La Cruna Del Lago is a Rock Progressivo Italiano band, with lyrics in Italian and a modern sound with personal traits with the classic lineup: drums, bass, guitars, keyboards and vocals. The debut album “Schiere Di Sudditi” was released on March 24, 2022 and contains 9 medium length tracks. The opener, “Giostra” begins with an intertwining of keyboards and massive guitar riffs on a solid rhythm session, immediately immersing us in the Prog sounds of the disc. The heavier strokes join the more symphonic ones of the keyboards, giving life to a granite track that is enriched by tempo changes and solo cues. The vocal is warm and expressive and in line with the Italian releases of Prog, with that unmistakable melodic touch. In the finale the track ends with an intense instrumental section in crescendo with a good mix of guitar and keyboards. The next “La mantide agnostica” of which we have published a live video on our webzine, is a track that continues the musical discourse of the previous one. A Prog Rock made of intertwining keyboards and harder guitar riffs with a solid and powerful rhythm session, enriched by continuous tempo changes. The vocal offers another compelling proof, while the ever-changing music enhances the band’s technique, with a sought-after instrumental section in the second part. “Illogica distanza” opens with a softer atmosphere made of guitar and keyboard arpeggios with a very warm and delicate vocal. A piece in the form of a ‘song‘ with an imprinting close to quality Italian music, enriched by the musical textures in the background. The singing and the lyrics are at the center of the scene, as in the best tradition, creating a very intense passage that softens the tones between the more Prog tracks of the disc. Dilated sounds and enriched by the effects of a more Experimental matrix characterize “Interludio” with the intensity that increases with the passing of the minutes. Opposite to the previous one, this track shows the more experimental side of the band, with a prolonged keyboard solo in the second part, and then in the final return to a more traditional Prog sound. The theme of the piece is developed with technique and quality, a precious use of modulations and effects. An intro with the sound of the sea and a mix of more Ambient and Experimental sounds opens “Elettrodrama” which develops with hypnotic electronic keyboards. The drumming is also electronic, to which are added a cutting electric guitar and a choral vocal, recalling the German sounds halfway between the Cosmic and the first Electronic. Guitar and keyboard dialogue perfectly, alternating in the solo inserts, an elaborate track that shows how the band does a lot of sound research and expresses it with technique. “Stato” presents an intro that explores Ambient sounds, then develops a track with massive guitar and keyboard riffs that intertwine in pure Prog style. The lyrics are very intense and of denunciation towards a state that never serves the interests of the people but is always subject to power. The band returns here to the Heavy Prog sounds that characterized the first songs, with choral refrains reminiscent of the 70s Italian bands. The mixes between guitar and keyboard are of a high level, modern and original, creating sophisticated musical passages that explore electronic sounds and mix them with traditional Prog. The album’s original tracks end with the longest running “Acqua da Marte” which begins with powerful drumming and a killer bassline. Granitic guitar riffs bind to the keyboards, creating another Heavy Prog bomb with modern and personal traits, mixing Funky and Rock traits. The lyrics are again very intense and busy, an added value for the sound, while the band develops the theme in an excellent way from a musical point of view. Tempo changes, intricate textures and a powerful sound are the ingredients of this track which is enriched with solo inserts in the second part with guitar and keyboards. “Stato (Radio Edit)” is a shorter version of the track we enjoyed previously, with heavy features, which does not lose the impact of lyrics and sound. An excellent debut album for this band that shows technique and quality both in the compositional and executive phase and in the writing of the lyrics. Heavy tracts and traditional Prog mix with forays into experimentation in the central part of the album, making this listening complete and full of ideas. A band to follow both today and in the future, this album is truly of excellent quality, offering a solid, modern and personal sound, one of the best Italian releases of recent years.
Tracklist
01. Giostra (5:59)
02. La mantide agnostica (5.01)
03. Illogica distanza (5:02)
04. Interludio (5:16)
05. Elettrodrama (6:22)
06. Stato (5:13)
07. Acqua da Marte (6:52)
09. Stato (Radio Edit)
Lineup
Carmelo J. Arena / Vocals and Keyboards
Pino Polistina / Guitars
Matteo Tuci / Bass
Andrea Bruni / Drums