Pandora - Dramma di un Poeta Ubriaco. 2008 Italy

Pandora's debut Dramma di un Poeta Ubriaco seems like the group's own personal chronological trajectory. The album starts off in the standard prog metal zone with modern synthesizers - similar to other Italian bands like Eldritch or Pathosray. While they are good at this style, they are by no means exemplary. By track 3 'Cosi come sei', the band begins to become ever more complex. The metal guitars are still prevalent, but the keyboards are moving towards an analog sound. This along with some insane counterpoint musicianship, and Pandora are starting to sound somewhat like an updated A Piedi Nudi. Then the final 3 tracks pretty much kick the metal to the curb, with mellotron, acoustic guitars, and dramatic vocals in Italian, while pushing the gas harder on the progressive front. I remember my first impression of the album went something like "Oh no, not more prog metal.... wait, this is kind of interesting.... whoa... wow... this is freaking amazing!" It was 2008, and you could almost credit Pandora for ushering in the latest Italian retro progressive movement that we enjoy today.

Ownership: CD: 2008 BTF/AMS. Like all of the Pandora albums, it's housed in a beautiful mini-LP fold out cover.

6/28/14 (new entry)