Celeste - Principe Di Un Giorno

Year of Release: 1994
Label: Vinyl Magic
Catalog Number: VM 039
Format: CD
Total Time: 37:09:00

When you look at prog labels all over the world, they divide their activities into two sections. First there is the release of NEW product and secondly the re-releasing of OLD (read: difficult to get) material. In that respect the Italian based Vinyl Magic is no exception.

Because Italy can be seen as symphonic rock heaven, it is strange how up until now so many older titles have been re-released in Japan! Luckily titles by Arti Mestieri, Trip, Metamorfosi, Biglietto Per L'Inferno, Dedalus, Zauber, Errata Corrige, I Giganti, Circus 2000, I Dalton, O Terco, Blocco Mentale, and more have seen the light of day on the shiny 5" disc format through the work of Vinyl Magic! Today we can also add the release of Celeste, again one of the main bands from the seventies.

The album was already released on the unknown Grog records (GRL02), but it's the crystal-clear CD-transfer of Vinyl Magic that we listened to. Originally released in 1976, Celeste delivers a unique blend of symphonic rock with loads of folk elements. Acoustic guitars and flute alternate with indispensable mellotron and ARP2600 synthe-sizer to create a nice landscape of subtle sounds which is very typical for the Italian progressive scene in the seven-ties. There are comparisons with Quella Vecchia Locanda and Spring to name but a few. Obviously the singing is in Italian which extra accentuates the folky feeling. Chur-chli-ke choirs underline the classical influences like in "Favole Antiche" which also holds some stunning acoustic guitar and in "Giochi Nella Notte." If you haven't witnessed any of the fine originators of the Italian progressive scene then this is an interesting point to embark.

Released in 1976 (or so) by Seven Seas/King in Japan (K22P9184) and by Si-Wan in Korea (SRML 2003) (according to the ItalianProg.com website.

Tracklisting:
Principe Di Giorno (6:12) / Favole Antiche (8:18) / Eftus (4:17) / Giochi Nella Notte (8:11) / La Grande Isola (5:04) / La Danza Del Fato (3:56) / L:Imbroglio (1:06)

Musicians:
Giorgio Battaglia - bass
Leonardo Lagorio - keyboards, flute, Mellotron
Ciro Perrino - percussion, flute, Mellotron, vocals
Mariano Schiavoni - guitar, violin

Discography:
Principe Di Un Giorno (1976/1994)
Celeste II (1991/1993*)
I Suoni In Una Sfera (unrel. recordings from 1974) (1992)

*with bonus tracks

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin IT

Added: April 19th 2004
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website:
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Language: english