La Maschera Di Cera

Hello, fans of genuine 70's Italian Prog… Rejoice! Fabio Zuffanti (Finisterre) came out with his new side project, La Maschera di Cera. The music mounts back to the best Mellotron / Moog driven symphonic prog performed by bands like Museo Rosenbach or IL Balleto Di Bronzo. All the ingredients are in place: distorted basses, accoustic guitars, an excellent vocalist and very inspired flute passages complete the set. The result is a nostalgic flash-back to the roots of the italian prog. A must for fans of this country's very best!

Seven long years separate La Maschera di Cera’s previous studio album (“Le Porte del Domani”, the ideal follow-up to Le Orme’s concept album “Felona e Sorona”) and “S.E.I.”, a great comeback for one of the key groups in the recent renewed interest for the glorious and unique Italian Progressive Rock of the ’70s. Warm symphonic atmospheres, Italian lyrics and a vocal style that often reminds the melodrama tradition: this is what has often characterized this musical genre and perfectly fit the band’s proposal.
“S.E.I.” renews the compositional skills of the current members of the group, based on very specific sounds: imaginative keyboards, ever-changing rhythmic patterns, a full-bodied wind instruments section, a powerful distorted bass that makes up for the absence of the electric guitarю…

La Maschera di Cera are back with a new album , available both with original Italian or English vocals and lyrics, a trick of the tail done in the past with PFM, Banco and Le Orme (The artwork here is somewhat reminiscent of 'Felona e Sorona', no?) . Their previous release "Petali di Fuoco" was a slight deviation from their usual somber mellotron and bass driven sympho-prog. Wasn't a bad album at all, just different most probably due to PFM guru Franz di Cioccio's clean production and Matteo Nahum's occasional guitar…

Not counting the "Live at Gouveia Artrock" split DVD, "In Concerto" is the third official release by La Maschera Di Cera following two studio outings: the eponymous debut (2002) and "Il Grande Labirinto" (2003). Already the first album brought a cult status to band, and now, this is probably the most popular contemporary Italian Prog act. As usual, the band's live performance is full of fresh urgency and energy. The album includes eight songs, by four from each of the band's studio outings, though Del Mio Abisso e Del Vuolo and Del Mio Volo were played as one monolithic piece and, consequently, were placed on one track…

The duo of modern Italian prog notables Fabio Zuffanti (Finisterre, Höstsonaten, La Maschera Di Cera and his own solo works) and Stefano Agnini (La Coscienza Di Zeno) collaborate on the new Italian progressive super-project La Curva Di Lesmo. Inspired by the first story of the surreal, erotic and sci-fi comic books `Valentina' created in 1965 by artist/writer Guido Crepax, the pair wished to combine that shared interest with elements of the most mysterious and esoteric progressive releases, both Italian and worldwide…