L’enigma della vita (The enigma of the life) by LogoS, released in 2014.
Logos is an Italian band from Verona formed in 1996 by Luca Zerman (keyboards, lead vocals), Fabio Gaspari (bass, vocals), and Alessandro Perbellini (drums, percussion), initially as a cover band of Italian progressive rock classics but over time began composing original material after the addition of guitarists Massimo Maoli and Andrea Dossi (Dossi for a short period).
Their self-produced debut album, Logos, was released in 1999. A second album, Asrava, followed in 2001. Due to lineup changes and other issues, there was a significant gap before the release of their beautiful third album, L'Enigma Della Vita, in 2014.
This is an album with a symphonic sound and the typical sonorities of Italian Progressive Rock, enriched by the presence of two keyboardists who masterfully handle organ, Mellotron, piano, and synthesizers, creating a very evocative and enveloping soundscape. The guitars are beautiful with powerful solos and a wonderful flute.
A concept album that explores the meaning of human existence through themes of the creation of the universe, life, love, loneliness, and death, and seeks to find an answer to one of humanity's oldest questions.
The sound is made up of complex arrangements for long tracks and beautiful, complex suites, blending seventies sonorities with the modern sound of today, with soft atmospheres and imposing, driving sections.
- Antifona opens the album, a short instrumental with a dreamy atmosphere.
- Venivo da un lungo sonno is a beautiful track with wonderful changes of theme, atmosphere, and rhythm, an excellent composition that highlights great keyboard work and excellent guitar solos.
- In Fuga is characterized by a great rhythm section and alternation of keyboard and guitar solos, with a very moving piano riff.
- Alla fine dell'ultimo capitolo is a track with dark tones that deals with themes of death and a desolate world, with an intense atmosphere and great synergy between keyboard and guitars.
- N.A.S. is an instrumental track with a space rock sound, featuring powerful synthesizers and a great guitar part.
- L'enigma della vita has an ethereal and reflective atmosphere, with a spectacular bass line and a great drum part.
- In Principio is a long and complex track with great acoustic guitar, changes of atmosphere, and wonderful flutes and electric piano with intertwining guitar and keyboard lines.
- Completamente Estranei has a beautiful keyboard introduction and evolves into a rock track with a wonderful guitar solo.
- In quale luogo si fermò il mio tempo is a piano instrumental track that opens with a classical atmosphere, then evolves into a more prog and rock sound, a melancholic and dramatic track of beautiful prog.
- Pioggia in Campagna, a beautiful track that opens with a military march characterized by a very evocative piano riff and a great Hammond organ solo.
- Il rumore dell'aria closes the album, short, evocative, and unsettling with a beautiful narrating voice.
To describe the album, I quote a description taken from the band's website in which I recognize my own thoughts: <<An inner journey that traverses themes such as the creation of the universe, the birth of human beings, love, loneliness, death, war… A journey to solve the greatest of questions… What is the meaning of our existence? What is “The enigma of life"? - “The enigma of life” represents the album of maturity, the happy result of ten years of compositional creativity, live activity, and various lineup changes.>>
A wonderful Italian reality, a great highly recommended album.
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS below the article title or on the "Artists" page
Tracklist
1. Antiphon (2:03)
2. I Came from a Long Sleep (9:11)
3. On the Run (5:42)
4. At the End of the Last Chapter (9:21)
5. N.A.S. (7:46)
6. The Enigma of Life (7:24)
7. In the Beginning (11:27)
8. Completely Strangers (7:08)
9. In Which Place Did My Time Stop (2:33)
10. Rain in the Countryside (10:29)
11. The Sound of the Air (2:58)
Duration 76:02
LineUp
- Maoli Massimo - guitars
- Luca Zerman - Hammond organ, Mellotron, synth, lead vocals
- Claudio Antolini - piano, keyboards, synth
- Fabio Gaspari - bass, drums
With:
- Simone Bistaffa - lead guitar (1)
- Alessandro Perbellini - drums (4)
- Simone Chiampan - drums (7)
- Gianbattista Bodel - narrator (11)
