Issue 2025-073

Lorenzo Cellupica Quartet — This is Odd

Owen Davies

Wow! This is strange! This is Odd!

It is indeed an odd phenomenon, that occasionally an album just flows by and time appears to be briefly suspended. 45 minutes seemed to pass by in less than a moment.

Lorenzo Cellupica's latest work is thoroughly enchanting and equally mesmerising. It is melodically rich and easy on the ear. Skillful repetition of glorious melodies and memorable motifs is used to great effect. Satisfyingly, this accessibility, does not come at the expense of abandoning intricacy and complexity. Consequently, it is fascinating to experience how a melody or a catchy motif is developed twisted and explored over the course of a tune.

The compositions of This is Odd were all written by pianist and keyboard player Lorenzo Cellupica. Cellupica is perhaps best known in prog circles for his work with Möbius Strip. During 2023 he released a solo work In a Haunted House which portrayed different moods and tempos within a piano jazz inspired framework.

The Lorenzo Cellupica Quartet was founded with the aim of experimenting with new compositional and improvisational ideas. The Quartet seeks to explore the boundaries of jazz through fusion with elements from different styles and musical genres.

It is therefore perhaps not surprising that This is Odd contains an amalgam of the style and structure of both Mobius Strip albums and Cellupica's Haunted House release. Whilst This is Odd would undoubtedly be placed in the Jazz racks of most record stores, there are numerous occasions when the influence of artists such as, Hatfield and the North and Chick Corea can be discerned.

Cellupica's characteristic writing style is apparent throughout the release. Distinctive phrases and clasping motifs dominate the release; colourful melodies organically and effortlessly develop to reappear in a buoyant wash of vivid new hues. These are often carried by the rich cheek bulge tones of Saxophonist Damiano Drogheo and are rhythmically garlanded, emboldened and adorned by Cellupica's outstanding piano embellishments.

The bass is used effectively within the structure of the tunes. Bass parts are beautifully defined and skillfully executed. Low-end interludes are frequently used to transition the music from slow to fast and vice versa or to change the dynamic impact of a piece. They demand attention and their vibrant patterns help to partition the music into meaningful sections.

The excellent sonic qualities of the release really show the bass tones to great effect. Some of the most impressive bass parts can be found on I can't Paint which features fluid solo's in its middle and latter stages. The rousing solo that vibrates into life at about the four-minute mark is filled with panache and bouncy exuberance. The middle section of the tune (with fine interplay between Sax and Bass), veers towards the sort of style that Passport are often remembered for. It's a fine piece that has many features that supporters of progressive Jazz and Jazz fusion will enjoy.

However, the tune that will be most palatable for prog fans is undoubtedly the title track. There are many highlights as it travels along its fusion styled path. In several sections it has an overtly Canterbury feel. It includes a thrilling Rhodes solo. In fact, The rhodes playing is very evocative and underpins much of the tunes distinctive journey.

The pieces swinging rhythms and wonderful playing pulls and tugs at the senses. The smash-crash and controlled rhythmic prowess of Massimo Ceci behind the drum kit in the latter part of the tune is quite magnificent and was very reminiscent of the sort of excitement that John Marshall was able to convey.

No strawberries is another tune that has a definite jazz fusion vibe. It has many different moods. It has junctions and forks which are reflective and calm, dramatic and uplifting. The use of an organ gives it a distinctive ambience and when used in conjunction with strident sax riff the result is quite infectious. It is probably the tune that most stylistically resembles the sound of Möbius Strip. The Quartet's musical empathy to each other is very much apparent in the inventive playing and attractive arrangements of this piece.

The organ is also used dramatically in Whatever and On the Tail of a Rainbow. However, by the time this enjoyable album concludes,it is Cellupica's wonderfully inventive and sometimes playful piano playing that leaves the greatest overall impression.

There are many occasions when flowing with joyful party elegance Cellupica's fingers tinkle the keys in a captivating manner. His lush solo in I Can't Paint is quite stunning. later, in combination with dimmed-light, sax sounds, emotively struck, ivory toned, slivers of joy are sent spinning upwards in star spun streaks of artistic design and hope. Perhaps Cellupica cannot paint, but he can certainly play.

This is Odd, is not that odd! (Apart from the way, it is seemingly able to suspend time.)

