TILION

"Insolitariamente" almost seems like its a concept album, but my lack of understanding of the Italian language prevents me from ascertaining this based on the lyrics. However musically, the album has a prologue, an epilogue, and multiple short interludes between the main songs. This is the only thing that hints at that possibility. Online translators don't really help and my fellow reviewers here and elsewhere aren't hinting at that either. Oh well, let's move on...

The music on this one is generally a dark mix of psych and symphonic prog. But that just touches the surface. Not only are there influences from bands like Banco del Mutuo Soccorso and Le Orme, but also from King Crimson, Trespass-era Genesis, and even soundscapes that remind me of the Ozric Tentacles, plus occasional heavy guitar work. Some of the piano work is beautiful and sort of hints at Tale Cue. There are lots of quiet-to-loud and back to quiet transitions, all done seamlessly. The interplay of the members is fantastic. I think the one thing that bothers me most about the arrangement of the album is that the interlude tracks seem like filler. They often sound like short experiments that didn't lead anywhere and seem more like a distraction from the more important songs. The album to me would be better without them. All the meat is in the main tracks that range from six to over sixteen minutes long.

As for the production, this sounds very retro. It definitely has a 1970s sound rather than 2003. Whether that's on purpose is something I cannot answer for sure. The mix is sometimes inconsistent across the album. Bassist Roberto Aiolfi is an amazing player. He sort of reminds me of an Italian Mike Rutherford that can also slap the bass. Many times his playing is drowned out by the other instruments, however on Torpore Celebrale he's mixed in at the right level to show off his skills. Throughout the album, the snare drum comes off louder than I think it should. For some reason, most of the keyboard solos are placed slightly on the left side of the mix, rather than having them centered or evenly distributed across the stereo spectrum. I don't know if these slight flaws were due to limitations of the recording equipment or maybe they made some mixing decisions while being distracted with eggs or chickens or something. Nonetheless, these flaws don't distract my ears seriously enough from the enjoyment, the energy, and the powerful delivery of the music. It's a really great debut album.

If the flaws I mention above seem like they would bother you enough that you couldn't enjoy the music, then maybe this isn't the album for you. For RPI fans, this is well worth your time.

9/10 stars: Buio; Dietro i Ricordi (the two longest tracks) --- 8.5/10 stars: Luna --- 8/10 stars: Orizzonti sintetizzati; Torpore Celebrale --- 7.5/10 stars: Prologo; Epilogo --- 7/10 stars: Il Custode; Corale Tribale --- 6/10 stars: Solitaria Mente; Il pensiero dal Basso.

Overall rating: 8.25/10 (4.13 PA)

One important difference was now that all vocals were delivered in English, however the unique flavor of Italian Prog never seems to flow away from the type of arrangements the band was keen on creating.Basically ''A.M.I.G.D.A.L.A'' sounds like a more focused album than ''Insolitariamente'', mixing the Classic Italian Prog atmospheres with the strong KING CRIMSON vibes in the more complex parts and this work sustains a very haunting atmosphere throughout.The music is very dense and rich with full-blown keyboard passages, good breaks and complicated instrumental ideas, approaching at moments the demanding style of IL BALLETTO DI BRONZO or ALPHATAURUS.Lots of dark Mellotrons and soaring synthesizers move along the tricky guitar plays, either with heavier or more jazzy leanings, while the album contains also well-crafted, softer moments with a folky or more Classical-oriented taste, led by piano preludes, smooth flutes and discreet synthesizers.In general though Tilion's music remains pretty energetic and powerful with tight variations linked to each other, cleverly based either on atmospheric or more technical performances.The five singers participating in the album all deliver excellent performances, another good reason to enjoy the album.The Avant-Garde touches are pretty much eliminated in sake of a more Prog-inclined sound, still Tilion manage to offer a music of their own, combining complexity with more delicate symphonic moments.

Apparently the band was put on ice after this release, as Alfio Costa became very busy with his new project Daal, while around the time Roberto Aiolfi ressurected Prowlers from nowhere.

