10 Song Guide To Neil Peart's Awesomeness
8. La Villa Strangiato
Neil has always been a phenomenal lyricist, but this is the song that stands as his best showcase as a drummer. After winning their freedom with 2112, the band decided to use their next records as an opportunity to experiment with their sound. This reached a zenith on Hemispheres, where the band was at one of their creative peaks as performers.
To close out the album is this instrumental track, which takes the listener on a 10-minute journey through complex rhythmic patterns and dramatic tonal shifts. The song has no lyrics, but the song's structure keeps the listener engaged as much as any story would.
This song also became known as one of the most difficult songs for drumming in the prog rock canon, with Neil flying off the handle with exquisite drum fills and a backbeat that is complicated while never deterring the song's momentum. Over time, highly respected drummers from Foo Fighter Taylor Hawkins to Dream Theater's technician Mike Portnoy have sang the praises of this drum performance.
While this song and album was a peak for the band experimentally, they were never content to stay in that lane. The time had come to reach for some new influences...