MINSTREL

1. "Preludio (Una Selva Una Storia)" (1:20) spoken voice

2. "Atto I, Scena I: Bellatrix" (5:28) gently picked acoustic guitar chords that are joined by delicate voice and church organ. Synth provides flute and strings as bass joins in. Singing becomes more theatric/operatic. He's good! (Mauro Ghilardini?) Big finish starting at 3:30 with big toms, drums, and organ beneath the soaring electric guitar. Interesting! Nice lead guitar work. (8.5/10)

3. "Atto I, Scena II: Mefistofele (8:55) impressive sound and engineering abounds except for those darned cheap 1990s keyboard synthesizers (like the ones used on COLLAGE's Moonshine). (Those strings are horrid!) But some wonderful singing (by Mauro) and outstanding guitar play from Michele Savoldelli cannot be deterred. The song meanders and sputters a few times. (17.75/20)

4. "Atto I, Scena III: Il Castello (6:52) opens as a bit of a guitar and drum showcase--like Steve Vai and Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats) playing off one another--but then devolves into a sensitive theatre piece in the second and third minutes. Some Hackett-like volume pedal work over some cool drum and organ work in the fourth turns into more Vai-like. More great vocal displays from Mauro, as well--much of it bordering on classic Italian lounge singing. (13.25/15)

5. "Atto II, Scena I: Faust (9:49) great music over which Mauro sings in German (which happens to remind me of great SYLVAN lead singer Marco Glühmann). Davide Ferrari supplies the gruff, gravelly voice of Mephistophele. More great guitar work over a bizarre "Peter Gunn" bassline section. Mauro's operatic voice really soars (as does Michele's guitar) fifth and sixth minutes--and again at the end. Love the use of the "harpsichord" in places. (17.75/20)

6. "Atto II, Scena II: La Neve (7:52) opens with a bluesier guitar style over gentler, more emotional music. Singing enters over simple soundscape of acoustic guitar arpeggi, short burst bass riff, and cymbal play, before some of the album's earlier themes begin to pronounce themselves (the bombastic Italian aria from "Bellatrix"). Two male voices trade leads before blending into one harmonized collective at the end of the third minute. Well done. Throughout guitarist Michele Savoldelli acts as the third voice. The voice of "Margaret" joins in for the final third, giving this the complete Italian operatic feel. (13.5/15)

7. "Finale (Ogni Viaggio) (4:17) more narration from Mario Bertasa, this time joined part-way in by computer piano. The real clarinet of Giuseppe Peracchi joins the barrage of cheap computer keyboard strings, etc. in the instrumental second half. Too bad for the cheap computer-generated sounds. (7.75/10)

Total Time: 44:33

Too bad this collective lacked impetus cuz they managed to produce a very impressive product here. Were it not for the terrible sounding keyboards and four minutes of Italian narration, this one might deserve masterpiece status.

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--especially if you love RPI and well-made rock opera formats.

Well, you can conclude that on this second album the focus is on Mauro, what a powerful and distinctive voice. And it is layered with an opera-like undertone that matches perfectly with the rich Italian music tradition in which a theatrical element is often present. We can enjoy harder-edged and compelling progrock that is loaded with heavy guitar work (from fiery and biting solos to propulsive riffs) and thunderous drums (toward prog metal). At some moments this is blended with dreamy parts featuring tender piano runs and warm Italian vocals.

Remarkable is the long final composition Morte (more than 10 minutes), in my opinion obviously the most symphonic rock oriented track on this CD, delivering lots of shifting moods and more creativity and variety than in all other tracks! After a bombastic intro with dramatic vocals and wonderful piano work, the music turns into very compelling with again dramatic vocals, fiery duo-guitar work ('overdubs') and beautiful classical orchestrations, I like the contrast between the fragile piano and heavy guitar and drums. Then a mellow part with twanging acoustic guitar, pleasant piano runs and inspired vocals. Gradually the climate turns into more lush and bombastic, culminating in great finale with fiery guitar runs and powerful vocals.

You have to get used to this new Minstrel album if you are familiar with their debut CD, because on Ahab this promising new Italian formation sounds more as Heavy Prog than the symphonic rock on Faust.

My rating: 3,5 star.

