The Sign of the Command is a name that evokes ancient images that are part of the mythology of our culture: it was a fantastic and esoteric television drama from 1971 when there was still quality television. Directed by Daniele D’Anza, it featured Ugo Pagliai and Carla Gravina among its protagonists. In homage to this cult TV miniseries, The Sign of the Command was born in Genoa in 1995. It is a unique project whose first album, released by Black Widow, paid tribute not only to the settings and themes of the drama but also to the Italian prog music of the '70s, with a particular nod to Il Balletto di Bronzo and Jacula in what is, in my opinion, still today a great tribute to the genre, ahead of later products. The following "Der Golem" was dedicated to the great esoteric novel by Gustav Meyrink, a writer who greatly influenced the group's philosophical "vision" and was more inclined towards gothic-metal sounds while not denying certain dark-prog atmospheres. In this initial period, the lineup included bassist Diego Banchero, the only surviving member of the current incarnation, while the singer was Mercy, now with Ianva. In 2010, the project took shape again thanks to Diego Banchero: in 2013, the new album titled "The Green Face" was released, another homage to the occult art of Gustav Meyrink and, specifically, to his second book. It was an excellent return, marked by a partial return to old progressive sounds even though the album wasn't devoid of gothic and new wave influences. Currently, the group is still active and working on a new album with esoteric and metaphysical implications. Meanwhile, an interesting Live in Studio titled "...To the Past, to the Present, to the Future..." – in a limited and numbered edition of 100 copies – has been released, which represents a sort of "best of" of the entire production of The Sign of the Command: currently, the CD can only be found at their concerts. Classic tracks like "La Taverna dell'Angelo" and "Il Segno del Comando" from the first album and "Komplott Charousek" and "Golem" from "Der Golem" are revisited. From the latest "The Green Face," "Usibepu" and "Retrospettiva di un amore" are recovered. If you are not yet familiar with The Sign of the Command, I highly recommend getting closer to this fascinating project.
Their CDs are available at http://blackwidow.it/.
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