Barock Project - VIVO

Now if you like the cross between Progressive Metal, Symphonic Music, intense time changes, and the sounds of ELP, please step inside for the music of Italian’s own Barock Project. Since their formation in the mid 2000’s and launched by founder keyboardist, Luca Zabbini in which he shows his admiration of the sound of the late great Keith Emerson, shows he take the essence between Jazz, Rock, and Classical. And for me, being introduced this year to the band’s music, I have to say that they know their Prog very well.

They have released four albums from 2007 to 2015. One of them including Skyline in which they worked with cover designer Paul Whitehead who did the album covers for the Peter Gabriel-era of Genesis (Nursery Cryme, Trespass, and Foxtrot), Peter Hammill (Fool’s Mate and Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night) and Van Der Graaf Generator’s Pawn Hearts and H to He Who Am the Only One to name a few. And guest vocalist Vittorio De Scalzi of New Trolls.

This 2-CD set is their live album released this year entitled, VIVO was recorded last year at the time they were promoting the Skyline album and you can imagine as you close your eyes and imagine yourself being at the concert and seeing in awe of the five-piece band giving the audience all they’ve got. I’ll admit after each of the songs, I can hear at times some dry applause and cheers, I just wish there was more and more applause to show support for them.

But I’ll leave that little criticism some other time. There are some amazing moments on here that shows the power Barock Project brought. Overture is channeling the dynamic structures of Symphonic Metallic concerto’s while Ombelli himself is delving into an ecstatic mode on the drums. Here, they are honoring ELP, The Nice, Rick Wakeman, Queen, and Premiata Forneria Marconi. Not only that, but honoring the legacy of the late great Keith Emerson.

Los Endos is a vitalizing take of the Trick of the Tail-era of Genesis while Mazzuccolo reminisces the styles of Luca Turilli on both Gold and Fool’s Epilogue. But it’s the dynamics of Duellum that will set course for an adventurous ride. It is a bound and determined composition with impelling rhythm as both Zabbini and Pancaldi duel together between keyboards and vocals in the styles of the early sounds of Uriah Heep’s Easy Livin’.

If this is your first time delving into the music of Barock Project, then be prepared for some powerful music that connects both Metal, Pop, Jazz, Classical, and Baroque into a full circle. VIVO could be your introduction to the band’s music and know how much this is something that will take you to higher ground and again to quote the great Stan “The Man” Lee, “Nuff Said!”