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AVALON LEGEND

Rock Progressivo Italiano • Italy


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Avalon Legend biography
AVALON LEGEND formed in 1987, originally under the name Avalon, playing covers of music by both Italian and foreign bands as diverse as Premiata Forneria Marconi, the New Trolls, Formula 3, Queen, Pink Floyd and even Guns n Roses. At the same time, the group began composing their own songs, initially in a pop/rock style, based around the King Arthur legend as well as personal themes, with the addition of Italian lyrics.

In February 2001, Avalon (changing their name to AVALON LEGEND for legal reasons) recorded their first CD `Un Mondo per Sognare' (`A World to Dream'), with the majority of the songs again inspired by the same King Arthur saga. The album wasn't distributed, instead only given out to family and friends. Various musicians came and went over the next several years, but the group continued to hone their musical skills and original compositions performing live, including the recent Prog TO rock festival in Turin, a national prog show featuring many bands originating from Italy.

After almost eighteen years, the band finally saw their first officially released album entitled `Avalon Legend 2: Un Sogno per Cambiare' (`A Dream to Change') distributed by CDBaby in December 2014. A work with mostly straight-forward vocal driven pieces full of tasty instrumental fills, Avalon Legend remind of another modern Italian band Marchesi Scamorza who are instrumentally greatly influenced by the Neo Prog/80's-era style of bands like Marillion with a similar heavy guitar sound and cool production. But the superb lead vocals of Salvatore Fiorello and his commanding raspy croon are pure Rock Progressivo Italiano (RPI) all the way!

Avalon Legend are a promising new band to keep an eye on!

Bio by Michael H (Aussie-Byrd-Brother)

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AVALON LEGEND discography


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

3.87 | 11 ratings
Avalon Legend 2: Un Sogno per Cambiare
2014
3.00 | 3 ratings
Solo Sabbia
2020

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

AVALON LEGEND Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

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

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

AVALON LEGEND Reviews


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 Avalon Legend 2: Un Sogno per Cambiare by AVALON LEGEND album cover Studio Album, 2014
3.87 | 11 ratings

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Avalon Legend 2: Un Sogno per Cambiare
Avalon Legend Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars Forming back in 1987, Avalon Legend spent almost 18 years slowly honing their live skills and songwriting, and despite recording an album for family and friends back in 2001, they finally delivered their officially released album at the very end of December 2014. With many of the lyrical themes based around the King Arthur legend, `Avalon Legend 2: Un Sogno per Cambiare' is a solid proper introduction to the band and a showcase for their many talents. They very much remind of another modern Italian band Marchesi Scamorza, who are instrumentally greatly influenced by the Neo Prog/80's-era style of bands like Marillion with a similar heavy guitar sound and icy production. But the superb lead vocals, courtesy of Salvatore Fiorello and his commanding raspy croon are pure Rock Progressivo Italiano (RPI) all the way!

Many of the nine studio pieces here (and bonus live track at the end of the disc) often follow a similar template. The band don't bombard the listener with overlong, technical self-indulgent soloing, instead they offer fairly straightforward rock tunes with frequent instrumental fills in and around the songs. Salvatore's vocals carry the majority of the album, but the musicians around him have ample opportunity to impress and offer colourful soloing and tasty instrumentation. Guitarist Adolofo Pacchioni moves effortlessly between a tough dirty sound and David Gilmour-like soaring grandness, Alessandro Crupo's bass is thick and thoughtful, Lucio D'Alonzo's drums are constantly snappy and energetic, and keyboardist Mario Tornambè coats most every inch of the album in an ocean of synth flavour.

Out of the highlights, `Chi Li Femereà' is a nice plodding rocker interspersed with fleeting E.L.P-like fanfares, the opening of `Brocellandia' is dashing and uptempo, and purring bass, scratchy wah-wah guitars and even a cheerful Canterbury-sounding synth solo slink through `La Bottega Dei Sogni'. There's some nice reflective Moog trills and classy orchestral synths throughout `Non Ci Sono Più Cavalieri', and gorgeous fluid bass is hypnotic throughout `I Fuochi Di Beltane'. Unsurprisingly the two longest tracks that open and close the album are the highlights, where the extended running time allows for more instrumental moments and greater dramatic build. A romantic dreamy voice and rising Floydian guitar strains ring throughout opener `Il Balletto di Specchi', but the band close on the best with the seven minute `L'ubriaco'. With thrashing drums, symphonic synth sophistication and raging guitars, the twisted time-changes, wilder edge and more spontaneous hints of danger bring the album the closest to proper RPI, and it's absolutely the highlight of the disc!

Admittedly, the band would be wise to cut down of the amount of vocal/lyric passages a little on future albums, as nine studio pieces in a similar style gets a little dull in a few spots. It takes several listens of the album to notice how varied and intricate the instrumentation is too, as the tunes and vocals are usually the most prominent aspects, so perhaps even one or two purely instrumental tracks would provide a welcome and nice diversion next time around? But Avalon Legend are in a great position, as they have excellent musicians and a confident vocalist, and they are slowly forming their own identity and personality. `Avalon Legend 2: Un Sogno per Cambiare' is a very solid work and well-performed prog-rock album, but once the band begin to offer a bit more variety in their music in the future, the results will be really something special, and the best will no doubt be yet to come for Avalon Legend!

Three and half stars for a fine debut, rounded up to four for encouragement of this promising group!

Thanks to aussie-byrd-brother for the artist addition.

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