L'oceano delle onde che restano onde per sempre

The release's dynamism is album-centric, rather than track-centric, providing a welcome home for Neil on Impression's trademark shifting, give-and-take song structures. I don't mean to say that the tracks are necessarily less dynamic than before, but rather that they are organized in such a way as to emphasize their dynamism on the whole. Transitional tracks (such as the elegant “Nella Tempesta di Aquiloni”) are not “filler,” but rather act as bridges between two disparate tracks. It should not be surprising that the band knows how to use such tracks to the fullest, given their songwriting expertise, but it's always pleasant to note superior craftsmanship in tracks that other bands seem to throw together. And if you think solid songs of this sort work well in a conservative setting, like that used by Caspian, Neil on Impression's work in this field will stun you. 

Don't let my emphasis on the transitions fool you, though – no matter how well-crafted they are, they'll always take the back seat to the proper tracks, and these are hardly a disappointment. Due to the emphasis on a dynamic album, the tracks are able to be shorter than those that we previously saw from the band (when necessary), allowing for incredibly focused track design. The 1-2 punch of “Irlanda” and “Barone” that opens the release is enough to win over the most jaded of instrumental music fans, with all the quick transitions, crashing swells, and gorgeous compositional work we've come to expect of Neil on Impression. While the rest of the release may not reach these heights, there is so much to love here that it's pointless to mention any of it specifically – all that's required is a few moments of time, and you can find your own favorite transition, introduction, or climax. The only problem with this is just deciding which to pick! 

Though L'oceano delle onde che Restano onde per Sempre does have a few weak points, namely, the brief foray into electronic work on “L'esercito di Carta Volge ad Oriente” and the spoken-word bit on “La Citta del Possibile”, this is by all means a stellar release from a band who should be recognized as leaders of the field. It is not often that a band of this sort of caliber releases a new album, so I think it's time we all turned off whatever hip new thing the kids are listening to these days and welcome Neil on Impression back to our hearts and minds – it's always worth the wait to hear the work of a “real band”, and NoI certainly prove themselves to be of this lofty category here.