01	Ansia						04:16
	02	Confessione						06:32
	03	Una Strana Regina						06:11
	04	Il Nevare						04:36
	05	L'Amico Suicida						13:20
	06	Confessione (strumentale)						03:31
	07	Il Tempo della Semina						10:10
	08	Mente Sola						03:02
	09	Vivi Lotta Pensa						03:18
	10	Larte Sublime Di Un Giusto Regnare						03:17
	11	Solo Ma Vivo						06:32
	12	La Canzone Del Padre						09:36

Biglietto Per L'Inferno - Biglietto Per L'Inferno (1974)

This is another excellent Italian album from the 70s, but one with a definite hard rock touch, putting it in the upper echelon of Italian heavy progressive. This album is infamous for being obstructed by poor sound quality, and I definitely agree. However, it's no worse than on other acclaimed albums like Osanna's Palepoli for instance. Botched production is definitely one of my pet peeves, but I still managed to really enjoyed this album.

The second song on this album, the magnificent "Confessioni", is the most overtly hard rock track here, and is utterly amazing. The song rails behind a heavy-ass guitar riff and venomous vocals during the verses, and then blazing into a furious instrumental workout with cascading flutes and engaging keyboard work. The 15-minute marathon, "L'Amico Suicida" is another highlight, incredibly complex but catchy nonetheless. For the most part, the rest of the album varies between energetic heavy sections and soft, tasteful melodic portions. All the music is of the highest quality, and Claudio Canali's vocals are one of the few items that really end up shining in the mix. This album would really kick ass with a good remastering job. Sometimes it sounds acceptable, and then it will randomly all go to shit. The worst aspect is probably the drums, which sound like they were recorded in a huge dumpster. Nevertheless, I find this to be an extremely solid addition to an Italian progressive rock collection. There is certainly a bit of a Jethro Tull influence (due to the flute mostly), as well as a pleasing hard rock edge, while still remaining squarely in the realm of heavy Italian prog. Very good. - Greg Northrup [January 2001]

1. Ansia - 4:17
2. Confessione - 6:32
3. Una Strana Regina - 6:12
4. Il Nevare - 4:36
5. L'Amico Suicida - 14:28
6. Confessione (strumentale) - 3:30

Giuseppe Banfi - Keyboards
Mauro Gnecchi - Drums
Marco Mainetti - Guitar
Giuseppe Cossa - Keyboards
Claudio Canali - Vocals, Flute
Fausto Branchini - Bass



BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO - Biglietto per l'Inferno (1974)
Dense, dark and at times extremly powerful. I had read some favourable reviews of this album. So at last I decided to get it myself and listen to this heavy prog masterpiece. And indeed it is very good, I had excpected something not so complex hardrockish stuff, but this was miles better.
"Ansia" starts the album. It's an instrumental song, really gets to the mood with a kind of 'distorted' keyboard sound. And the guitar is very heavy in sound too. Then comes the stunner "Confessione". Some very memorable moments here. The guitar pumps like hell in the verse, it is heavy prog! The singer has a great voice that fits good with the music. There are some awesome moments in this song, great timechanges and so on. I really like this song.
The next, "Una strana regina", is a more laid back tune, still it displays some very nice moments. The guitar/keyboard has a cool melodyline in there somewhere. And in the middle of the song a short and heavy break occures, it sounds completely astounding. It's the contrast in the song, the wild, raw energy...There are many fine changing timesignatures here also.
"Il nevare" sounds like a continuation of the previous track. The guitar gets wild here, and the dominating 'nightmare-ish' keyboardsound is terrific (and terrifying) of course. Wild outbursts and moodchanges appear everywhere.
"L'amico Suicida", is a long track, and of course showcases the bands full talent. The atmosphere here is - very dense and claustrophobic. Like Metamorfosis "Inferno" but in a way even more dark and thrilling at times. The opening minutes will give you the creeps. ---This is SO good and majestic without being pompous
The last track here is an instrumental version of "Confessione", I like it very much, but I guess I would have been as content without it also. In conclusion this is a very rewarding album. I sincerely like the atmosphere and complex tracks on this album. In places it ressembles Museo Rosenbachs louder parts, paired with the loud energy of Jethro Tull and King Crimson. I guess that one more easily and faster can start to enjoy this kind of album than say, "Darwin!" by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso that needs slightly more time to grip. A wonderful album that is ESSENTIAL in your progcollection.



Biglietto Per L'Inferno (1974)

Giuseppe Banfi - Keyboards
Mauro Gnecchi - Drums
Marco Mainetti - Guitar
Giuseppe Cossa - Keyboards
Claudio Canali - Vocals, Flute
Fausto Branchini - Bass

This is another excellent 70s Italian album with a definite hard rock touch, putting it in the upper echelon of Italian heavy progressive. This album is infamous for being obstructed by poor sound quality, and I definitely agree. However, it's no worse than other acclaimed albums like Osanna's Palepoli for instance. Botched production is definitely one of my pet peeves, but I still really enjoyed this album.
The second song on this album, the magnificent "Confessioni", is the most overtly hard rock track, and is utterly amazing. The song rails behind a heavy-ass guitar riff and venomous vocals during the verses and the blazing into a furious instrumental workout with cascading flutes and engaging keyboard work. The 15-minute marathon, "L'Amico Suicida" is another highlight, incredibly complex but catchy nonetheless. For the most part, the rest of the album varies between energetic heavy sections and soft, tasteful melodic portions. All the music is of the highest quality, and Claudio Canali's vocals are one of the few items that really end up shining in the mix. This album would really kick ass with a good remastering job. Sometimes it sounds acceptable, and then it will randomely all go to shit. The worst part is probably the drums, which sound like they were recorded in a (huge) dumpster. I find this to be an extremely solid addition to an Italian progressive rock collection. A bit of a Jethro Tull influence (due to the flute mostly), as well as a pleasing hard rock edge, while still remaining squarely in the realm of heavy Italian prog. Very good.

- Greg Northrup [January 2001]


Biglietto Per L'Inferno

DISCOGRAPHY:
Biglietto Per L'Inferno (1974)
Il Tempo della Semina (1976)


PROFILE:
Country of origin: Italy
Established: 1973
Prog Sub-Genre: Symphonic

MEMBERS:
Giuseppe Banfi (Keyboards), Mauro Gnecchi (Drums), Marco Mainetti (Guitar), Giuseppe Cossa (Keyboards), Claudio Canali (Vocals, Flute), Fausto Branchini (Bass)

Biglietto Per L'Inferno was a band that emerged from Lecco, in Italy, in 1973 but whose short life span only saw the release of a single, self titled album in 1974. The release of a couple singles, plus a heavy live schedule brought the group a good amount of popularity. Unfortunately, they broke up before they had an opportunity to release their second album, though the tapes of these sessions were eventually tracked down and released by Mellow records in 1992.

- Greg Northrup [September 2001]



Biglietto per l'Inferno - Il Tempo Della Semina
Artist: Biglietto per l'Inferno
Title: Il Tempo Della Semina
Label: Mellow Records 107
Length(s): 36 minutes
Year(s) of release: 1974/1992
Month of review: 02/1996

Line up
Giuseppe "Baffo" Banfi - organ, mini moog
Fuasto Branchini - bass
Claudio Canali - voice, flute
Guiseppe Cossa - piano, hammond
Mauro Gnecchi - drums, percussion
Marco Mainetti - guitars

Tracks
1) Il Tempo Della Semina 10.13
2) Mente Sola - Mente 2.55
3) Viva Lotta Pensa 3.15
4) L'arte Sublime Di Un Giusto Regnare 3.17
5) Solo Ma Vivo 6.27
6) La Canzone Del Padre 9.34

Summary
This band dissvolded fairly quickly letting Banfi make his acclaimed synth album Galaxy, My Dear and afterwards go downhill on Klaus Schulze's IC label. The band itself I've heard being compared to the likes of Uriah Heep. The album contains music recorded in 1974, but now released for the first time.
The music
Not a very long album this, with ancient progressive rock. The sound is dated after so many years, but it doesn't mean that it can't be good.
The first track is varied, with good melodies and at times quite fast paced. It turns out that Biglietto is very much in the rocky style with quirky keyboard parts inserted here and there and everywhere.

The second track sounds rather crazy, like the Brazilian carnival. It continues after some mad rootin' and tootin' with flowing keyboards and more or less spoken vocals.

The third track is like the first fats paced and rather frolicy, while the following one sounds a little crazy, but is still subtle.

The four is more or less like the first. Very powerful and energetic and a lot of rock between the spicy keyboardparts.

