(Rock Progressivo Italiano) [CD] L'Albero del Veleno - Le Radici Del Male - 2013, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

L' Albero del Veleno biography

Brought together by a love of European horror cinema of the 60's through to the 80's, piano/keyboard player Nadin Petricelli and drummer Claudio Miniati formed a project with the aim of creating instrumental-only melancholic music in the same manner, under the name L'Albero Del Veleno (`The Poison Tree'). Initially joined by Lorenzo Picchi (guitar), Dario Agostini (bass) and Mark Brenzini (flute), the group recorded a medley of unreleased soundtracks of the best films of Italian director Lucio Fulci, however, with the replacement of Dario with Michele Andreuccetti and the addition of Francis Catoni on viola, the band was ready to record their own original music. The result is music that is immersive, introspective and emotional, with an emphasis on brooding atmosphere.

The musicians also enhance their music with video contributions, with all their material based on original screenplays written by the band. In a live concert presentation, projections are always present on stage, their playing serving as a live soundtrack to those videos. The band is also responsible for composing soundtracks for horror/thriller movies on demand.

L'Albero Del Veleno joins the tradition of Goblin, the works of Antonio Bartoccetti and others performing darker themed Italian progressive rock. Their debut album focuses on tension, suspense and mystery over extreme darkness and heaviness, as well as incorporating a more traditional Italian prog style due to the inclusion of piano, viola and flute for a grander classical drama.

Bio by Michael H (Aussie-Byrd-Brother)
http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=8385

L'Albero del Veleno began life in Florence in 2010 on the initiative of keyboardist and composer Nadin Petricelli and drummer Claudio Miniati with the aim to recreate the musical atmosphere of Italian horror and thriller soundtracks from the seventies. The name of the band means "The Poison Tree" and was inspired by an ancient Eastern myth, a kind of metaphor describing a beautiful entity hiding an evil nature. It tells about a tree which attracts people thanks to its fruits and to the peaceful shade of its branches but beware! The people who stop under the tree to take a rest will never wake up on account of the deathly power of its poison.
After some line up changes and a hard work, in 2013 the band released a début album, "Le radici del male" (The roots of evil), on the independent label Lizard Records. The renewed line up features Nadin Petricelli (keyboards, synth), Claudio Miniati (drums), Lorenzo Picchi (guitars), Michele Andreuccetti (bass), Francesco Catoni (viola) and Marco Brenzini (flute) and the result of their efforts is a surprisingly fresh blending of vintage sounds and new ideas. Of course, they could recall Goblin or the Swedish band Anima Morte but the band showcase a great musicianship and a touch of sparkling vitality.

The opener "Dove danzano le streghe" (Where the witches dance) begins softly, then the rhythm rises and the dance begins. The atmosphere is haunting and you can really breath tension and a strange kind of excitement where joy and fury are at war. The following "... e resta il respiro" (? and breathing remains) begins with an old, dark waltz coming from times out of mind, then the music lights like a fire casting uneasy, flickering shadows all around.

"Presenze dal passato" (Appearances from the past) has a strong classical flavour and features delicate piano patterns and melancholic violin lines. It leads to the more aggressive "Un altro giorno di terrore" (Another day of terror) where feelings like fear and pain are painted with strong musical colours. For this tack the band shot a video that is included as a bonus on the CD.

"Due anime nella notte" (Two souls in the night) is another dark, haunting piece where you can imagine two lost souls in the night dancing like moths around a fire, mesmerized. The last track, "Al di là del sogno... l'incubo riaffiora" (Beyond the dream... Nightmare comes back), is a tribute the films of Lucio Fulci and to the music of Fabio Frizzi and it's a medley taken from four different scores "Sette note in nero (The Psychic), "Zombi 2", "Paura Nella Città Dei Morti Viventi" e "?E Tu Vivrai nel Terrore! L'Aldilà". The different parts are perfectly matched together and this long piece sounds like a wonderful suite that begins with the sound of a carillon and ends with a powerful crescendo. A delightful gran finale for an excellent work!

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Цитата:

- Nadin Petricelli / Keyboards, synths, piano
- Lorenzo Picchi / Guitars
- Michele Andreuccetti / Bass
- Francesco Catoni / Viola
- Marco Brenzini / Flute
- Claudio Miniati / Drums