REGNA

Regna is a relatively new progressive rock band, from Barcelona, Spain. This is their first full-length album, following an EP, Meridian (2015). And this band certainly bases its sound on the classic Prog of the early 1970's, harkening back to the style of Yes, Genesis, Camel, and others of the time, but also adding some modern elements as well. Their strength is their musicianship and instrumental prowess, with dazzling displays of proggy goodness, as exemplified on their 20-min epic, Accolade. However, the vocals are a bit of a weak spot, as they are just OK, functional but nothing special, and with a single vocalist, there is little in the way of harmony or backing vocals throughout. But overall, the strength of the songs and playing provide a very good album of classic-style prog. Best Tracks: Tangent, Accolade, Spyglass. Rating: 3.5 stars

The debut full-length album from a group of serious prog rockers from Barcelona, Spain.

1. "Opening Credits" [0:58] an organ intro (4.375/5)

2. "Return to..." [6:30] a song that reverently conjures up feelings of familiarity with bands like classic 1970s URIAH HEEP (especially with the predominant presence of a KEN HENSLEY / KEITH EMERSON-like Hammond organ), but I am most reminded of (especially in the rollicking final two minutes) the song "One Fine Morning" from the Canadian band LIGHTHOUSE (Juno Award winner as "Best Band in Canada" for the years 1972, 1973, and 1974): the musical palette, the melodies and chords, and especially due to the singing voice of Marc Illa. My favorite song on the album. (8.875/10)

3. "Spyglass" [8:16] acoustic guitars pick and weave, strum and support Marc Illa's in a STYX-like way. The entrance of the Hammond's arpeggiated chords at the 90-second mark brings in an ELP-like feel. I really like Marc's vocals: they feel relaxed and easy going and yet are quite fitting to the music. At the end of the fourth minute the instrumentalists launch into a little exposition of odd-time syncopation, but Marc is fairly quick to return, forcing the band to smooth out their flow a bit. Too bad: I was really wanting to see where the band would take that more complex instrumental passage. At the end of the fifth minute it appears as if the band has heard my wishes as the next instrumental passage sees them returning to the syncopation, here supporting some nice soloing from a synth. When the music smooths out in the eighth minute with strumming acoustic guitars and Marc's laid back finale. Interesting and kind of a weird let down. Still, a top three song for me. (17.5/20)

4. "Tangent" [8:38] opens like a prog étude: a practice/warmup for some real complicated, tempo-shifting stuff. After two minutes the music smooths out and vocalist Marc Illa enters. He has a nice, easy-going, strong and versatile voice. The music improves quite a lot when the chorus sections occur. The guitar and Hammond organ interplay is quite nice (Keyboard player Miquel González channeling a little Keith Emerson as he plays) though the staccato rhythm track beneath gets a little old. At the end of the sixth minute the music calms down as piano takes over as the foundational instrument. Marc rejoins for a bit before the lead guitar takes over for his own little bit. The eighth minute lets the band build from a modest palette to a full-spectrum crescendo. I'm rather surprised at just how little and how subdued Marc Illa's vocal role is in this. My other top three song. (17.5/20)

5. "Dramatis Personae" [1:31] what sounds like a multi-track keyboard flute solo. Pretty and cinematic like the soundtrack to a scene from an old Italian suspense/horror movie. (4.375/5)

6. "Accolade" [20:27] three minutes and fifty seconds of instrumental prog opens this one before we enter into the vocal meat of the song (which is actually not very meaty at all as the instrumental palette goes from full band in full dynamics to complete sparsity for Marc's entry). The vocals, sung in English, are a bit monotonous as Marc uses one melody line to deliver the oddly disjointed yet poetic word salad. The instrumental passages continue to put on display the band's cohesive individual talents with tight performances from all over some definitely proggy music (think Gabriel-Hackett-era GENESIS with a very different singer). In the final two and a half minutes we return to a solo piano-based vocal passage. Marc is not quite as good here as is pianist Miquel González--and the end just kind of leaves me dangling. Not bad but not my favorite song on the album. (35/40)

Total Time: 45:00

Very competent sophisticated prog rock from a young band who will, hopefully, continue to work on their great compositions so that a little more of the individual instrumentalists will be able to "show off" a bit. Also, though I appreciate and benefit from the singing being done in English, I'd like it if the LA COSCIENZO DI ZENO/Alessio Calandriello vocals were worded a bit more accessibly.

B/four stars; an excellent debut of nostalgic prog rock that most prog lovers are going to be quite attached to.

Born from the honesty of approaches and the extensive evolution of the group, Regna offers us, as a timeless gift, a result with an aftertaste of classic progressive rock that drinks from the delicious and emotive universal sources of the seventies. The technical mastery is at the service of the passion and interpretive warmth that makes its way from the first note. And all this with the intention of directing us through an elaborate labyrinth of sensations and soundscapes that draws a huge canvas full of captivating strokes and details that make up a wonderful space where the listener can recreate and delight himself from beginning to end. The band sounds coherent and full of confidence to develop a work of complex arrangements that include everything from dreamy acoustic delicacies to furious instrumental moments that consecrate the character of the musicians that make up this enormous work that is Cinema. Although it is not a purely conceptual work, there are moments in one theme or another, which recover ideas exposed at different times in their audition. That's why I say that they sound coherent because they try, and succeed, to convey a musical message in an organized and well-divided way. And this is rarely achieved because it takes a lot of work, when composing a work, to give fluidity to the themes to create a flowing river to a climax of supreme beauty. Remarkable themes well led by Mellotron and varied keyboards spilling over rhythmic bases of intricate pulse and electric guitars stretched beyond the realm of possibility, play with wonderful acoustic interludes and snatched solos from Moogs of devilish charm. The voice, as if it were a minstrel, recreates stories with authority and charm. And everything flows; everything oozes with huge, poetic aromas. Regna, ultimately, creates a crucible whose fruit rounds off a work without edges and, in full ecstasy, says goodbye with a monumental suite that serves, as an epilogue, to close a perfect circle, a grandiose and soft vibration, which summarizes the intentions of this masterpiece that is Cinema: splendour, energy, soul and firmness.