Il Castello di Atlante
Sono Io il Signore delle Terre a Nord

We are in 1992, the progressive current, driven by new vigor, returns to enjoy a certain esteem after the difficult 80s, so there's a renewed investment in this genre. In this context, Il Castello di Atlante finds great fortune. This does not in any way detract from the value of the group I will talk about shortly; it's just unusual to find people nearing 40 who are releasing their first album after already 18 years of activity (despite some tapes already recorded over the years). In fact, the adventure of Il Castello begins in 1974, with the lineup that includes Aldo Bergamini on guitar and vocals, Massimo Di Lauro on violin, Dino Fiore on bass, Paolo Ferrarotti on drums and vocals, and Roberto Giordano on keyboards and vocals, without forgetting that until 1982 Giampiero Marchiori was in Giordano's place. With this little portrait of the band, we can begin.

 "Sono Io il Signore delle Terre a Nord" is published in 1992 (as we have understood), and it presents itself in a rather unattractive way, to be honest. The cover, in my opinion, is avoidable, but let's bypass that and focus on the listening.

"Tirando le somme", the opener of the album, has a strongly 80s flavor (I could have done without this too); overall it's pleasant, and once you get into the mood, you appreciate it, though with some reservations; if someone, like me, was tempted to skip the track immediately, don't be discouraged and continue listening to change your mind.

So, my only point is this: if someone who doesn't particularly love certain sounds is tempted to avoid listening to the album after this first song (in case they didn't appreciate it), they shouldn't, because the album is definitely worth listening to. Two gems stand out: "La foresta dietro il mulino di Johan" and "L'estate" are worth any price. But if these two represent the peak of the album, the rest is by no means of little value: "Il Saggio" and "Il Pozzo" are also wonderful. I almost place "Non c'è tempo" and the lively "Il vessillo del drago" on the same level as these two. Not particularly beautiful, however, is the instrumental "Semplice ma non troppo", a little repetitive and flat. A side note for the lyrics: evocative, but, perhaps due to my aversion to certain themes, decidedly insubstantial. 

In essence, the album is very good, but not consistent: it's worth listening to because the songs mentioned earlier in the "elite of the wonderful" are superlative at the instrumental level. The violin sublimely interprets the most diverse atmospheres, ranging from classical to folkloric motifs, always managing to remain extremely evocative and it's the instrument that guides the group throughout the album. The rating, albeit with some reservations, is 4.