Lydia e Gli Hellua Xenium

Two bands from Lombardy (about LYDIA E GLI HELLUA XENIUM/SCORPYO), from the Legnano/Busto Arsizio area, that had in common one of the founders (guitarist Piero Giavini) and the fact that they released some great singles that are in every high-level Italian prog collector's dreams. The composers of these singles were the same (Fernando Lattuada and Complex, the nickname of Rinaldo Prandoni). Both issued around 1973, the Hellua Xenium singles have a distinct dark prog style led by the voice of Lydia, with intense and dramatic atmospheres that few groups could reach. Guai a voi and Invocazione, from their Rusty label single, deserve a high rank in the top Italian prog tracks. Due to the similarity of the female voice and some doomy atmospheres with Jacula/Antonius Rex works, added to the fact that their second single was released on Radio label (as Antonius Rex's Zora), some thought that the singer Lydia could be Doris Norton. In fact this girl, whose identity remains unknown, was a backing singer found by producer Lattuada, who gave her the name Lydia. From http://www.italianprog.com/a_lydia.htm