A more powerful and still bombastic side of the Italians would be presented here with strong orchestral themes and crystalline, operatic vocals by Mauro Ghilardini, much in a Heavy/Symphonic Rock style with vibes from BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO's early albums and links to the style of compatriots PRESENT.Dynamic, pounding musicianship with complex changes and endless piano interludes/preludes, delivered in a thetrical mood with a Rock Opera aura.Here Mauro Ghilardini performs a long monologue of Captain Ahab, being definitely one of the best operatic singers to be around.Despite the clean metal riffing at some point, the album contains excellent salvation parts with smooth melodies and dreamy piano lines, keeping a lovely balance throughout.The music can be rhythmic, angular or mellow depending on the track.Classical influences are all over the place and ''Ahab'' is also full of some majestic piano/guitar interactions of the highest level.Not that on the last track, the deeply atmospheric 16-min. ''Morte'' there is a guest appearance by Ghilardini's son on vocals.Beautiful, cinematic, orchestral, grandiose Progressive Rock with Classical-influenced variations, bursting the pure energy of electric guitars and offering Soundtrack-like movements with a great atmosphere.

Minstrel' career was put on ice after the release of ''Ahab'', as Ghilardini & co. were absorbed again by other musical activities.This album should easily appeal to all fans of powerful, Classical-based Progressive Rock and it will sound even better if you don't mind a touch of Metal in the menu.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

The opener "Vendetta" (Revenge) is full of dark energy. You can imagine the protagonist, Captain Ahab, pursuing his white obsession crossing a ghastly sea. He looks for revenge, he wants to kill the white whale that injured and humiliated him. He can't give up his crazy dream... "Oh, My God, you know"! / I feel in my limbs blood, sweat, and tears / They devour my bones bent by memories...".

The short instrumental "Presagio" (Omen) lead us to the departure of a wild, cursed hunt across the sea... On "Partenza" (Departure) we can hear the captain shouting his orders... "Hey! Raise the anchor! / The wind will see us off! / Starbuck at the helm!/ Ishmael on the pontoon! You, on the lookout! And you, up there... And you, to the topmast! Go! Forward! Hey! Raise the anchor!". Wind and sunlight now swell the sails and the land rapidly vanishes behind the ship while the call of the see resounds in the air. The adventure begins with a frenzied rhythm and a dark feeling...

"Oceano" (Ocean) is a long, complex instrumental track that describes the ship sailing across the sea. It begins calmly and the mood is dreamy, then the dream turns into a nightmare and aggressive electric guitar riffs announce a storm and a troubled night.

"Alba" (Dawn) is dreamy and melodic. As dawn breaks and the light shines through the clouds the voice of Mauro Ghilardini delicately soars from a calm piano pattern drawing hopes and doubts. Memories flows inside the protagonist as a river that looks for the sun. Then he makes a vow... "I will sail forever pursuing this dream / As long as I have strength and breath / I won't forget this promise / And I'll win this wager / And I'll seek the knowledge / Until I'll understand the true meaning of life...".

On "Caccia" (Hunt) the rhythm rises again. It's a piece full of energy that describes the ups and downs of an endless, cursed ride across the ocean looking for the white whale... "Go on, never stop! Go on and on, you'll never lose your prey...Vile is the harpooner and vile is the captain if the blood of his prey doesn't stain his hand!... My hand, you can't fail / Take hold of the gleaming steel and strike... / Fury of the seas, listen to me / The time of revenge has come... Cruel fate, you turn us away from our course! But who seeks justice finds glory and renown...".

"Rampone" (Harpoon) describes the inner conflict that is raging in the heart of the captain. The music is evocative and dark. Melodic passages alternates with fiery guitar riffs and "deep reed" colours. You can hear an infernal smith forging a magic, evil harpoon... "Forge the point in pagan blood / I want a harpoon in mortal temper / Baptismal blood, save the baleful iron that marks every inch of me... Wind, renew my thoughts of violence! Rain, refresh my warrior instinct!... Following my mind, my fatal vow / I shall die, but I'll be free...".

"Tempesta" (Storm) is an evocative instrumental track featuring a sparkling electric guitar work that leads to "Delirio" (Madness), a monologue with narrative vocals and an orchestral background that describes the madness of the captain and the horror feelings he experiences when he looks at himself in a mirror. Eventually he comes back to consciousness for the tragic grand finale.

The last track "Morte" (Death) is a long, complex epic. It begins with a heartfelt recitative part where the voice of Mauro Ghilardini is backed and counter-pointed by the powerful rhythm section. Wave after wave, memory after memory the captain realizes that his hunt for knowledge is useless and that the unknown is still an enigma for him, "a past overflowing with mystery that returns like a wave on the shores of the present, thence surrounded like valiant, naive men by the dark sky of hope that wraps bodies like a clean shroud...". Now Ahab begins to feel guilty and his words sound like a lay prayer to Mother-Nature but it's too late! Now the music describes the fighting between the men and the white monster... Then the struggle gives way to a calmer part and melodic, operatic vocals soar... This time there's nothing more to say, there's nothing but the sea, no harbour on the horizon, no time left to regret, no goal to reach... "It's an everlasting trial... / An inner battle to discover / A doubt to abandon / A new faith to set off towards oceans of light / Immense but fragile expectations...". The captain's obsession leads him and his crew to perdition and death. When the sounds of the battle fade away we can hear a child playing and singing as a final message of hope. A dreamy, instrumental coda concludes this excellent work. On the whole a really good album featuring a beautiful packaging and a booklet full of drawing and images related to the plot. Do not miss it!

Minstrel's "Faust" is an opera in two acts that opens with "Preludio ? Una foresta, una storia" (Prelude ? A forest, a story), a short spoken track where a narrator introduces the story... "I was born among spires of high gliding cathedrals...". The mysterious narrator, dressed as a medieval bard, invites you to listen to his words experiencing the emotions that only the old art of storytelling can give. That said, he bows and leaves on the first chords of the opera...

"Bellatrix" (Act I - Scene I) starts calmly, with a delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio. The curtain slowly opens revealing Faust kneeling, turned towards a star called Bellatrix, in the constellation Orion. The operatic voice of Mauro Ghilardini soars towards the star drawing a beautiful, melodic lay prayer to the light of knowledge... "You still shine / Where the grey sky embraces my pain / You still shine / Dry the cry with your tepid warmth...". Then the heartfelt notes of an evocative electric guitar solo lead to the next scene...

On "Mefistofele" (Act I - Scene II) twelve bell strokes bring Faust back to reality. He stands up and decides to walk looking for his castle, a Kafkaesque metaphor for Knowledge. As he walks his fears dance around him until he's tired and stops... "No friendly hand could trace the never-ending way for us, mortal wanderers dispersed on the sea / There's no wind to push me away / Now I sit down depressed and I slowly close my eyes...". An electric guitar solo leads to the meeting between Faust and the evil character of Mephistopheles who is biding his time nearby. An intense, theatrical operatic duet follows. Mephistopheles leads Faust on the way to the castle while demons and witches slowly appear around them "Let us open the confused dance / With the bitter smell of an ancient time... Pape satan, pape satan aleppe...".

On the next scene Faust approaches the castle. "Il castello" (The Castle - Act I - Scene III) begins with a frenzied rhythm and you can imagine Faust running towards the castle. Then the rhythm calms down... "Cold is the evening / That dark cloud is now gone / Sounds of stones and thorns make endlessly dream / Beyond the wind...". Faust has to face his doubts and his fears. He decides to interrogate what's left of his soul and his fears reply while an electric guitar solo leads the dance of anguish. Bellatrix still shines in the sky and lightens the way giving Faust new energies, pushing him beyond the wind, over the fears, closer and closer to the castle.

"Faust" (Act II ? Scene I) is a long, complex track featuring sudden changes in rhythm and atmosphere. Faust is inside the castle and begins to sing ecstatically in German some verses by Goethe... "Waldung, sie schwankt heran...". Well, the same verses inspired also, among others, Gustav Mahler for the second part of his Symphony n. 8 and Robert Schumann. Anyway here the result is quite different and the fight between good and evil is expressed with all the energy of a rock band and a strong theatrical emphasis in the vocal parts. Mephistopheles claims Faust's soul but Faust repents and is helped by the character of Pater Ecstaticus and by an army of angels. The battle between angels and demons rages on and in the end the angels prevail, helped by the Virgin Mary, Mater Gloriosa. The piece ends with Faust singing in English some verses taken from the Sonnet n. 39 by William Shakespeare... "Oh how thy worth with manners may I sing / When thou art all the better part of me? / What can mine own praise to mine own self bring and what is 't but mine own when I praise thee? / Even for this, let us divided live / And our dead love lose name of single one / That by this separation I may give / That due to thee which thou deservest alone...".

