COROLLARI DI FIGURE

"Hello there, we're an Italian band and we like ELP". Oh yeah?

I've been delused with APRYL's bio where their GENESIS' likeness was marked and give their albums few spins. I began with this EP which includes only 2 songs and lasts for 28 minutes.First of all I was shocked when guitar and drums were out of each others tempo in first monemts of the record - I mean that's not the polyrhythmia, they've just failed to keep one and the same tempo together!!! :0 Then I heard A LOT of keyboards. Then A LOT MORE. Each time I listened to it again everything was on it place - there were A LOT of different keyboards and not much sanity. Sone jazz-rock- related bits (think of UK),some guitarwork (not remarkable), but mostly keyboards - bombastic and overwhelming.

I'm not an ELP fan. Though this one is not FULLY keyboard-driven record, the amount of bombastism reached the boiling pot for me. Recommended for ELP, NUOVA ERA, LITTLE TRAGEDIES, ARS NOVA, GERARD, you-continue fans and Prog Collectors - the whole level of band's musicianship is not that much satisfying. But a nice effort after all, and I'll definetely listen to their LP.

APRYL were an unknown Italian band formed in mid-90's in Veneto.They managed to release a two-track EP and a full-length album during their career.Their self-produced EP contains two long tracks and it's a good example of keyboard-dominated symphonic prog,not unlike LE ORME or NUOVA ERA.Ermano Barse's piano and keyboards are all over the place,from the classical-like interludes and the atmospheric backgrounds to the ethereal piano ,the trully complex instrumental parts and the synth loops.The sound is not bombastic at all,I would say the the music follows the vein of the classic 70's Italian bands,focusing on atmosphere and romanticism.Vocalist Leandro Di Giovanna has a very nice and sensitive voice,while the album contains some really complex and jazzy bass work too.A decent symhonic release that should appeal mostly to fans of keyboard-driven progressive rock.Recommended.