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Reviews

Basta! — Elemento Antropico
(Lizard 0128, 2016/2018, CD)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2018-08-15

Elemento Antropico Cover art

Basta! is another Italian band on the Lizard Records label, and their new album Elemento Antropico is a set of eleven instrumentals. I was expecting heavy percussion or a drum line from the album art, but instead what you get is a straight ahead fusion of melodic and metal prog. The music alternates from dissonant complex passages to melodic delights. There is some element of cabaret / cafe music mixed in as well, plus some Italian narration that is lost on me. There is something going on about elephants and the circus, possibly Dumbo, but I cannot tell. Basta! mixes the music up from track to track, keeping it very interesting throughout the album. When we get to track nine, “Countdown,” the track is essentially an emotive emcee or ringmaster counting down from ten to one, attempting to excite the crowd. “L’Uomo Cannone” has a smooth guitar lead, more cabaret music, and jazzy electric piano that chugs along for few minutes, only to pick up speed and end on a high note with an exceptionally strong finish. The album closer, “Esco dall’Antro,” is a melodic song that alternates with energetic metal prog. And out of the blue Basta! plays a tune familiar to every newbie keyboard student, Bach’s “Minuet in G Major.” This album is sure to please fans of Italian instrumental prog.

Filed under: Reissues, 2018 releases, 2016 recordings

Related artist(s): Basta!

More info
http://bastapuntoesclamativo.bandcamp.com/album/elemento-antropico-special-edition

 

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