Eris Pluvia
Rings Of Earthly Light

You will be rain. A spring rain of notes. Delicate and persuasive in its melodies. That rain that you know will soon give way to the sun. The rings of earthly light are tales in music. Stories that evoke bucolic landscapes and medieval flavors. And they tell us of a mental journey, a transfiguration of metropolitan reality, where the protagonist imagines himself as a wandering knight in search of his own Guinevere. In a fantastic world, among iridescent rainbows and shimmering forests, threatened by hostile knights.  

The music of Eris Pluvia is the perfect soundtrack for this journey. A symphonic and romantic prog, permeated by a relaxed melancholy. “Rings of Earthly Light” is the debut album of this Genoese group and was released in 1991 by the French label Musea. From my point of view, one of the most successful products of our local progressive scene, with its sophisticated atmospheres and refined chromatic blends.

The work centers on the long and eponymous suite, divided into five movements. The notes guide us through emotional soundscapes. Enveloping keyboards and soft piano touches. The guitars juggle intricate arpeggios and sinuous solos. But the undisputed protagonists are the flute arabesques of the multi-instrumentalist Edmondo Romano, who alternates between flute and sax. A constant presence, yet never intrusive.
Continuing through the album's grooves, we are captivated by the folk moods of “In the Rising Mist” and “Glares of Mind,” interspersed with the brief and energetic interlude “The Broken Path.” The nostalgic vein is accentuated in the following “Pushing Together,” with distant echoes of the more acoustic Genesis, and the delicate ballad “You’ll Become Rain.” To close the work, the poetic watercolors of “The Way Home,” a track that reprises the progressive coordinates of the initial suite. An impressionistic music that of Eris Pluvia, characterized by carefully crafted arrangements and admirable instrumental developments. Perhaps the only weak point in the end is the vocal parts. Not so much for the voice of the singer and guitarist Alessandro Serri who, while not reaching excellent expressive levels, is nonetheless pleasant. Rather for the poor musicality of the lyrics and a less than brilliant pronunciation of the English language. Probably singing in Italian would have added that touch of originality and personality that could have elevated this work to the rank of a masterpiece.

You will be rain, that falls to wet the soul. A sweet and veiled rain of sensations. That rain that you know will soon give way to the sun.