The last track is a little weak at times, mostly in the vocal melodies. Still, this track has some good moments as well, for instance when the keybards take over.

Conclusion
A good album, old of course and it doesn't sound like it was recorded this or last year or even this decade, but the songmaterial is good, the presentation energetic and it's not all too straightforward what they're doing here. Something for the lovers of the old progressive rock.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
c Jurriaan Hage



BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO:

BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO (Vinyl Magic VM 006 & VMB006) [1974]
IL TEMPO DELLA SEMINA (Mellow MMP 106) [1974/1992]

There are several Italian bands who made only one album and achieved a semi-legendary status on the strength of it. Several of these bands recorded their albums for an obscure Italian label called Trident. Semiramis is one such band; another is Biglietto per L'Inferno (Ticket To Hell). Unsurprisingly, both bands were among the first reissued on CD by Italy's Vinyl Magic.

The eponymous album which came out in 1974 was the product of a sextet composed of Giuseppe Banfi on keyboards, Mauro Gnecchi on drums, Marco Mainetti on guitar, Giuseppe Cossa on keyboards, Claudio Canali on flute and vocals, and Fausto Branchini on bass.

In THE RETURN OF ITALIAN POP Paolo Barotto says "The group lasted only one year. Biglietto formed in Lecco in 1973 and was musically oriented towards the hard rock style of the first years of the seventies. It was a genre that, with the coming of progressive music, had been overlooked abroad, and in Italy had practically never existed. : The hard rock character of the group's music was never too 'heavy,' and its smooth and 'flowing' characteristic makes the album extremely communicative. : This album is one of the best of all Italian recordings' history, and still today it's considered a real collector's item, especially in Japan and in Germany." (I sold my copy of the LP when I got the CD and got close to $100 for it.) I don't agree that the band's sound on its first (and originally only) album reflects "hard rock." (For a genuine Italian hard rock approach to progressive music I'd suggest De De Lind's IO NON SO DA DOVE VENGO:.) Indeed, others have compared it to early PFM, and this is very apparent on the album's first track, "Ansia." When Barotto says the album is "extremely communicative," he means it is very listenable and quite ingratiating. As it is.

"Biglietto was supposed to record its second album in Germany," Barotto says, but it was not released and "unfortunately the group broke up soon after having published a second single." He adds later that, "For collecting purposes it must be noted that their second single is only rumored to have been released; the newspapers of the time reported that info but the group's members actually deny this." The single, "Vivi, Lotta, Pensa"/"L'Arte Sublime di un Giusto Regnare" (credited as Trident TRN 1009), is available on CD, however. It's part of that second album - which was released by the Italian Mellow label in 1992.

It's an odd album, made up of three longish (six to ten minutes) pieces and three short (three minutes or less) pieces. That second single consists of two of the short ones, which appear as the third and fourth tracks on the CD. The music moves around a great deal more, and is far less consistent in nature or quality than on the first album - but it's not without its high points. However, while maybe not what I'd call "hard rock," it is in places less progressive and more rock-oriented. The second track, also the shortest, is a strange, almost satirical piece and totally out of character with the rest of the album. And the final track (the second longest) suddenly sprouts synthesizer effects which would sound more in character on a comedy album. They are so up-front in the mix (they suddenly dominate) that I wonder about the tape from which this CD was made. It sounds more professional than a basement demo - and the sound is pretty rich and full, albeit mastered at a lower volume than might be expected - but I wonder if it's a final mix or a working copy. (I suspect the latter.)

Speaking of sound, Vinyl Magic has released two editions of the first album. The first came out in 1989. The second was released without fanfare in 1993. It can be distinguished from the first most easily by its catalog number, which is VMB006, while the original CD lacked the "B" and was VM 006. The original CD also has a sticker on the jewel box which says "includes bonus tracks," although in fact there are no bonus tracks on the CD - only the original album. The second edition of the CD has notably improved sound; I suspect a better master tape was found. Presently the improved version is the one available, although copies of the earlier version may still be floating around.

As Barotto notes, "After their breakup only the keyboards player Giuseppe 'Baffo' Banfi continued his activity as a solo artist, publishing a few LPs." As Baffo Banfi, he recorded spacey, "new age" music for Klaus Schulze's Innovative Communication label starting in the late 1970s. A selection of pieces recorded for albums in 1979, 1981 and 1982 have been collected on an IC-label Banfi CD, THE SOUND OF SOUTHERN SUNSETS, released in 1988.

