BRAINSTORM OF EMPTYNESS

The same way average as their debut but 70 minutes long. Same Mellotrons and Hackettesque guitars , same vocals and harmonies - this is not the very place for experiments or avantgarde stuff.Don't pay much attention to Rachmaninov's piece arranged by the band - it sounds the same way derivative and backgroundish. Again this is mainly for GENESIS-related prog die-hard fans, as there are more talented GENESIS rip-offs (you name them!!! ;-) )

Here we have a concept-album that requires quite a few spins on the trusted (but tired) CD player in order to digest all the tasty treasures that abound on this multi-flavored disc. Entering the progressive highway, we motor into Floydian territory, then suddenly veer off into a style more reminiscent of Queensryche or DT , a pit stop at the Marillion cafe and back on the road again heading towards jazzier climes. What a ride! The main culprit is the head-turning quality of Ricky Tonco's intensely polyvalent vocals, displaying a set of pipes that can effortlessly latch onto the needed mood , be it a Morrison-like tone on the crunchier material or the Christian Decamps multi-hued colorations that evoke the various characters in the musical plot. "Just like a Night at the Opera" echoed the audience! Musically, leader Cristiano Roversi captains a solid crew of instrumentalists showcasing a particular flair for taste and diversity , unashamed to express an obvious passion for Andy Latimer of Camel fame. ( Moongarden, hmmm!!!). Guitarist Davide Cremoni is quite exhuberent but you must listen to this a few times in order to "Scarcely believe all the pleasures inside" , but this is not bread and butter rock music. I still prefer this album over the following two . 4 bagger .

''Moonsadness'' was followed by a cover on Genesis classic ''Living forever'' for the tribute album ''The River of Constant Change''.Since Mellow Records decided to pick up Moongarden, the band's leaders Cristiano Roversi and David Cremoni moved on with the writing process of the first trully full-length release of the band.They recruited Dimitri Sardini on rhythm guitars, Massimiliano Sorrentini on drums and Riccardo Tonco from Theatre on vocals and released ''Brainstorm of Emptyness'' in 1995.

Roversi dedicated this album to CAMEL's Andy Latimer but I cannot hear much of his influence in ''Brainstorm of Emptyness'', maybe only in some sensitive guitar lines.The new album finds the band more mature and the style is halfway between GENESIS' smooth approach and MARILLION's more intense moments, mostly in a soft Symphonic Rock vein than Neo Prog.Most of the tracks are long with excellent arrangements and passionate vocals, filled with both analog and modern keyboards and some really nice guitar parts here and there.Moongarden still show their love for simple acoustic themes and calm piano interludes throughout the album and these are nicely combined with huge symphonic parts, featuring loads of Mellotron and organs next to the familiar Neo Progg-ish flashy synths.The vocal performance of Tonco is quite theatrical, slightly accented but definitely satisfying.The later part of the album though contains some heavier moments in the style of SYLVAN with strong riffs and grandiose keyboards, always played with energy and intensity.But the more melodic passages are definitely Moongarden's strong point and the album's highlights, filled with emotional instrumentals, tight orchestrations and lovely both synth and guitar solos.

Quite strong Neo/Symphonic Prog, ready to satisfy all the demanding listeners of the sound as well as anyone into Retro Prog adventures, with delicate music themes and great vocals.Highly recommended.

At least the band got rid of his lead vocalist after his very weak work on their debut album. But this second offering won't be a highlight of the neo-prog genre, I'm afraid.

This Italian band (who decided to sing in English) is releasing an ultra long and concept work which holds very few highlights. I wouldn't argue about the way the musicians get together, it is just a matter of song writing capabilities. And it is rather weak here.

The first two songs together clock at twenty minutes and there are frankly little to retain of these. You could call this dull music, I guess. Emotion is alien. Fantasy, an unknown concept. So, what's left?

Dullness, that's for sure. The grandeur of Is he Mommy's Little Monster? Forget it. Just as boring as any other songs from this album. At the end of the day, the short instrumental and second movement of Sonya In Search Of The Moon (Alone In The Nightfield) is one of my fave of this album. It reminds me of Watcher (and probably therefore pleases me so much). One of the highlight (but it lasts for just over three minutes.).

Some metal sounds during Chrome Heart are bringing some diversity in the music presented in Brainstorm of Emptyness which globally is exactly what it claims for. Emptiness, my prog friends. But for over seventy minutes. What an achievement!

Still, this song is another good one from this album. Very pleasant guitar work and some VDGG related parts are a very good combination. Regarding the poor level of this album, this song has to be considered as the second highlight. Nice fluting and mellotron to end this good piece of music.

