WICKED MINDS – FROM THE PURPLE SKY – 2004 (IT) vintage heavy progressive/stoner rock

In the early Nineties three young Italian musicians were playing trash metal and did a support act for MONSTER MAGNET. The famous band their psychedelic hardrock gig that evening inspired the guys, then it took a while until they released an album entitled “Return To Uranus”. In 2003 Wicked Minds finaly released their real debut CD “Crazy Technicolor Delirium Garden”. On 2004 the band joined the Italian Tendenze Festival and in 2005 Wicked Minds went to Belgium to do a gig at the known Spirit Of 66 Festival in Verviers. The Italian psych hardrock label Widow Records contracted Wicked Minds, they were joined by singer J.C. Cinel and in 2006 Wicked Minds released their second album Wichflower as a five piece band.
The sound on witchflower is sounds heavy and dynamic with obvious hints from URIAH HEEP along DEEP PURPLE, ATOMIC ROOSTER and HIGH TIDE. But Wicked Minds is more than just a derivative, they are good and experienced musicians who can write good and elaborate compositions, from dreamy and mellow with warm vocals, flute and acoustic guitar to harder-edged and bombastic with fiery, often biting and wah-wah drenched guitar and floods of Hammond organ. Also interesting is the pleasant integration of vintage keyboards like the Solina string-ensemble, Fender Rhodes piano, Minimoog synthesizer and even Mellotron. This adds an extra dimension to their sound and makes it worth listening for not only the hardrock and metal fans.

- Lucio Calegari / guitar, backing vocals
- Paolo "Apollo" Negri / keyboards
- Enrico Garilli / bass
- J.C. Cinel / lead vocals, guitar
- Andrea Concarotti / drums
1 From the Purple Skies 6:08
2 The Elephant Stone 6:33
3 Drifting 7:40
4 Across the Sunrise 8:53
5 Forever My Queen 2:56
6 Rising Above 7:03
7 Queen of Violet 6:19
8 Space Child 9:08
9 Gypsy 5:22
10 Return to Uranus 18:14

If your a fan of DEEP PURPLE or URIAH HEEP,or if you love floods of hammond organ,have i got a band for you.WICKED MINDS from Italy use the vintage instruments of the seventies,have an outstanding guitarist in Lucio Calegari,a singer who sings in english and sounds so much like the the late David Byron(former singer for URIAH HEEP).It took me a long time to track down this album,but was it ever worth it!The first track "From the Purple Skies" starts out spacey,but is soon dominated by the hammond organ,a guitar and organ solo follow.This sounds like it came right out of the seventies."Drifting" as the title suggests is dreamy with some wonderful flute."Across the Sunrise" begins with mellotron followed by drums and organ ,then a nice soaring extended guitar solo,that turns into a riff,joined by the drums.Vocals don't come in until after 4 minutes."Forever My Queen" is sung by the lead guitarist and is a heavy,SABBATH-like song."Rising Above" has a DOORS sound to the organ,a real 60's sound."Space Child" is dedicated to Lucio's two children.Almost sounds like a DEEP PURPLE song.Overall it's pretty mellow,soft vocals,lot's of flute."Gypsy" sounds like Jon Lord on the organ,Infectious beat to this one.The last song,the epic at over 18 minutes in length and the best song title i've seen in a long time is called "Return to Uranus".This song has lot's of time changes,some psychedelic guitar playing,as well as an awesome Gilmour-like guitar solo.Lot's of organ,flute,just a monster song from the purple skies!Highly recommended,if there was any doubt.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Rip from CD 256@ (full artwork included)
Download links
http://link-protector.com/262441/
http://link-protector.com/262442/