01	Introduzione						07:50
	02	Porta dell'Inferno						01:20
	03	Caronte						01:18
	04	Spacciatore di droga						06:21
	05	Lussuriosi						03:14
	06	Avari						01:32
	07	Violenti						03:44
	08	Malebolge						01:31
	09	Sfruttatori						05:41
	10	Razzisti						03:25
	11	Lucifero (Politicanti)						02:32
	12	Conclusione						01:37

JIMMY SPITALERI: voce solista, flauto
ENRICO OLIVIERI: tastiere, sintetizzatore,voce
ROBERTO TURBITOSI: chitarra, basso, voce
GIANLUCA HERYGERS: batteria, percussioni
Testi e musiche di: Jimmy Spitaleri - Enrico Olivieri - Roberto Turbitosi


Metamorfosi Reviews

Bookmark: Translation of Inferno

Website: http://www.metamorfosi.net

From: Mark Fonda markfonda@setarnet.aw
Metamorfosi are great! They only put out two albums: E FU IL SESTO GIORNO and INFERNO (both in 1972) before splitting up. Inferno is by far the better of the two. Classic italian prog at its best with gobs of organ, piano, harpsichord, minimoog & mellotron, tight percussion and bass, with light vocals in Italian. They're like an Italian Triumvirat! Having said that, now that I do a little research... no wonder, they had a different lineup for Inferno which allowed keyboard player Enrico Olivieri to shine through. It is a concept album based on Dante's 'Divine Comedy'. I need to listen a little closer because it supposedly has rock versions of the American and Soviet national anthems. The first album was more of a highlight for their lead singer, Jimmy Spitaleri, who went on to record with a band called Thor. They broke up because Inferno did not have very good sales at the time, but it is now considered one of the great classic Italian prog masterpieces. I like Inferno better than anything I've heard from Banco or PFM. Highly recommended!

From: Jeff Marx karnevilj@mailexcite.com
I'll just wholeheartedly agree Mark--Italian Triumvirat indeed; far more dynamic than PFM, the moog work shows great imagination and chops. I've been starting in on Italian prog the last month or so and this album is my favorite. Too bad they were so short-lived a group--way recommended...

From: Luca
>Does anyone happen to know if Metamorfosi's Enrico Olivieri did anything after "Inferno?" Seems a real shame if he didn't.
Metamorfosi came back in 1998 with a new album called "Paradiso", the sequel of Inferno and they had a great concert in Rome this August. This one can help you (from the Metamorfosi fan club):
Dear Metamorfosi Friend, We are happy to inform you that Metamorfosi had a concert in Foro Italico of Rome last 2 August 98. We performed for the first time Paradiso from the Divine Comedy (our latest composition). It was a big success and the audience requested for an encore. For the encore we did a part of Inferno from "Selva Oscura" to "Spacciatori di Droga". On 16 September 98 (next week), we will perform in Testaccio Village Season together with Le Orme. We will play Paradiso again. We sincerely hope that you can come to see our performance. Otherwise, you will soon hear Paradiso on the CD which will be available within this year. Thank you for your attention. METAMORFOSI
to tell you the truth "Paradiso" is not yet available, but when it would be released I will let you know.I'm very impatient as you, I think. Ah, to subscribe to the Metamorfosi fan club you can go to their homepage: (see above) or just subscribe your personal details (name, address, zip code, country, telephone, e-mail) to : md6130@mclink.it. The last interesting thing, the Dear Metamorfosi friend... you read above was written by Enrico Olivieri himself...

From: Trianglemallet@aol.com
Metamorfosi ~ "Inferno" is another incredible example of what Italian 'prog' was capable of in the early 70's. Quietness blended among rampaging harpsichord, piano, demented synth work and organ. The vocals of Jimmy Spitaleri are a highlight.

From: "Michele D'Ambrosio"
I've personally met Gianni Leone and Jimmy Spitaleri (now we are good friends). The incredible is that Metamorfosi have just done the following of Inferno (trans: hell) named Paradiso (The Paradise): really wonderful !! Unfortunately isn't available at record's shop because there are some problem with producer

From: Luca
At 14.21 20/04/00 -0700, you wrote: >Luca wrote: >> >> As Metamorfosi's "Inferno" is my all time favourite italian prog album I >> would try to translate the lyrics from Italian to English so that anybody >> could understand what Spitaleri sing. My knowledge of English is not so >> excellent, but I hope someone can appreciate my effort. (Jeff Marx is one of >> this, isn't it?). I attached it as a Word file. >> >Yes, definitely in my Italiprog top three Luca, and I've always wanted a >translation, so I'd certainly appreciate and salute your efforts, but I >think you forgot to attach the file! :) BTW...where is Paradiso? I >thought it was supposed to come out last year? Have you heard it? > >Waiting in glorious anticipation,

I haven't any news for Paradiso, unfortunately.
As for the translation, I'm sure I attached the metamorfosi.doc file, but if there are some problems I put down it in this e-mail...

