Doracor is the brainchild of Italian keyboardist and composer Corrado Sardella; even the band’s name is an anagram for the composer’s first name. Unexpected Intersections follows ten years after predecessor Passioni Postmoderne Di Un Musicista Errante (Post-Modern Passions Of A Wandering Musician). The new album is, to be polite, an eclectic affair with local Italian progsters and international luminaries alike contributing to the mix.
The album opens with a short, understated vocal-centric piece in Journey. Multiple voices and a simple keyboard backing consisting of ethereal chords set the stage. Sound effects and wispy keys give way to crashing drums on Remnants Of Memories, a Genesis-style rocker that would not have been out of place on Wind And Wuthering. Over its ten minute length we are treated to male and female vocals (I cannot tell you who as no credits were included with the review copy of the album) dancing around and between Sardella’s magnificent synth leads trading lines with equally impressive guitar runs. The major key synth workouts and frantic fretwork are uplifting and transport the listener back to the heady days of classic progressive rock before a reprise of the ambient opening.
After Waking wears its classical vocal influences on its sleeve to begin, but then the melody turns more mid-period Genesis. The airy synths are supported by jangly electric guitars which are too low in the mix before yielding once more to another delightful guitar solo to close the song.
A contemplative piano introduces Il Corragio Di Essere. Fretless bass underscores the Italian-language vocals, exposing itself to provide a slinky melody then retreating once more to let the voice command the stage. The vocals build in layers to complement the sparse acoustic piano accompaniment and the result is incredibly satisfying. And then in a complete WTF moment, the bottom drops out. Distant Lights (You Can’t Forget) combines the worst elements of smooth jazz and yacht rock. If the endlessly repeated “You can’t forget” isn’t enough to make you puncture your own eardrums, the vintage string synths and cheesy sax will do the trick. Another Italian vocal appears to set things back on track until Quel Folle Volo’s seventies soft rock arrangement pulls the song back down into the muck. To complete the trifecta of the worst parts of seventies easy listening, That Silent Tear (Intro) uses overly earnest spoken word to introduce That Silent Tear, another overwrought soundtrack instrumental in search of a very bad movie. And I Miss You… crawls out of the wreckage, but it too is badly damaged.
Finally, Simply You takes the sax and piano concept and shows how well it can be done. While the song is tainted by what came before, it has the sense to put its instrumental might behind a strong melody and interesting chords. The brief, romantic piano ballad Stella D’Agosto is marred by wordless vocals. Laurie ups the piano ballad ante by allowing the instrumentalists to quietly exhibit their prowess in service of a strong thematic progression. Cooing babies introduce another piano tune, Esegesi Di Una Fiaba Inenarrata. Luckily they and the wordless choir disappear soon and allow another strong tune to shine through. But Sardella cannot seem to help himself, and thus the babies and the choir return to close out the song for another disappointment.
The fifteen minute plus epic title track opens with an a cappella female choir which abruptly stops to allow a strong, hard-rocking tune to appear. The ten part Unexpected Intersections sets the guitars free, and they gleefully take the reins, crunching and soaring and creating all manner of glorious havoc in between. Not to be outdone, Sardella also gives a commanding performance, alternating between beautiful acoustic keys and majestic synth passages. The English language vocals are fine, but they add little to the song’s development. A completely instrumental approach would have been the wiser choice. Once more, the Genesis influence is strong, but it suits Sardella’s talents well and brings back the promise of the first four tunes. Di Quei Giorni Infiniti closes the album with another short tune that encapsulates the album as a whole. It begins promisingly with solo guitar joined by piano, but then another vocal seemingly out of nowhere takes down what should have been a blissful ending to the album.
Unexpected Intersections is an album that lives up to its name. Just when you think you can settle in for some superb, vintage-sounding prog, a barely listenable tune interrupts the mood. There is no shortage of talent on display most of the time, particularly with respect to the guitars and keyboards. The vocals, however, rarely rise above the pedestrian. As previously mentioned, this whole affair could have been so much better had the instruments been used in their place. When Unexpected Intersections hits its groove, it feels unstoppable. Until it hits a brick wall and explodes into an unholy mess. A perfect example of a one man project in need of some honest input from outside.
TRACK LISTING
01. Journey (1:33)
02. Remnants Of Memories (10:21)
03. After Waking (4:42)
04. Il Corragio Di Essere (5:36)
05. Distant Lights (You Can’t Forget) (5:34)
06. Quel Folle Volo – Intro (4:56)
07. That Silent Tear (Intro) (0:59)
08. That Silent Tear (5:16)
09. And I Miss You… (2:37)
10. Simply You (6:19)
11. Stella D’Agosto (2:00)
12. Laurie (4:01)
13. Esegesi Di Una Fiaba Inenarrata (2:57)
14. Unexpected Intersections (15:33)
[a] Playing With Fears (choir intro) (0:59)
[b] The Forest Of Fear (1:04)
[c] Can You Listen To My Voice? (2:08)
[d] Ethereal Waves (0:46)
[e] LaurieCaurie (choirs) (0:34)
[f] Our Better World (3:11)
[g] Voices (1:11)
[h] The Purple Nose (1:23)
[i] Us Again (3:13)
[j] Our Better World (bagpipes theme) (00:54)
15. Di Quei Giorni Infiniti (1:46)
Total Time – 74:10
MUSICIANS
Corrado Sardella – Keyboards, Synths, Composition
~ With:
Lorena Cossu – Vocals
Stefano Sangermano – Vocals
Ivano D’Ortenzi – Vocals
Sara Colagrossi – Vocals
Elisa Montaldo – Keyboards
John Jowitt, Maurizio Testani – Bass
Mirko DeMaio – Drums
Kostas Milonas – Drums
Cristiano Micalizzi – Drums
Bashir Dahrieh – Drums
Simona Malandrino – Guitars
Paul Manners – Guitars
Alexandra Zerner – Guitars
Paolo Rosso – Guitars
Ricardo Mastantuono – Guitars
Gianluigi Giorgino – Guitars
Stefano Naclerio – Saxophone
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: AMS Records
Country of Origin: Italy
Date of Release: 18th July 2025
