Latte E Miele-Passio Secundum Mattheum (1972)

Latte e Miele are another significant band from the golden age of Italian progressive rock. Formed in Genoa in 1971 by guitarist Marcello Giancarlo, keyboardist Oliviero Lacagnina, and drummer Alfio Vitanza, they released their debut album in 1972 on the Polydor label. Their style is clearly influenced by the British band EL&P, and their first album is inspired by the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and liturgical music in general. Similarly, their lyrics, based on the Gospel of Matthew, are quite politically correct. Their repertoire ranges from the symphonic rock of "Introduzione" and "Getzemani", to the jazz-rock of "I Testimoni - Second Part," the grandiose sounds of "Ultima Cena", and the operatic elements of "Il Pianto". In short, this debut album by Latte E Miele is a brilliant example of extraordinarily well-crafted music, achieving the perfect blend of classical music and rock instrumentation, along with operatic interactions, resulting in a very fluid and brilliantly diverse musical tapestry.