INFERNO - METAMORFOSI

Introduzione

Sulle rovine di antiche cittа
crescono fiori senza colore.
Alberi tristi tendono al cielo
rami corrosi dal tempo.

Introduction
On the ruins of ancient cities
flowers grow without color.
Sad trees stretch to the sky
coppers corroded from the time.

Porta dell'Inferno
Lasciate ogni speranza
O voi ch'entrate, anime dannate,
al caldo e al gelo soffrirete!
Hell's door
Left every hope
you that entered, damned spirits,
to the warmth and ices you will suffer!
Caronte
Caronte demonio, occhi di fuoco nel buio.
"? e non sperate mai di rivedere il cielo,
anime nere al fuoco eterno brucerete!"
Caronte demonio
Charon
Charon fire demon, eyes in the dark.
"... and never hoped see again the sky,
black spirits to the eternal fire will burn! "
Charon demon

Spacciatore di droga
Ora che imprechi per la rabbia ed il dolore
Tu, spacciatore di droga, piangerai.
Sei condannato alle tenebre piщ dure
E le illusioni che tu davi non avrai.
Occhi spenti nel vuoto stan cercando di te,
larve umane di un mondo privo d'ogni realtа.
Quante volte han sofferto per la tua aviditа,
ma non и col denaro che ora tu pagherai.
Drug dealer
Now that you swear for the anger and the pain
You, drug dealer, will cry.
You are condemned to the harder darknesses
and the illusions that you gave you will not have.
Eyes extinguished in empty are looking for you,
human larves of a world lacking of every truth.
How many times they had suffered for your greed,
but is not with the money that now you will pay

Lussuriosi
"Siamo dannati insieme,
soffriamo queste pene
e non ritorneremo indietro mai.
Amanti fummo in vita
del vizio e del piacere
e non ritorneremo indietro mai."
Siete dannati insieme,
soffrite queste pene
e non ritornerete indietro mai.
Perversi ed invertiti,
amanti proibiti
voi non ritornerete indietro mai!
Lussuriosi
" We are damned entirety,
we suffer these pains
and we will never come back.
Lovers we were while still alive
of the defect and of the pleasure
and we will not come back never. "
You are damned entirety,
you suffer these pains
and you will never come back.
Perverted and inverted,
forbidden lovers
you will never come back!

Avari
"Non ho mai pregato io
il denaro era il mio Dio
ed и qui che dovrт pagare."
Quante volte hai goduto nel vedere
la gente cadere, eri cieco e dovrai pagare.
Misers
" I have never prayed
the money was my God
and it's here that I will have to pay. "
How many times you have enjoyed in seeing
people to fall, you were blind and you will have to pay.

Violenti
Rosso scorre il sangue
tra i sentieri dove и fragile la vita.
Sole infuocato di un giorno d'agosto
quando sfumт la sua vita.
Cadde colpito da due canne mozze
perchй ti aveva tradito.
Col sasso in bocca egli fu ritrovato
dentro quel campo d'arance.
Dopo due giorni l'intero villaggio
seguм le ultime esequie.
Lenta una folla cammina
seguendo un altare di morte.
Piange una donna che sola и rimasta
a lottare in silenzio.
Nero и il velo sul volto
che copre due lacrime di dolore.
Violent
Red the blood
between the paths slides where the life is fragile.
Heated sun of an August day
when its life vanished.
It fell hit from two truncated canes
because he had betrayed you.
With the pebble in mouth it was found
on that field of oranges.
After two days the entire village
followed the last funeral.
Slow a crowd walks
following an altar of death.
A woman cries who single is remained
to fight in hush.
Black it is the veil on the face
that covers two tears of pain.
Malebolge
Grande mari di lamenti
di ombre smarrite nel buio
di una notte senza fine
dove si perde l'inganno.
Volti bianchi, sguardi assenti
occhi segnati dall'odio.
Malebolge, Malebolge,
nere prigioni del pianto.
Malebolge
Large seas of complaints
of shadows lost in the dark
of a night without end
where the deceit gets lost.
Faces white men, looks absent
eyes marked from hatred.
Malebolge, Malebolge,
black prisons of complaint.