It is simply wonderful, in so many interesting and different ways.

Cristiano Filippini’s Flames of Heaven — Symphony of the Universe

Greg Cummins

Cristiano Filippini's Flames of Heaven are back with their 2025 album, and let me tell you — this thing doesn't just come out of the gate swinging, this beast uses a fully blown turbo-charged chariot that was blamed for spinning the world backwards during the last apocalypse.

For those unfamiliar with this band, they consist of Cristiano Filippini (lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards, arrangements, orchestrations), Marco Pastorino (lead and backing vocals), Michele Vioni (lead and rhythm guitars, acoustic guitars), Giorgio Terenziani (bass guitar) and Paolo Caridi (drums).

It's Filippini, so of course it's dramatic. But this time, it feels bigger, brighter, louder, and somehow even more sincere than before. The vocals throughout the album soar with that classic European power-metal vibrato that sounds like the lead singer is standing on a cliff shouting heroic affirmations into the ether. Marco's voice here is warm, controlled, and absolutely dripping with theatrical flair. There's also a nice contrast between the soaring highs and the grounding mid-range parts, giving the album an emotional shape instead of just constant operatic intensity.

The lyrics follow the beloved power-metal recipe:

Light dash of fantasy
Two cups of emotional triumph
A generous pour of existential pondering
And a sprinkle of “let's defeat darkness with love and maybe a dragon or two”

It sounds like it should be corny and okay, maybe sometimes it is — but the kind of corny that feels like a hug from a friend who's wearing chainmail. So if cheese is on your diet, dig into the generous platter of Parmigiano, Gorgonzola and Pecorino lest the other guests grab the last serving.

The themes of rebirth, persistence, and destiny return here in full form but there are also moments that feel more introspective than previous releases.

Filippini's guitar work is razor-sharp but silky, which feels illegal but isn't (yet). This man can play! The solos have that beautiful neoclassical glide — equal parts Beethoven and extended sections of flash and panache. It works so well and convincingly.

The keys sweep in like entire orchestras have been compressed into tasteful swells. Cinematic, dramatic, yet never too overwhelming. It's the classic Flames of Heaven blueprint: “If the guitars don't make you cry, the strings will.”

The drums are wonderfully punchy. There are double kicks. Many of them. Enough to count as your cardio for the week while the bass is warm and supportive — like the reliable friend who shows up at 3 AM with snacks but never asks why you needed snacks at 3 AM.

The album drips with enthusiasm from all on board so be prepared for extended solos, crunchy riffs, galloping rhythms, and sugary sweet choruses that absolutely demands you shout it in the car at a red light while other drivers judge you. Worth it.

The band's latest album is everything fans love about Filippini: it's epic, melodic, heartfelt, cinematic, virtuosic — but with noticeable emotional maturity beneath the grandeur. It's a beautiful evolution of their sound, still firmly rooted in classic power metal's beloved traditions but polished for a modern, theatrical, “hold your sword high” experience. If you've ever wanted to feel like the main character in a fantasy epic while also tapping your foot, humming the chorus, and maybe laughing at a few gloriously over-the-top moments... this album delivers.

Nick Fletcher — The Mask Of Sanity

Mark Hughes

It may have taken a considerable time into his career before ace guitarist Nick Fletcher decided to release an album of instrumental electric rock-jazz-prog, put since 2021 he has released an album each year that has showcased his exemplary skills not only as a guitarist but also as a composer. One could justifiably say that each of the albums have built on the previous releases upping the ante of excellence, which is no mean feat given how great the first album of the series, 2021's Cycles Of Behaviour was.

This is no doubt helped by Fletcher assembling a great cast of supporting musicians for each album, a feat he maintains with aplomb on The Mask Of Sanity. Okay, they may not be well-known names to the average prog fan but there is no doubting their virtuosity and world-class status. Fletcher provides all the guitars and, for the first time, guitar synth as well as playing bass on the longest track on the album, The Shadow Magician. Bass on the rest of the album is performed by Jonathan Ihlenfeld Cuniado whose regular gig is with the Anika Nilles Band, yes the woman who has taken on the task of sitting in for Neil Peart in the reformed Rush.

