Prolusion.
I can only salute to the reformation of Campo Di Marte, whose eponymous output of 1973 is one of the very best albums ever released within the framework of Italy's Progressive Rock movement, to say the least. Most of the songs on the band's comeback album, "Concerto Zero", are either previously unreleased or completely new recordings. The production represents a highly impressive, non-standard digipack, which, apart from the LP-like liners with CDs inside, features two booklets with extensive information on the band and its creation.
Campo Di Marte - 1972/2003 - "Live 1972"
(31 min)
TRACK LIST:
1. Prologio Parte-2 7:55
2. Alba 12:32
3. Epilogo 5:42
4. Prologio Parte-1 5:27
All music & lyrics: by Enrico Rosa.
LINE-UP:
Enrico Rosa - electric guitar; vocals
Paul-Richard Ursillo - bass; vocals
Alfredo Barducci - organ; French horn; flute
Mauro Sarti - drums; flute; vocals
Carlo-Felice Mareovecchio - drums; vocals
Synopsis.
The first CD consists exclusively of the earliest, never previously released compositions by Campo Di Marte. Although four of the five musicians in the band are, in addition, singers, three of them contributed their vocals (mostly vocalizes, though) only to Epilogo (3). It's the main mastermind behind Campo Di Marte, composer, lyricist and guitarist Enrico Rosa, who also takes the duties of lead vocalist. However, the band lays special emphasis on purely instrumental arrangements. There aren't many vocals in their music in general, but especially here, in the works created in the morning of their activity. Representing a complex and diverse, but simultaneously, rather soft Symphonic Art-Rock, the aforementioned Epilogo is vastly different from the other songs. In my view, it would've been right to place it exactly at the very and of the CD. Like all of the genre-best representatives in the first half of the seventies, Campo Di Marte performed a highly inventive music, which, moreover, has a pronouncedly unique feel to it. The other three tracks: Prologio Parte-2, Alba, and Prologio Parte-1 (1, 2, & 4) are stylistically uniform and are about a fusion of harsh-and-heavy guitar Art-Rock and classic Symphonic Progressive, though improvisations, related to the Jazz-Fusion genre, are in places available here as well. The arrangements are above all notable for fantastically diverse and virtuosi solos of electric guitar and ever-changing interplay between them and those of the other instruments involved: organ, woodwinds, bass, and drums. Enrico Rosa showcases his talent (one of his many talents, to be more precise) as much more than a merely extraordinary guitar player. Generally, Campo Di Marte appears to be one of the most skilled and virtuosi bands ever to exist under the sun. The sound quality of the recording isn't prime, which isn't a crime in the least. Such a factor never prevents me from finding out the values and drawbacks of the music I listen to. No flaws here, just pure pleasure! Honest.
VM: March 4, 2004
