Opus Avantra

Opus Avantra - Strata (1989) [Japanese Edition 2007] (Re-up)  Music

Posted by gribovar at Jan. 6, 2022
Opus Avantra - Strata (1989) [Japanese Edition 2007] (Re-up)

Opus Avantra - Strata (1989) [Japanese Edition 2007]
EAC Rip | FLAC (image+.cue+log) - 204 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 120 MB | Covers - 7 MB
Genre: Avant-Prog | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: Strange Days Records (POCE-1178)

A unique group in the Italian scene, Opus Avantra mixed together contemporary classical music with avantgarde and a light progressive rock inflience, giving an original result that's often considered too difficult to listen for straight prog rock ears. Their name was obtained from their three main interests, opera, avantgarde and traditional music. Formed in Veneto in 1973 around the nucleus of soprano Donella Del Monaco (the niece of famous tenor Mario Del Monaco), pianist-composer Alfredo Tisocco, philosopher Giorgio Bisotto and producer Renato Marengo, and aided in the years by many other musicians, the group released their first album in 1974, Opus Avantra - Donella Del Monaco (often referred to as Introspezione, from the title of the first track) on the collectible Trident label…
Opus Avantra - Lord Cromwell Plays Suite For Seven Vices (1975) [Reissue 1989]

Opus Avantra - Lord Cromwell Plays Suite For Seven Vices (1975) [Reissue 1989]
EAC Rip | APE (image+.cue+log) - 195 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 96 MB | Covers - 3 MB
Genre: Avant-Prog | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: Artis (ARCD 003)

Opus Avantra is considered one of the top avant-prog bands from Italy from the old school. Lord Cromwell Plays Suite For Seven Vices is their second studio album. As their name implies this is a group which mixes classical and opera with avant-garde passages and traditional melodies. To break it down even more Opus Avantra really have two sides to them on these first two 70s releases. There is their avant side which can sometimes be compelling and sometimes quite irritating, with instruments pressed into pursuit of the seemingly random. Their other side is the simply drop-dead gorgeous classical and opera over heavenly piano and flute melodies.
Opus Avantra - Introspezione - Donella Del Monaco (1974) [Reissue 2001]

Opus Avantra - Introspezione - Donella Del Monaco (1974) [Reissue 2001]
EAC Rip | APE (image+.cue+log) - 187 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 94 MB | Covers - 4 MB
Genre: Avant-Prog | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: Trident (TRI 1006)

An album which fuses the melodic sensibilities common of the RPI movement with a wild lust for invention, and variously tempers its rage with gentle beds of flute, piano and strings and focuses it into dissonant nightmare-scapes. The result is an accomplished record which oscillates between the avant-garde and almost pastoral, traditional folk songwriting and hardly approaches rock - if the drum track was removed only trace elements of rock would remain. Although this record is justifiably listed under avant-garde - and is bookended by somewhat freeform and contrary excursions - there's enough neo-classical and lushly folky frills to please the symphonic fans too.

La Curva Di Lesmo - La Curva Di Lesmo (2015)  Music

Posted by gribovar at Dec. 4, 2019
La Curva Di Lesmo - La Curva Di Lesmo (2015)

La Curva Di Lesmo - La Curva Di Lesmo (2015)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue+log) - 331 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 122 MB | Covers - 34 MB
Genre: Progressive Rock | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: AMS Records (AMS 245 CD)

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…

Catharsis - 3 Studio Albums (1971-1977) [Reissue 1994]  Music

Posted by gribovar at March 16, 2021
Catharsis - 3 Studio Albums (1971-1977) [Reissue 1994]

Catharsis - 3 Studio Albums (1971-1977) [Reissue 1994]
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue+log) - 535 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 221 MB | Covers - 65 MB
Genre: Progressive/Psychedelic Rock | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: Spalax Music

A French band with a very distinctive sound centered around Roland Bocquet's ghostly Farfisa organ. Their first album (recorded March 1971 at Studio ETA) was a mixture of easily accessible tunes, strange wordless chanting, high hippie spirits, Arabian elements, strong percussion and a few avant-garde excursions. Their music had a very spontaneous feeling, as if the group was assembled for some kind of occult ritual using music to reach a higher consciousness. Arguably they had some common ground with the early Pink Floyd and Amon Düül philosophically, but it lead to other conclusions musically. Masq is also notable for its surrealistic cover design…
Alfredo Carrión - Los Andares Del Alquimista (1976) [Reissue 2003] (Re-up)

Alfredo Carrión - Los Andares Del Alquimista (1976) [Reissue 2003]
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue+log) - 207 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 77 MB | Covers - 11 MB
Genre: Progressive Folk Rock | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: DRO East West (5046703322)

Alfredo Carrion made his first mark in the history of progressive rock in 1975 by writing the orchestral arrangements for Ciclos, Canarios' brilliant and blasphemous butchering of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. A year later he struck out on his own by writing the music for "Los Andares del Alquimista", a less extravagant but no less eclectic exploration of popular, classical and folk musics.
Actually, the first three songs very deftly and tastefully put folk-tinged pop music together with some symbolist poetry sung by an elegant female voice with classical-style tone and use of vibrato. The mood shifts of "Espejo Sumergido" and the lush progressions and soaring melody lines of "Tensa Memoria" are very much symphonic progressive characteristics…
Buon Vecchio Charlie - Buon Vecchio Charlie [Recorded 1972] (2011) (Re-up)

Buon Vecchio Charlie - Buon Vecchio Charlie [Recorded 1972] (2011)
EAC Rip | FLAC (image+.cue+log) - 203 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 79 MB | Covers - 84 MB
Genre: Progressive Rock | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: AMS Records (AMS 181 CD)

This Italian band's sole legacy is a wonderful album of pure symphonic prog dominated by flute, with strong classical influences and a touch of jazz. Buon Vecchio Charlie was formed in Rome in 1970 with a five-piece line-up featuring, along with Calabrò, Centofanti and Sangiorgio, bass player Walter Bernardi and percussionist Carlo Visca. After some first demos they could record with the new six-piece line-up the tracks for an album in Suono label's (of Opus Avantra fame) recording studio near Venice in 1972, with the help of Venetian Power guitarist Claes Cornelius, also an important session man at the time. Despite the good quality, and the interest shown for the band by many producers, the album never saw the light and was shelved until its first CD release in 1990 in a limited pressing…