La porta chiusa (Le Orme, 1972)

"La porta chiusa" is one of my favourite tracks by Le Orme and comes from their album "Uomo di pezza". After a keyboard-driven intro, a delicate verse gives the perfect "Orme touch" to the song, while the instrumental interplays involving bass guitar, drums and keyboards (mainly Hammond) remind me of this Italian band's main source of inspiration, that's to say ELP.

Ciao 2001, the most influential Italian rock magazine

during the '70s, featuring Le Orme circa 1974.

But of course Le Orme have their own style and even the most devilish progression must come back to a plain and dreamy melody, so that after some minutes of up tempo symphonic prog, here you are a first mellow break, then even a Church organ version of the main theme. Diversified and pleasant, sweet and unpredictable, this song goes on up to the end lining up powerful trio quasi-improvised storms and placid, nocturnal sketches. That's Le Orme, folks!