Pandora
Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco

For some time now, there has been a true revival of Italian Progressive among enthusiasts, thanks also to the work of some independent and specialized labels that have recently produced and offered records of definite interest. One of the best-known labels in the industry is certainly the Milan-based BTF, which, in addition to reissuing classics of the Italian Progressive scene, frequently unearths absolutely valid emerging bands.

Among the many groups in the Lombard stable are the Turin-based Pandora, a band with two albums released between 2008 and 2011 ("Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco" and "Sempre E Ovunque Oltre Il Sogno," respectively), which have been very much appreciated even abroad (Japan especially).

The subject of the review is their 2008 debut, an album that somehow seeks a meeting point between old and new, between P.F.M, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Dream Theater, among young and ambitious musicians (drummer Claudio Colombo and guitarist Christian Dimasi) and veteran musicians (the two keyboardists Giuseppe Colombo and Corrado Grappeggia), attempting to reconcile two different souls of Progressive (the classic one with the more Heavy and modern one), in a style perhaps a tad too self-congratulatory and complacent, yet containing more than one noteworthy hint.

The opening track, "Il Giudizio Universale," seems to best synthesize almost everything we will encounter listening to this album, presenting keyboard arrangements reminiscent of certain Organ and Moog fugues typical of Keith Emerson, and sudden tempo changes (sometimes more Jazzy, sometimes more Heavy Metal), with the bass drum often in the foreground.

The following "March To Hell" is instead entirely self-congratulatory, an instrumental piece based on duels between Keyboard, Organ, and Moog, while "Così Come Sei" presents a sound that at least initially is very reminiscent of certain atmospheres of P.F.M or Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, through arpeggios of acoustic guitar and melodies of Mediterranean memory. Unfortunately, this is countered by a voice not up to par and massive doses of rhythmic changes with a guitar background, with very Heavy Metal riffs and Neoclassical style solos that drag on a bit too long, causing the piece to lose much of its initial emotion.

Frequent time changes and Baroque atmospheres also characterize the subsequent "Pandora," where the instrumental interplay between guitar and keyboard turns out to be less tedious than before, managing to build a good background atmosphere. Meanwhile, "Breve Storia Di San George" also manages to recreate a certain magic, through acoustic arpeggios of Folk origin supported by delicate keyboard phrasing, where unfortunately the voice fails to fit in as it should.

The last two songs are, needless to say, very structured and articulated, with instrumental and rhythmic solutions of various kinds which, on the one hand, arouse some interest, but on the other hand, sometimes convey a certain emotional detachment, also caused by an entirely unconvincing vocal performance.

"Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco" is a piece of classic Symphonic Prog, where the piano parts manage to create good melodies that, however, in the long run, bore and tire the listener, a flaw that is only partially present in the last song on the album, "Salto Nel Buio."

In this piece, the group manages to mix Baroque and Classical atmospheres with reasonable ease, interrupted at regular intervals by guitar rhythms reminiscent of certain Heavy Metal and Jazz atmospheres, although in this case, too, there is a certain arrogance on a technical level, which often leads them to exaggerate certain instrumental ideas (particularly regarding the keyboards).

The thing about this album that immediately stands out is unfortunately an obstinate pursuit of technicism for its own sake, with keyboard parts sometimes excessively gaudy, and guitar riffs and solos that try to imitate the technicisms typical of John Petrucci, thus conveying a certain coldness on an instrumental level. An album with many ups and downs, therefore, recommended only to those who appreciate exaggerated technicism.

TRACKLIST:

1)Il Giudizio Universale (7.37)

2)March To Hell (5.59)

3)Così Come Sei (8.21)

4)Pandora (11.13)

5)Breve Storia Di San George (6.39)

6)Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco (9.05)

7)Salto Nel Buio (13.15)