Areknamés - Live At Burg Herzberg Festival (2007)

Artista: Areknamés

Álbum: Live At Burg Herzberg Festival
Año: 2007
Género: Retro Prog / Progresivo ecléctico
Duración: 50.31
Nacionalidad: Italia

Lista de Temas:
1. Dateless diary
2. The prison that few can see
3. A new song
4. Outcast
5. Boredom

Alineación:
- Michele Epifani / voice, keyboards
- Piero Ranalli / electric bass
- Simone Antonini / drums & percussions
- Stefano Colombi / acoustic & electric guitar

Y ya que empezamos el festival de Van der Graaf Generator, que mejor que Areknamés para meter en el blog, una banda tana con toda la onda VDGG y que hizo capote en el blog por la calidad de sus discos. Mientras esperamos algún nuevo trabajo de ellos, éste es el único discos que nos faltaba compartir, y en realidad no hay que tomárselo tan en serio porque es un disco de un recital de un conocido festival alemán donde tocaron poco, y que entraron medio de izquierda como invitados, donde tocaron material de sus discos anteriores y también temas nuevos en ese entonces que luego incluyeran en su estupendo trabajo "In Case Of Loss".
Aquí hay un montón de espacio con pasajes instrumentales largos, a veces atmosféricos y momentos psicodélicos, todo profundamente arraigado en el sonido progresivo de los 70s.
Un disco que captura la magia del momento, en una presentación medio de prestado junto con bandas como Paatos, Pavlov's Dog, Quantum Fantay, Riverside, Uriah Heep, Panzerballett, Colosseum y los propios Van der Graaf Generator, entre otros.
En todo caso es un registro no para tomar demasiado en cuenta, pero sí para disfrutarlo bastante.

This interesting new Italian formation invites us for a trip with their musical time-machine to the early Seventies. In those days most of the big record companies had small sub-labels in order to host their progressive rock acts (like EMI had Harvest for Pink Floyd), there they got room for adventure and experiments. Well, listening to Areknames you can easily confuse this for a Seventies rooted band. This live CD was recorded during the Burg Herzberg Festival 2007, I hope a DVD will follow soon, what a stunning sound!
1. Dateless Diary : After a dreamy climate with wonderful violin-Mellotron and a bit melancholical vocals (evoking Peter Hamill),we can enjoy powerful Hammond organ, propulsive guitarwork and fat synthesizer flights in a compelling atmosphere. In the end the dreamy climate returns delivering Mellotron, Hammond and flowing electric guitar.
2. A Prison That Few Can See : The first part is mellow, the music reminds me of Anekdoten because of the violin-Mellotron and warm but a bit dark vocals. Gradually the sound turns int more lush with powerful Jammond waves, strong drumming and howling electric guitar runs, followed by a long and very compelling Hammond solo similar to Dave Greenslade his work during Colosseum and Greenslade, what a lovely early vintage sound!
3. A New Song : It starts with a slow rhythm and fragile guitarplay, mellow organ and warm vocals (again evoking Anekdoten), then a mid-tempo with majestic Hammond and powerful guitar, culminating in a kind of bombastic psychedelia. Again we can enjoy a long Hammond solo, this time swirling with great support of the rhythm-section. The final part contains soaring Mellotron, it is short but I get goose bumps!
4. Outcast : This short piece sounds a bit psychedelic with propulsive drums, fiery vocals, heavy guitar and hypnotizing organ work, it reminds me of early Italian gem Il Balletto Di Bronzo, very dynamic!
5. Boredom : Again the focus is on the Hammond (along a sensitive electric guitar solo, fat synthesizer flights and wonderful violin-Mellotron): from fluent runs and sumptuous eruptions to a swirling solo with psychedelic undertones, this man know how to push the right buttons!
Don't expect elaborate music but let you carry away by Areknames their compelling vintage sound, loaded with mindblowing work on the Hammond organ!

