ROMANTIC LOMBARDY PROG
La Coscienza Di Zeno: La Notte Anche Di Giorno
Fading Records, 2015
Alessio Calandriello: Vocals
Luca Scherani: All keyboards
Gabriele Guidi Colombi: Bass
Andrea Orlando: Drums & Percussion
Davide Serpico: Guitars
Stefano Agnini: Mini Moog, Organ
La Coscienza Di Zeno (The Consciousness of Zeno) is an Italian progressive band from Milan, Italy. Their January 2015 release, La Notte Anche Di Giorno (The Night in the Daytime, or The Sun Also Shines At Night) is a tour de force of melodic beauty.
Italian is such a beautiful language that is so suited to this type of cinematic key driven love music that I wish I understood it. But the language barrier notwithstanding the emotions of joy, longing, and hope still resonate and saturate the listener.
All ten tracks are buoyant and expectant. This is serious music with gravitas but also with sunshine and smiles infused throughout. Not only is this a disc that would make an excellent soundtrack but it is music to create to. That’s not to say this is inconsequential background noise (I DO like Brian Eno’s ambient stuff that is meant to be palliative sonic wallpaper) but simply a wash that one could paint, write, read, and dream to. Each track segues into the next giving this disc a Pete Barden/Camel Snow Goose vibe—and that’s GOOD!
With an album that is so heavily keyboard and synth driven, think Morricone meets the ultimate Italian Genesis cover band by way of Nektar, Triumvirat and a dash of European power metal balladry (maybe Rhapsody of Fire).
While the rhythm section and electric guitar serve the songs it is the incredible keyboards (Grand Piano, Hammond, Moog, and Mellotron) of Luca Scherani along with the gorgeous tenor of Alessio Calandriello that make this disc so compelling.
Calandriello’s voice is crystal clear, emotive, uplifting and warm. Again, think of Howard Shores great scores mixed with the aching beauty of the best of Riz Ortolani or Stelvio Cipriani. This is orchestral adult contemporary tone-poem rock prog at its finest. I don’t have a favorite track because the whole is truly greater than the sum of the parts. All right, my favorite song is track 6, Lenta Discesa all’Averno (Slow Descent to Avereno?) with the beautiful backing vocals of soprano Simona Angioloni. Top notch accompaniment by flutist Joanne Roan, violinist, Domencio Ingenito, and cellist, Melissa Del Lucchese add an ethereal depth to this serious music that does not diminish the melancholy joy.
Do yourself a favor and become acquainted with this young band. They deserve to become a household name amongst prog lovers.
https://altrockproductions.bandcamp.com/album/la-notte-anche-di-giorno
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