As promised it is now time to write a review about the new La Coscienza Di Zeno album. It is their third album and the expectations were high after their masterpiece “Sensitivita”. Would the new album be in the same vein as it’s predecessor? The answer is no … the band is developing their sound and compositional skills in a very positive way! “La Notte Anche Di Giorno” is an album that only shows it’s beauty after several spins in your CD player. After this you will only love it and want to hear it again over and over again.
Gabriele Guidi Colombia – bass; Andrea Orlando – drums & percussion; Alessio Calandriello – vocals; Stefano Agnini – Solina, Elka Synthex, VCS3, Mini Moog, KeyB Organ; Davide Serpico – electric & acoustic guitar; Luca Scherani – Yamaha acoustic grand piano, Korg Sigma, Crumar Multiman S3, Elka Rhapsody, Korg MS20, Hammond B3, Mellotron M4000D, Bouzouki; Domenico Ingenito – violin
Guests:
Joanne Roan – flute; Melissa Del Lucchese – cello; Simona Angioloni – vocals
The first thing that you will notice when you see the beautiful digi-pack in which the album is housed that the album is divided into two long suites. The first one “Giovane Figlia” consists of the pieces “A Ritroso”, “Il Giro Del Cappio”, “Libero Pensatore”, “Quiete Apparente”, “Impromptu Pour S.Z.” and “Lenta Discesa All’Averno”. The second suite “Madre Antica” consists of the pieces “Il Paese Ferito”, “Cavanella”, “La Staffetta” and “Come Statua Di Dolore”. That has to do with the concept of the album.
In the booklet you can find the following explanation:
She was headstrong, self-confident and almost 100. But to our surprise we found a helpless child … A flow of vivid images: she was very young, bathing in the river and dreaming of love to come as if her mind had rejected the tragic theatre of life. This work is a homage to two women that abandoned the state of “fullness” to land in that of “emptiness”. They experienced and expiated their happiness and pain entwined around life like two snakes around their caduceus.
What about the music. The sound on this album is still keyboard dominated but has a more classical character and there are more violin parts and vocals. With a great vocalist as Alessio Calandriello is, the latter is not a punishment. In “Lenta Discesa All’Averno”, the closing section of the first suite “Giovane Figlia” he is accompanied by vocalist Simona Angioloni. The classical atmosphere is not only accomplished by the use of loads of analog keyboards and the violin of Domenico Ingenito, but also by the use of the flute and cello played by guest musicians Simona Angioloni and Joanne Roan. You can listen to the album as one long piece of music. Countless themes, rhythm changes and beautiful melodies are provided on this amazing album. I love the romantic violin parts, passionate sung vocals and melodic guitar parts that are layered on top of a bed of keyboards and steady rhythm section. The band has musically grown and sounds more mature. I think with Luca Scherani on board the band has found their own unique sound that is rooted in the progressive music of the Italian bands of the seventies.
Only after several spins in your CD player this great album will reveal it’s true beauty. The band has grown in aspect of compositional skills and sounds more mature. What can I say more. Music lovers of Italian prog will know enough … You have to buy this album!
“La Notte Anche Di Giorno” by La Coscienza Di Zeno is highly recommended by progVisions!