Review: Höstsonaten – The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner: Chapter One (2012)

Artist: Höstsonaten
Album: The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner: Chapter One
Year: 2012
Label: BTF

Review: Diego Camargo

Rate: 

Thoughts: Fabio Zuffanti is one of the most hard working musicians in our times. He have a dozen projects like Finisterre, Aries, La Maschera Di Cera, LaZona, Merlin, Quadraphonic, Rohmer, R.U.G.H.E., Zaal, Höstsonaten itself and his solo career and every year he pulled out of his hat one or two albums.

Like his 4 albums suite that was based on seasons: Springsong (2001), Winterthrough (2008), Autumnsymphony (2009) and Summereve (2011).

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: Chapter One (2012) comes from a long love that Fabio Zuffanti have for the English writer Samuel Taylor Coleridge and his poem ‘The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner’, published in 1798.

Fabio Zuffanti already worked on the poem on others Höstsonaten albums, Höstsonaten (1996) and Mirrorgames (1998). But this time he decided to give full treatment to the poem in 2 albums, the Part 2 will be released in early 2013.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: Chapter One (2012) delivers great Symphonic/Acoustic Progressive Rock with a hint of heavy Hard Rock kinda parts and lots of great synths. He worked with lots of musicians in the album to deliver some epic feel, thing that the poem needed. And he achieved. It’s Progressive Rock in the vein of the old Italian Bands with a touch of the new era and great vocals by a bunch of nice guests, one different in each track.

And all the great music comes beautifully packed in a very sweet Gatefold LP alike package. BTF (the label) worked hard and did a very good job.

Buy it: