Antonius Rex
Ralefun

Antonius Rex is a legendary group in their own right: they have represented the esoteric side of Italian prog. The creation of Antonio Bartocetti, a figure somewhat comparable to Paul Chain who had already shaped occult projects such as Jacula, Invisible Force, and Dietro Noi Deserto - has managed to embody the Italian horror imagery represented by Mario Bava's films and comics like Jacula and Zora. Accused of being naive, indeed there is some naivety in their production, but their albums from the '70s in my opinion, are valid even musically and close to a sort of dark psychedelia. In fact, both “Zora” and “Ralefun” have been somewhat "repudiated" by Bartocetti himself, but in my opinion, this is an unfair judgment. In particular, “Ralefun” should be considered their most accessible album, but this does not mean it is a weak work.

“Ralefun” is certainly the one most oriented towards psychedelia. The beginning is entrusted to “Magic Sadness”, an atmospheric and dreamy instrumental with a beautiful organ in prominence. After “Agonia per un amore”, a song embellished by Hugo Heredia's flute, it’s the turn of “Witch Dance”, certainly the album's most commercial, captivating, and compelling piece. “Incubus” is another typically '70s prog instrumental interlude. “In Einsteiness’s Memory” is instead a song with a vaguely Jethro Tull-like flute. The final track “Enchanted Woods” is then a little masterpiece of psychedelia: Bartocetti's guitar is evocative and dreamy as ever before while the atmospheres are hallucinated, lysergic, and “Floydian”. In the 2011 Black Widow reissue, there is also the bonus track “Proxima Luna”. Anyway, you look at it, Antonius Rex is a truly unique group.