ALESSIA CICALA
MASSIMILIANO PICCONI
Symphonic, Neoclassical, with strong influences from classical and polyphonic music, Atrium Animae is a hermetic project distinguished by dusky atmospheres and a mesmeric journey into a world of submission and desperation.
Founded in Italy in 2007, Atrium Animae merges the talents of Alessia Cicala (Conservatory-trained soprano female vocalist) with Massimiliano Picconi.
The music is characterized by a “classical” approach, where the basis of the composition is represented by complex polyphonic vocal parts and expressiveness instruments centered around orchestral strings and horns, with strong influences from classical and polyphonic music.
ATRIUM: [latin, atrium: the fore court of a Roman house]
In architecture a square hall lighted from above, into which rooms open at one or more levels. The atrium is also an open court with a porch or gallery around three or more sides.
It is used especially at the entrance of pagan and religious buildings.
In the Middle Ages the name was extended to the open churchyard or cemetery.
ANIMA: [latin, soul: the spiritual and immortal part in man].
The term is often used to indicate the animating or essential part.
The name "ATRIUM ANIMAE" can be translated in English as "The Gate of the Soul" or "The Hall of the Soul."
It can be considered as a symbolic representation of the passage from physical world toward an immaterial world, a line where two different worlds - the outer and the inner worlds - meet together.
In a deeper sense, "Atrium Animae" can be considered as the boundary where Life and Death meet together.
| LINK: Alessia Cicala's Discography
Alessia Cicala, after the studies in Conservatoire (diploma in "solfeggio", and studies in traverso flute), started her carreer in the band "Essences", who released the album "Nebulae" (Energeia) in 1997.
One song of that album "Lady Solitude" was released also in the compilation "Heavenly Voices part V" (Hyperium Records, 1998) - with Love Spirals Downwards, The Gathering, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil - and in the compilation "Intimation Of Immortality Vol. 4" (Energeia, 1998).
In these years, she played also as soprano in a Polyphonic Choir singing a sacrum and profane music repertory.
In the year 2000, the band "Chirleison" was born from the ashes of the Essences. The american label "The Fossil Dungeon" released their first album "A Whisper", on June 2004.
In 2005, Chirleison presented a new version of the Moon Far Away' song "Hymn" for the re-release of the Moon Far Away's debut CD "Lado World / Anti - Lado World" (Shadowplay, 2007).
In 2007, a new song, "Bagliori", was released in the compilation "Influence" (Shadowplay, 2007), containing songs from Moon Far Away, Ataraxia, Daemonia Nymphe, The Moon & The Night Spirit.
Now, Alessia is also working on the second album of the band.
A complete list of Alessia Cicala's Discography can be found here.
| www.dead-can-dance.com
Massimiliano Picconi is at his first musical project.
He is known as the creator of the world reference Dead Can Dance's website www.dead-can-dance.com.