Paradiso by Metamorfosi, a 2004 album.
Paradiso is a concept album based on the third canticle of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy.
The idea was born in the early Seventies, the golden age of Italian progressive rock. In 1973, the band released Inferno, one of the best Italian prog albums ever.
Unfortunately, at the end of 1973, due to disagreements and market pressure, the group broke up before managing to finish the Dante trilogy. Singer Davide “Jimmy” Spitaleri moved temporarily to the United States, while keyboardist Enrico Olivieri went his own way.
Decades later, Spitaleri and Olivieri met again and decided to complete the unfinished work. With the addition of a new rhythm section made up of Fabio Moresco on drums and Leonardo Gallucci on bass and acoustic guitar, they picked up the old scores and new ideas again.
After a long production, the album was released in 2004, exactly 31 years after Inferno. In 2016, the band finally completed the trilogy with the release of Purgatorio.
Paradiso faithfully follows Dante’s journey through the heavens of Paradise. Musically, it is a symphonic, keyboard-driven rock work, with Olivieri’s Hammond organ, piano and synthesizers in the foreground, backed by the powerful, expressive tenor voice of Jimmy Spitaleri. The album consists of 14 tracks that tell the poet’s spiritual journey.
Even though a full 31 years have passed since their iconic Inferno, the band managed to preserve its sonic identity. The powerful blend of Enrico Olivieri’s keyboards and committed lyrics has lost nothing over time. Unlike the aggression and dark tones of their debut album, Paradiso is marked by a deep lyrical evolution.
Jimmy Spitaleri’s warm, lyrical and theatrical voice, in top form, is truly impressive, as is Olivieri’s monumental keyboard work, which moves masterfully between classic organ, modern synthesizers and piano. The record avoids sounding dated, thanks to modern-sounding tones and a solid, dynamic rhythm section (with the addition of Moresco and Gallucci).
Paradiso requires more listens to be fully understood compared to the immediate, powerful impact of Inferno. While it is an excellent album, it is inevitable to miss that unique analog atmosphere of the early Seventies.
This is not a simple nostalgia operation, but a masterpiece of contemporary Italian prog. It’s an essential listen for those who love symphonic rock in the style of Rock Progressivo Italiano, and it represents the key piece to understand the band’s evolution. Excellent!
My Version
Label: Progressivamente – GMP 003
Series: Prog Rock Italiano – 57
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo, Gatefold, 180 grams
Country: Italy
Released: 25 Nov 2019
Tracklist
A1 Introduzione 2:15
A2 Sfera Di Fuoco 1:20
A3 Salita A Mercurio 2:50
A4 Cielo Di Mercurio 2:32
A5 Cielo Di Venere 3:52
A6 Cielo Di Marte 6:05
B1 Cielo Di Giove 4:15
B2 Cielo Di Saturno 3:06
B3 Empireo 6:13
B4 La Chiesa Delle Stelle 6:18
Lineup
Bass, Acoustic Guitar – Leonardo Gallucci
Drums – Fabio Moresco
Keyboards, Arranged By – Marco Maracci
Piano, Keyboards, Synth, Music By, Lyrics By – Enrico Olivieri
Vocals, Music By, Lyrics By – Jimmy Spitaleri
The biographical notes in the entry Inferno by Metamorfosi, symphonic and theatrical Italian Progressive Rock
