Studio Album, released in 2005
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Echo Absolute (1:45)
Werewolf Suite:
2. Cosmotraffic Jam (9:49)
3. Call me Alias (7:14)
4. Lycanthroparty (5:24)
5. Hum/Animal Song (2:51)
6. The Boy that Howls at the Moon (13:36)
7. The Mask (11:43)
8. The Transparent and the Obscure (9:57)
Total Time: 62:21
Line-up / Musicians
- Gigi Cavalli Cocchi / drums, percussions & chorus
- Enzo Cattini / keyboards
- Mirco Consolini / electric & acoustic guitars
- Ricardo Scavetti / bass guitars
- Bernardo Lanzetti (PFM) / lead vocals
Guest musicians:
- David Jackson (VdGG) / saxophone (6, 7)
- Andrea Frnili / guitar (2)
- Nicola Milazzo / guitar (3, 6, 7)
- Alessandra Rossi / chorus (8)
Lycanthrope is Mangala Vallis sophmore release and shows the band developing their own sound even more than on their already excellent debut. Not that they are dropping out all their 70's explicit references: in fact, right on the starting of this CD you will hear hints of Genesis Watcher Of The Skies-like mellotron, ELP's style Hammond organ and mini mogg riffs and, later on, some brief, but very familiar Steve Howe's guitar lines. But again this is less a case of copycats and more of a homage to their heroes. This disc is very much Mangala Vallis sound, even if soaked with that era influences. Nothing very original, I know, but I like it!
While their first album featured as much as 3 lead singers, for this one the band stuck solely with veteran vocalist Bernardo Lanzetti (ex PFM and Agua Fragile). Not too many prog fans seem to like his style. Ok, he still has some Peter Gabriel maneirisms on some (few) parts, but it must be reckoned that the guy developed a lot over the years and found his unique way of delivering the notes which, fortunatly is the majority here. There are some really touching moments when his passionate vocal lines are fantastic (just hear The mask). (Tarcisio Moura)
