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Fiaba — Il Cappello a Tre Punte
(Lizard 5490042, 1996, CD)

by Paul Hightower, Published 1997-05-01

Il Cappello a Tre Punte Cover art

Imagine "The Farmer in the Dell" transposed to a minor key, sung by a slightly crazed Italian operatic tenor, and played in the style of Metallica, and you have a pretty good idea of what these guys sound like. Center stage is Guiseppe Brancato, and in the pit is his orchestra of two guitars, bass, and drums. That there are two guitars is hard to tell because for most of the CD, they just double each other's parts, the bass and drums providing a plodding metal foundation underneath. It's only on tracks such as "Il Segreto dei Giganti" and "Hanno Ammazzato il Drago" that the band explores a more temperate domain somewhat akin to Queensrÿche, complete with classical guitar. Don't look for Geoff Tate here, though. Brancato relentlessly wails, shouts, and screams at full power throughout this collection. An apt comparison would be Garden Wall, though Fiaba lacks the imaginative compositions and keyboard work of that group. At their worst, this group is a parody of themselves. At their best, they create a powerful synthesis of heavy, guitar driven metal and distinctively Italian opera. Not my personal cup of tea but sure to appeal to some out there.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 12, 1996 releases

Related artist(s): Fiaba

 

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