Il Rovescio Della Medaglia
Io Come Io

Four tracks, a short half-hour (the shortest playing time in prog history), and a concept about Hegel. The Roman quartet, just emerging from the "mystical" debut of "La Bibbia," ventured into philosophical themes in 1972. The legendary lineup was Pino Ballarini on vocals, Enzo Vita on guitar, Stefano Urso on bass, and Gino Campoli on drums. Classical music renditions and religious concepts were all the rage, and they delivered excellent ideas on both fronts. The first album already contained very original hints in the rhythmic phrases that showcased their genuinely impressive technical skills. The bass perfectly dialogued with the guitar in their frequent duels and a fearsome amplification, the most powerful of its time, which was also stolen in the post-"Contaminazione" period, unfortunately marking the band's end.

A massive product curated by RCA: three different editions, perforated cover, lyrics, and, in the earliest copies, even a bronzed medallion with the band's logo and the album's title. The somber tones of the artwork (completely black cover with white writings) announce a toughening of their setup. The sound, although powerful in the debut's first tracks ("Il Giudizio" and "La Creazione" are the peaks), becomes even dirtier, rawer, and more elaborate. Theirs is a perfectly prog, theatrical conception, but without the use of keyboards, at least until then. Bass and guitar do not make you miss the violin, piano, or moog. However, there is the indispensable flute that sweetens some passages. It's a hard rock ensemble that looks beyond, far away, forward-thinking in a few words.

The sound quality improves compared to the sulfurous "La Bibbia," and the narrative strands of the work are impeccable. The dark design of the incipit "Io," inaugurated by the gong, immediately clarifies the album's ambiance. We remain trapped in the sound maze while Ballarini's surreal voice gradually emerges. It is the frame of suspense and pathos, which are the predominant elements of the four tracks. At the time, the first "dark" steps had been taken by Atomic Rooster and Black Sabbath, but this local band proves to be perfectly on par with foreign realities.

A thread is created along which the structures of the songs evolve, as usually happens in concepts, and with the second composition "Fenomeno," we stay at the levels announced by the incipit. There's also stasis and reflection with various acoustic inserts and a hint of psychedelia with excellent choral work. The flaw of some Italian works from the seventies is the voice and the quality of the lyrics. Here, nothing has aged poorly. Sometimes, as much as Urso's bass lines are pivotal, it seems the guitar even has a supporting role.

With "Non Io," we find alluring melodies in the vocals and sudden rhythm changes. The quality level does not drop with the final "Io Come Io" thanks to a return to hard sounds and excellent riffs by Enzo Vita, where he seems to encapsulate the first four albums of Iommi & Co. in seven minutes.

The following year, we find "Contaminazione" and the remake of Bach, reaching the levels of "Concerto Grosso" by the Trolls, and showcasing another stylistic metamorphosis. They leave the dark tones of their predecessor and brighten Bacalov's arrangements with the various "Cella," "Il Suono Del Silenzio," and "La Grande Fuga." After the damage to the massive watts of their equipment, the band got lost, abandoning the fame they had achieved and their fiery concerts all over Italy. Not to be forgotten, known, and appreciated.