Keyboards are handled by Caroline Bonnett who seems to have her fingers in quite a few pies from session musician, studio production, solo recordings and working with Fletcher in a production company that provides clients with "an entire package for creating and designing a prog rock/jazz fusion album". Vocalist Olga 'Dikajee' Karpova provides more of her wordless musings on three of the album's tracks.

All of these musicians contributed to Fletcher's last album A Longing For Home, very much a case of if things aren't broke, don't fix them. With the drummer on the last album presumably being side-lined by Rush commitments, Fletcher has pulled in Roberto Porto whom he describes as "one of the greatest drummers in the world today, a musician who possesses virtuosic genius on another level". This high praise is backed up by excellent playing throughout the album. Finally, and a name familiar to most prog fans, is violinist Claire Lindley from Big Big Train who also performs on three tracks.

Let's take the three tracks that feature vocals first. Simulacrum would have fitted perfectly on the debut album by Hatfield And The North; if you are a fan of that particular Canterbury band then you absolutely need this track. That this is an intentional tribute can be ascertained from the title which, for non native English speakers, can be defined in this case as 'a representation of something'.

The Shadow Magician is frantic in the extreme! From the start it is a furious explosion of guitars, bass and drums taken at a tempo that breath taking. No wonder that after a few minutesPorto takes a while to get his breath back while Bonnett's synths create a more calming landscape and Karpova's vocalisations introduce a more middle Eastern vibe to proceedings. Fletcher spins off solos aplenty with immaculate ease building things up to another fast-paced section with a re-energised Porto re-introduced to the fix.

Then it is, as Rob Halford used to sing, hell-bent for leather until a resumption of a more calming section from about two to the end. Somewhat ironically the piece contains a Bonnett synth solo that resembles the sound of a violin. Perhaps Lindley was not available that day of recording! Although Shadow Walker is stated as featuring Karpova, her contributions are somewhat minimal to the extent that I couldn't hear her voice at all! This track also features Lindley whose violin reinforces and duplicates the guitar line in the refrain rather than providing a solo.

Lindley's other two appearances are on opening number As Above, So Below and A Curious Case Of Synchronicity and on these pieces she come into her own. The atmosphere and texture she creates at the start of the first track is rather misleading as once the guitars drums and bass start up she is obliterated from the mix. But not to be outdone she gets her own back with some frantic playing later in the piece. Much more aggressive, and one would say better, use of her skills than BBT have hitherto employed. A rather slower overall tempo is present on A Curious Case Of Synchronicity although Fletcher doesn't stint on providing blistering fretboard antics. This is another of those tracks that hints in the direction of Pat Metheney, albeit with the main melody being largely taken on by Lindley.

The Title track could almost be a continuation of Synchronicity as it has a similar feel to it with Bonnett providing her best Lyle Mays impression in the second half of the track. Things are rounded off with the lovely Song Of Innocence on which Fletcher demonstrates that playing with feeling is a talent that very few guitarists ever achieve to such a high level.

Fletcher's albums continue to improve, an achievement that is both remarkable and an absolute joy.

German García — Fever Dream

Calum Gibson

German García has come from Honduras to bring a symphony of power, death, technical and prog metal to the masses. With several releases through the years, they have given us a taste of their future with Fever Dream to warm the world up for album 3- Kintsugi , scheduled to land in February 2026.

A short and instrumental release, at only 15 minutes in length, Fever Dream starts of strong nonetheless. Utilising everything from blast beats, brutal chugs, symphonic keys and face melting fret wizardry, German García has crafted a wonderful slice of technical and symphonic death metal.

At times, the brutal nature of extreme bands like Gorod shines through, at other moments we get a taste of the more melodic side of things with some passages showing a similarity to the likes of Dream Theater or Seventh Wonder.

In the short run time, we are treated to an excellent showcase of their skills, with the only downside being perhaps the programmed drums. However, they don't detract from the overall sound, so it is only a minor thing.

A definite for fans of fun, intricate melodies, mixed with heavy guitars and drums.

Jethro Tull — Aqualung Live

Owen Davies

Is it essential? No. Is it interesting? Yes.

Jethro Tull's 1971 classic is well known and perhaps does not need any introduction. It contained some of Ian Andersons most edgy tunes such as, My God. It also featured a set of uniquely personal songs such as Cheap Day Return, Wond'ring Aloud and Wind Up and arguably several of Anderson's most inspired compositions including the title track and the whimsical Mother Goose. To make the whole concept and project even more impressive, these outstanding tunes were performed and delivered by a cohesive and accomplished group of musicians.

