Prophexy is an Italian prog metal band from Bologna. Alconauta is their second full-length album after their debut Enforce Evolve (2003) and three EP’s. Prophexy is a quartet and according to their website the band members play on rather ‘strange’ instruments: Stefano Vaccari (binary drums), Gabriele Martelli (electro-processed guitars), Alessandro Valle (eclectric basses and magic flute) and Matteo Bonazza (voxals and synthetic keyboards). First track Illuminat starts very chaotic with unexpected changing rhythms and chords, but also with the irritating and exaggerated screaming ‘voxals’ of Matteo Bonazza. Babba is a track that puts the endurance of lovers of symphonic and progressive rock further to the test. The fine classical flute play is heavily disturbed by hysterical vocals and illogical changing moods. Scarto is another torture for my ears as the guitars sound out of tune. The first song I really liked was Fischio Come Guarire Rom. This song has a normal structure and it lacks screaming. Plasticosmic is again a vigorous track ending with a guitar solo. Tritone starts very experimental and chaotic. The middle-section contains a nice flute solo, but in the end it’s chaos and screaming again. Unfortunately, it’s not getting better in the last two tracks Quobo and C’e Vite Sulla Luna. These songs contain the same elements as I described earlier. After 55 minutes, I was delighted that I could finally liberate my ears from this Italian noise pollution... * Cor Smeets (edited by Peter Willemsen) Where to buy? |