Erik Neuteboom

This live show, by the excellent Italian prog band Araknamés, who implements 70's sound and approach in a very natural and genuine way, took place in Burg Herzberg festival. The overall sound of this show is very liberated, flowing and catchy, unlike their very complex last studio album, 'Love hate round trip'.
There are lots of jams in this show, integrated in the songs, and each member gets his own chance to express. The improvisations are nice, in psychedelic mood, but not something very special. The best moments comes unsurprisingly from keyboardist Michele Epifani, leader, vocalist and composer, on his Hammond organ.
Most of the tracks are new materials, which add a lot of interest to this show. The opener 'Dateless Diary' contains dramatic atmosphere, some mood changes, and interesting harmonies played on the mellotron. It fades out with a strong slap bass riff. Excellent!
The next song, 'The Prison that few can see' is mellow, and contains a lot of jams. It's a long track that clocks in about 17 minuets that maybe in studio album would be considered as too long, but here, in this live show it's really OK and flow very nice and smooth.
The last track in this show is 'Boredom' from the first album. This track makes me eagerly want to listen to this album as soon as I can. It's an excellent track which start with fast riffs and than burst into some blistering rock riffs and pathos vocals. Drummer Luca Falsetti makes his own solo here, a long one accompanied with evasive playing from the rest members. This ends up this very enjoyable and pleasant show.
And at last the band is invited to have some beer.

Shw1

If you like vintage keyboards drenched progrock that is firmly rooted into the Seventies Progrock tradition, I am sure you will be delighted about the new Italian formation Areknames. This live CD was recorded during the Burg Herzberg Festival 2007, the interesting annual German festival. The five varied and often compelling compositions (between 3 and 18 minutes) contain lots of exciting muscial moments like in Dateless Diary (a dreamy climate with wonderful violin-Mellotron and a bit melancholical vocals like Peter Hamill, powerful Hammond organ, propulsive guitarwork and fat synthesizer flights and in the end Mellotron, Hammond and flowing electric guitar), A Prison That Few Can See (violin-Mellotron in the vein of Anekdoten and howling electric guitar runs, followed by a long and very compelling Hammond solo similar to Dave Greenslade his work during Colosseum and Greenslade), A New Song (from majestic Hammond and powerful guitar and a long Hammond solo to a final part with soaring Mellotron), Outcast (a bit psychedelic with propulsive drums, fiery vocals, heavy guitar and hypnotizing organ work, it reminds me of early Italian gem Il Balletto Di Bronzo) and the long Boredom (again the focus is on the Hammond along a sensitive electric guitar solo, fat synthesizer flights and wonderful violin-Mellotron). Areknames their sound is a musical time-machine to the early Seventies, you can easily confuse this for a Seventies band but I am carried away to Vintage Keyboard Heaven!

DPRP

This live album of Areknames was recorded during the Burg Herzberg Festival 2007. I hope a DVD will follow soon: what a stunning sound!
Dateless Diary: after a dreamy atmosphere with wonderful mellotron violins and rather melancholic vocals evoking Peter Hamill, we can enjoy powerful Hammond organ, propulsive guitar work and fat synthesizer flights in a compelling atmosphere. In the end, the dreamy atmosphere returns delivering mellotron, Hammond and fluent electric guitar.
A Prison That Few Can See: the first part is mellow, the music reminds me of Anekdoten because of the mellotron violin and the warm but a bit dark vocals. Gradually the sound becomes lush with powerful Hammond waves, strong drumming and howling electric guitar runs, followed by a long and very compelling Hammond solo similar to Dave Greenslade’s work in Colosseum and Greenslade.
A New Song starts with a slow rhythm and fragile guitar play, mellow organ and warm vocals again evoking Anekdoten, then a mid-tempo with majestic Hammond and powerful guitar, culminating in a kind of bombastic psychedelia. Again, we can enjoy a long Hammond solo, this time swirling with great support of the rhythm section. The final part contains soaring mellotron. Although it is short, I get goose bumps!
Outcast is a short piece that sounds a bit psychedelic with propulsive drums, fiery vocals, heavy guitar and hypnotizing organ work. It reminds me of early Italian gem Il Balletto Di Bronzo. Very dynamic! In Boredom, the focus is again on the Hammond alongside a sensitive electric guitar solo, fat synthesizer flights and wonderful mellotron violins. You hear fluent runs, sumptuous eruptions and a swirling solo with psychedelic undertones. This man knows how to push the right keys! Don't expect elaborate music, but let you carry away by Areknames’ compelling vintage sound, loaded with mind-lowing work on the Hammond organ!

Background Magazine

En definitiva, acá tienen más Areknamés en el blog cabezón, ¿dónde más vas a conocer tanta buena música?. Y seguiremos con el festival VDGG.