La Fabbrica Dell'Assoluto - 1984: L'Ultimo Uomo D'Europa

Black Widow Records along with labels including MoonJune, Cuneiform, Rune Grammofon, Rise Above Records, and Esoteric, are some of the record labels I’ve championed. And one of the up-and-coming bands that have taken me by surprise is a group that are carrying the sounds of the Rock Progressivo Italiano sound from Rome called La Fabbrica Dell’Assoluto. Launched back in 2013, their sound expresses the essence of the Progressive genre and they take it with the band member’s inspirations in the roots of their influences.

That and their debut album, 1984: L’Ultimo Uomo D’Europa, is inspired by George Orwell’s dystopian classic and bring the sinister, ominous, and haunting brilliance to his vision and make it the world of hell into amazing results. The band considers; Claudio Cassio on Lead Vocals, Marco Piloni on Bass Guitar, Michele Ricciardi on Drums and Percussion, Daniele Fuligini on Keyboards, and Daniele Sopranzi on Guitar.

Along with bands who are following the RPI sound with La Cosceizna Di Zeno, Not a Good Sign, Unreal City, and il Bacio Della Medusa, La Fabbrica Dell’Assoulto captures not just the genre, but who along with the four groups I’ve mentioned, to carry the torch and not let the fire go out, but to make sure it keeps burning brightly. I can hear the sounds of Murple, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Museo Rosenbach and the Nursery Cryme-era of Genesis.

And that is not fluking around, they are knowing what they are doing. Fuligini for example, he examines the essence of Keith Emerson, Tony Banks, and Vittorio Nocenzi which is evidential on Lo Sguardo Nel Quadro. And his organ is on fire when he plays to create the dramatic tempos followed by the stop-and-go moments between Sopranzi’s guitar, Marco’s Bass, and Michele’s drumming and he’s almost as if he is the conductor to tell them where he wants the members to delve into.

It’s also classical with a symphonic attitude while the ambient/atmospheric futuristic view of a wasteland turned into a theatrical beauty, shows the evidence on La Ballata dei Prolet. Claudio can really sing very well as he sends shivers down on my spine before going into the Deep Purple MKII-era and I Giganti’s Terra in Bocca route seguing to L’Occhio Del Teleschermo as Sopranzi channels the sounds of Ritchie Blackmore and Steve Hackett.

Claudio’s vocals is very much into the realms of an essence of the Edgar Allen Poe technique and a dosage of Peter Hammill and il Balletto Di Bronzo's Gianni Leone that he brings forth the theatrical side to him. And it’s a knock-out when he sings. But it’s the 12-minute suite, Processo Di Omologazione, is where they go into the Prog Doom Metal approach. 

With blaring duel intensity between Fuligini and Sopranzi, they really go in the sounds of the improvisations as if who can come up with the best leads with the stop-and-go momentum.

Fuligini shines through his keyboards as he goes through the Moog, Hammond Organ, and the Mellotron to bring the drama and intensity on what is happening to Winston Smith, the character from 1984. And it’s a disturbing momentum with the jazzier midsection in an ominous tone thanks to the laid-back drumming by Michele Riccardi and the Gilmour-sque guitar sounds of the Floyd by Daniele Sopranzi.

I have listened to 1984: L’Ultimo Uomo D’Europa, about ten times now. And I just can’t get enough of it. I hope La Fabbrica Dell’Assoluto does more in the near future to surprise me more. And they nailed it perfectly with their debut. Black Widow Records have scored a home run for me on this. If George Orwell was alive right now, he would appreciate this big time.