Sfruttatori
Con la mani da padrone
hai sfruttato la mia gente.
Hai tagliato il loro grano
con la falce della legge.
Hai lasciato in pasto al mondo
donne, giovani creature,
vecchi con la morte dentro il cuore,
uomini dal sole ormai bruciati.
Con la mani da padrone
hai sfruttato la mia gente.
Ma in un lago di sudore
ora affondi lentamente.
Exploiters
With the hands of the master
you have taken advantage of my people.
You have cut their grain
with the scythe of the law.
You have left in meal the world
women, young people creatures,
old with the death inside the heart,
men from the sun by now burnt.
With the hands of master
you have taken advantage of my people.
But in a sweat lake
now you sinks slowly.

Razzisti
Hai disprezzato un uomo
per renderlo tuo schiavo.
Sui campi di cotone
piщ curva и la sua schiena.
Lavora uomo negro!
Suda! Piangi! Muori!
Uomini mascherati, setta di dannati
infissi a queste croci
adesso voi bruciate!
Racists
You have despised a man
to make him your slave.
On the cotton fields
more curve is its back.
Work black man!
Sweat! Cry! Die!
Masked men, schism of damned
fixtures to these crosses
now you burn!

Lucifero (Politicanti)
Immersi in questo mare,
voi gelerete in eterno,
"Signori presidenti"
con la vostra politica
avete tessuto ogni inganno
e tradito l'ideale dell'uomo.
Sul trono della morte
mostruoso imperatore
maciulli quei dannati
sfogando la tua rabbia.
E mi si gela il sangue
pensando al nostro Inferno.
Lucifero (Petty politicians)
Dipped in this sea,
you will freeze in eternal,
"Gentleman presidents "
with your politics
you have woven every deceit
and betrayed the ideal of the man.
On the throne of the death
monstrous emperor
you scutch those damned
venting your anger.
And the blood is frosted in myself
thinking next to ours Hell.

Conclusione
? e fu cosм che noi tornammo
a riveder le stelle.
Conclusion
and it was therefore that we returned
to see again the stars.
----------







Metamorfosi


Davide "Jimmy" Spitaleri: vocals, flute
Enrico Olivieri: keyboards
Roberto Turbitosi: bass
Mario Natali: drums
Luciano Tamburro: guitar

":E Fu Il Sesto Giorno" (1972) Vedette - VPA 8168 (CD: Vinyl Magic VM003, 1989)
"Inferno" (1972) Vedette - VPA 8162 (CD: Vinyl Magic VM002, 1989)

Metamorfosi was one of a few rock groups to come out of Sicily in the early seventies. They started off with some live appearances, such as the avant-garde festival in Rome's Foro Italico (1972), where the singer's fine voice was especially noticed. Still in 1972, the group recorded two LPs for Vedette, a few months apart. The first, ":E Fu Il Sesto Giorno", was basically a collection of songs showcasing Spitaleri's fine songwriting and musicianship talents. Very soon the group was reduced to a quartet; Natali and Tamburro replaced with keyboard player Gianluca Herygers from Congo. With this second line-up, Metamorfosi recorded "Inferno", one of the best LPs in the history of Italian rock. The album displays a great use of keyboards (with more than just a nod to ELP) and Spitaleri's vocals, as well as an excellent rhythm section. "Inferno" does not have any weak points on the lyrical side either. The overall theme of the album takes inspiration from Dante's "Divine Comedy". There is also a very personal interpretation, rock style, of both the American and Soviet national anthems. Unfortunately, this LP was hardly noticed; there's, in fact, more interest in this album now than there was 20 years ago! Subsequently, the group broke up. Nobody even knows as to whether or not Spitaleri and his former bandmates are aware that "Inferno" is nowadays considered to be one of the most requested recordings in Italy and Japan, as far as Italian progressive rock of the 1970s is concerned! Maybe a re-issue would sell more copies today than when the original first came out. After their break up, Spitaleri went to Los Angeles to get vocal training; then recorded two LPs, one of which under the pseudonym of Thor, and the second - under his own name.

