ALEX CARPANI: L'orizzonte Degli Eventi (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Throughout his official discography, under his name and in his parallel projects, Alex Carpani has always proclaimed his love for progressive rock. Fifth album of the Italian-Swiss master, his title "L'Orizzonte Degli Eventi" is a concept album that focuses on the moment when a life can be turned upside down when an individual has to make a crucial decision. Just like the previous album, Alex Carpani's band is reduced to a small committee: Giambattista Giorgi on bass, Bruno Farinelli on drums, Alex Carpani takes care of vocals, keyboards and virtual guitars.

After a first track that introduces the concept, we are invited to a musical journey of 51 minutes. The accent seems to be put on a harder sound, the progressive rock is present by small touches. The electro aspect of the previous album has also been erased, replaced by the keyboards that the Swiss master. These bring the urgent and dehumanized spirit illustrated by the concept ('Il Perimetro Dell' Anima'). We sail on tempestuous rivers on which storms culminate. Even when the waves seem to be calm, the threat seems to arise ('Fiore D'Acqua', 'Le Porte'), a constant in Alex Carpani. The peak of the album is reached on 'Tempo Relativo' with a gloomy bass riff on which the clear voice bounces. An innovation: Alex Carpani decides to abandon English to sing in his mother tongue, Italian. The singer makes us enjoy his deep, generous voice, able to pick the highest notes, or to get carried away ('Lava Bollente').

However, if the listening is very pleasant, the progressive rock lover will be a little disappointed. Of course, one cannot reproach an artist for changing his style, but when it sticks to you, it is sometimes regrettable to wipe out the past. Another big absence is the guitar: even if Alex Carpani took care of its virtual dimension, to hire a real guitarist would have been judicious. The virtual guitars are too much in the background ('Il Perimetro Dell'Anima'), sometimes reduced to a noisy riff. In its second part, the album runs out of steam, some tracks are a bit sluggish, the longest track 'La Fine E La' stretching a bit unnecessarily. The last track 'Le Porte' allows however to raise the level with a quasi symphonic approach and a more progressive construction.

"L'Orizonte Degli Eventi" presents itself as a musical renewal for Alex Carpani. He decided for the first time under his name to sing entirely in Italian and the challenge is highly won. This album is presented as a transition and Alex Carpani seems to be on the right track to definitively free himself from his influences. - Official website

ALEX CARPANI

L'ORIZZONTE DEGLI EVENTI

AUTOPRODUCTION

ROCK