Consuming the Tangible

You can’t escape the past. We are the sum of what’s come before us, and that’s perhaps even more true when it comes other progressive rock. But the catch that too many newer bands forget is that we’re the sum of our entire past, not just what was happening in the UK in the 70s. And so when a band like LogoS comes around, consuming music and influences throughout progressive rock’s entire history it’s refreshing. L’enigma Della Vita is the band’s third album, coming 13 years after two solid if underwhelming releases. Thwe time spent was worth it, as this is a great sounding album with plenty of more modern touchstones to play around with.

I was listening to this again last night, out on a walk with my wife. It’s a good way to do nothing but focus on the music…except I got a text from my buddy Jon of Cinema Dual informing me that Steven Wilson had written a memoir (I had no clue but here it is). I was at the moment listening to “Venivo da un lungo son” which is the first proper track on L’enigma Della Vita after the short introduction “Antifona” and reading Jon’s text immediately implanted the Wilson vibe in my head. Starting with a 7/4 shuffling beat the song sounds like a mix of Wilson’s lighter solo work and later stage Pink Floyd. Which, sure you could argue a lot of Wilson’s own influence was Floyd, but the drive of the rhythms and Luca Zerman’s vocals give me SW vibes.

That doesn’t mean LogoS doesn’t also go for the gusto when it comes to t he primary touchstones of the genre. There are plenty of symphonic moments throughout L’enigma Della Vita, but there’s also a healthy dose of menace and some fun crunchy guitars, as on “Alla fine dell’ultimo capitol”. Really nice, tasteful solos (again we can argue are they more SW or David Gilmour influenced). Keyboards also abound, with plenty of Hammond organ and Mellotron to thicken the tracks up. This push/pull of heavier rock elements continue through the title track and into the epic 11-minute “In principio”. It starts with some arpeggios in the keys and lovely acoustic guitar which remind me of early Genesis, and prompted the though that almost 100% of the time when anyone references Genesis in a prog review, they’re referencing the Peter Gabriel era. Which is fine! Except it’s prompting me to soon hit reviews for later Genesis: I have love for Duke and Abacab! It’s not all Lamb Lies Down.. and Selling England… adulation over at Consuming the Tangible!

Anyway, back to “In principio”. It’s a fantastic showcase for the band’s solo skills, weaving in between blues, rock, and even jazz in the keyboards and guitar solos, the final minutes bringing back that menacing synth to back up guitarist Maoli Massimo’s exquisite soloing. “Completamente estranei” opens with some Mile Oldfield Tubular Bells-style keyboards before there’s a massive Phil Collins fill (IYKYK) and the songs truly kicks off with one of the few rock riffs on the on the album. Those three tracks taken together are probably my favorites on L’enigma Della Vita, and as the album winds down with another epic in “Pioggia in campagna” and some shorter instrumental and narration tracks I realize I can point to any of the songs from here as a prime example that Italian progressive rock is alive and well with bands like LogoS.

Although available in a number of formats, I went with the deluxe CD. It has a second disc of live tracks taken from various shows from 2015 to 2017, showing that LogoS are certainly adept and translating this music to the stage. It may have taken 14 years, but L’enigma Della Vita was worth it.