Banfi's solo work bears no resemblance at all to the music on either of the Biglietto albums, and should not be sought as a follow-up to those albums. I recommend the original BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO strongly. If you like it, try IL TEMPO DELLA SEMINA, but be warned that it's not as good.

Return to Dr.Progresso Back to Top





BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO



Claudio Canali (vocals, flute, flugelhorn)
Marco Mainetti (guitar)
Giuseppe "Baffo" Banfi (organ, moog)
Giuseppe Cossa (piano, organ)
Fausto Branchini (bass)
Mauro Gnecchi (drums)



Born in 1972 in Lecco, in northern Italy, Un Biglietto per l'Inferno are still regarded as one of the most influential italian prog bands, despite a single LP release, their magnificent eponymous album from 1974. The band had an intense live activity, mainly in northern Italy, that took to a very powerful sound driven by the twin keyboards of Baffi and Cossa and the lead guitar of Mainetti, with flute intermissions by singer Claudio Canali.

The album is a masterpiece, its hard-rock based sound being perfectly enriched by keyboards and flute, and the lyrics are strong and effective.
The five long tracks are all very nice, and the album is worth its high price. Two tracks, Una strana regina and Confessione were also released as a single, the latter in an instrumental-only version, with the same cover design as the album.

A second album was recorded and ready to release, as a single taken from it, and the band had also received a production offer by Klaus Schulze, but the Trident label end caused Biglietto per l'Inferno to split. The album had a limited circulation among fans as a bootleg tape, before gaining an official issue in 1992 on the Mellow label.

Of all the band members only keyboardsman Baffo Banfi had a good solo career with three solo albums in a cosmic vein between 1978 and 1981, while drummer Gnecchi has played in jazz groups and colaborated with PFM guitarist Franco Mussida in his first solo album. Singer Claudio Canali has become a friar, unusual choice after the strong dialogue with a priest in the lyrics of Confessione.





LP
Biglietto per l'Inferno Trident (TRI 1005) 1974 single cover
Il tempo della semina Mellow (MMLP 103) 1992 gatefold cover with inner
Both albums also officially reissued on CD, on Vinyl Magic (VM 006 - now deleted) and Mellow (MMP 106) respectively.
First album is now again available on remastered CD by Trident (TRI 1005)

SINGLES (with picture sleeves)

Una strana regina
Confessione Trident (TRN 1005) 1974 both tracks from first album but B-side in instrumental version
Vivi lotta pensa
L'arte sublime di un giusto Trident (TRN 1009) 1974 both tracks from second album
single never released





Biglietto per l'Inferno has always been regarded as one of the best italian prog albums ever, and for this reason is very difficult to find.
As many of the Trident label releases, this was counterfeited in the late 80's, a very similar issue to the original but easy to identify if you know where to look. See the Trident page for details and avoid buying it if you're not sure. Some dealers' descriptions don't help at all!!!

The album had also a vinyl reissue in mid 90's, some of these copies are still easy to find in italian record fairs at low prices, but be warned!!! The cover here is on a rough cardboard and has been trimmed for about 1cm on each side, so compared to the original the jumping man picture looks bigger The back cover contains the song titles that are not on the original. These reissues also had a negative colour Trident label, white black writing on white background.

According to one of my sources, some copies of the album contained an insert with information on band members, but this is not documented and was probably just a press release sheet.

Second album Il tempo della semina was recorded in 1975 but, due to Trident label closing, it was never released until 1992 when it appeared on Mellow label, both on vinyl and CD. A second single taken from the new album also planned for release on Trident was withdrawn before being issued.

No foreign issues should exist.



Obscure, sublime, exciting are some of the words that describe this band. Biglietto musically stands apart from the rest of the Italian scene by interweaving from one minor scale to another one causing a dark atmosphere and suddenly breaking into superb melodious passages.
Songs like Confessione, Strana regina and Il nevare showcase the above mentioned. L'amico Suicida probably the most complex effort on the LP is a 13min+ masterpiece. From its obscure beggining to some of the most beautiful melodies and finally to a song full of changes in tempo and mood. The lyrics on this song are about the suicide of a friend, a vivid description is sung and very well backed by the music.
The mediocre recording quality helps accentuate the mysterious atmosphere that the music poses.
Every element in this LP is perfect, from the thunderous drumming in Confessione to the beautiful vocal lines in Strana regina. Nice moog sounds, distorted hammond organ, vivid bass lines, transversal flute and fuzzed guitar leads make this piece of vinyl the most complex prog I have listened to. (The CD version has cut some parts in songs like L'amico suicida; maybe about 2 or 3 minutes on the whole album is missing.)
Juan Carlos Lopez





Thanks to the fellow collector Juan Carlos Lopez for his above review and pictures. He's also released a webpage specifically dedicated to the Biglietto per l'Inferno LP counterfeit.