Spin forward to the date of Aqualung Live's recording and only Anderson and Martin Barre remain from the line-up that created the original. Nevertheless, the performance is still able to capture something of the essence of that release and this is due to no small part by the inherent quality of the tunes and the superb contribution of Anderson on the Flute and Barre on the guitar.

Aqualung Live was first released in 2005. It is a live studio performance recorded in 2004 as part of Sirius XM's Then Again Live series in front of forty guests at their studio in Washington DC.

The album also features Doane Perry on drums, Andrew Giddings on keys and Jonathan Noyce on bass. The newly released version has been remastered and the sound quality has been significantly enhanced.

Although many of the tunes have featured in Tull setlists over the years, Aqualung Live as the name implies, offers a rare opportunity to hear all the songs performed live and perhaps more importantly, in the well known sequence of the original recording. Whilst, the line-up featured on the live album might lack the fire and rhythmic pulse of some incarnations of the band, the performance is generally excellent.

Anderson's voice, although vastly inferior to his younger days, is still just about able to do the songs justice. Some however, may regard Anderson's delivery of the tunes to be one of the weaker features of the release. However, the album is of particular interest to Tull aficionados for two reasons. It contains versions of Mother Goose and Hymn 43 which are not officially available in any other release.

The interpretation of Mother Goose contains an extended instrumental break. It works well, featuring a folk inspired arrangement with flute, rhythmic accordion, and percussion. This part of the tune perfectly complements the vocal sections and shows what an inventive band Tull can be.

The arrangement of Hymn 43 is vastly different to the original. It is surprisingly, delivered as a tune with Irish jig influences. Whether this works or not is a matter for debate, but it is interesting and creative.

The live performance of My God is also interesting for Tull fans. It is one of a few officially released live renditions of this tune that tries to replicate the original version. There is for example no diversion into the pastiche of God rest ye merry gentlemen, which was often a staple of live performances of this piece. This makes this live interpretation of the tune more powerful and gives it a much better dynamic and better overall impact. In that respect, it is much closer to the original.

The live album also emphasises the significance of the acoustic songs. Cheap Day Return, Wond'ring Aloud and Slipstream. They offer a great contrast to rock-strewn, hard-hitting tunes such as, Crosseyed Mary and Locomotive Breath. This sequenced and intentional light and shade was essential in ensuring the original albums diversity and success. Their impact in a live setting is equally substantive.

I particularly enjoyed Wind Up. It is a tune that I have always appreciated and is a composition that has sadly been played on too few occasions over the years by Tull. The version on this album ticks all the right boxes and its closing verse is just the right way to conclude this album.

To conclude, is Aqualung live an essential release?
Is it interesting?
Is it enjoyable?

If you are a Tull fan the answer is probably yes to at least one of those questions. If you are not, then it is probably best to check out the original 1971 release.

After all, it is an important album, that has a special place in rock and prog history!

Christine Ott And Mathieu Gabry — Aran

Martin Burns

The Snowdrops duo of Christine Ott (piano, harp, theremin) and Mathieu Gabry (keyboards, BAB (Boîte à bourdons) Drone Box) have released the third album of film music that accompanies the work of the American documentarian Robert Flaherty whose most famous works were made in the 1920s and 1930s. The duo have previously created soundtracks for Nanook Of The North (directed by Flaherty) and Tabu (co-written by Flaherty). And now they have crated Aran, a new soundtrack to his film Man Of Aran (available on YouTube with the original soundtrack).

Ott and Gabry's Aran replaces the original soundtrack that featured an orchestral take on some Irish folk tunes. The film concentrates on the hard-scrabble subsistence lives of the Aran islanders, living off the west coast of the Irish mainland. Here they feel the full brunt of the North Atlantic sea. They survive by fishing in the main and growing food on the islands that have no soil by using harvested seaweed as a growing medium.

The music echoes this hard life. Creating from the start an Aran Theme on Ott's piano that reappears as the film progresses as a set of variations at one point. Gabry add other keyboards using synths and organ to create atmospheres that support the film's protagonists rather that doing what soundtracks sometime do and that is pointing loudly at what is important in the film. This soundtrack is far more subtle. Each track seagues into the next to make this an instrumental cycle of deep melancholic power. The meodies are rich and detailed deploying highlights of Theramin and percussive harp playing. The melodies swell and recede like the sea and the wind but are not descriptive or as programmatic as that sounds.

