*. Il Tempio delle Clessidre .*

Album: alieNatura (2013)
Genre: Prog Rock (Symphonic Prog)  /  Italy

After about 3 years, and a lot of disappointing circumstances, our bold Templars are back with a great new release and a new singer. "alieNatura" is a word which includes in it the terms "alieno" (alien in english) and "natura" (nature in english). The meaning of this strange new word is: "we continue to think we can manage Nature's power, but there will be a future when Nature will take its advantage on human errors". And really the whole mood of the album is pervaded by this kind of pathos. What is immediatly clear by listening the album is that the main composers Elisa Montaldo and Fabio Gremo are grown. They have more confidence with their ability to transpose in music their feelings and sensations and we can enjoy it! But also the other founder members of the band Giulio Canepa and Paolo Tixi have reached more powerful expressivity and this is best reflected on the whole album. The new singer Francesco Ciapica needs to be treated apart. It was not so simple to substitute such an icon of RPI as 'Lupo' Galifi (who has recently reformed Museo Rosenbach with a new release) and honesty, when you listen to Francesco's warm tune for the very first time you may be a litle disappointed. But Francesco's great acting power, added with his powerful vocal extension, makes the miracle possible! The album opens with the instrumental surprising "Kaze (ciò che il vento porta con sè)" (Kaze - what the wind takes away and brings wit it), with that wind blowing, the classic guitar and the smell of oriental sounds which leave the stage to a powerful and captivating riff which we will find another time at the end of the album. As before mentioned when Francesco starts to sing in "Senza Colori" (without colors) you may be a bit surprised by his vocal tune, but immediatly he gives shivers with his intense vocalism. The album flows with great moments in the RPI manner, with the Elisa's sublime touch on the keyboards, the Fabio's powerful bass patterns well supported by the instincitive and sophisticated Paolo's drumming, and the limpid energy of Giulio's guitars, finding its best in "Onirica Possessione" (Oniric Possession) and the final suite "Il Cacciatore" (The Hunter). While "Il Cacciatore" is more confident with the aims of RPI, and develops as an epic one, with its solemnity and powerful instrumental parts, "Onirica Possessione" needs a discussion apart because, on the astonishing and in some cases surprising musical carpet, Francesco plays his best jumping up and down with his vocal extension. But this is only the basic part, because the power of the track is in the alternating vocalism from the Francesco's one, first warm and passionated and then leading to craziness, to the Elisa's one, first a bit mocking and pompous and then edgy and acid! Really a dramatic, intense and beautiful track! We may say that if "Il Cacciatore" is the album pearl, "Onirica Possessione" is the diamond one! Il Tempio delle Clessidre is an RPI keyboard oriented band, just like the great Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso. And there's a lot of echoes of Banco's music, especially in the keyboards work and in the guitar tuning. But Banco had also a great acting singer as Francesco Di Giacomo, who didn't only sing the songs, but also interpretate them. Maybe <ì> Il Tempio has found its own "Francesco" and we hope they can reach the highest as their predecessors! Review by "progpromoter" (Prog Archives).

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