"Anthology". The collection covers the band's period of activity from 1997 to 2016. The beautiful cover was signed by the Brazilian artist Elton Fernandes, while all the graphics were done by Maurizio Galia. Speaking of the disc we start with Ziqqurat which introduces an intense and light prog-pop with oriental atmospheres at the same time where it seems to caress a kind of pleasant Berber rock. There are no typical sounds of the blue tribe, but the atmosphere conveys the idea even if the voice then introduces a "Footprints" style atmosphere of the early days. With Yokohama Via Satellite, the voice and the keyboards are the real mantra of the piece that rises to a velvety and sweet atmosphere; it could be said that there is a certain assonance with a style that hovers in pop atmospheres, but in reality what we are presented here is an Italian rock in the style of early seventies productions, unforgotten rock and, perhaps, a little nostalgic. Continuing in listening comes Altre Tempi, almost a tune that reveals a jazz-rock air of what the PFM would have used in certain works of the late seventies period while, with the next one, Murat Begins, we are towards a more orchestrated prog where, as happens from the beginning in this work, the voice, the keyboards and the guitar are in the end the real protagonists. Immediately, however, the regime changes and with Apollo, Minerva and L'Etrusco ... in fact it is the bass here that dictates the rhythm, then the voice of Maurizio Galia, who is the master together with the keyboards, give life to a rhythm sustained by a constant beat percussive which then gives free rein to the rest of the band with guitar and bass recording in unison. The Gates of Avernus, have that I don't know what of "trip-piano" that refer a little to the Charon that we all know well even if, the evolution of a rock devoted to symphony, makes us think that Aquel are there, between pop, rock and symphonic a band that could still do a lot. With Lei e Venezia, a song contained only in the digital version and not on vinyl, the piano becomes the real protagonist where other keyboards immediately lean on, intertwining with an exciting guitar, support the voices that rise to the status of the protagonist of a story where, in the end , once again guitar and keyboards are the masters. And while Part-Time almost seems like a soundtrack, the arrival of the voice and the winds gives a certain sense of swing that doesn't hurt an album that, finally, printed on vinyl has a completely different flavor. It is clear that being an anthology, Aquael, is a record that is worth having ... ... if only to rediscover, once in a while, the taste of a rock that plays at rock and is also contaminated with the flavor progressive, jazz and swing so infrequent these days.
