Gabriele Fiori — already frontman of Rome-based outfits Black Rainbows and Killer Boogie and a key figure in Europe’s heavy underground as the head of the Heavy Psych Sounds label and booking agency — was not exactly lacking for things to do. And yet, a couple years back, THE PILGRIM started to nebulously take shape as an idea for a solo-project, something different than the hard-driving psychedelia and garage heavy rock for which he’d already been so revered.
It wasn’t until Jan. 2018 that he really got to putting songs together, but the end result on debut album 'Walking into the Forest' is a space-folk release with a personality unto itself. In completing the arrangements, Fiori turned to Black Rainbows drummer Filippo Ragazzoni, and as he says, “Songs came out so spontaneously and easy. I always played acoustic guitar and wanted to push further on this path. The songwriting, rehearsing and recording approach was so different from usual Rainbows or Boogie style, both to me and Filippo for drums, because all the instruments needed to be played smoothly, softly.”
With debut album 'Walking into the Forest', Fiori evoked a sound that is both classic and fresh, melodically rich and creatively constructed. It is a new outlet for Fiori that demands spiritual as well as auditory engagement, and an all-things-permissible sonic context that THE PILGRIM will continue to explore with their upcoming effort "...From the Earth to the Sky and Back". With a refined work on production and recording, and more drums all throughout the record, their sophomore album "...From the Earth to the Sky and Back" has all the assets to meet the fans’ expectations, and more. The album was mixed and mastered by Shane Trimble (High Reeper), with a fantastic artwork designed by Maarten Donders. The first part of the record is inspired by a classic Americana vibe, while the rest of the record conjures up a sound reminiscent of Santana, The Eagles, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Faces, Spirit, Captain Beyond and recent Motorpsycho work.
TRACK LISTING:
1. Mexico ’84
2. Sitting Down On The Porch
3. Obsessed By The West Part I, Ii ,Iii, Iv
4. Lion
5. Fool Around
6. Riding The Horse
7. Cuba
8. Secrets In The Kingdom
9. I’m Just Scared
10. Solitude
11. At Your Door
12. Sounds In The Night
13. Space And Time
14. Waiting For The Sun
THE PILGRIM "...From The Earth To The Sky And Back" Out October 2nd on Heavy Psych Sounds