1984 - L'ULTIMO UOMO D'EUROPA

Every year in every progressive rock-related style, there are those couple of particular titles that stand out and hugely impress right from the very first play, destined to become a truly special work that makes a massive impression, only growing in stature and reputation as rave reviews and good word-of-mouth spreads. In the RPI style, La Fabbrica Dell'Assoluto's "1984: L'Ultimo Uomo d'Europa", based on George Orwell's book `1984', leads the way in 2015 by a great distance, being a varied and complex symphonic work with the same tough energy and rough production laced with danger found throughout the defining works of Il Balletto di Bronzo, Biglietto per L'Inferno and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. Coated beginning to end with a battery of vintage keyboards, buzzsaw-like guitars, relentless bass, thrashing drumming and a dynamic vocalist, this album proves to be something very special indeed...

An opening nightmarish collage of random noise, vocal snippets and a deranged Banco-like narration is blasted by a spiralling whirl of noise, as filthy maniacal Hammond rumbles like the Devil himself, rusted-metal guitars slice the air and delicious whipping drums sound like they were recorded inside a wet cardboard box! Claudio Cassio's voice soars to the heavens throughout `4th Aprile 1984', into a mix of classical guitar, twirling synths, heavy riffing snarls and seductive bass grooving through the mire of `Chi Controlla...', and `O'Brien' lifts into Marillion-flavoured symphonic Mellotron-flecked heavens with droning synth ambience and classical piano fancy. Deeply disorientating psychedelic swirls and eerie vocal taunts float through `Bispensiero', `La Ballata Dei Prolet' is a solemn organ reflection that grows in power, and the relentless breakneck `L'occhio Del Teleschermo' erupts with delirious F.E.M-like colourful keyboard kaleidoscopes.

Gothic flavours return to the darkly romantic and melancholic `Giulia', with a sweetly and sadly crooned vocal full of longing backed by shimmering organ, ruminating bass and reaching guitar strains, the piece soaring on hopeful flights of fancy once the drums arrive. `Lo Sguardo Nel Quadro' overloads on classical bombast with slinking keyboard eruptions and slithering bass murmurs, but it's the twelve minute `Processo Di Omologazione' that goes completely mental, a whirring blur of instrumental noise and fury with all the deranged schizophrenic direction and tempo changes of the classic first Banco album. Symphonic grandness, furious jazz-fusion runs, stomping hard-rock bursts, intimidating gothic mystery, haunted swooning vocals, strangled saxophone and searing Mellotron veils all feature, making it quite possibly the best track to appear on an Italian prog disc in 2015. `La Stanza 101' eventually lurches and prances with malevolent glee, `La Canzone Del Castagno' (with a guest vocal from Pino Ballarini of vintage Italian prog band Il Rovescio della Medaglia) overwhelms with imposing regal presence, and `Amava Il Grande Fratello' is a ghoulish pantomime of searing infernal Mellotron curtains closing on the listener.

For its entire 55 minute length, you'll be hard pressed to find a more thrilling and satisfying modern Italian symphonic work that stands just as strongly as many of the vintage classics so beloved by generations of Italian progressive music fans. This is not merely some fawning imitation, instead La Fabbruca dell'Assoluto indulge in the sounds of their favourite Italian prog heroes and fuse it with youthful energy, confidence and sheer guts, offering an almighty kick up the backside of the RPI style. If you don't like the overly polished, safe modern works of both comeback Italian groups and new acts, these fellas strip back the sheen, bring back the dirt and intensity but still always remain melodic. The musicians themselves play with incredible skill and liveliness well beyond their years, and Claudio Cassio delivers a sweeping lead vocal almost on par with Alessio Calandriello's performance on La Coscienza di Zeno's `La Notte Anche di Giorno'.

Forget other bands (some whose music doesn't even sound Italian!) arrogant claims of being the new symphonic progressive stars to be placed alongside Banco, PFM, and so on. Here instead is the real deal from an unbelievably talented young band already on fire, with a virtually faultless and daring album in "1984: L'Ultimo Uomo d'Europa" that's sure to be a future classic of the R.P.I sub-genre.

Five stars, and simply the best Italian prog album of 2015.

La Fabbrica Dell'Assoluto is another new Italian band (actually they formed in 2007, but only released their debut in 2015) that is nothing short of amazing. Heavy Italian prog in the vein of ELP, RDM, Metamorfosi, Museo Rosenbach, Biglietto per L'Inferno, in that ballpark, meaning you'll love this if you're a fan of said groups. This is another one of those albums inspired by George Orwell, but sung in Italian, so as a non-speaker of the language, I'm not sure what they're on about (well maybe some, there is a lyric booklet that comes with it and I was able to pick out a few words), but even if you don't know Italian, you still get a clue if you're familiar with Orwell. Pretty obvious "Chi Controlla il Passato Controlla il Futuro, Chi Controlla il Presente Controlla il Passato" ("He Who Controls the Past Controls the Future, He Who Controls the Present Controls the Past") refers obviously to the various Ministries that control Oceania. "Giulia" obviously referring to Julia, Winston Smith's love interest. "La Stanza 101" obviously Room 101. This album is full of great analog keys like Hammond organ, Mini Moog (original, not the Voyager), Davoli synth, and Logan String Melody, with Clavia Nord Stage 2 for the piano and Mellotron parts. Then you get plenty of great guitar passages, as well as Pino Ballarini of RDM making an appearance here (he and the band even performed material off Contaminazione live). I noticed one passage that sounded like it was taken right off Le Orme's Collage. There are some spacy experimental passages, but by and large this is heavy Italian prog, and great stuff to boot. I've only own one other album inspired by 1984 and that was Anthony Phillips, but that was an all instrumental synth-driven album that resembles solo Tony Banks. I never bothered with Rick Wakeman's 1984 as I never bothered with anything he's done solo after 1977 as I can't possibly imagine finding them particularly enjoyable. I can't believe what Black Widow Records have been offering of recent. They appear to be on the forefront of an Italian prog renaissance (another great example: Ingranaggi Della Valle's In Hoc Sogno) and La Fabbrica Dell'Assoluto is another great example that comes highly recommended! I only hope for more stuff from these guys in the future.

