Il Segno del Comando, Italy

Neo Italian prog

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Latest release: Il Domenicano Bianco (2023)

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Il Segno del Comando (1997)

Il Segno del Comando's debut comes from the 90's renaissance wave of darkly influenced Italian progressive music as promoted by the Black Widow label of Genoa. Their haunting formula includes pipe organ, synthesizer, echoplex'd guitar, and impassioned vocals in Italian. Il Segno del Comando were the culmination of Black Widow's stable of the era, which included Runaway Totem (especially at the time of their debut), Standarte, Malombra, and Abiogenesi. Perhaps a bit more space rock influenced than the aforementioned bands, making it all that much more interesting. As is typical of albums from the 90s, the production is a bit bright and thin - thus diluting the impact of the overall power of the compositions. Also Il Segno del Comando are one of the few Italian bands using a real mellotron during this era.

If there was ever an album that proves the theory that a weak ending can ruin the overall impression, it's Il Segno del Comando. After an impressive 6 track run, the band enters a full 10 minute clumsy 90's styled funk track ('La Taverna dell'Angelo') with no less than the annoying soprano sax in the lead. I'm convinced the low grades this album gets tagged with are no doubt weighed down by this clunker. Try to overlook it.

5/19/13 (new entry)

The Budos Band, USA-New York

Jazz funk; Heavy psych

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Latest: Frontier's Edge EP (2023)

V (2019)

Brooklyn's finest returns with their 5th album. Not as heavy as the prior Burnt Offerings, more of a Led Zeppelin type tone this time. Otherwise there's no mistaking this for anyone other than Budos Band. Big fat horn charts and funky rhythms. Every track is excellent. Nothing extraordinary though, and it seems the band may have hit the point of diminishing returns.

---8/4/19

Burnt Offering (2014)

I guess we first need to clear something up to set the proper expectations: There's no doom metal here. It's not like an instrumental Candlemass with a horn section (which, believe me, captured my imagination wildly - and I do hope someone actually does just that some day!). I don't think anyone is trying to mislead however. The guitar tone in question is a very heavy psychedelic fuzz circa 1969/70. Well, Yeaaa, that works for me too! I think Budos Band got the message that III sounded like a rewrite of II and perhaps it was time for something different. And they came through with Burnt Offering (someone digging into their Iced Earth collection were they?) - which can only be considered a rousing success. Still, there's no mistaking those horn compositions. Budos Band will always sound like the coolest house band at some "Egyptian Lounge" on Van Ness Avenue circa 1962. That's their trademark. But now they've added some fuzz guitar to those creaky organs and funky horn charts. I like it. Great band. Can't wait to hear what they come up with next. Epicus Doomicus Hornicus?

---6/6/15

The Budos Band (2005)

This is a recent thrift shop find. Not the kind of thing one finds at the thrifts, and unfortunately there were no other CDs like it in this collection. Interestingly enough I have all the Budos Band CDs except this first album. I figured it would be similar to the others, since they all have the same kind of music (allowing for hard rock guitar later in the career). And I was right. This has their patented instrumental horn funk sound that they continued to perfect. Still, as a debut, this lays the foundation quite well. A definitely keeper, especially considering the cool retro volcano digipak cover. Not sure I need all five albums by BB, thinking maybe the 3rd and 5th are a bit superfluous. I'll kick that can down the road for now.

---4/9/22

Other albums heard: The Budos Band II (2007); The Budos Band III (2010)

3/6/19 (new entry)

Love Gang, USA-Colorado

Progressive hard rock; Heavy metal

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Latest release: Meanstreak (2023)

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Dead Man's Game (2019)

I don't even know where to begin on this one. It checks off so many boxes, it's crazy. Down the line: 1) retro hard rock - check; 2) progressive hard rock - check; 3) early metal - check;  4) organ (possibly Hammond) - check; 5) flute(!) - check; 6) local grooves - check; 7) great cover - check; 8) overall coolness - check.

No way would have I ever heard of this were it not for my friends at What's Left here in the Springs. I was looking for something to spend my trade credit on, and they mentioned this album. They know my tastes lean towards the progressive and the retro - and far away from death metal. And they're from Denver? I said why not, I've got nothing to lose. And... all to gain. As is the case here.

It would appear to me that this album may be marketed to the wrong folks. Based on whatever reviews I can find, they seem to be from the metal camp. And that's OK, but for example I saw one person comment it reminded him exactly of Motorhead. Excuse me, but can you remind me again which Motorhead album has flute, sax, and organ? No - this needs to marketed to prog, krautrock, and hard rock fans.