''A.M.I.G.D.A.L.A'' is a very good work for anyone searching for dynamic, atmospheric and fairly adventurous Classic-styled Progressive Rock.With both modern and retro influences contained, this one ends up to be a quite cool release.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

''Insolitariamente'' is a weird album:an unorthodox mix of dark complex prog and heavy Symphonic Rock with Jazz and even Avant-Garde touches here and there.The sound constantly alternates between romantic mellow passages and frenetic guitar-driven complicated themes from moment to moment.Flavio Costa delivers some decent yet heavy melodies with his guitar,but mostly his work has an evident KING CRIMSON-esque complex sound with sudden breaks and jazzy chords,a master of his instrument indeed.Even some piano parts in here create a haunting feeling in an improvisational mood,while the mightly mellotron is quite similar to ANEKDOTEN's approach.Italian Prog fanatics should not get dissapointed.The old,vintage and delicate Italian prog style is also present in the smoother moments,dominated by nice Hammond organ orgasms, moog acrobatics, warm vocal lines and well-crafted symphonic arrangements,recalling LE ORME and BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO.What is a bit out of the Italian approach are the modern distorted vocal techniques,while this blending of so many different styles is not always succesful,especially on the longer tracks.

However,this album contains plenty of trully interesting moments and definitely TILION are a band with unquestionable talent and a strong delivery on composing and song- writing.''Insolitariamente'' is a quite good album,which will satisfy music fans of different styles,while TILION are the new member on the list with modern prog bands we should keep an eye on.

"680819DP" sounds like were listening in on a baby's baptism or something. Then female vocal melodies join in before this amazing soundscape comes in that is dark and heavy with mellotron. Angular guitar and bass follow. "Symphony For A Shadow" features more guitar as female vocals join in. It's Sofia (i've seen her name spelled three different ways) from PRESENCE. Keyboards arrive as the heavy sound continues. Vocals are back later. Great tune. "The Mirror Room" opens with children's voices then adult voices as the guitar plays in the background. A calm follows then male vocals (Clive from BLACK WIDOW who also plays flute and sax on this track) with drums and angular guitar before 2 minutes. Mellotron too.Incredible sound ! Flute 4 1/2 minutes in as the guitar grinds it out then sax joins in. "The Echo Of The Dark Side" opens with water sounds and flies buzzing around. The music kicks in with female vocals.This is fairly laid back with a waltz-like melody. Some organ before 4 1/2 minutes. Not a fan of this or the next two songs. "Nocturnal (Pt.I)" opens with piano as male vocals join in followed by guitar and drums.Then a calm before it kicks in again. Contrasts continue.

"Promenade Avec La Nuit" is a short track of female vocal melodies, waves and piano. "Alter Action" continues with the waves until this strange noise takes over then other instruments join in. Nice bass 2 minutes in. It's building. Drums start to dominate. A change 5 minutes in. This is better. Mellotron a minute later. Nice. "Eclipse" opens with a phone ringing and this person walking out of the house not answering it. Nature sounds can be heard as he continues to walk away. Male vocals follow. It's heavy after 3 minutes (it comes and goes). Synths before 5 minutes. "Nocturnal (Pt.II)" is a great tune that opens with water sounds then this heavy soundscpae takes over with male vocals. Check out the organ and mellotron ! "A.M.I.G.D.A.L.A." opens with strange sounds.The music kicks in with angular guitar. Powerful sound 2 minutes in. Check out the guitar that starts before 5 minutes then starts ripping it up before 5 1/2 minutes. It settles after 7 minutes and the waves are back. Female vocal melodies 8 minutes in before it turns heavy a minute later. Fantastic instrumental.

This is certainly different but in a good way. A mixed bag for me but something i'd still recommend.

The ten compositions are quirky affairs. It's not untypical for a track to venture into several different musical styles; in fact this is the rule rather than an exception on this excursion. Sound collages with watery sounds is a common feature throughout, and the individual compositions touch upon folk, jazz, heavy art rock and progressive metal in terms of style variations. Eerie sounding synths; at times almost sick sounding ones; are utilized throughout to create a distinct; dark atmosphere, strengthened by clever use of acoustic guitar or a grim, distorted electric one; while flute and additional synth layers along with vocals contrast the dark and grim mood with lighter and warmer tinges to the soundscape.

The songs are quirky, often quickly moving from one theme to the next; and in select instances dissonances and disharmonies are used to create an almost scary overall atmosphere.

Not for the feint of heart in other words. Those who are into elaborate, challenging rock of the progressive variety might want to check out this one though, even if some tracks do come across as somewhat aimless and meandering.

Tilion (the name taken from a moon in Tolkien's "The Silmarillion") is a band from Bergamo Italy formed in 1998. According to their bio they were "founded from the ashes of PROWLERS, a group that released three albums in the nineties. Tilion consists of Roberto Bobo Aiolfi (bass), Paolo Cassago (drums), Alfio Costa (keyboards), Flavio Costa (guitars) and Andrea Ricci (vocals). The music of this group is symphonic progressive with some jazz influence and perhaps even hints of prog-metal..The debut album Insolitariamente was released.by Mellow Records. It is an album that is very much in the seventies Italian tradition and with a prominent use of vintage keyboards." "Insolitariamente" translates roughly to "Into a Lonely Mind" and is yet another good example of the new breed of Italian progressive rock: overflowing with ideas, difficult to pigeonhole, trend-averse, seeking freedom via the musical Vita-mix. This album reminds me of Egoband's "we are" in spirit if not completely in sound, but Tilion succeeds in crafting a more memorable album. Other bands recalled while spinning this album were Porcupine Tree and Oceansize, though only for some instances of guitar and drum, not songwriting, overall sound, or vocals. The album was recorded in the summer of 2002 at Sonica Studios in Rovereto.

The comparison to Egoband is relevant in three ways. First, both albums get high marks for aspirations while only partially succeeding at the lofty goals. Second, both albums are hard to describe definitively as they venture into so many different flavors. And last, and I feel bad having to say this because you don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but both bands suffer a bit from vocals that are average at best, sometimes grating, sometimes even sounding off-key. (Singer Ricci has now left the band and I think it may serve them well in the long run.) This album, written in large part (but not entirely) by keyboardist Alfio Costa features five long pieces ranging from 6 to 16 minutes in length, with six short interludes gluing them together. The highlights are the feisty opening "Prologo" with its acoustic guitar/piano intro giving way to heavy guitar riffs and LOUD, bright cymbal crashes. Definitely gets your attention. The superb "Buio" is more a dream than a song with fine keyboard work up against shifting, adventurous rhythm sections. "Il Custode" and "Luna" both flounder a bit despite nice moments and are not as memorable as they could have been. Wedged between them is the wonderful "Solitaria Mente" featuring a sublime guest vocal by the Prowlers Laura Mombrini over great acoustic guitar playing with lots of harmonics on display. "Torpore Celebrale" features guest saxophone and some slow, steamy, laid back jamming. Later comes more Laura vocals and piano before the pace picks up. They dedicate 16 minutes to "Dietro i Ricordi" and it doesn't disappoint, exploring many avenues and having several pay off. A nice variety of great keyboard work, some flute, and a fiery electric guitar solo towards the end.

It's a good debut album despite the flaws and would certainly be enjoyed by fans of Mellow's eclectic artists, modern space rock fans, and Italian prog fans. But as with Egoband just be prepared for a few strikes here and there. While there are some excellent moments, overall it's not a 4 star album in my view. The band has a new album coming out soon on Musea.I'm excited by the prospect of different vocals and perhaps a bit more cohesion of the overall compositional theme, I will definitely be checking it out. 6/10

The debut album by this new Italian band draws heavily back to the seventies even though it seems to be influenced by some newer music as well. It is the keyboardist Alfio Costa who leads the music. His contribution is a bit too clearly the high point of Tilion though the bassist Bobo Aiolfi deserves a mention as well. The vocals are not bad but I have to say that the majority of Italian bands I have heard have better vocals. There is also some flute and saxophone and these are by guest musicians as are the additional female vocals. Overall, it is a good debut but I don't really find it to be among the best new Italian progressive because of the reasons already mentioned.

Even though there are eleven tracks in the track list there is only five longer pieces. These tracks are also the ones including vocals. The shorter ones are instrumentals and kind of preludes for the longer tracks. The best tracks are "Buio", "Luna" and the 17-minute "Dietro i Ricordi".

Conclusion: A good debut.