Until I heard this debut from LA FABBRICA DELL'ASSOLUTO I can honestly say I've never heard a band that sounded anything like IL BALETTO DI BRONZO. Yes this is a huge compliment and I also thought of ELP and NUOVA ERA thanks to those filthy organ expressions on here. This is a concept album based on George Orwell's classic book but it's all lost on me since I don't know Italian.

"I Due Minuti Dell'odio" opens with some powerful atmosphere before sampled words and sounds take over. When the music kicks in around a minute it's so impressive, especially the organ. Amazing sound after 2 minutes, it's like I'm in heaven. "4 Aprile 1984" is where we hear the vocals for the first time and they are very good to say the least in the Italian tradition. The organ creates atmosphere but then it all becomes more passionate including the vocals and it's so emotional. Synths cry out followed by guitar. "Chi Controlla Il Passato..." opens with some heavy guitar as the vocals kick in with power. The guitar counters the synths which sounds cool then the vocals return as themes are repeated.

"O'Brien" has a powerful intro with crazy synths as the vocals cry out. A calm follows as we get a powerful atmosphere that vibrates the soundscape as fragile vocals join in. It picks up then we get some sampled words late. "Bispensiero" is dark with liquid keys sprinkled in along with experimental sounds. Man this is like classic Krautrock, very "out there" if you know what I mean. The guitar comes in before 2 1/2 minutes and fires off some rounds as whispered vocals come and go. What a song! "La Ballata Dei Prolet" has a lot of tension throughout with strong vocals and prominent organ. "L'occhio Del Teleschermo" features some killer pulsating organ as the guitar and drums try to keep pace. Vocals join in. Great sound!

"Giulia" has lots of floating organ on it. "Lo Sguardo Nel Quadro" has fast paced organ expressions and drums as the vocals join in briefly. "Processo Di Omologazione" is by the far the longest track at around 12 1/2 minutes. Heavy guitar to start as drums and bass join in. Nice. A bass solo follows then some organ runs followed by passionate vocals. More filthy organ runs before 3 minutes with vocals, guitar and more. Check out the synths after 3 1/2 minutes. Great sound before 5 1/2 minutes as well. Another calm before 7 minutes which is a beautiful section then it kicks back in around 8 1/2 minutes briefly before turning pastoral again as contrasts continue. Big finish.

"La Stanza 101" opens with floating organ and I love the liquid keys with drums that follow. Reserved vocals are next and they turn more passionate after 2 1/2 minutes. It picks back up 4 1/2 minutes in. "La Canzone Del Castagno" features guest vocals from the singer for IL ROVESCIO DELLA MEDAGLIA. It opens with acoustic guitars then picks up some as the organ and drums join in and more. The fragile vocals 1 1/2 minutes in quickly turn theatrical as these contrasts continue. So much emotion. "Amava Il Grande Fratello" like the opening track has sampled words and sounds followed by orchestral music then spoken words. We then get a long silence until the piano arrives 5 minutes in to the end.

What more can I say? This is my favourite RPI album of 2015 hands down and of course it will be on my "album of the year" list.

Here's one of the many rock albums inspired by the famous dystopian novel "1984" of George Orwell. And it might also be the most intensive one, but in my case (although I was deeply impressed by the book already in my teens) the intensity of the music has its negative side too. For the rest of my review I handle this album as music, not as a literary adaption -- for which approach I wouldn't have the knowledge on Italian language anyway.

The RPI tradition can be roughly divided into two styles. The first one is more pastoral and romantic (PFM, Celeste, Errata Corrige, ...) and it often involves instruments such as flute and violin. This is very much up to my musical taste. And the second style is heavier, darker, edgier etc, with influences not only from prog bands such as ELP and VdGG but from e.g. DEEP PURPLE and BLACK SABBATH as well. Naturally there's no absolute division into these two styles; both can use elements from the other one and many bands are somewhere in the middle. LA FABBRICA DELL'ASSOLUTO is however clearly closer to the heavy side of RPI. Seemingly this is the case with most of the new RPI bands that sound like they could come from the 70's. Fabbrica's domestic influences might include e.g. ALPHATAURUS, IL BALLETTO DI BRONZO, MUSEO ROSENBACH, PANNA FREDDA and SEMIRAMIS.

The 55-minute work starts with disturbing shouts and a brief dramatic narrative followed by intense Hammond-dominated heavy prog. Soon the proper vocals enter and are intertwined with sharp synth passages. Already at this point the listener can be sure to have one hell of a prog ride. The vocals are mostly a bit shouty, reaching higher notes and being also quite flexible, but the voice itself lacks charisma and depth. Frankly, I don't like them. But the band is truly full of fiery power, especially the many-sided keyboard arsenal with its ELP flavour.

After the nearly seamless flow of highly intense tracks, the more delicate 'Giulia' is a gorgeous highlight. 'La Stanza 101' is another good, melancholic song, but to my taste the whole is too intense and highly strung. And yet, I just can't rate it lower than four strong stars. Definitely one of the most remarkable items in retro-RPI of these times!