The person we have to circle in the band here is Leo Munoz. Take him out, and you have a cool - but somewhat standard - hard rock band, albeit an interesting one. Munoz is the one responsible for the organ, flute, and sax. You just don't see too many bands today with that kind of talent on hand. He's the X factor for sure. Kam Wentworth is the guitarist, lyricist, singer, and is clearly the front man here. His singing is the one place where Lemmy comes to mind. Though honestly, I hear just as much Paul Di'Anno and even Ron Royce (Coroner). From an overall attitude, sound, and music perspective, I'm most reminded of Fort Worth's Blood of the Sun, though again the flute creates some separation. And considering the latter instrument, the Spanish band Ñu also comes to mind here.

All the tracks are satisfying on some level, though I appreciate the ones with more instrumental breaks. Side 2 is definitely the more adventurous of the two. The closer 'Endless Road' is the best for my tastes. If you're a fan of the late 70s /early 80s hard rock/metal/prog combination - you'll want this.

12/9/20; 8/6/23 (new entry)

Blood Ceremony, Canada

Retro prog; Doom metal

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Latest release: The Old Ways Remain (2023)

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Lord of Misrule (2016)

Lord of Misrule is Blood Ceremony's 4th album, and sees the band time travel even further back than prior. Continuing on with this pattern, perhaps soon Blood Ceremony will sound like The Ventures, while Alia O'Brien dances the Mashed Potato...

Lord of Misrule immerses itself into the 1969 landscape quite successfully, mixing psychedelia, folk, hard rock, with slight traces of prog. Though I've defended Blood Ceremony in the past from sounding just like Jethro Tull, here the band seem to be embracing the tag. So yes, perhaps Stand Up era Tull is indeed the blueprint, with some Jefferson Airplane mixed in, and a cameo from Black Sabbath's first album. All with O'Brien's "witchy woman" vocals layered on top. While the music remains excellent - perhaps I say this due to my predilection for the style - there aren't the standout tracks of the past. It's definitely a very good "mid career" album, with well thought out compositions, but it does lack a certain dynamism.

Let's just hope the next album doesn't feature a cover of Hawaii Five-O. Book 'em Danno.

The Eldritch Dark (2013)

The Eldritch Dark sees Blood Ceremony improve on the already excellent Living with the Ancients. The doom metal Black Sabbath component has been reduced, and a decidedly more typical 1969/70 tone has been adopted in its stead. Oh yes, it's still a heavy album - just not as overt as prior. Organ, mellotron, acoustic guitar, fiddle, and flute are more prominent than prior. From a compositional perspective, the band took a page from the early 70s UK folk rock playbook of Mellow Candle and Fuchsia. And Blood Ceremony are now fully admitted into the Post psychedelic, proto progressive with female vocals club. As I said on my Living with the Ancients review, Ian Anderson wasn't the only one walking around with a flute in England in those days - it was a fairly standard instrument in the 1970 English rock landscape. So you may find comparisons to Tull compulsory, rather than accurate.

Now a word about Alia O'Brien's vocals. Throughout the album, I was reminded of someone very specific. But I couldn't figure it out. Then it hit me. All I needed to do was look at my own list above. It's Silvana Aliotta of Circus 2000, who no doubt was influenced by Grace Slick herself. And the first time I read a description of Circus 2000, her vocals were said to be "witchy". How appropriate, then, that O'Brien has a similar voice. Not sure if it's intentional (probably not), but definitely a cool voice to possess.

All the changes Blood Ceremony implemented on The Eldritch Dark are for the better as far as I'm concerned. Even the lyrics have improved. It's still witch stuff, but at least they seem to be taking it more seriously and professional than prior.

Living with the Ancients (2011)

I personally love the combination of female vocals, flute, organ, and fuzz guitar - so Blood Ceremony can almost do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. Jethro Tull is an inevitable comparison because of the flute, but there are no similarities beyond that. Personally I think bands like Tomorrow's Gift (first album), Goliath (UK 1970), Room, and Affinity are closer to the sound here than Tull. And if you don't know these bands, and enjoy Blood Ceremony, then cool - new albums for you to discover right? (though I feel compelled to mention that none of these groups have a metal component).

3/14/12 (new entry); 5/28/13; 8/10/16

M-Opus, Ireland

Progressive rock

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Latest release: At The Mercy Of Manannán (2023)

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1975 Triptych (2015)

It's about time my brethren in Ireland got into this prog rock thing (Hayes is an Irish name for the record. Then again my Ma is 100% pure Kraut and my Pa was a Celtic mutt. But hey! I have a story brewing here...). Take away the Ulster based Fruupp and the book on Irish progressive rock gets thin in a hurry. So it appears M-Opus discovered Supply, Demand, and Curve did they? Oh - you don't know who I'm talking about? Well, then... In any case, M-Opus goes much further than either band mentioned above, way into the depths of creative progressive rock, as evidenced by the 33 minute 'Different Skies' with its different tones, colors, styles, shifts, and food groups. Much attention has been paid to period instrumentation (keyboards being the most obvious) and compositional style. I'll say this to every band who insists going back 40 years in time to prove some kind of point I GUESS: You have one fan right here. And... keep going! Please.

5/1/15 (new entry)