But this is a short break in a very average album. Trying to emulate some Ayreon style during Sherylin's Mistake. But only shy of Arjen's work.

The album central piece is of course the Sonya work. Almost fifteen minutes spread over this whole work. The last part Moonman Return is excellent. Superb guitar work : melodic, passionate : just music as I like. It took a hell of a time to get there. But this is the reward. Of course fully Genesis oriented, but since it is so brilliant, there is nothing wrong with this.

The closing and dark The Losing Dawn is fully reminiscent of Hammill's work. Profund, desperate and sad.

The few last songs prevents this album to be a complete disaster, but I can't really say that it is therefore a good one.

Two stars.

It's hard to believe that the same group that produced such an emotional tour de force as "Seagulls" on their debut could sink so quickly, opting for technobabble, but indeed that is the case with the sophomore effort of Moongarden, which has a very 1980s sound to me, in itself hardly an endorsement, but this isn't even good 1980s music.

Another aspect that made "Moonsadness" more appealing was the technique of utilizing little instrumental accompaniment during the brief vocal sections. This too has gone away, and instead Riccardo Tonco sounds like a cheap soul imitation of David Sylvian crossed with Midge Ure. He's just altogether too breathy, especially on "Who's wrong" which has the added insanity of horrid Clare Torrey styled wails. The attack of the robots continues on "Gun Child". A little 1980s David Bowie perhaps? What to say of "Is he Mommy's Little Monster" except that it is the musical equivalent of "Mommie Dearest". And so it goes. The contrast between all the overblown segments and the occasional promising passages only serves to heighten the disappointment, as in Sherilyn's Mistake, which starts well but its overwrought passing is more blessing than anything.

The interludes that anchor the proceedings are left with too big a mess to salvage, and only "Sonya in Search of the Moon Part 2" really comes close to any sort of a statement. "Sea Memories" is probably the only true highlight, with more than a few hints of former glories. Even the Andy Latimer-isms seem flat. A very disappointing release. 1.5 stars rounded down because we know they can do much better. Never was an album more aptly named.

Cristiano Roversi has been the driving force behind MOONGARDEN for years. In the liner notes he says: "This record is dedicated to a great musician and master, who gave me incredible deep emotions in the last 20 years. Go on Andy, I still need to dream". "Roversi for Latimer". This is MOONGARDEN's second album and the big improvement over the debut is in the vocals. The new vocalist has a fairly deep voice but he can change his sound at will as tszirmay mentions in his review.

This is a concept album with the vocals in English. The drawback for me is the length at well over 71 minutes. Too bad because I really enjoy several of the tracks here, but overall I have to settle with 3 stars. Quite a bit more sampled mellotron too when compared to the debut, and also I was reminded of IQ and GENESIS a few times so that Neo- Prog flavour is stronger on this one which I like.

I have to mention the song "Sonya In Search Of The Moon : Alone In The Nightfield" because the mellotron floods in and covers everything. It's so moving.

This is a good album and worth checking out.

Moongarden is one of the second waves of progressive rock bands from Italy, formed in early '90's conducted by keybordist Cristiano Roversi, easely can afirm that Moongarden is Cristiano Roversi, he is the main composer of almost all pieces that gives Moongarden attention. Besides Moongarden he is member in another fine progressive bands also from Italy, Mangala Valis or Submarine Silence. So, waht we have here, is the second album of this neo/symphonic rock band from 1995 named Brainstorm of emptyness issued as famus already Mellow records. I was little shocked to see how low reated this album is, realy what is so bad here I can't understand or find, to me was a pleasent album all the way with monor flaws here and there. First, I think Ricardo Tonko the vocalist coming from Theatre, another great italian prog band who released one album in 1993 named No More Rhymes But Mr. Brainstorm, is the best vocalist Moongarden ever had, realy, his voice is deep, almost gothic in places, with excellent variations of his tone, realy great voice and above all fits perfectly in album's atmosphere. Second, the music from here is almost excellent, from nep prog movements to a more symphonic side Moongarden did a great job for sure, I can't complain about almost anything, almost - only maybe for Is He Mommy's Little Monster?a Rachmaninov piece coverd and re arranged by Roversi, I think totaly useless, musicaly to me, but goes pretty ok in the dark atmosphere of the album. Pieces like Sea Memories or Gun child proves that Tonko is a great vocalist, but aswell the music is quite complex and more elastic then on usual neo prog band, the arrangements has pleanty of great keybords, great guitar that goes somewhere between Hackett in places and Floyd or Iq. I realy like this album. not something of a masterpiece , but a very under rated, unfairly album from Moongarden catalogue I might say. 3.5 rounded to 4 this time. I thik one of their fines moments.