Spettri - Spettri ( 1972 )

SPETTRI was a five-piece band from Florence, formed by brothers Ugo and Raffaele Ponticiello in 1964. They had a fairly long career and released several singles during the height of the Italian beat era although their sound gradually evolved and by the turn of the decade they had turned to performing covers of songs by contemporary heavy rock groups from the UK and USA. The band also underwent a number of personnel changes during the intervening years and among the musicians who came and went was drummer Mauro Sarti of CAMPO DI MARTE fame. The youngest member of the Ponticiello clan, Vincenzo, joined in 1971 thus making the venture a real family affair.

Between 1970-71 the band had also written enough original material for a full-length album that was later recorded in a single session on 13 October 1972, with a sound that is rather primitive and badly produced. However, the album never saw the light of day until 2011 when Black Widow Records released a re-mastered version of the self-titled work almost on the eve of its 40th anniversary. It's a concept album that portrays one man's search for his inner self by means of a séance, although it's also an allegory on the selfishness and hypocrisy of modern society and the erosion of humanity. The protagonist's journey to the abyss is aptly accompanied by a dark atmosphere of heavy guitar riffs and Hammond organ that together sounds like a collision of BLACK SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE.

SPETTRI had a good live activity but eventually disbanded in 1975; according to the album's liner notes the various band members followed different musical paths due to ''growing public indifference to refined music'' around that time. Describing SPETTRI as ''refined'' might strain the listener's credulity somewhat as the main appeal of this band seems to be characterised by its very defects, its rawness and its sheer exuberance.

- seventhsojourn
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 Hard and heavy Hammond hour

Spettri began in the mid 1960s as another band of the Italian beat and went through several line-up changes before arriving at their new and heavy sound around 1970. The band members were strongly influenced by heavy period bands like Sabbath, Purple, and Colisseum. They composed this album and it became the staple of their live show. It was recorded in 1972 but never released until Black Widow reissued it this year. It's a concept album with four long parts about a man dealing with spiritual problems and his search for answers. Unlike many RPI bands all around Spettri at the time they were not pursuing much of the Italian song tradition, serious avant-garde or classical music influences. Rather, Spettri is going for the English hard rock/heavy prog neighborhood of their heroes and I would say the sound is well described as Purple-ish with a shot of Sabbath. Tons of Blackmore vibed guitar leads and a heavy dose of organ behind spirited and theatrical vocal performance. Here and there are bits of acoustic guitar interlude for some contrast but this is mostly about the heavy, with oodles of riffs and ominous atmospheres. ....../......    (more at Progarchives.com)
Review by Finnforest


Studio Album, released in 2011

Songs / Tracks Listing


1. Introduzione (0:55)
2. Prima Parte: Stare Solo (5:32)
3. Seconda Parte: Medium (9:55)
4. Terza Parte: Essere (12:03)
5. Quarta Parte: Incubo (11:00)

Total Time 39:25


Line-up / Musicians


- Ugo Ponticiello / vocals
- Rafaelle Ponticiello / electric and acoustic guitars
- Vincenzo Ponticiello / bass
- Stefano Melani / Hammond organ
- Giorgio Di Ruvo / drums

Releases information

Originally recorded in 1972. Remastered and released for the first time in 2011 by Black Widow Records.

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