3.5 out of 5 Stars!

Ibis, a short-lived group from Italy formed by ex-members of New Trolls and Atomic Rooster, released three albums between 1973-1975, with this self-titled collection being its final offering, and probably also its weakest effort.

But even though the album might not match the overall superiority of the two preceding albums—thanks to two below-average songs where the band sings in English and pretty much abandons its normal Symphonic Prog style to venture into unexpected Hard Rock/Blues Rock territory—enough impressive moments still exist to satisfy the Prog-Rock cravings, especially with the dual guitarists working together exceptionally well, trading scorching solos and acting almost as a Prog version of Thin Lizzy on several tracks.

Plus, some of the more adventurous songs bring to mind groups such as Yes, especially when the beautiful vocal harmonies are allowed to blaze forth, such as on the fantastically diverse “Strada” or on the wonderfully acoustic “Passa Il Tempo.”

So overall, although the Ibis swansong is not the band’s most consistent work, it does include enough magical moments to bring a smile to my Prog-loving face.

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