Finisterre - "Storybook" (2001)

"Please welcome Finisterre from Italy"
This is a live recording, 8 tracks taken from ProgDay Festival -97. I had not heard FINISTERRE before, I have heard very few new bands form Italy. This was one of the first bands to introduce me to the new progscene. I did not know what to excpect, would they sound like P.F.M or like something of YES' or King Crimsons newer albums?

"In Limine", an instrumental piece opens the album, it directly got my attention. Lovley melodies, fast and with flute and great interplay. Truly great musicianship displayed here. "Orizzonte Degli Eventi" is another great track, the acoustic guitar and flute together with some warm singing builds up the atmosphere. Im glad to hear that these instruments gets so much space instead of syntheseizers and distorted guitars. The countermelodies and timechanges in this 15-minute song are very nice and the mood changes all the time, keping the listener very awake.
"Hispanica" has some catchy melodies and the (acoustic) guitar and flute sounds as good as ever, the keyboards evokes a great mood. As the title might imply, this track has got a certain spanish feeling to it. And the guitarist whips out some very tasty riffs and chords.
"Altoloma" is a P.F.M-cover, unfortunately I haven't heard the original so I cant say anything about similarities or differences or so. The keyboardist delievers some fine solos and the band jams real fine and seems to be in their abosolute prime.

"Macinaaqua, Macinaluna" opens with a tight drumintro and gets into a hard groove. The sound is amazing, this heavier sound shows that the band for sure have many musical faces, lots of potential. Very dramatic and another great track here.
"Asia" is a fast instrumental track, as usual here is lots of very impressing playing and melodies. Especially the guitarist shines here.
The band is has a really tight sound, the themes never gets too repeated or boring, the track evolves and rushes on all the time.
"Phaedra" has some King Crimson and Genesis -hints are thrown in here and there also. A bandpresentation is included here. Its a long and great jam.
"Canto Antico" is long and complex, not all instrumental, filled with great themes and ideas. Well balanced between harder, more aggressive parts and calmer ones.

This live recording has excellent sound, truly great musicianship from one of the most interesting new bands from today's progscene. A good introduction to Finisterre and this live CD will make you wish you had all their studioalbums---

Finisterre Website