Four Horsemen (Aphrodite's Child, 1972)

A stunning track, this one is! It is taken from the album "666", a concept about the Book of Revelation released in 1972, when the band had actually already disbanded. Its structure is based on the strong contrast between quiet and loud passages and culminates with the final guitar solo (a very good one, IMHO), backed with Demis Roussos's fa-fa-fa vocal harmonies. As usual with this band, the song includes many diffferent - and even disparate - musical elements, but they all fit very well into a clever pattern.

The Four Horsemen as depicted by Viktor Vasnetsov in 1887.

This mix-matching skills probably are the best reason why Aphrodite's Child are so dear to the progfans worldwide. In addition to this, "Four Horsemen" displays a well found melody and a smart although close lyrical adaptation of the sixth chapter of its Biblical reference book. Useless to say, the Revelation will inspire other prog musicians, but this song and this album have a genuine flavour I still like.

The Count of Tuscany (Dream Theater, 2009)

This is a magnificent example of Dream Theater's fully progressive songs and comes from the album "Black Clouds & Silver Linings". True, some distorted guitars and high volume passages are there, but never too intrusive and perfectly mixed with the underlying melodic lines. How beautiful this long track is! The vocal harmonies, the guitars, the unpredictable changes... everything is perfect!

"Black Clouds & Silver Linings" was DT's tenth studio work.

Most of all, this is the brainchild of a well organized band, where each member has its own place and no one uselessly shows off his skills. I like the devilish interplays, the heartbreaking openings on wider horizons and, of course, the atmospheric passages. In short, this is prog rock at its best and even the eccentric lyrics about the Count and his brother are fit into the big picture. Enjoy.

Metamorfosi (Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, 1972)

One of the most intricated songs from the Golden Era of Italian prog, a true classic. This track comes from Banco del Mutuo Soccorso's debut album and spans over ten minutes of classical, jazz and rock variations, including melodic passsages and experimental ones.

Original artwork, remix artwork and an early '70s BMS's line-up.

The magic fusion of catchy pastoral tunes, devilish improvisation-like passages, symphonic interludes and abrupt changes makes of "Metamorfosi" one of the proggest tracks ever. The title says it all: this song is a long and enchanting musical metamorphosis, where the main theme goes through a series of reincarnations, culminating with the sung section and the bombastic finale. What else could a poor progfan looking for?

You (Tony Banks, 1979)

Tony Banks's solo career somehow disappointed the musician himself, who surely deserved more. That said, Banks released some great songs as a solo artist and this "You", taken from his debut album "A Curious Feeling", is one of his best compositions ever, IMHO. The melody is simply beautiful, so sweet and sad, and the arrangement - liquid and suspended between pop tempations and prog roots - magnifies it.

"A Curious Feeling" was remixed and re-released in 2008.

The keyboard solo is obviously a highlight of "You" (and there's a 7/8 passage too!), but the entire track has a magic and impalpable mood I admire each time I listen to it. Another strong point here is the voice of the late Kim Beacon of String Driven Thing fame, so  warm and with the right folkish mood in it. This song is just another good reason to rediscover and rightly value a musician to which we owe so much.

The Cathedral (Pär Lindh Project, 1994)

Pär Lindh is no doubt one of the most gifted keyboardists of the contemporary progressive rock scene and an excellent composer too, that's why his Project has so many admirers worldwide. "The Cathedral" is an epic coming from the band's debut album. Yes, I consider "Gothic Impressions" as a band's brainchild, even if Pär Lindh's influence is everywhere. Actually, the skilled musicians he gathered for such a project deserve it: you'll find Ralf Glasz's unique voice, for example, and also  Björn Johansson's classical guitar, let alone Anna Holmgren's flute.

"Gothic Impressions" also feature a cameo by Roine Stolt.

The magic of "The Cathedral" mainly resides, OMHO, in its going in and out of its classical, medieval mood. Chuurch organ's solos and bombastic symphonic rock sections follow one another lining up a series of stunning changes. Please don't forget the rythm section, providing blazing lava to the explosive big picture. Last but not least, some of the themes and riffs are so well found that they got indelebly carved into the the listener's mind. Listen to this track, my friends, and let me know...

Mare Tenebris (Parthenon, 2005)

This is the title track of a rather obscure prog album from Venezuela, released by a band born in the late Seventies. A series of line-up changes and hiatuses prevented the band from starting an official discography until 2005, but when their debut album finally came, it was a very good one. This track will show you how skilled these musicians are and how rich and diversified their ideas were in CD.

Also the CD packaging has a  weird and tempting look...

The texture of this composition surely reminds me of ELP and other powerful prog bands, but also the quietest moments are very good and highly atmospheric, including clever keyboard and guitar interplays and a brilliant drumming. Drummer Juan Carlos Ballesta and keyboardist Robert Santamaria can be considered as the backbone of this reincarnation of Parthenon and the final result is an exciting symphonic rock I actually recommend to you all.

Going Away (SBB, 1977)

This is the first suite from the album "Follow My Dream", released in 1977 by Polish band SBB. It is divided into four parts (Freedom with Us, 3rd Reanimation, Going Away and (Żywiec) Mountain Melody) and spans over 24 minutes of enjoyable, fluid and coherent music. Each part could be considered as a stand alone song and each one's got its own distinctive mood, even if the listener can only get the whole potential of this track by listening it in its entirety.

 

"Follow My Dream" was the sixth studio album by SBB.

The liquid and poppish Freedom with Us is followed by the experimental, jazzy and instrumental 3rd Reanimation, while Going Away has an ethereal and even spacey atmosphere introducing a majestic and fully symphonic section. The final part, (Żywiec) Mountain Melody begins with jazzy rythms, then goes electronic and somehow krautrock. As you can see, there is something for everyone and still the suite has its own peculiar flavour.