CD Details

MITOPOIESI

CORAL CAVES
2008 , ITALY - EURO 13.00

Label: MELLOW RECORDS

ALBUM REVIEW
Coral Caves is a new Italian five-piece formation that has delivered a wonderful, often compelling debut CD that scouts the borders between neo-prog and symphonic rock, the warm native vocals add a 'healthy Italian Progrock factor' to the music. The sound on the 9 compositions is very melodic and accessible, from dreamy with flute traverse and acoustic guitar to tight mid-tempo rhythms and bombastic eruptions with a tasteful keyboard colouring by the EMU Proteus sound module (Hammond, Mellotron and Moog ). But the focal point on this album is obviously the excellent duo-guitarwork: biting wah-wah drenched in Sorridi, Santana inspired in Cliff Of Moher, Gilmourian in Senza Di Me and Ricordi (exciting slide guitar) and lots of moving solos with often howling runs in most of the tracks, shivers down my spine! My highlights are Senza Di Me (great build-up, from mellow with twanging guitars to bombastic with a wonderful vintage keyboard sound, beautiful guitar and emotional vocals) and the long and alternating final composition Il Dolce Canto Della Terra: first a slow rhythm with organ and warm vocals, blended with dreamy parts featuring classical flute and guitar, halfway a moving electric guitar solo, culminating in a very compelling final part with fat synthesizer flights and a sensitive electric guitar solo, accompanied by a lush organ sound, goose bumps! (E.Neuteboom)