Keyboardist Baffo Banfi has two websites dedicated to his current work in the creative video productions, with La Vetraia at http://www.lavetraia.com (a very small space in this website is dedicated to Il Biglietto per l'Inferno) and Videoland at http://www.videoland.it



Biglietto Per L'Inferno, Un [Italy]
Biglietto Per L'Inferno (74), Il Tempo Della Semina (74, Released 92)

This is a hard-rock band, and the first LP (one of the best album of italian progressive) is really difficult to find.

Biglietto Per L'Inferno (Ticket to Hell) is an Italian six-piece symphonic prog band whose first release is rightfully considered one of the classics of Italian progressive. Instruments include the standard bass, drums, guitar, two sets of keyboards, vocals and flute. The music ranges from Tull-like heaviness (flute and driving guitar) to very symphonic PFM-like passages of piano, synth and guitar. The drummer mixes up the beat with excellent variety and is an integral part of the mix. The closest comparison would be to Semiramis with its heavy passages alternating with lyrical interludes. This album doesn't sustain the heavy intensity found on Semiramis's classic which gives Biglietto's release a more diversified feel. The 15 minute "L'Amico Suicida" is a prime example of the diversity and talent as the band rages through heavy passages (similar to Osanna, anotyher classic Italian band) through keyboard runs reminiscent of Le Orme's Contrappunti into quiet, vaguely bluesy guitar passages. The band lingers not in any of these areas, constantly driving forward and shifting gears reminding me of several Italian bands yet sounding like none of them. The diversity holds across the entire album so that it never becomes stale. Highly recommended.

[See Banfi, Giuseppe]



Biglietto Per L'Inferno - "Biglietto Per L'Inferno" (1973)

An essential album, simply because it's one of the best heavy-progressive albums ever! The band had two keyboard players (one of them was Baffo Banfi). None of them used mellotron, but their keyboard-sound is so perfectly 70's , tasteful and wonderful that you won't miss the mellotron at all! Just check out the opening track, and you'll hear. Hard rocking guitar and great flute builds up to a keyboard theme played by one of the greatest and most powerful moog-sounds I've ever heard. THIS is the way synthesisers should sound! The keyboard arrangements on this album is simply just awesome. "Confessione" is another amazing track with incredible energy and instrumental sections of a heavenly quality. The 14-minute masterpiece "L'Amico Suicida" is a tour-de-force were the band demonstrates all their talents in a incredibly complex, impressive and VERY progressive track. For me, a band can hardly sound more perfect than this. And if you don't have the album yet....., oh man what a pity!!

(ProgForest)



Biglietto Per L'Inferno - "Biglietto Per L'Inferno" (1973)


Despite its lousy sound-quality, Biglietto Per L'Inferno's self-titled debut is an obscure gem in the genre of 70's heavy progressive rock. The music perfectly combined hard rock with the complex structures and intricate arrangements of progressive rock. The band had two keyboard-players (one of them was Baffo Banfi). None of them used mellotron, but the sounds they used were so varied, tasteful, perfectly 70's that you won't miss the mellotron at all. Just check out the opening track "Ansia", and you'll hear. Hard rocking guitar and flute builds up to a keyboard theme played by a very powerful and fat moog-sound. The second track "Confessione" is something as unusual as a boogie-driven hard rock track with complex and progressive instrumental sections where the whole band showed impressive skills. "Una Strana Regina" was a more typical heavy-progressive track where Jethro Tull-ish flute blends in with the riffs, and you also get some atmospheric keyboard-passages. "Il Nevare" is maybe a bit repetitive and too simple, but it's all forgiven when it glides into the masterful 14-minute "L'Amico Suicida". This is a very complex piece that demonstrates almost every side of Italian 70's progressive rock. Great stuff. The album was ended with a somewhat unnecessary instrumental-version of "Confessione", but it still doesn't ruin the overall good impression of the album.