Album Club, March 2016: Metamorfosi - 'Inferno'

[Album Club]

The Album Club choice for March was originally going to be provided by another member who, for reasons best know to themselves, decided they wanted to take a break from AoS. We are thus very grateful to Mika (MikaK) for stepping into the breach at the last minute with his choice ‘Inferno’ by the Italian rock band Metamorfosi.



Metamorfosi – ‘Inferno’

http://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/241/cover_3056231282008.jpg

Inferno, the second album of Italian progressive rock band Metamorfosi released in 1973 is one of the greatest classics of the best Italian prog. A conceptual gem, heavily influenced on Dante's famous work "La Divina Commedia" and its first part describing a journey to hell.

Instead of hell, you have here an album full of wonderful music filled with beautiful melodies and instrumentation (great keyboards, specially organ) giving the listener an unforgettable trip. The album contains some of the most emotional and captivating tunes I have ever heard. Davide Spitaleri's vocals are also fantastic full of emotion. Despite this is an album you have to listen as a whole, the songs like "Introduzione", "Caronte/Spacciatore Di Droga" and "Lucifero" are some of the highlights in this mandatory album.

Note: The original album in LP format has 16 pieces but the cd issue states that there are 16 tracks but the cd itself shows only 12 tracks. This is due to the fact that on the cd and other digital media, all the instrumental tracks were united with the preceding songs, thus shortening it to 12 songs.

Track listing:

1 Introduzione - Selva Oscura - 7:50
2 Porta dell'inferno - 1:20
3 Caronte - 1:19
4 Spacciatore di Droga - Terremoto - Limbo - 6:22
5 Lussuriosi - 3:15
6 Avari - 1:32
7 Violenti - 3:45
8 Malebolge - 1:32
9 Sfruttatori - 5:41
10 Razzisti - Fossa Dei Giganti - 3:25
11 Lucifero (Politicanti) - 2:32
12 Conclusione - 1:37

The album can be found from Spotify, Tidal and YouTube:

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Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/1VM3uzviog7MiBHbKrumys

https://open.spotify.com/track/3ZGgE8KNIV7rOKIwPpHUvO

https://open.spotify.com/track/416WQ3YhXOctkJA8HQVKxx

https://open.spotify.com/track/3JJZl0gITNsfEThQ52dqZ3

https://open.spotify.com/track/51Px4HXIatinwlhpTOXMCH

https://open.spotify.com/track/4hmfoTHnI8Irh85zo29ALR

https://open.spotify.com/track/5Gk4KRQPS58PF8q904oScY

https://open.spotify.com/track/2JuAdrfGv3AnAFKJukUdGG

https://open.spotify.com/track/7EPTzohQ7V0xuUhkNYLcHl

https://open.spotify.com/track/0PrNp71p2jItRlwt9GUBlE

https://open.spotify.com/track/6Q7J5cR8Pi87xM0Z8CHGPF

https://open.spotify.com/track/7daUhdv5QVyAlL0lWYhZ9V


For me this is one of those 10/10 albums but what do you think?

[Bazil]

It was realised in 1973 that is a major plus , its prog another plus , a concept album its getting better all the time :)

[RichB]

I enjoyed the instrumental breaks and keyboard work however the whole thing is somewhat grandiose for even my tastes and the operatics leave me cold and detract from the instruments which I could listen to on their own.

A 6 from me. Good and varied choice though.

[mr sneff]

A pretty average prog album, so an average 5/10 from me. Too much synth for my liking and the vocals didn't do it for me, but as Rich said some interesting instrumental breaks and seems to be well played. Italian my be a great language for opera but for rock it just doesn't sound 'dirty' enough. Interesting choice though, the only other Italian 'prog' I'm at all familiar with is PFM and Stormy Six (who also suffer with vocals for the same reason).

[Spectral Morn]

Way too derivative of The Nice, smidge of King Crimson, ELP and Yes. Influences are fine but in this case they scream out and the music while competent isn't in my view that original - sorry.

Personally PFM, Goblin, and Apoteosi are better, more original, though I concede that at times PFM sound very Yes and Genesis like.

For me this is a 5

[high.spirits]

Really not into this style of music. I found it hard listening to the whole album.
They can obviously play their instruments well, just a bit too much for me. 5/10.

[Barry]

Sorry - not really my cup of tea. Agree with Richard and Neil on this one. 5/10

[Mike - H]

I like a bit of prog rock, but this is not for me - 5/10

[spm]

not for me, I'll say 5.

[HackneyRF]

A 5 from me too. A couple of good bits but it's not one of the best moments from the genre.

[Bazil]

I like the music but just can't handle the vocals I'm afraid :(
Another 5 .