Lethe - Nymphae (1993)

The one and only album from this Italian band.

Lethe was a quintet on this album with a lineup of flutes, synths, bass, guitars, percussion, drums and Italian vocals.

This band should not be confused with the Dutch band of the same name. That band sounded like Camel. Our Italian friends does not.

Lethe is pretty much a middle of the road Rock Progressive Italian (RPI) band. The flutes adds a Jethro Tull and numerous 1970s Italian bands associations. Flutes is a much used instrument in Italian progressive rock.

There is also a lot of ELP associations here. But most of all, there is a lot of Banco and PFM associations here.

The music on Nymphae is both lush, epic and very melodic. The electric guitars are sometimes a bit jarring. They are also very low in the mix. But they are OK. The flutes, vocals and the synths is the main instruments.

Fifty minutes and five songs is what we get here. The longest song are clocking in at seventeen minutes. Mostly all songs are long, epic and complex.

The end result is an album where mostly everything works. There are a couple great melody lines here too. Melody lines in the PFM school. There are also stuff here who does not work.

The end result is a good album who should be lapped up by everyone into RPI.

3 points