Italian Progressive Rock - Hallmarks

Hallmarks

Italian progressive rock encompassed a number of different styles. The Italian progressive scene produced a large number of bands releasing one record before disappearing into obscurity (although some such bands would reunite decades later and produce more material). This was the case with highly-regarded bands such as Cervello, Museo Rosenbach, Alusa Fallax, Apoteosi, Murple, Alphataurus, Gruppo 2001, Locanda Delle Fate, Maxophone and Semiramis. Some bands, such as Buon Vecchio Charlie, produced a single album and were unable to even get it released at the time, only to be rediscovered decades later thanks to the efforts of specialist progressive rock labels and the online community of progressive rock fans.

One very noticeable defining feature of Italian progressive rock in the 1970s is the extensive use of Dorian/Lydian and Phrygian/Mixolydian scales - see mode (music) - rather than just the more common Ionian and Aeolian modes (or, major and minor). Every PFM album contains at least one Mixolydian or Dorian song.