Area - "Crac!" (1974)

A fascinating band. This is the only album I have heard by AREA but I really would like to hear some more. Area was one of the more wellknown italian bands from the 70's that helped to define and create that fantastic progressive scene.
How shall I describe their special style? The first track, "L'elefante Bianco" is a dazzling performance. It is rapidly speeded rock that has influences from various styles, such as jazz, fusion and a mediterrainian feeling to it. I think of everything from bands like Soft Machines early 70's albums to Zappa and other similar musical outfits. But of course this is highly original, and the singer is remarkable and steals the show a lot with his over-the-top 'vocal performances'.
"La Mela di Odessa" has a great beat in there and 'grooves' all the way through with its jazzy and hard hitting progressive fusionrock. "Mealopoli" is another stunner. The singer, Demetrio, adds his awesome wordless vocals here and there, and of course the rest of the band - almost sound like and italian version of Mahavishnu Orchestra with their blinding fast techniques and musical interplay.

I must honestly confess that I am not the greatest fan of bands like M.O and other fusion rockbands in similar vein, but I nevertheless get deeply inspired and ikmpressed by these songs and comeplex rhytmic patterns, the melodies. Yes "Megalopoli" is just one of many jewels in here.
The opening minutes of "Nervi Scoperti" again shows this band at a peak, but sometimes I get slightly bored of these constant attacks with rhytms and fusion rock. It is as I have mentioned, not my first choice of progressive rockstyle. "Gioia e Rivoluzione" shows more of Demetrios' unique vocals. It is a really good tune, the worst M.O-tendencies has been left over in favour of a slightly more accesible melodic style. Yes, we needed this track to at least get a chance to catch our breath after the former sheer fusion attacks. Extremly cathcy and with good melodies, "Gioia e Rivoluzione" is another winner. Well, "Implosion" sets back the fast fusion rock-tone again.
I have to be in a very special mood to cope with these kind of tracks, when they appeal to me - they are complex and aggressive masterpieces of origressive jazzrock, but also as often I get really bored with these kind of instrumental adventures. "Area 5" is a short freaked-out track that ends this classic in italian 70's rock.