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RANESTRANE

Rock Progressivo Italiano • Italy


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RanestRane picture
RanestRane biography
Founded in Rome, Italy in 1998 - Still active as of 2019

The aim of the musicians involved in this project was to compose and perform a rock-opera, so they chose a famous Werner Herzog's film, "Nosferatu The Vampyre", and commented it with music and original lyrics. They started their live activity in 2000 and conceived their shows as a "cineconcerto", with the images of the Herzog's film flowing in the background. In 2006 they released their rock-opera on a self-produced studio album, a double CD called "Nosferatu il Vampiro", and they have continued with works based on "The Shining" and "2001: A Space Odyseey". They also have a live video, probably the best way to experience them as artistically envisioned. The present line up features Maurizio Meo (bass), Daniele Pomo (vocals, drums), Massimo Pomo (guitars) and Riccardo Romano (keyboards). Among their musical influences you can find bands like Goblin, PFM, BMS, Genesis, and Marillion, to name a few. Incidentally, the band makes up a large part of the reorganized Il Rovescio della Medaglia. [Todd]

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RANESTRANE discography


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RANESTRANE top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.42 | 45 ratings
Nosferatu Il Vampiro
2007
3.62 | 44 ratings
Shining
2011
3.98 | 100 ratings
A Space Odyssey, Part One - Monolith
2013
3.91 | 105 ratings
A Space Odyssey, Part Two - H.A.L.
2015
3.88 | 128 ratings
A Space Odyssey, Final Part - Starchild
2018
4.06 | 63 ratings
The Wall
2020
4.02 | 88 ratings
Apocalypse Now
2022

RANESTRANE Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.50 | 18 ratings
Monolith in Rome - A Space Odyssey Live
2015

RANESTRANE Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

RANESTRANE Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

RANESTRANE Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

RANESTRANE Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Apocalypse Now by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2022
4.02 | 88 ratings

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Apocalypse Now
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

3 stars 3.5 stars. RANESTRANE are a four piece band out of Italy and concept albums are their business. Usually they base them on movies like this one but they also covered PINK FLOYD's "The Wall" adding some of their own material. Vocals are in Italian except for some English ones here and there. Vocals are good and so are these musicians who play in a melodic style. The liner notes are great as well giving us the lyrics in Italian and in English.

They use quite a lot of samples from the movie and some go on for quite a while. I find them a distraction but then again I'm the guy who usually avoids concept albums. It's all about the instrumental music for me and certainly the vocals can add to that or be a negative. Everything is good here both instrumentally and vocally but man 78 minutes just kills me. After the fourth track we are 33 minutes in and its a very solid 4 star affair but then "Playmate" comes on and I just don't like the lyrics or the music and it sort of goes down hill from there for me even though the tracks that follow it are an improvement.

If your into concept albums and especially this movie you gotta hear this, I think you will love it. I was never a movie guy so I'm sure that affects my feelings towards this record as well.

 Apocalypse Now by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2022
4.02 | 88 ratings

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Apocalypse Now
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by sepia_blob

5 stars This was a great surprise for me. The reviews of BrufordFreak and Rivertree made me curious enough so I gave this album a listen. The overall sound was very mysterious, with dramatic turns, unexpected transitions, intertwined themes, great playing, emotional vocal delivery (lyrics in Italian and English at one point) and voice clips from the film 'Apocalipse Now' (which I haven't watched!). Also I do not understand Italian, although I suspect it only adds to the experience. After the first listen I felt that I didn't fully get it, so I gave this record 2 more listens and then it finally clicked with me... Wow, this album is impressive!

What I did not expect at the very least from this record is to contain my favourite song(s) of 2022: Cuore di Tenebra Pt. II (10/10), Un Nuovo Dio (9,5/10) and The Horror (favourite epic of 2022). The rest of the compositions are not far from the previously mentioned ones in terms of performances and provoked emotions, which creates a good cohesion and a basis for smooth transitions and the storytelling factor.

This is my favourite album of 2022 (at least for now). Highly recommended! Thank you, Massimo Pomo, Riccardo Romano, Maurizio Meo and Daniele Pomo for this truly amazing record.

 Apocalypse Now by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2022
4.02 | 88 ratings

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Apocalypse Now
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by arymenezes

5 stars It's a very tough task to be a symphonic prog group nowadays, because it is the most explored style on the wide range of the musical genre. Bring some originality on this area may be one of the greatest challenge for musicians. Of course, there are people who can have the same favorite colour for his/her whole life, or even the same favorite dish for decades. Which is not a demerit or a limitation, it can be considered as fidelity and/or coherence. This group just wants more of the same, and they will find it fresh and stimulating.

