Mangala
Vallis is an Italian progressive rockband.
It took them 3 years to come up with their debut CD : a concept-album, based on, and dedicated to the
works of, Jules Verne (Interesting detail : this album was released in 2002 on
Verne’s Birthday in february) The
band has a predilection for music of the early seventies. That’s where they find their inspiration and add their own
talents. I
found these words on the flyer that accompanied the CD. It's a correct summary of their music, but, I feel, it doesn’t go far enough. In fact : This album
is IT. It' s been a long time
since I have heard an album this good. Let me try to paint the atmosphere : After
the first crazy years, the early 70's, Genesis changed its musical style,
starting with the "Selling England by the pound" album. A sound that
went straight to peoples’ hearts and was never to be missed again.
Unfortunately the unique Genesis-sound ended for many people with the
"Duke" album. However, there was an alternative a few years later :
Marillion. That band picked up
the thread with "Script for a jester's year" and we could enjoy the
unique sound again … until Fish, their leadsinger, left in 1987.
For
years and years, many bands tried desperately to recreate a similar sound, but
we had to wait until 1995 for Arena's "songs from the lion's cage".
From that moment on, more albums found the right balance, the right
feeling we needed again. For instance "Children" from Iluvatar,
"Twilight" from Nightwatch and "Ghost" from The Watch came
very close….. but they all missed that little bit extra that made Genesis
legendary. Can you get the
feeling ? We
were all waiting and waiting….until…is this the one, or is it not ??? Well,
I think this "The Book of Dreams" album from Magnala Vallis is IT !!
The perfect mix between Genesis and Marillion.
But they go further. One
moment you can hear Genesis, the other moment you'll recognize 'Fugazi' from
Marillion, even a riff that is quite like "I know what I like", but
then again isn't… Sometimes you can even hear Yes-influences, especially on
the bass-lines. And the tracks sung by Vic Fraja even sound quite like Peter
Gabriel !!! Astonishing,
frightening !! I even
heard more modern influences from Spock's Beard and The Flower Kings, but then
again : rather a very good copy (meaning own stuff based on magnificent
albums) than a boring, pale original. The
album is very well produced and sounds very very good. The vocal and instrumental parts are balanced well on each of the songs on
the album. It needs to be said
that all of the band's members are outstanding musicians. Their instrumental
arrangements are very tasteful and truly masterful everywhere on the album.
And when you know that even the cover looks very professional,
"The Book of Dreams" is an excellent piece of art.
If the image I tried to draw appeals to you, don't hesitate for a
moment and order this CD. You won't regret it for a second. Reviewed
by : Jany Translated by : Walter Haentjens I really have to change the
way I treat fantastic good albums. Up until now everytime I encounter a
brilliant new album I put it in my car stereo where it stays for a very long
time, being played over and over again. Before I know it months have slipped
away and the album still hasn’t been reviewed ! That’s exactly what
happened to the Mangala Vallis debut “The book of dreams” which is one
of the most stunning debuts I have heard for a long time ! In a way you
could regard Mangala Vallis as kind of another Ayreon because it also
concerns a nucleus around which other guests have been gathered. Main
difference however is that the nucleus concerns three individuals of which
Mirco Consolini handles both guitar and bass, a feature which might not be
so handy in live circumstances. ‘Is the end the beginning’ is a
wonderful example of what to expect containing wonderful guitar, Squire-like
bass, superb Hammond C3, Mellotron and a truly enjoyable voice delivered by
one Matteo Setti. Needless to say a lot of Genesis influences from the
‘old’ school have crept inside this music but who are we to argue if
it’s played to perfection ? Dedicated to the memory of Jules Verne the album
tries to take us on a journey through new landscapes. Sometimes however the
landscape looks rather similar as the titletrack does indeed hold a lot of
resemblances to ‘I know what I like’ composed by the masters themselves.
Once again Mellotron rules whilst the song also sports some nice harmonies
and diverse sounding Mini-Moog. ‘The journey’ introduces the voice of
Vic Fraja whose timbre can be situated between that of Phil Collins and that
of Fish. Another great asset to the astonishing music of Mangala Vallis,
certainly a name to be dealt with in the future. Acoustic instruments
alternate with guitar and organ in order to announce a more contemporary
feel, a driving force also including the kind of synthsolo one would
associate with National Health and the late Alan Gowen. Then again ‘Days
of light’ is slightly more accessible, more in the style of early For
Absent Friends also introducing the saxophone of Stefano Menato giving the
song a slight jazzy feel. Before the actual ‘grand finale’, a powerful
instrumental is included by means of the melodic ‘Under the sea’. It’s
followed by one of the nicest compositions what structure is concerned.
True, ‘Asha’ could certainly be an outtake from the Genesis album
“Duke” introducing enough ‘panache’ to keep this ballad interesting
throughout. The ending switches to some tasteful blues which evolves towards
the kind of bombastic outro this song truly deserves before ending with some
tasteful narration. Fragile guitars from the Anthony Philips household open
‘A new century’ just in time to introduce guest singer Bernardo Lanzetti
whom everyone knows from his involvment in the bands Acqua Fragile and PFM.
The song itself is yet another pearl for lovers of divine Mellotron and
Moog. The album closes with a piece of conversation from the central room at
Nasa so as to illustrate the journey from the vision of Jules Verne to
reality. With this album Mangala Vallis seriously
introduces itself as one of the strong contenders of the current wave of
symphonic rock. Regardless of the many Genesis references the music is
clever, well arranged, and keeps a nice balance between the vintage approach
and the current rock scene. No doubt this release will end high in many
lists. Now if you’ll excuse me because I need to give this disc another
spin ! Reviewed by John ‘Bo Bo’ Bollenberg |
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