Black Rills Records has done a fine job these last few years unearthing some rare progressive gems from the genre's heyday. This classic recording from Switzerland's own Rumple Stiltzken Comune, originally released in 1977, contains many classic sounds that characterized all that was prog in that decade.
During the standout opening track "Flipping", there is a decidedly Yes and Gentle Giant feel in the way the band lays down complex and bouncy instrumental flights. Keyboardist Claudio Zaniolo creates blazing solos and sumptuous soundscapes with his Mellotron, organ, electric piano, and Moog synthesizer, while guitarist Luciano Storari executes nimble melodies and lead runs. The epic title track has some awesome unison lines from the whole band as a main melody, and the result is quite thrilling. Bassist Umbro Barbarosa even gets into the act here, with some muscular lead bass lines on his Rickenbacker. "To Be or Not To Be" contains an opening of atmospheric keyboards and vocals similar to Eloy, before ripping into complex blasts of progressive rock mayhem. The final song, "The Closed Boy" is a theatrical, ten minute gem, close in style to the great French bands like Ange and Mona Lisa, featuring some over the top vocals while the band twists and turns to a great climax.
Alongside other great releases from Lizard and Kedama, Black Rills has found a real winner here. I'm sure in the near future this label will surprise us with even more prog from the vaults, so till then we wait.
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