But I know many boys and girls, men and women that at a certain point will want to diversificate its personal taste, or add more options to relish. So, this album can satisfy both groups. For the first one, the musicallity is magnificant, reminding some Banco and Museo Rosenbach passages.

For the second group, before they listen to this work, they can argue that the concept of composing around a theme isn't new. And they are absolutely right. However, on this album there's something different. Let me explain. Generally, in the cases when a book or a poem or a painting is the subject, the composer doesn't stand to far from the history and/or the images associated with it. That is a linear and easily understandable kind of development of the motif. Ranestrane takes a more complex task - choose the parts or elements of the film that are the most interesting and/or impressive. IMO they largely succeed on that. And for the group of people (I'm in it) that has seen the film, I suppose that all or almost all will naturally remember at least some of the images of Apocalypse Now during the audition. That gives some of the tracks a unique dramatic load. Besides, I think most of the people will agree on the idea that visual images have a more emotional impact than only words (no critics here to books, they can be incredible to stimulate our imagination and capacity to absorb and analyze stories). And now I'll comment the cherry on the top of the cake. The use of some sounds and narrations from the film gives more theatrical density to the album than it already has instrumentally and on the italian vocals. Martin Sheen's narration is very engaging, and Ranestrane selected only some short parts,which therefore do not compete with the instrumental. complements it. This artistic choice may not resist to the streaming, and the fact that this film is form 1979 brings some restrictions to those who will hae a full access to this experience. It's really a shame; that's why I'm trying to spread this review on other prog rock groups. For the artistic conception and corpus of this work, I give it a 4,8 star. For the musical aspects, 4,3. Well, this is closer to 5 than to 4 stars.

 Apocalypse Now by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2022
4.02 | 88 ratings

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Apocalypse Now
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Rivertree
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Band Submissions

4 stars The band RANESTRANE is consisting of experienced musicians who are residing in Roma, Italy. They are well known for the preference to produce concept albums, and hereby being obviously specialized in picking up diverse film classics. Thus this one is drawing references to the US crime taking place in Vietnam during the last century. In particular refering to the famous movie 'Apocalypse Now' starring Marlon Brando and Martin Sheen, that was produced by Francis Ford Coppola. No need to warm up the context in the further course. The movie itself is a superlative from a technical point of view, no doubt, but turns out to be another conspicuous attempt to justify the war on the backs of the Vietnamese people in the end.

Constant band members are Riccardo Romano (keyboards), currently also underway on solo paths with a new appealing album, Massimo Pomo (guitars) and Maurizio Meo (bass). Finally also drummer Daniele Pomo, who, you'll find this a rather rare case, also provides the lead vocals. And so Saigon appears to be a wonderful opener, where his voice is backed by melancholic piano lines or sensitive guitar presence. Lyric-wise the band is using a blend of English and Italian language, with the preference on the latter. Rock Progressivo Italiano at its best. The core piece marks the monumental statement Napalm which has a total length of twenty minutes playing time. Excellent. I would say this marks the best RANESTRANE effort so far. Come on, get your own impression. Kudos to MaraCash Records especially, they are covering some real jewels in their portfolio again and again.

 Apocalypse Now by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2022
4.02 | 88 ratings

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Apocalypse Now
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by WJA-K

3 stars This is my introduction to RanestRane. I decided to give this one a spin because of the theme. This is an album that retells the story of the movie Apocalypse Now. One of the most gripping movies I ever have seen.

The band uses clips of the movie. Iconic movie sound clips and quotes like "I love the smell of napalm in the morning", "The horror, the horror" and "Are you an assassin?" litter the songs and bring you back to the movie itself.

But there's more. The music is absolutely great in general. Standout tracks for me are Dossier, Napalm and how it starts with Saigon. Not everything hits home for me. The Horror, for instance, doesn't bring me the atmosphere I'd expect from this vital part of the movie.

Also, I believe this movie already had a perfect soundtrack, including The End of The Doors. So, I'm left wondering: why did they create this? And what does it add to our experience of Apocalypse Now?

This brings me to my verdict. I rate it 3 stars. An enjoyable listen with great use of the movie material.

 Apocalypse Now by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2022
4.02 | 88 ratings

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Apocalypse Now
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars An Italian band that has been offering their own sleek interpretations or tributes to some of the 20th Century's most iconic films. I love the use of actual clips from the film's dialogue within the songs--reminding me of French residents Hypno5e's soundtrack/accompaniment to Bolivian-born band member Emmanuel Jessua's film, Alba - Los Hombres Errantes.

1. "Saigon" (7:03) a very cool pulsing synth opening--sounding a bit like a helicopter whirligig in slow motion. Joined by synth and ominous guitar arpeggio at the end of the first minute, I can already tell we're in for something very special. Solo lead electric guitar ends the second minute, repeating a melody line a few times before shifting into a chorus. Very controlled and tightly accompanied--especially by some excellent drumming. Choral vocalise next before sparsity of solo piano sets up the entrance of the singer. Very nice voice--very accurate and pitch perfect. Then, at 4:15 the rest of the band joins in with some soundscape-expanding accompaniment. Great vocal performance--I can see why the instrumentalists have been instructed to hold back. Daniele Pomo's voice reminds me quite a bit of Paolo Farina, singer and composer of the HUMANA PROG material from 1975 and 2014. Excellent fill of the soundspace during the two minutes of wordless finale--with such beautiful drumming! (14/15)

2. "Cuore di Tenebra Pt. I" (3:58) singing about the background of some of the players ("New Orleans," "The Bronx") gorgeous strings over the second half. (8.75/10)

3. "Dossier" (1:56) like a soundtrack to an old hoofer-detective film. Jazzy. Classy. (5/5)

4. "Napalm" (20:12) (35.5/40) - i. "Arc Light" - solid, tension-filled high octane prog rock. Great singing--both lead and multi-voice harmonies. (8.75/10) - ii. "Kilgore Pt. I" - Lance and Colonel Kilgore meet on the beach. Enter a beach-like theme song. Great drumming! The surrounding music is pretty good, too. (8.75/10) - iii. "Apache" - When Daniele enters to sing at the end of the eighth minute, it's a very nice section that leads into the napalm bombing and strafing of the woods to allow the surfers time to surf and then to exit. Juxtaposed with Italian children in a school setting--perhaps during a practice air-raid response--to put things into perspective? Then we're into a hard-driving section with penetrating guitar riff on repeat until it's time for a scorching solo. I love the way the strings add so much to the rise in tension. When things break, there is a smooth driving passage over which searing electric guitar shreds. Then Daniele returns to continue to tell the story of "the hidden cries." Very powerful bombastic section comes out of this. Amazing power! (9.25/10) - iv. "Kilgore Pt. II" - "cause Charlie don't surf" (8.75/10)

5. "Playmate" (6:21) complete with the USO's emcee's introduction of Miss August. Bombastic RPI with 70s Hammond and 80s power chords. Solid, powerful music--great performances across the board. A little too classic rock, though I get what they're trying to do. (8.75/10)

6. "The Eden Cries" (10:37) a song that you can definitely tell is telling a serious story. I love the keys. Despite the shifting themes with different film samples, there's just a little too much Italian bombast here for my tastes--though all of it with fine instrumental performances. The final two motifs of the final two minutes are my favorites--especially the Vietnamese violin-like instrument and bamboo flute over the slow pulsing organ chords. Gorgeous! (17.5/20) - i. The Eden Cries Pt. I - ii. The Eden Cries Pt. II

7. "Cuore di Tenebra Pt. II" (4:33) A stunningly gorgeous song--with some surprisingly intricate and complex textures and instrument play. One of the best songs I've heard all year. My favorite song on the album. (10/10)

8. "The Horror" (16:21) Unfortunately, some of my ratings here are biased by the voice clips from the film. (28/30) - i. "Kurtz" - the music supporting the dialogue between Willard and Kurtz is so beautiful it sounds and feels almost like a praise tribute to Kurtz. (10/10) - ii. "Metodi Malsani" - as menacing and crazed as the Brando character the movie was trying to portray. (4.75/5) - iii. "Falso Idolo Pt. I" - gorgeous Italian prog--with great vocals and equally gorgeous prog accompaniment. (5/5) - iv. "Like Some Grandmother" - music to accompany Kurtz's horrific story about innoculating a village of children against polio. (4.75/5) - v. "Solo la Verita" - powerful vocal and music as only the Italians can do. (4.5/5) - vi. "Sacrifice" - I don't really agree with the choice of using bagpipes and military drumming for this motif--as if we're honoring a military man (with a German last name). And then the "monster" church organ to finish. (4.25/5)

9. "Un Nuovo Dio" (6:52) Another incredible song--my final top three. The uptempo second part is as powerful as the first part is beautiful. Great use of choral voices and great lead guitar work. And then there's the pulsing chord play of the final two mintues. Wow! What a finish to a great album! (14.5/15) - i. Falso Idolo Pt. II - ii. Cuore di Tenebra Pt. III

Total Time 77:53

Very special talent in drummer Daniele Pomo. And his excellent, powerful voice reminds me of that of HUMANA PROG singer-songwriter, Paolo Farina (a part of teh MAXOPHONE scene in the 1970s).

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music and definitely in the running for my favorite album of 2022.

 The Wall by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.06 | 63 ratings

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The Wall
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by alainPP

5 stars Ranestrane is known for his cover work on rock opera such as Noferatu or Kubrick's space odyssey. In the middle of the year, they are attacking the cover of the cult Pink Floyd album, namely the legendary "The Wall". They added two songs to this accasion telling the true story of Roger Waters' father himself during WWII; titles which do not denote in any way with the titles of the flamingos, more atmosphere "The Final Cut". They also included an extract of the song by Vera Lynn, worthy heroine of the concept album as an intro with the sound of the helicopter in the background. The interest of listening and buying this album is due to the fact that Ranestrane has allowed himself with a lot of daring to invert certain original titles, to rework their duration to surf on the Pink Floyd spirit while adding in fact different atmospheres and sounds. The instrumentations during the intros have been reworked and leave on soft, limpid and luxuriant atmospheres. The sound is less aggressive than the original, more in the sensitivity, the meditation as for the title "Mother" or "One of My Turns" stretched and introspective; the "In The Flesh" would almost make forgotten the original on the other hand for its freshness, its spontaneity, its grandiloquence. "Stop" and its post-spatial variation may also disturb you for the better. The fact of having its own few titles and the inversion of the original titles with respect to the major work of the floyds gives the real impression of living a "The Wall" bis more than 40 years later. So we will say that this is only a recovery, yes! So we will say that the original there is no better, yes and no! This Ranestrane album is just worth the trip to dive back into your younger years because even if the prog is getting younger, you are just going to jump back into the past of almost half a century in which you risk coming back all weird.
 The Wall by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2020
4.06 | 63 ratings

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The Wall
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by OneOpinion

5 stars Ranestrane plays a fantastic and loving tribute to PF and "The Wall." They have written and added two new songs that are noteworthy, "When the Tigers Broke Free, Parts 1 & 2. These two songs tell the general story regarding the death of Roger Waters's father in WWII, 1944. Great songs. The album also starts with a snippet of a Vera Lynn song. I read that that was Roger's desire but it was axed by the record company. A couple of PF songs are not here and some are in a different order. The vocals and instrumentation are superb. As always, with Ranestrane, production is crystal clear. Hesitated giving a tribute album five stars but can't stop listening to this A+ version. I like it better than the original. Compare, for example, the two takes on "Mother." I find Ranestrane's version much more dynamic. May the gods of prog forgive me, but it's that way with every song. Sacrilege?!?!? Let the stoning begin.
 A Space Odyssey, Final Part - Starchild by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2018
3.88 | 128 ratings

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A Space Odyssey, Final Part - Starchild
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Formed back in 1996, Italian project RanestRane have spent the last two-plus decades crafting ambitious concept work adaptations of legendary horror and science fiction films (`Nosferatu' and `The Shining' being two previous examples), but their latest disc from 2018 is their third and final of a trilogy based on the `2001: A Space Odyssey' movie, sub-titled `Final Part: Starchild'. While it would be preferable to have the earlier `Monolith' and `H.A.L' volumes from the past couple of years, `Starchild' still manages to stand as its own musical statement, because, despite taking inspiration from another source, the lyrics constantly convey a very surreal quality all their own. And if that wasn't intriguing enough, the band have also enlisted the aid of Marillion members Steve Rothery and Steve Hogarth to provide some quality contributions!

One thing to point out about RanestRane immediately is that the group are as far from the RPI/Rock Progressivo Italiano sound as possible, as there's none of the classical or theatrical touches that are often signature components of that tag (mind you, several members of RanestRane have also pulled double duty as members of reworked versions of legendary vintage Italian proggers Il Rovescio della Medaglia!). Instead, RanestRane have a firmly modern sound that shares much more in common with the most dramatic Pink Floyd moments, Marillion, as well as little touches of Riverside and Aryen Luccassen's Ayreon projects without merely lazily resorting to the heavier guitar riffing. RPI or not, it really makes no difference, because RanestRane are an exceptionally skilled and exciting band who deliver a first-rate album here with their latest effort.

