4 out of 5 Stars!

Italian group Germinale released only a trio of albums from 1994 through 2001—along with a compilation album with some unreleased tracks appearing in 2005—with this one, the band’s second offering, being my favorite.

When it comes to the sometimes-pastoral and Mellotron-enhanced atmospheres or the occasional jazzy rhythms and more-complex song arrangements, along with the varied acoustic and electronic instrumentation, the music has the flavor of groups such as PFM and Osanna along with (thanks to the inclusion of the flute) Jethro Tull or Focus.

Additionally, on this release, the band offers a heavily condensed yet commendable bonus track in the form of Van Der Graaf Generator’s “Meurglys III (The Songwriters Guild)” (from the World Record album), so expect to hear some darker-sounding VDGG influences throughout the entire album as well, although without Peter Hammill’s often-manic vocal style.

Album Currently Unavailable At Amazon