If you have a liking for film soundtracks, which I do, this is up there with thier contemporaries such as Max Richter (The Leftovers), Mica Levi (The Zone Of Interest) and Jóhann Jóhannsson (Arrival).

Ott and Gabry's Aran is a quietly powerful work of impressionistic romanticism, its emotions are delicate letting the images speak louder. It works as both a soundtrack and a stand-alone work.

Soniq Circus — Cursed Cruise

Jan Buddenberg

Some fifteen years ago, Swedish Soniq Circus embarked on a mission to present a "full-blown concept album about a gathering of people meeting by a card table at a cruise ship, and different events taking place from there". Docking in twice with the EPs Chapter 1: The Game Begins and Chapter 2 - The Accident, this concept is now completed in form of Cursed Cruise.

Featuring a line-up that comprises Christer Ugglin (drums), Marco Ledri (keys, guitar), Alexander Abrahamsson (vocals, сow bell), Marcus Enochsson (guitars, vocals, trumpets), and Markus Nilsson (bass), Cursed Cruise's final adventurous tale consists out of remixed versions of songs already presented on these EPs. Barring a few tracks, it does introduce four new compositions: an introduction plus three functioning as Chapter Three: In The End to conclude the story. All together, these songs offer a highly enjoyable and thoroughly adventurous musical experience that progs my boat.

Feeling somewhat challenged to keep it brief, as my DPRP colleagues in their EP reviews already assessed the lions share of music on offer, I do have to say that the level of personal satisfaction is instantly at work in the instrumental Unbegun, that leans towards heavy dynamic prog. Rich symphonic layers, epic structures, challengingly complex, and outstanding musicianship, with leading roles for piano, synths and guitar, this composition brings images of Jean Pierre Louveton's Nemo into view thanks to a delightful jazzy approach. It sets up the album perfectly for a seaworthy narrative that in Let The Game Begin suitably continues with impressions of bombastic Pallas story-telling (The Sentinel-era) and a large variety in changes of pace and atmosphere that recall SoundDiary and Dream Theater.

No longer divided into three parts, this venturesome composition shows occasional likeness to Threshold. The voice of Abrahamsson also reminds of The Grand Sheep. Thisis both a blessing and a little curse. Musically, this song has everything going for it. Yet Abrahamsson's monotonous vocal delivery does make it slightly less appealing. Rest assured, he never goes fully overboard. His expressive voice is sufficiently capable to convey feelings that suit the concept. But they do require some getting used to as did cause some initial distraction from the music.

Not so much in the tumultuous The I Of The Storm which delivers a powerful statement of prog metal in finest Dream Theater tradition. And neither in The Accident that has those delightfully distinctive A.C.T. and Moron Police twist and turns that are musically very enjoyable. But once the band moor in at Achilles Down, which offers classical doomy Savatage prog metal that now and then echoes Andromeda and Dreamscape, I did feel my attention span sink a little.

Musically there is no complaining whatsoever though, as is very clearly demonstrated by both the exciting In Mental Rust and the subsequent Cagnazzo. The latter showcasing complex trumpet lines in Lind/Panzerballett style. Together with expert melodic interpretations, this ultimately culminates in a jazzy environment with dissonant guitar and groovy playing. Also through the short symphonic respite of In The End, and the wonderful concluding finale of The Last Casualty that in the end drowns one melancholy. Meanwhile, Abrahamsson rises to the occasion and vocally comes beautifully into his own.

What's left to say is that some of the references made in previous reviews (e.g. Saga, Magnum, and King's X) didn't come to the surface for my ears. And the band's proclamation of playing "progressive rock with a touch of modern metal and symphonic rock from the 70s" could possibly do with an 80s upgrade. In the end though, the short conclusion is that Cursed Cruise is a solid effort that exhibits confident songwriting, tight performances, catchy hooks, melodies aplenty, and gulfs of gamely arrangements to sway listeners of symphonic heavy (neo)-prog potentially of their feet. Hold on to the railing and enjoy the cruise I'd say!