Ingranaggi della Valle - In Hoc Signo. 2013 Italy

And continuing on with the Italian theme, here is perhaps the best new group to land on the scene this year: Ingranaggi della Valle. The band combines musical skill with a nervous energy, to produce one of the more kinetic albums of 2013. They possess a certain nimble dexterity that is missing in many of the plodding bands of our era. The vocals, in Italian of course, are delivered powerfully while the compositions never sit still too long for complacency to settle in. In addition to the usual bank of analog keyboards (Mellotron, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, Mini Moog, plus many more), a dedicated vocalist, electric / acoustic guitars, percussion - the quintet features a full time violinist. There is an undercurrent of jazz here, especially concerning the rhythms, though it's far closer to instrumental progressive rock than fusion. Deus Ex Machina (minus the Demetrio Stratos styled vocals), and by extension, DFA (Duty Free Area) are the guideposts here. This is a brilliant debut.

Ownership: CD: 2013 Black Widow

9/3/13 (new entry)