Search - New Trolls :: Atomic System

New Trolls spin-off

A. Dutkiewicz | Norwood, South Australia Australia | 10/04/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Great progressive rock record, even if I have a few quibbles. Most tracks are really intense and densely textured, adventurous musical fusions of rock and jazz. Lots of subtle shifts in rhythms and dynamic angles in the music. The first track is mindblowing in its range, and it's only 6'46" long! My other favourites are tracks 5 and 6. Really well thought out arrangements full of beauty and power. The adaptation of Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain (track 4) is placed in the middle of the original record - I find this somewhat irritating and would have preferred it to have been at the end. The last song, Butterfly, is in English and has a much fluffier attitude than the quite tough, uncompromising experimental one on the rest of the LP. Otherwise it's smashing - two keyboard players (including Vittorio De Scalzi, the band leader and principal composer, who also plays guitar and flute), a saxophone player/ flautist, a bassist, a drummer and an Indian(?)percussionist. Oh, and a female vocalist complements what De Scalzi does with his own lyrics. It makes for a really interesting mix of sounds.You can't go wrong here, despite its shortcomings, as there are some phenomenal and memorable moments on this disc."