Taken from "The Return of Italian Pop" by Paolo Barotto (Vinyl Magic VM201, 8016158220124)

Vinyl Magic/BTF web site: http://www.btf.it/




Metamorfosi - Inferno (1972)

Inferno is another one of my very favorite albums from Italy, and another gem in the rich crown of Italian prog. Think ELP mixed with powerful Italian operatic vocals like those of Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, but with a darker atmosphere than either. The music is heavily keyboard based, lacking guitars, and carried by the varied barrage of classic keys. Usual suspects like Hammond and Moog are of course present, and exceedingly prominent. The music is built around flashy and bombastic instrumental sections, which are offset by the vocal portions highlighted by the soaring bellow of Jimmy Spigalteri, who possesses an ominous, and awe-inspiring operatic tone that is quite simply exhilarating. The album has its ups and downs, and generally the downs are the rare instances wherein the band gets bogged down in overly ELP-ish mechanical bombast, but the ups... wow. There are moments on this album that simply defy explanation; hellish, beautiful passages that climax in thunderous passion with the overwhelming vocals. Granted, Franceso DiGiacomo may be the best Italian singer in prog, but Jimmy Spigalteri isn't far off. The melodies on here are absolutely spellbinding, exhuming blood and fire by way of searing Moog lines and savage Hammond riffs.

The album is a concept piece featuring short tracks all strung together to form a consistent whole, and I've read that the concept is loosely based on Dante's Inferno. Throughout the album, the music goes from dreary, doomy passages into tremendous upbeat, and rocking climaxes. Highlights include the "Carronte" bit that leads into the majestic "Spacciatore di Droga", which features an infectious vocal and keyboard theme. Also, the shuddering "Malebolge" passage has to be one of the most spectacular things I've ever heard, making for a moment of sheer prog ecstasy. The entire album is full of high points, adding up to an essential pickup for anyone beginning to explore the Italian prog scene. Indeed, novices would do particularly well to start with this album, especially if they like ELP. Inferno is catchy, energetic and easy to get into, yet has a brilliance of composition and passionate feel that surpasses anything ELP ever did, while retaining the bombast and energy of that group. Phenomenal. - Greg Northrup [2000]




Metamorfosi - Inferno

Released: 1973 / 1989
Label: Vedette / VM 2000
Cat. No.: VPA 8162 / CD 002
Total Time: 40:32


Reviewed by: Eric Porter, November 2003
Metamorfosi emphasizes the heavy use of keyboards, specifically organ and moog, to make their musical statement. Comparisons to ELP are understandable as the same approach is taken, total keyboard domination in the music. Strong dramatic vocals sung in Italian also put a stamp on the music. Inferno is made up of a number of short tracks (some clocking in at just over a minute) that connect the longer pieces together. The dry and dead sounding drums was a recording technique that must have been popular back then (as it is found on many recordings of that era) but I am not sure why.

The most impressive track is the opening "Introduzione" with some great church organ sounds, moog, and the bar room piano style that Emerson often used. Every so often you can hear some guitar, but its presence is rarely noticed. Some cheesy keyboard and sound effects may have you cracking up at times, but the keyboard playing is top notch. The softer section of "Caronte" about 3:25 in, with the organ, piano and flute, is one of my favorites on the record, and a nice break to the more frantic pace of the first few tracks, but it also contains the Star Trek phaser sound around 5:34 in, and again, it is hard not to laugh when hearing this. There is a horrible keyboard sound that is used in "Violenti" which thankfully is only in certain sections.

I cannot say that I was ever blown away by anything I have heard on this disc. You will find some excellent keyboard work throughout Inferno, but at times this is very dated sounding.

More about Inferno:

Track Listing: Introduzione (7:50) / Porta Dell'inferno (1:21) / Caronte (1:19) / Spacciatore Di Droga (6:22) / Lussuriosi (3:15) / Avari (1:33) / Violenti (3:45) / Malebolge (1:32) / Sfruttatori (5:42) / Razzisti (3:26) / Lucifero (2:32) / Conclusione (1:37)

Song readout does not match with titles on the back of the CD package

Musicians:
Jimmy Spitaleri - Vocals, Flute
Enrico Olivieri - keyboards
Roberto Turbitosi - Guitar, bass
Gianluca Herygers - drums

Contact:

Website: www.mclink.it/personal/MD6130/e-index.htm
Note: will open new browser window

Discography

E Fu Il Sesto Giorno (1972)
Inferno (1973)
Paradiso (2002)