Review Summary: One of the most talented and creative prog bands in the 70’s. This is an amazing debut.
“Arbeit Macht Frei” is the debut studio album of Area that was released in 1973. The line up on the album is Demetrio Stratos, Giampaolo Tofani, Patrizio Fariselli, Eddie Busnello, Patrick Djivas and Giulio Capiozzo.
Area, self-described as the “International POPular Group”, had its heyday between 1973 and 1979, before the death of their singer Demetrio Stratos that silenced the band’s characteristic voice. Stratos’ unique vocal style, often with a slight yodeling effect, brought him the attention of the composer John Cage, who even performed concerts with Stratos. Area played a jazz rock style, enriched in part by experimental sounds, which sometmes also picks up on oriental elements. The textual messages tell of radical left positions. The group initially remained active even after Stratos’ death, then broke up in the meantime, but played together again in the 90’s. Longtime drummer Giulio Capiozzo also died in 2000. But, that wasn’t their original line up. In 1972 the pianist was Leandro Gaetano and the guitarist was Johnny Lambizzi instead of Patrizio Fariselli and Giampaolo Tofani. On the other hand, this was the only album with the participation of bassist Patrick Djivas, who left the band to be a member of Premiata Forneria Marconi and which was replaced by Ares Tavolazzi. It was the only participation o the saxophonist Eddie Busnello, that wouldn’t be replaced.
“Arbeit Macht Frei” is widely regarded as a masterpiece of the progressive Italian rock from the 70’s. Their music shows all their expressive potential like jazz, ethnic music and rock in its experimental research. The album is a manifesto of their nervous and cutting style. Their music is taken up sometimes to strange and “oriental” forms. From a musical point of view, “Arbeit Macht Frei” is a radiant highlight not only of 70’s music. The mix of oriental ornamentation, jazz, rock and free improvisation works in a completely convincing way. “Arbeit Macht Frei” is called by the critics, “radical music” because it tends to go to the roots of the political significance of the Pop movement. Shining in the uncommon prog set-folk of Area is especially Stratos. He was able to develop an extraordinary vocal technique, which included the use of diplofonie and a harmonic voice, as well as a vocal extension almost unattainable. It can be said that he was one of the best singers of all time, with a unique and original singing. Stratos’ voice reached here a highest expressiveness.
“Arbeit Macht Frei” has six tracks. “Luglio, Agosto, Settembre (Nero)” begins with an Arab feminine voice reciting a poem. It’s a difficult song to describe. We must hear it to understand it. It’s built around ethnic and traditional music, probably from Greece. It represents one their finest moments. The title track has strong political lyrics. Ironically, its title was taken from the well known Nazi motif on the entrance of the infamous death camp Auschwitz, in Poland. It’s a different proposal from the previous track. It’s innovative and is close to the avant-garde jazz. It shows the band in a new unconventional approach. “Consapevolezza” is a great jazz/rock song with plenty of exotic atmospheres that binds us to it. It has a hypnotic rhythm and suggestive vocals that invite us to freedom. “Le Labbra Del Tempo” is complex and is influenced by jazz and with a nice interesting rock section. It changes often its structure. It has great passages and lyrics showing an obscure reflection about the life and time. It tells us we should fight by our human rights and let us of superstitions and old beliefs. “240 Chilometri Da Smirne” is the only fully instrumental track. It’s an avant-garde jazz piece with a great saxophone work. In many parts it seems to be a completely free jazz improvisation track. This is pure enjoy for any prog fan, especially for jazz rock fans. “L’Abbattimento Dello Zeppelin” is the most avant-garde track on the album. It has many experimental noises of different instruments, including the voice of Stratos. It’s weird and bizarre with many changes. It’s insane with vocal echoes, explosions, strange instrumental sounds and that abruptly ends without warning. It’s strange and coherent at the same time. It’s a great improvised track closing the album nicely.
Conclusion: The band members like to describe themselves as an International POPular Group because they said that Area was a band that creates music for the people and for the masses and not for the elites. Sincerely, and in general, I agree with them. However, with “Arbeit Macht Frei” I don’t know if that is completely true. In reality, “Arbeit Macht Frei” is truly a pure jazz rock/fusion album and, in my humble opinion, it’s one of the best releases of that sub-genre ever made. “Arbeit Macht Frei” is, without any doubt, one of the greatest progressive albums made in the 70’s. However, I must confess that I always preferred their third studio album “Crac !”. “Crac !” was my third album in my progressive vinyl collection and was also my first contact with the band. Perhaps that is the reason why “Crac !” remains, for me, my favourite musical work from them. Still, “Arbeit Macht Frei” is truly a masterpiece of the band, putting Area at the same quality level of their compatriots of the 70’s, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi and Le Orme.
Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)
