01	Intro						02:17
	02	(We Want) A Peaceful Village						03:43
	03	Kankweezler						04:57
	04	Stimmung						03:20
	05	Sonnermensch						04:42
	06	Moon In Cancer						05:34
	07	Dark Satanic Mill						04:36
	08	In My Time Of Dying						08:01
	09	Yellow Cave Woman						03:47
	10	I Won't Start Another Song						09:09

Daniele Caputo - drums, voice
Davide Nikolini - guitar
Michele Profeti - organ, piano, moog, mellotron
Stefano Gabbani - bass

Recorded at Audience Studios except tracks 6, 7, 8 live at Folkopran, Stockholm and tracks 9, 10 live radio broadcast.
Mixed by Andrea Benassi and Davide Nikolini

Very much Hammond based music, with a big slab of Mellotrons, harpsichord and Moog synths. The bass guitar takes on the role of the electric guitar. Add to that a singing drummer and youґve got Italian Standarte. Not so much a symphonic prog band as a true retro band. Incredibly "authentic" early 70ґs sound that could fool anybody who didnґt know they were a 90ґs band. And itґs not just the sound, itґs the way they play that all contributes to the genuine retro feel of the records. All records consists of basically the same kind of music: hard rock, a little psychedelia, with a hint of kitschy rock opera/art rock approach to the songs. Long songs with many parts and subtitles, and on the first album youґve even got spoken narration to link it all together. The lyrics leave a little to be desired; a lot of repetition and crummy english, but in a way you forgive them because they're so damn cool. Really groovy riffs and distorted organ solos, plus suprisingly catchy melodies.
Stimmung is half live, half studio. The live parts were partly recorded at the progressive rock festival in Stockholm 1997 (I was there, and I fell in love on first sight). All warmly recommended, and it doesnґt matter what record you buy; the songs differ a little, but the sound and the style stays the same. -- Daniel

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Standarte - Stimmung

Released: 1999
Label: Black Widow Records
Cat. No.: BWRCD 028-2 Total Time: 48:31


Review courtesy John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, February 2000
Whilst the band's debut had both feet firmly in the Atomic Rooster soil, the follow up album Curses And Invocations was not really what we expected. On this, their third album, the Italian Standarte finally takes us back on board the same ship, filled with grungy guitars, Mellotron, and a sea of Hammond. In fact it turned out to be a strange kind of an album because half of this album consists of new studio tracks, whilst the second half contains some live recordings. Three of these latter recordings were recorded in Stockholm, whilst the final two (one of which is the cover "Yellow Cave Woman" and the other the close to "old" Pink Floyd sounding "Won't Start Another Song") stem from a radio show.

Although they are a young band, it's as if you are constantly listening to a band from the seventies, because even from a production point of view, they try to produce a sound that sounds as if it's "vintage 70's." Although keyboard player Michele Profeti loves us to compare his work with that of the late Vincent Crane, I do hear a fair amount of Jon Lord throughout his style. Songs like "Moon In Cancer," "Dark Satanic Mill," and "In My Time of Dying" sound very "hypnotizing" through your speakers by means of reverb, Lesley, and phasing. Lovers of pure underground sounds with fierce guitars (during "Sonnermensch" I can clearly hear Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love"), swirling organ sounds, and psychedelic interventions will certainly enjoy this shiny disc.

More about Stimmung:

Track Listing: Intro (2:17) / (We Want) A Peacefull Village (3:43) / Kankweezler (4:57) / Stimmung (3:20) / Sonnermensch (4:42) / Moon In Cancer (5:34) / Dark Satanic Mill (4:36) / In My Time Of Dying (8:26) / Yellow Cave Woman (3:48) / I Won't Start Another Song (9:08)

Musicians:
Daniele Caputo - drums, vocals
Davide Nicolini - guitar
Michele Profeti - organ, piano, moog, mellotron
Stefano Gabbani - bass

Contact:


Website: space.tin.it/musica/dnicoli
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Discography

Standarte (1995)
Curses And Invocations (1996)
Stimmung (1998)