Il Castello Di Atlante – ‘Arx Atlantis‘ (Aenima Recordings, 2016)
This is the new album by Il Castello Di Atlante, an Italian progressive rock band that has been around since 1974. “Arx Atlantis” brings back many of the original musicians.
Il Castello Di Atlante is deeply influenced by the early progressive rock bands form the UK and Italy. On “Arx Atlantis” the group opens the album with a hard rocking progressive piece titled ‘Non Ho Mai Imparato.’ However, the album heads in a different direction starting with track 2. ‘Il Vecchio Giovane’ begins with high energy drums, violin and synths. Four minutes into the piece, the sound gets more captivating with notable piano work, call and response vocals and, to top it off, a memorable great Genesis-style guitar solo and splendid violin, guitar and keyboards interplay. This second part sounds like the real deal, excellent rock progresivo italiano.
The progressive rock direction continues on track 3, ‘Ghino e L’Abate di Clignì’, featuring wonderful violin, keyboard and vocal work.
Track 4, ‘Il Tempo del Grande Onore’ shifts to folk-rock and pop hooks. The highlight here is a fine synth solo.
The grand piece is the final track, ‘Il Tesoro Ritrovato,’ an epic that contains all the tasty ingredients that we like about symphonic progressive rock: delectable guitar, synth and violin interplay; classic Italian prog vocals featuring two vocalists; piano and violin duet; and an epic conclusion.
The lineup includes Aldo Bergamini on guitar and vocals; Dino Fiore on bass; Andrea Bertino on violin; Davide Cristofoli on piano and keyboards; Massimo Di Lauro on violin; Paolo Ferrarotti on keyboards, vocals and drums on track 5; Mattia Garimanno on drums. Le Orme’s legendary Tony Pagliuca appears on keyboards on track 3.
Although Il Castello Di Atlante was formed in the mid-1970s, the group did not release its debut album until 1992.
Il Castello Di Atlante’s discography includes “Sono io il signore delle terre a nord” (Vinyl Magic, 1992), “Passo dopo passo” (Vinyl Magic, 1994); L’ippogrifo (Vinyl Magic, 1994); Come il seguitare delle stagioni (Electromantic Music, 2001); Quintessenza (Electromantic Music, 2004); Concerto acustico (Electromantic Music, 2006); Capitolo 7 – Tra Le Antiche Mura (Electromantic Music, 2008); Una Sera a Tokyo DVD (Aenima Recordings, 2011) and Cap. 8 – Live (Azafran Media, 2014).
Arx Atlantis is a deeply intense Italian progressive rock album by a fine band that still has a lot to say.
Buy Arx Atlantis in the Americas.
Buy Arx Atlantis in Europe.