Standarte - Curses And Invocations (1996)

Curses And Invocations is the second full-length studio album by Italian retro-prog band Standarte, released in 1996. The release cemented the band's status as masters of vintage sound on the European stage.
Like the debut disc, this work was released under the wing of the Italian label Black Widow Records. The album received high praise from critics for its fidelity to the traditions of the old school and an even denser atmosphere.

One of the most intriguing features of the record was the conscious decision to abandon the electric guitar. The entire wall of sound is supported by a powerful rhythm section, furious passages of Hammond organ, deep waves of Mellotron, analogue Moog synthesizers and harpsichord.

The album (“Curses and Spells”) fully lives up to its name - the music is filled with gloomy, macabre images, occult flair and mysterious theatricality. Vocal parts are performed in English.