PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI – CHOCOLATE KINGS – 1975 (IT) progressive rock

This is a real PFM masterpiece, not less the early band efforts like "Storia di un minuto". The new singer Bernardo Lanzetti exalts the strong English lyrics, extremely critics about American system, and is a value added to the great qualities of the Italian band. Mauro Pagani violin and flute, Mussida guitars and the excellent rytmhical section (Djivas and Di Cioccio) make a great work on every song, but especially on the opener "From under", and the power title-track. On "Harlequin" you can appreciate a progressive growing, full of finenesse and instrumental breaks, while Bernardo Lanzetti ductile voice stands out again.

Franz Di Cioccio - drums, percussion, vocals
Jan Patrick Djivas - bass, vocals
Franco Mussida - guitars, lead vocals
Mauro Pagani - Woodwind, violin, vocals
Flavio Premoli - keyboards, lead vocals
Bernardo Lanzetti - lead vocals
1 From Under 7:34
2 Harlequin 7:53
3 Chocolate Kings 4:43
4 Out of the Roundabout 7:55
5 Paper Charms 8:32

Compared to the previous outstanding albums "Photos of ghost" and "World became the world", this record is a bit less good: the PFM'S peak is passed, but it still remains a very good album: it is very complex, loaded and it contains intense passages. The band changed the singer here: the new singer's voice is more nervous & brutal, and it may sound irritating for many people including myself. The bass is absolutely complex, fast and impossible to play. The drums are very elaborated and never dull. There is always an aggressive & distorted organ that seems saturated, giving some power to the ensemble. The violins are well played. The technical performance is absolutely outstanding. Sometimes I find the keyboards a bit too gross, lacking some refinement. Unfortunately, I think there are also less subtle mellow parts here than on the previous albums.

Highly recommended!
Rip from CD 256@ (full artwork included)
Download link
http://link-protector.com/324534/