Review from GruvanDahlman (Prog Archives)

The future lies in the past. Obviously. We are all products of the past, so are the things we make. Music, art or buildings are all based on what came before, knowledge and experiences handed down over the years. I think that keeping the past alive by using whatever one feels strongly about and shapping it into something relevant and furthermore alive, something contemporary, that is art. And art is life. I was approached by Nicola Randone, asking me to give the band’s latest effort a spin or two. I was very pleased and felt honored. At the same time I knew nothing about the band and, sad to say, I had not even heard their name prior to this request. Anyway, I put the disc through my earphones and that was a rush, I can tell you. I exppected little but got hooked at the very first notes. The birds singing, the chorus singing over gentle guitar. It was all so captivating. They even pulled out the old jew’s harp. And then the distorted guitar set in, side by side with keyboards. “Ultreia” is a fabolous way to kick things off. Mellow, dramatic, epic, folky and all things one associates with RPI is put down in this track. How do you top that? Before I go any further I must say that this album is a very eclectic yet cohesive album that goes through every mood and genre you can think of in prog. Classical, rock, folk, jazz and beyond. I hear Osanna, PFM, New Trolls, Rovescio Della Medaglia and others but amidst all those great names stand an entity named Randone, a band in their own right, shining ever so brightly. Marvellous. Now I will continue. “La cabra negra” has a hardrock or metal feel to it, with great fretting. Still it holds sections with moods and soundscapes that builds into a highly interesting and captivating song. “Il canto della vita” is one of my favorites on the album. It is so beautiful it makes my eyes water, without me knowing what it is all about. I suppose, as an amateur linguist, that it could be translated into “The song of life”. Extraordinary track. Everything is just perfect. Emotive and beyond beautiful. I will not go through every track, because there are 12 of them. I will only say that every track is very well made and there is not a single track that could be labeled bad or inferior. I do have my favorites, the songs I find superior, and there are others I enjoy but skip aswell. I think that Randone has made an album that would appeal to just about anyone into prog but certainly all those who love RPI. There are so many things to discover and get acquainted with. Every instrument, I must say, is played to perfection but the keyboards are outstanding. The way they are played makes my keyboard heart jump for joy. Exquisite! All in all, this is an album that manages to take the best from the past and merge it together with all the best from now. This is a magnificent album made with so much love and devotion. At times I feel overwhelmed by it all and that is good, actually.