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Ibis "Sun Supreme"

Jeremy Pilarski | Naples, FL United States | 01/24/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The New Trolls break up after the album "UT" because of musical divergences. Vittorio De Scalzi does not like the hard rock sound of "UT" and forms New Trolls Atomic System with Giorgio D'Adamo. Nico Di Palo starts another group while waiting on a judge's decision concerning the use of the name New Trolls. Nico Di Palo along with keyboard whiz Maurizio Salvi make an album called Canti Di Innocenza, Canti D' Esperienza.
After drummer Gianni Belleno quits, Nico Di Palo searches for a new band name and a replacement for Belleno. Bassist Frank Laugelli solves the Belloni replacement problem by going abroad; he enlists the aid of ex-Atomic Rooster drummer Ric Parnell. "The quartet lets the readers' of Ciao 2001 pick the name through a survey" (Barotto 75). The readers pick Ibis; under the new name Ibis, Di Palo and team release Sun Supreme.
"Sun Supreme" is a hard rock album with elements of symphonic progressive rock. The music is not quite as hard as their contemporaries Museo Rosenbach, Il Balleto di Bronzo, and Jumbo; "Sun Supreme" is actually more accessible than the albums released by these three bands. There is a nice balance between Di Palo's guitars and Salvi's keyboards making the listening experience for fans of either instrument enjoyable.
Di Palo's voice is one of highlights of the album. His pronunciation of English words is flawless. And he has a great sounding voice with excellent range.
The three-piece suite Divinity represents the teachings of Satguru Maharaji; Maharaji is presumably an Eastern philosopher whose ideas on God and death seem similar to Hinduism. On this song there are some delicate harmonies: "Yours and mine, divine divinity."
The second suite "Divinity" is the best part of the album; Salvi's keyboards are the dominant instruments in this three-piece masterpiece. Awesome Moog and Mellotron work in the Divinity suite.
This CD has remained an exclusive to Japan; it has been released three times. The first issue is from Edison (ERC 32011). This disc has the album divided into two twenty minute tracks. The Japanese Polydor label releases the second edition (Pocp- 2371). The second edition is divided into seven tracks. Both of these editions are out of print. The new mini-LP version features the best sound and package quality. The mini-LP is divided into seven tracks like the Polydor version. The package is a glossy black and is made with high quality paper. The disc comes with a dust jacket featuring the lyrics and cool artwork.
Salvi leaves after Sun Supreme because of a difference in musical opinion; Di Palo replaces him with another guitarist. This new lineup makes a new but less satisfying third album, "Ibis." Works Cited Barotto, Palo. "The Return of the Italian Pop." Milano:
Vinyl Magic Books, 1998."

Heavy on mysticism

A. Dutkiewicz | Norwood, South Australia Australia | 06/03/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Guitarist Nico di Palo's spin-off band from the New Trolls formed seemingly out of his interest in rock, rather than the more eclectic range of the Trolls, with its roots in Italian pop, rock and folk and a burgeoning attraction to jazz. But Sun Supreme itself is an odd mesh: of eastern influenced lyrics, projected in the manner of Yes, and spacious keyboard and alternately swirling acoustic guitar and hard rock electric guitar suspended over supple bass and drum lines. The two suites concern spiritual quest: the first, Divine Mountain/Journey of Life begins with jangling acoustic guitar, and moves on to take plenty out of earliest-middle years of Yes. In Part 4, Vision fulfilled, there are musical passages vaguely reminiscent of Starship Troopers, for example; but the lyrics are less cryptic and more directly mystical and devotional (there is a dedication to a guru included). I think the music becomes more independent and therefore of greater interest on side two: Divinity Parts 1-3. There are influences of Beatles tunes like Across the Universe here mingled with early Yes and ELP. But the music takes fresh directions with the interplay of keyboard sounds and unusual percussion, especially whistels and cowbell sounds, overlaid on really crazily zigzagging acoustic piano and counterpoint guitar. This passage is the high point of the album.The seemingly obligatory drum solo punctuates Part 2; not bad, but there you are; and Part 3 moves into territory closer to the edge, so to speak, of a vast ocean.On this album Di Palo's electric guitar aims for different and less egotistical textures, sometimes almost subsumed into the massive wall of sound, but its characteristic lyrical bluesiness is still apparent. Sun Supreme is fairly typical of its time, and probably at the upper end of early-mid 1970s European progressive rock in terms of quality, butcould have perhaps been more open to its own musical possibilities."

More great Italian prog rock

BENJAMIN MILER | Veneta, Oregon | 07/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To me, Sun Supreme by Ibis, originally released in 1974 on Polydor is simply one of the greats of Italian prog. A lot of problems started surfacing with New Trolls in 1972-73. They released UT at the end of '72 which caused the split, mainly because Vittorio de Scalzi wanted a more prog direction of the band, while Nico di Palo wanted the band to move more toward hard rock. So there was legal matter to who owned the New Trolls. So de Scalzi's band became N.T. Atomic System, and di Palo's band was actually without a name originally, releasing an album in 1973 on Fonit with a giant question mark on the cover. Then the band received some future member changes, including none other than ex-Atomic Rooster drummer Ric Parnell (he's the guy who replaced Carl Palmer in that band in 1970 when he left for ELP) and music fans got to vote for a band name, which became Ibis. And so the result is Sun Surpreme, being the first album under the Ibis banner. Musically they sound a whole lot like a much more aggressive version of Yes. And if you thought Relayer was aggressive, try this album. Yes-like vocal harmonies, lyrics that lean heavily on Eastern philosophy, great keyboards (Moog, Hammond, Eminent, harpsichord), guitar that brings to mind Steve Howe at times (particularly the acoustic passages), and wonderful, inspired compositions. Listening to this album you even wonder why there were any disagreements in the New Trolls sound in the first place as it's very progressive, albeit with a harder edge, than, say, what's on the N.T. Atomic System album from 1973. The album consists of two side length suites, the first part (or side one, if you own the LP) even containing mini-suites. The only weak spot on this album is "Divinity Part 2", mainly because of the drum solo (not unlike what you find on New Trolls' Concerto Grosso Per 1). Aside from that, there really isn't a high point, since the whole album is great (aside from the drum solo). The band sings in English, but don't let that scare you off (this isn't PFM's Photos of Ghosts), as I can't notice an accent at all, which is a plus. And if you think bands that try to sound like Yes can never match Yes, like Starcastle (I happen to like Starcastle, but many don't), you might want to reconsider and give Ibis' Sun Supreme a try. Simply one of the greatest of Italian prog albums, and aside from that, one of the greatest prog albums in the vein of Yes. Essential prog you should not go without."