progwalhalla.nl:

NODO GORDIANO – Flektogon (***1/2) - Website info: Nodo Godiano project begins its run in early 1994 after the meeting between Andrea De Luca (bass, vocals), Alessandro Papotto (wind instruments, vocals) and Tony Zito (drums). The first line up was completed with the arrivals of Roberto Proietto (guitars) and Fabio D'Andrea (keyboards) and made its live debut in late 1994. The band, during 1995 and 1996, plays basically Genesis and King Crimson covers and Radio Rock, along with other private networks, promote gigs in important live exhibitions in Rome.
In 1997, after the keyboardist departure, the quartet creates and records for promotional purposes the music that appears in the first omonimous studio album, produced by Lizard label the following year, and gigs with John Wetton playing King Crimson covers. In 1998 the band, now a sextet with Giordano Rossini (vocals, flute) and Roberto Gavazzi (keyboards, piano), collaborates with Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso (playing also live with Francesco Di Giacomo and Rodolfo Maltese), appears on national TV networks, plays live extensively and exhibits in several Alternative Rock Festivals. In 1999, a few months after official first out, Alessandro Papotto and Tony Zito leave the project to engage themselves in other musical activities while Andrea De Luca continues in Nodo Gordiano musicians search and collects new ideas for the next band incarnation. In 2002 the new thing appears. Andrea meets the drummer Carlo Fattorini (Der Blaue Reiter, Magog) and Fabrizio Santoro (guitars, also with Magog and Oak). Now the band plays as a trio, open, like in Nodo Gordiano best tradition, towards any form of musical adventure. Among other collaborations, during the first 10 years, the names of Antonello De Zelis, Max G.B. Tommasi and Alberto D'Annibale have to be mentioned for their contributions.
A direct recording of King Crimson's Lament (with Andrea Amici, Leviathan, playing keyboards) has been chosen in 2003 in order to appear in the 3CD box The Letters, devoted to King Crimson fans. In 2004 Fabrizio left the band choosing to go ahead as bass player. The band completed a new line up with the arrival of keyboardist Gianluca Cottarelli. The following year the trio published with Mellow Records label the album Alea, a collection of improvisations embellished by the precious graphic work of the artist Carla Nico. In 2007 Andrea and Carlo founded the recording studio in which take form the new album Flektogon, with the contributions of saxophonist and flutist Franco Terralavoro and soprano Silvia Scozzi. The third studio album has been released in 2009 by the AMS/Vynil Magic label. In april 2009 the guitarist Valerio Rasi (ex Arvalia) joined the band and completed the line up.

Well, the name of King Crimson frequently appears in the abovementioned story so it’s logical that indeed the spirit of this Classic Progrock legend reigns over this album. In almost every track I notice strong hints of King Crimson: from the heavy, compelling and hypnotizing atmospheres with a very propulsive rhythm-section (close to Wetton-Bruford) and razor-sharp or repetitive guitar work (in the tradition of Mr. Fripp) to Jamie Muir inspired percussion experiments (Ozymandias Part I + II) or screamy saxophone play. But Nodo Gordiano turns out to be more than a King Crimson clone or King Crimson fanatics, just listen to the high-pitched female opera-like vocals in Theatro Di Memoria (the intro with the choir strongly evokes PFM’s The World Became The World) and the ethnic (India) intro, the electronic and ‘sound collage’ interludes and the dreamy flute in the magnum opus Avventure Di Mastarna. To me this long composition sounds like a jam-session of 30 minutes, from mellow to ‘organized chaos’ in the best tradition of King Crimson.- So after several listening sessions I conclude that Nodo Gordiano has very interesting compositional skills but I am sure this kind of progrock will not be everybody’s cup of tea. However, I recommend the King Crimson fans and those progheads who are searching for adventurous progrock to check out the ‘multimedia section’ of Nodo Gordiano their excellent website.

Erik Neuteboom