Opener `L'insieme delle Cose' is a reflective soft rocker that grows in power as it progresses, full of icy Neo-Prog-like synths, the chiming guitars of the Hogarth-fronted era of Marillion and some frequently recurring wordless sighing harmonies. The tune, sung in Italian by drummer Daniele Pomo with a great and weary dignity, ultimately proves defiant with victoriously chest-beating moments. Instrumental `Do You Read Me H.A.L.?' is a space-rock sound collage interspersed with soundbites from the movie that borrows greatly from Pink Floyd's `One of These Days', all slide guitar and shimmering organ slivers (and the CD booklet even cheekily refers to it as the `Meddle Variation'!). `Ambasciatore delle Lacrime' is a tougher rocker with plenty of moody guitars courtesy of Steve Rothery but a more relaxed chorus, and `Sognero Mai' shakes things up with some colder electronics, gloomy organ and snarling guitars that bristle with desperation before a haunting acoustic climax.

Very few prog albums are without their longer epic, and the near-fifteen minute `Stargate' certainly delivers, with three of its four sections being fully instrumental. Combining everything from lulling piano interludes, heroic guitar passages and deep- space synth journeys, there's also breathless up-tempo sprints powered by coursing bass and touching acoustic breaks. The various segments all flow together effortlessly, and this multi-part piece is full of warmth and carries a quietly powerful beauty. `Prometeo tra le Stelle' is more of the same, perhaps just a little unengaging and probably could have been left off altogether without lessening the disc, but a fancy harpsichord-like break in the middle is likely the closest the disc comes to a teasing RPI-like moment here. The short `Abandoned' is then a pristine and sobering electric piano ballad finale given a stream-of-consciousness narration from Steve Hogarth, and the overall piece probably wouldn't have sounded out of place on any recent Marillion album.

The amount of variety and alternating vocal/instrumental passages means `Starchild' keeps constantly surprising. Just when the disc seems like it's settling into a song-driven format where the tune is the priority, the band break out a gorgeous instrumental passage, or subtly incorporate everything from electronic, spacerock and ambient styles into different corners of the album. Add in charismatic vocals that hold a very seasoned and dignified rasp, and you have a superb all-round progressive rock band making greatly inspired music, and `Starchild' is a very grand and rousing Italian highlight of 2018.

Four and a half stars.

(Note - well done to Ranestrane including English language translations in the CD booklet for all the Italian lyrics. This is something that many more bands from that country should do, as it provides a welcome entry-point for a wider range of worldwide listeners!)

 Nosferatu Il Vampiro by RANESTRANE album cover Studio Album, 2007
3.42 | 45 ratings

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Nosferatu Il Vampiro
RanestRane Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by TenYearsAfter

3 stars This four piece formation was founded in the second half of the Nineties, a few years later the band started to play live with the images of Werner Herzog's movie Nosferatu (1979) on the background, a 'cinema concert' as the band explains on their website. This was the starting point of their ambitious double CD debut release entitled Nosferatu : Il Vampiro. Instead of creating rock-opera's at the scale of Tommy by The Who or The Wall by Pink Floyd, RanestRane decided to build their music on Nosferatu Il Vampiro around the Werner Herzog movie, because of the costs and the fact that this double CD is an auto-production.

Most of the 28 compositions on the two CD's sound dreamy, mellow and ambient. These songs are blended with sounds, voices (based upon the original lyrics), soaring keyboards, wonderful Grand piano, pleasant Italian vocals and atmospheric guitar work. The albums Love Over Gold by Dire Straits and Brave by Marillion come to my mind, but RanestRane delivers a more progressive rock touch to the music. Due to the way the musicians present compelling shifting moods, subtle accelerations and captivating build-ups. Especially in tracks like:

Via De Wismar : a mid-tempo with bombastic keyboards and powerful guitar and in the end sensitive work on guitar and piano,

L'Assalto : raw, pretty aggressive sound with hypnotizing distorted electric guitar runs,

Saranno Giorni Tristi : a slow and compelling rhythm with Hammond organ in the vein of Ken Hensley),

Ritorna : beautiful moving guitar similar to Steve Hackett,

Gli Ultimi Momenti Di Wismar : warm accordeon and piano sound,

L'Ultimo Incontro : bombastic interplay between keyboards and drums,

and the awesome final composition Via Da Wismar (close to neo-prog): first wonderful Grand piano and Italian vocals, then the music gradually turns into bombastic with propulsive drum beats, sumptuous keyboard layers and delicate synthesizer flights, what a splendid 'grand finale'!

Let yourself carry away by this wonderful 'soundtrack-progrock', a big hand for RanestRane their daring debut!

Meanwhile RanestRane released three other highly acclaimed studio-albums, their latest is A Space Odyssey Part Two H.A.L. from 2015.

My rating: 3,5 star.

Thanks to Todd for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

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