The next track, "La neve" (Act II ? Scene II), opens with a short electric guitar solo à la Santana, then from an acoustic guitar pattern the voice of Faust delicately soars. The battle is over and Faust goes out from the castle. Now he is surrounded by the snow that here is a metaphor for the troubles of life. Faust is full of regrets and misses an old love... "If I saw her open in flowers / Perhaps I'd flee from my agonies / I'm searching for the dawn...". The character of Pater Ecstaticus appears again to comfort him and a vocal duet follows drawing a melancholic atmosphere. Pater Ecstaticus is moved and he melts in the air. After a while he comes back with Faust's sweetheart, Margherita, then he quits leaving the two lovers alone. A romantic duet between Faust and Margherita follows and the stars of life shine again for them... "You shine on me, since I was a child we whispered in the evening... I live in you... Yes, you live in me... Life starts now... It still shines...".

"Finale (Ogni viaggio) (Finale - Each travel) concludes the opera. The narrator comes back on stage to tell us that every story is like a journey, with its taverns, tears and mists hanging on a pond... And a delicate music that accompanies us and solitary shines in our night. Now we are ready to begin now a new journey...

When I listened to the opening number ("Vendetta"), I wondered if I was listening to the same band. From Italian symphonic prog, I was drawn into deep metal music with no link at all with the music I was waiting for. And "Partenza" just confirmed the feeling. More metal, unfortunately. Bizarrely (but very well received), the last two minutes are delicate and feature passionate vocals and intimate piano. Quite a mix!

The long instrumental "Oceano" is also a dual track: at times quite, at times violent. But in both cases it is very well performed and the guitar is just fabulous. On the smooth side, the piano is extremely relaxing.

We are brought back again into the most gentle Italian symphonic genre with the beautiful "Alba". The vocal part from Mauro Ghilardini is formidable. A monument of emotions and skills. The instrumental breaks are not shy either. Guitar is again the strongest element. A highlight. What a great track!

"Rampone" is another one which combines opera-like vocals, metal lines and sweet passages. Vocals are the highlight (once more). But be warned: this song (and this album) features quite dual music. I am not sure that these two extremes (metal and Italian symph) will please a lot of prog ears. These combinations are not quite frequent to say the least.

As you might have expected, "Tempesta" (storm it means) is quite devastating, even brutal. It is a speedy and escalating instrumental which is extremely well built and performed. Fasten your seat belt! The next song is perfectly described in the title: "Delirio". It is the weakest track of this album.

The long "Morte" is the climax of the story (but maybe not the highest point of this release). It is a good synthesis of the whole work. Metal style is on the forefront ( a bit too much IMHHO). After six minutes of a violent treat, things are calming down and the band is offering again the other facet of their music: needless to say that I prefer this side of their moon... The long closing instrumental combines some fine acoustic work.

"Ahab" is an album quite difficult to rate. It is flirting with the four stars if you're a metal freak, more on the three stars side if you're an ISP lover. I guess that you understand that my rating is three stars even if I would have loved to rate it with seven out of ten.

It is remarkable that from such a dark theme, the music played on this album is so light, fresh and optimistic. The best example is the wonderful "Bellatrix" which features superb vocals and such a moving guitar finale. Truly poignant my prog friends!

The band doesn't ignore to play some bombastic parts either. But at no moment it sounds pretentious: on the contrary, the music is delicate and pretty much enjoyable. The balance between passionate vocals and excellent instrumental parts is a pure delight.

Even a piece like "Mefistofele" which should be dark, is positive, melodic and frankly sublime. Remarkable keyboards parts and a beautiful melody are on the menu. And what to say about the superb guitar work from Michele Savoldelli? This leaves me voiceless.

The tone is a bit harder during the title and longest track. Some prog metal lines can even be heard. But not too many, fortunately. Mauro, in the lead vocal role is again perfect and so passionate. A great song by all means!

This is a very good album from the naughties. Four stars.

This Italian band is on the theatrical end of the RPI scene where they combines the best of literature, opera and RPI. One third of each, I would say. Ahab is a concept album, as Faust was. The music is symphonic and in the opera tradition. It is also very heavy within the RPI tradition too. Richard Wagner meets Osanna, in other words. Mauro Ghilardini operatic vocals gives Minstrel their own very special identity. So does Michele Savoldelli's guitar solos too. In short, the line up on this album makes it a very special Baroque RPI album.

