Atlantide by The Trip, a 1972 album.
Atlantide, the legendary concept album by The Trip, a true milestone of Italian prog that tells the captivating story of the myth and the tragic end of the legendary island of Atlantis.
Before Atlantide, The Trip were known for their psychedelic blues and hard rock sound. Between 1971 and 1972, however, guitarist Bill Gray and drummer Pino Sinnone left the band.
In place of Sinnone came Furio Chirico, a very young and super talented drummer, with fluid rhythms and odd time signatures used with great mastery.
Even though they didn’t find a new guitarist, the band turned into a fantastic trio:
Joe Vescovi on keyboards (Hammond organ and electric piano) and vocals
Arvid “Wegg” Andersen on bass and vocals
Furio Chirico on drums and percussion
And so, with this new lineup, The Trip brought to life Atlantide, an album that still stands as a benchmark for prog fans.
This album tells the story of Atlantide, from its birth to its destruction, caused by the lust for power. It’s a pacifist and environmental metaphor that reflects the Cold War fears of the ’70s. The album is made up of 8 interconnected tracks:
The album opens with “Atlantide”, an introduction that tells of the continent’s birth. Next comes “Evoluzione”, which recounts the development and social and cultural growth of its people. With “Leader”, the mood shifts, introducing the rise of an authoritarian leader to power. “Energia” marks a turning point, with the discovery of a technology that slips beyond human control. “Ora X” represents the crucial moment, the eve of the apocalypse. “Analisi” offers a brief moment of reflection before the disaster. “Distruzione”, the longest and most complex track (over 8 minutes), with dramatic arrangements and drum gallops, describes the island’s sinking. Finally, “Il Vuoto”, a short and desolate instrumental ending, marks the absolute silence after the catastrophe.
With “Atlantide”, The Trip leave behind psychedelic blues to fully embrace Symphonic Progressive Rock, drawing inspiration from the British scene and in particular from the masters Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
Joe Vescovi’s Hammond organ and electric piano replace the electric guitar, generating a rich, distorted sound, packed with virtuosity, classical-tinged phrasing and jazz-rock improvisations. Wegg Andersen’s bass and, above all, the drums of new recruit Furio Chirico create a sharp-edged rhythmic base, with odd meters and frequent tempo changes. The vocal parts, alternating between Italian and English, have a dramatic, evocative tone, ideal for supporting the album’s dystopian, conceptual atmosphere.
An album that flows like a single, long and gripping musical story. There are moments that stand out for their creativity and the impact they leave.
Take “Evoluzione”, for example. It’s the moment when the band lets all its grit loose. Vescovi’s Hammond organ roars, backed by a rhythm section that never stops, almost brushing up against jazz-rock.
Then there’s “Ora X”, the most intense piece from a narrative point of view. It starts with a dark atmosphere, representing a dictator’s madness, then bursts into a sonic storm created by the synthesizers, which seem to almost herald a catastrophe.
“Distruzione” is another gem: over eight minutes of pure energy and musical experimentation. It’s a long instrumental ride, enriched by a drum solo from Furio Chirico that is simply insane, extremely precise and fast.
“Atlantide”, the track that opens the album, is the record’s absolute masterpiece. In just a few minutes, it contains everything that makes this album special. It begins with a mysterious, evocative atmosphere, as if carrying us into the enchantment of the island rising from the waters. Then it changes completely, becoming a fluid yet powerful rhythmic section, with Vescovi’s keyboards creating unforgettable melodies. It’s the perfect balance between the group’s symphonic soul and rock energy, pulling you into the concept from the very first notes.
Atlantide is a fundamental and revolutionary record in the landscape of Italian progressive rock of the ’70s. While Caronte (1971) is the band’s most famous and iconic album for its psychedelic rock-blues, Atlantide is the moment when The Trip reached their highest technical and compositional maturity.
The group made a bold choice by removing the electric guitar and becoming a keyboards-bass-drums trio, thus creating a unique, personal sound.
The individual performances on Atlantide are legendary. The album is a true masterpiece of instrumental skill, with the constant dialogue between Joe Vescovi’s saturated keyboards and the virtuosic drumming of the young Furio Chirico (who made his name here before founding Arti & Mestieri).
Unlike many albums of the time, where the songs felt disconnected, Atlantide flows in an incredibly smooth way. Its (mere) 31 minutes are full of energy, and every track is essential to tell the island’s dramatic, eco-minded story.
The original recording suffers a bit from the technological limits of the early ’70s at RCA studios, which sometimes struggled to handle the trio’s sonic power and saturated frequencies. This issue was largely solved by later remastered editions.
A must-have record for anyone who loves Seventies music. Excellent!
My Version
Label: Sony Music – 19439951141
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Record Store Day, Limited Edition, Numbered, Promo, Reissue, Yellow, 180 grm
Country: Italy
Released: 22 Apr 2022
Tracklist
A1 Atlantide
A2 Evoluzione
A3 Leader
A4 Energia
B1 Ora X
B2 Analisi
B3 Distruzione
B4 Il Vuoto
Lineup
Arranged By, Keyboards, Vocals – Joe Vescovi
Bass, Vocals – Arvid "Wegg" Andersen
Drums, Percussion – Furio Chirico
