, but this is part of what makes the album so appealing to me. The music really works excellently with Annalisa's vocals, creating some excellent drama. Really, compositionally, the music is expertly crafted and you can strongly hear the bands classical background and how it influences their rock music. I think this is a really good thing, for their use of volume, dynamic, and pacing is very strong as a result.

Snake Dream is there hard rock tribute, and it definitely features more prominent guitar than a lot of the rest of the album, but the keys and Luca's singing are equally important in its success. Much like the more romantic tracks on the album, drama is the name of the game here, and Luca gives one of his best vocal performances on the album in this track. The chorus is also hugely catchy, and will stick in your brain long after you stop listening to the track.

On Moses, the epic 15 minute track at the end of the album, it finally sunk in that all this drama that the band does so excellently was the epicness I heard on their website, and I had only tuned in to one side of it. Admittedly, this track isn't my favorite from the album, but it is really great, blending melody and the occasional odd keyboard sound to tell the story.

The band also did a really good job of selecting track order; while the songs flow into each other smoothly, they separated the most similar sounding tracks, allowing the sound to stay fresh.

One final note: it is nearly impossible to find their older albums now, so get this one before it too vanishes!

Quasar Lux Symphoniae come from Udine and have been active for more than thirty years. The band began life 1976 on the initiative of Roberto Sgorlon, Umberto Del Negro and Stefano Vallan. After a first immature demo recorded in 1977 featuring psychedelic influences, The Dead Dream (later re-recorded in 1995 and finally released in 2012) and some line up changes, in 1984 Quasar Lux Symphoniae released a debut album, more hard rock oriented, Night Hymn. The nineties were the most creative period of the band that released albums such as Abraham (1994), The Enlightening March of the Argonauts (1995) and MIT (1999), more influenced by classical music. In 2009, after a long hiatus, Quasar Lux Symphoniae released a new album, Synopsis, with a renewed, extended line up featuring Paolo Paroni (keyboards, piano), Fabio Giacomello (acoustic guitar), Elvio Tavian (lead guitar), Marco Filippo (rhythm guitar), Mauro Chiapolino (bass), Fabrizio Morassutto (drums), Ulisse Tonon (keyboards), Annalisa Malvasio (vocals) and Luca Vigneri (vocals). They were helped by two founder members, Roberto Sgorlon and Umberto Del Negro, who contributed to the song-writing: the first composed the music along with Paolo Paroni while the latter wrote the lyrics of most of the songs. "Synopsis" was conceived as a kind of homage to the different styles the band went through during its long history and is the result of two years hard work in studio. The result it's excellent, the overall sound is strongly influenced by opera and classical music but maintains a well balanced sense of melody and a pulsing rock background. All the members of the band showcase a great musicianship, especially the two singers, although in my opinion the choice to sing in English could be penalising with this kind of repertoire.

The excellent instrumental opener "Rhapsody and Fugue" is a complex four-part fugue in baroque style: It's an amazing, well-crafted piece that combines rock and classical music in a perfect way and if you like works such as New Troll's "Concerto Grosso" or Il Rovescio della Medaglia's "Contaminazione" I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Next comes the dreamy, melodic "Arcano". It begins with a delicate piano pattern and soaring male vocals.... "They move and then they wait / The world tomorrow, the dark today...". Then operatic female vocals follow backed by the other instruments... "Sky is crying on me / Illusion is giving me life...". Well, to be honest the lyrics are not the strength of this piece.

The claustrophobic "Snake Dream" is a homage to the band's hard rock period. It begins with a powerful church-like organ introduction, then vocals and some good electric guitar riffs come in. The theatrical, operatic voice of Luca Vigneri is quite inspired when he invokes to be released from the fogs of a nightmare... "I feel a strange sensation, different / While in this dream, a snake rolls herself around me... I'd like to go out from here my old friend... What a fog, it's oppressing my mind...". A very good track!

"Flighting Thoughts" is built upon a Fabio Giacomello's acoustic guitar arpeggio and recalls the atmospheres of the album "MIT". The mood is almost mystical... "The flight became so difficult / While air of mystery is around us, we are the light / Giant thoughts in our time... While we exist you will dream / In every place you will be like the old stones / Hopeful and alone...".

"Oblivion" is a tribute to the early psychedelic period of the band. The music every now and again could recall Pink Floyd but with a strong classical flavour, while the amazing voice of Annalisa Malvasio invites you to follow her in another dimension, looking for new colours... "Follow me, I will be / I will be your king / Surrounding me, Oblivion...".

The melancholic "Islemind", is another melodic piece where interact male and female vocals... "People fade into the sea / As me in my world, tricking this time... I wish to feel love / I'd like to run away...".

The long, complex "Moses", is a kind of short rock opera that recalls "Abraham", the rock opera released by the band in 1994 on a double album. The vocal parts are excellent, Luca Vigneri interprets in a heartfelt, melodic way the feelings of Moses who is planning to leave Egypt... "Pharaoh! You'll burn with innocent blood! / And nothing will save you... / Between the door's pain and the moon...". An excellent finale for a very good album!

After a few years of silence Quasar Lux Symphoniae begun writing material heading to the 30th year of their existence.However this was meant to be Roberto Sgorlon's last contribution with the band, as in 2007 he jumped off board to leave the leadership of the band to Paolo Paroni.He helped though the band (which saw the arrival of Elvio Tavian and Marco Filippo on guitars along with Luca Vigneri on vocals) with the production of the new album, which was entitled ''Synopsis'' and released in 2009 by Artesuono under the acronym QLS.

''Synopsis'' is pretty much what the title states, a summary of Quasar Lux Symphoniae's trip into the music world for over 30 years and the sounds, which influenced the band.As with ''Milt'' there are tracks in a typical grandiose Symphonic Rock vein next to the Classical inspirations and operatic elements to met throughout the album, fortunately the cheesy moments of the previous work are long gone.The lovely keyboard/guitar interplays with the strong Classical flavor remain the band's trademark.Bombastic synthesizers and emotional guitar solos are also among the highlights.And the instrumental passages remain the strong point of the band.Regarding the vocal moments of the album, these show a strong operatic essence, led by symphonic orchestrations, piano interludes and the voices of Luca Vigneri and Annalisa Malvasio, the material is also nice, though far from the great instrumental parts of the album.The arrangements are well-crafted and challenging with a nice balance between emotion, melody and grandiosity, three characteristics of all Quasar Lux Symphoniae's albums.

While not containing the masterful moments of ''The Enlightening March of the Argonauts'', ''Synopsis'' is the second best album of the band so far, containing cinematic Symphonic/Classical Rock with a thrilling atmosphere, easily appreciated by dedicated fans of the style.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.