The songs are all great on this album. Oceano and Morte is the strongest songs here with their brilliant melody lines. I am missing a true killer track here which would had elevated this album to a classic album status. But this album is so strong that I just falls over in pure joy anyway. Put this album alongside the two other best RPI albums from this century on a rostrum. It is that strong.

4.25 stars

......But Minstrel manages to pull it off.

Minstrel has put Faust into a classic RPI setting at the same time as retaining the theatrical Faust, the opera, feeling. Add some heavy prog metal like guitars too as their underlining of the lyrics. The vocals though is the bearing elements on this album. All the vocals are truly excellent. Some vocals are clear and some are opera. They are also in Italian and that is a good thing for this album. The sound is baroque throughout with the use of baroque instruments together with more modern instruments like synth and electric guitars.

I think there are too many of these modern instruments involved. I would had preferred a more baroque approach with more acoustic instruments. Hence me not giving it five stars. But the songs are great and this is a truly great RPI album. It is one of the best new era RPI albums.

4 stars

1.Vendetta: the first song of the album, which announces the main differences between the old and the new Minstrels. Ghilardini has a stronger voice, more similar to the Sala's (Mefistofele in Faust), rocking, but still with the operatic echo, making him, again, one of the most brilliant singers Progressive Rock has ever had. Here we can also notice the amazing skills of the bassist, featuring some really strong slaps.

2. Presagio: this is actually a kinda psychedelic passage song, which lasts only two minutes and doesn't give much contributes to the album itself.

3. Partenza: ok, here we go. This is the third song, which translated means "Departure". Here we can listen to a brilliant multitrack work of Ghilardini, who put all together some of the lowest notes of his vocal range, showing again (and again, and again) his incredible skills. The song is divided in two parts, in the second the piano is the only rhytmic instrument, and Ahab is singing on it. Sublime.

4. Oceano: the second instrumental song of the album (if you consider also Presagio), this time showing the skills of Savoldelli, the guitarist of the band. There two parts here too, the first rappresenting the calm and the quite ocean, the second the tempestuous one, with much more anger with the chords and the solos, returning then to the calm.

5. Alba: this isn't actually a song more than a crescendo. It begins with soft piano and soft vocals, until the multitrack choir enters again (the same of "Partenza"), with "Nasce l'alba", giving more life to the music, which finds it apex with the 7/4 part with all instruments at the end. My favourite song of the album.

6. Caccia: I've already said about the very beginning with the piano, the marching guitars, and the incredible singing of Ghilardini. The song goes on with a fully progressive rock part full of guitar solos, time changes, until it fades slowly to the end.

7. Rampone: it starts with the heaviest and most ''metallish" chords I've ever heard of the band, featuring also dissonances with both electric and classical guitar. The vocals are also quite rude and strong, but all this fades with the chorus, which creates an atmosphere of hope. Then starts again the strong part, but it is immediately stopped and we return to have feelings of hope and peace. Briliant.

8. Tempesta: a 3 minute passage song, full of guitar solos, time changes, all typical progressive rock things, which prepare the listener to the end of the album.

9. Delirio: a dark monologue of Ahab, who is sure of his imminent death. Another passage song that preannounces the end of the album.

10. Morte: "Death" in English. This is the ''Faust'' of the album, if you remember that song of the previous album. It begins with another much longer monologue of Ahab, before his death, who thinks about his life and if what he had done had or didn't have sense. It is divided in two parts and also here there is the multitrack duet, this time with his high notes. After the second part of the monologue, there is a long incredibly complex part of piano solos, guitar solos, bass solos, time changes, everything, showing again the great skills of this unknown band. Then the music suddenly changes, only the piano, the classical guitar and a harp remain, playing a silent melody, which introduces the last words of Ahab, resigned words. Another progressive crescendo, with more and more instruments, with higher and higher vocals and more and more harrowing words, "Per navigare sono costretto a soffrire, per soffrire costretto a cercare, per cercare sognare, per sognare morire.", "To sail, I must suffer, to suffer, seek, to seek, dream, and to dream, die!", leaving the scene to a 6 minutes instrumental piece with classical guitar and other acustical instruments.