GIRT DOG

ALBUM REVIEW
AltaVia formed in 2008 in a small town in northern Italy, when after leaving his former band, Andrea Stagni (keyboards and vocals) started searching for new musicians. A friend introduced him to Marcello Bellina (drums, vocals), Mauro Monti (guitars, vocals) and Giuliano Vandelli (bass), who coincidentally were looking for a keyboard player for a new project. That just seemed to be a perfect match for everyone. After the first rehearsals session, they realized that even though they all came from different musical backgrounds, they were all eager to head in the same new direction. Backing vocalist Betty Copeta joined the band several months later. Everyone's peculiar expertise was brought to the table, making AltaVia's sound a curious mixture of classic rock, old-style prog and pop. Their main influences can be found both in the classic and neo prog scene, (Yes and Genesis, but also bands like IQ and It Bites) whilst also capturing rich orchestral atmospheres and catchy melodies.