Macchina Pneumatica
Riflessi e maschere

THE REVIEW

A group from the Milan area - but 2 of its members, keyboardist Carlo Fiore and drummer Enzo Vitagliano, are from Campania - the Macchina Pneumatica release their debut work - "Riflessi e maschere" – distributed by Black Widow. The new drummer Enzo Vitagliano - also the creator of the album cover artwork - plays only on the fifth track "Sopravvivo per me", while in the remaining tracks we still find the previous member Michele Nesti. We are faced with a debut that demonstrates surprising compositional and performance maturity. The sound is very '70s: this is a progressive rock that undoubtedly, at times, can remind one of the Goblin. The sound is very compact, characterized by the "vintage" keyboards of Carlo Fiore - synth, electric piano, Hammond - and a solid and strong rhythm section with the beautiful, pulsating bass of Carlo Giustiniani. The hoarse and powerful voice of Raffaele Gigliotti - who also plays guitar - is another strong point. In reality, we are faced with a work that, despite the mentioned Goblin, isn't that dark except for some nuances. The sounds tend towards jazz-rock and there is also room for melody. The second track "Quadrato" is one of the best moments and demonstrates the perfect interplay between the musicians. Macchina Pneumatica have great technique without being challenging; on the contrary, great importance is given to the melodic aspect, as mentioned. I believe that, potentially, it's an album that could appeal to many: fans of '70s progressive but also those who follow jazz-rock and fusion will find something to sink their teeth into. Available at Black Widow: https://blackwidow.it/.