Ancient Veil

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Nov 18 15:55:57 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залиты диски Ancient_Veil:
(1995)AncientVeil
(2017)I_AmChanging

Обалденная итальянская прог-фолк-группа!
Два диска за 22 года, но каких! Куча флейт, сакс, кларнет, гобой, скрипка, виола итд итп. Красивый мужской и женский вокал.
СОВЕРШЕННО не похоже на Грифон - свой собственный взгляд на фолк и на барокко-рок, несмотря на схожесть инструментов. Больше похоже на Camelias Garden - общим духом.
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!!!

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(c) Ancient Veil biography, PA

Founders Alessandro Serri and Edmondo Romano created this band in 1995 after terminating their band ERIS PLUVIA. This is music with clear folk, jazz and classical roots. The sound is very fluffy, natural and mainly acoustic with lots of flutes and saxophones. Very much similar to ERIS PLUVIA. Nothing more nor less, quite boring actually but for sure very delicate and beautiful.

The band remains in RPI but is likely equally suited to the prog-folk sections, of interest to fans of prog-folk, neo-prog, and RPI.
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Ancient Veil
(c) Review by Mellotron Storm, PA

TНE ANCIENT VEIL arose out of the ashes of ERIS PLUVIA. Similar style as that band without a doubt and with pretty much the same array of instruments although I did feel this album i'm reviewing has a Celtic and Jazz flavour at times that the former didn't. Neither album is really in the style that I like. Both are very pastoral with reserved English vocals.

"Ancient Veil" is pleasant sounding with flutes, viola and acoustic guitar. Sax and percussion lead 3 1/2 minutes in. A calm a minute later with vocals to follow. Flute is back later. "Flying" has a Celtic flavour and it picks up a minute in. This almost sounds like a jig at times. Not my style. Vocals late. There's also a string quartet and aboe on this one. "Feast Of The Puppets" has flute, drums and bass leading. "Creatures Of The Lake" features vocals, flute, percussion and acoustic guitar. "Gleam" is a brighter tune with lots of acoustic guitar and flute. "Walking Around" has these male and female operatic vocals. That sound you here is me running like hell.

"The Dance Of Elves" is a short tune that opens with flute followed by violin. "You'll Become Rain Pt.II" is another short piece, this one has the string quartet on it. "Can You Feel Me ?" features those reserved vocals and a catchy beat. Flute too. Some nice prominant bass after 3 minutes. "Dance Around My Slow Time" has some light programmed drums on it with piano, acoustic guitar and vocals. Aboe and sax later. "Night Thoughts" is pastoral early but it does get fuller. Viola 4 minutes in and sax later. Trumpet on this one as well. "Landscape And Two" features these solemn Bolivian flutes. "New" has vocals, aboe, classical guitar and cello. "Talking Frame" opens with reserved vocals in a pastoral setting. Piano, flute and light drums come in and lead. Sax and bass a minute in then the tempo picks up but it continues to shift throughout. Very jazzy sax 3 minutes in. Vocals are back with flute as the song continues to play out.
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I Am Changing
(c) Review by kenethlevine

While it's been 22 years since Edmondo Romano and Alessandro Serri released the first ANCIENT VEIL album, they have been somewhat active in the interim, particularly Romano who has played on all three releases by NARROW PASS. Serri handled vocals on that group's latest "A New Day". With their earlier group ERIS PLUVIA having issued a couple of their own creations in the interim, it's only fitting that ANCIENT VEIL return, and, with the assistance of associates from all of the above, "I am Changing" is the result.

Those familiar with the light chamber prog of their 1995 album will feel at home here. Reserved and controlled English vocals; delicate string woodwind, and brass arrangements; wind accompaniment, and nimbly plucked acoustic guitar remain the cornerstones here. A few more aggressive junctures are negotiated by electric guitar, particularly on the instrumentals "Bright Autumn Dawn", which appears as a mashup of ideas conceived over a couple of decades, and the more integrated "Fading Light". Serri's lead guitar style bears comparisons to Dave Gilmour and Andy Latimer, particularly in passages reminiscent of the quieter moments of "Dust and Dreams".

Ultimately, the production is vocal oriented, and its strength must be measured by the quality of the songs, which, while graceful and elegant, are somewhat precious and precise, lacking the warmth and emotion of earlier releases which the members have enriched. The lyrical themes don't seem especially adventurous and hardly match the pledge of the magnificent cover. My favourite is "Chime of the Times", thanks to the welcome vocal of long time associate Valeria Caucino and, about halfway through, a return of a recycled theme from the first album, offering one of the only passages that is the symphonic equal of early ERIS PLUVIA. "A Mountain of Dust" approaches this level thanks to more spirited singing and instrumental passages including recorders and pipes.

While i do think that this is probably the weakest release yet by any ERIS PLUVIA/NARROW PASS related band, and of limited interest to most fans of prog and rock in general, it does reflects the duo's admirable skill and dedication to craft, stalwart musical ideals in the face of so much change.
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Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido