For the first time since I began this countdown we come across an album that not only have I heard, but that I have previously reviewed. It got my seal of approval but there is no point in my writing a second review of it and so as we reach number
may I direct you to the full review here
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...72652[img] of
All is one --- Orphaned Land
and without hesitation award it a very high
9.3/10
Which then brings us rather quickly to the next album in the chart, standing at number
Back to South America we go, where the burgeoning prog rock scene appears to be doing quite nicely thank you. These guys have been in existence since 2000, being an offshoot of other projects and bands in the area, and have released four albums over that period, with this being their latest.
Tawa Sarira --- Jinetes Negros
Like most people I reasoned their band name meant black something, but I didn't know what jinetes was. Now I find it's riders, so these are the Black Riders. Apparently they're usually a prog metal band, rather like Orphaned Land above, but on this album they seem to have eschewed any metal trappings and come across as much more a progressive rock band with heavy leanings in the direction of seventies prog like Yes, Camel and ELP.
The opener is an intro, replete with deep bass voices and higher register ones accompanied by a nice soft acoustic guitar with some rising synth in the background. It's short, less than a minute and a half, yet even in this tiny snippet you can hear the exceptional vocal harmonies that will go on to characterise this album. Upbeat violin and flute then open “Juez de los malos” with squealing synth coming in to take the tune before the single vocal of lead singer Marcello Ezcurra enters the fray, and though he speaks in his native language (is it Spanish? I think it is) and I have no idea what he's saying it really doesn't matter as his voice is sweet and clear and seem full of passion. I even find myself singing along, although I don't know the words or understand the language. A good start, especially for an album not sung in English. Nice line in vibraphone or marimba or something starting off “Corzon y naranjas” (Heart and soul?) before a heavy guitar from Eduardo Penney reminds us these guys are usually a metal band, but this is offset by a sort of jig on flute.
The vocal is harder, almost angry though not quite, but definitely not as relaxed as it was on the previous track. Some really nice sprinkly piano then from Octavio Stampalia, who is apparently well known and respected in the Argentinian prog rock scene. Some fairly frantic drumwork from Ricardo Penney (brother to Eduardo?) then Stampalia emulates the flute's jig but on synth, if indeed the flute was not also synthesised. A fast piano solo followed by some fanfare synth opens “Cancion des oceanas” --- which I'm pretty sure means “song of the ocean” --- and it's a slightly mid-paced to fast song with some really nice vocal harmonies, quite long in comparison to those which have gone before: this clocks in at just over six minutes, definitely one of the longer tracks on the album. Ezcurra manages to sound quite Gabrielesque at times here, whether that's intentional or not I don't know.
Really slick guitar solo from Eduardo while bells toll out counterpointing the melody, and in ways the song really reminds me of “White mountain” from Genesis's early “Trespass” album. It ends dramatically on string synthesiser and pulls us into a quiet piano intro to “Suene tu milagro”, on which Ezcurra sings like an angel backed only by the piano of Stampalia. Some violin then comes in, and cello too, this being presumably the first ballad on the album. A big powerful roll on the drums then gives it a sort of cinematic feel, as if you're listening to something out of “Les Miserables” perhaps. Dropping back to bare piano halfway, Stampalia is then aided by some guitar and a loud vocal harmony before he and Ezcurra take the song towards its conclusion.
“Shawarma” then is driven on heavy cello and wailing guitar with some Spanish guitar added, a sort of ominous feel to the
pizzicato strings that run through the song. Some quite metal guitar breaks in about the midway point as the intensity of the song increases, while “Amada Inmortal” has a nice mix of jazz, funk and some traditional Argentinian sounds while still retaining its proggy edge, and “El retorno eternal” has a lot of eighties Genesis in it, also utilising those excellent group harmonies. Some piano in there too that puts me in mind of The Divine Comedy and the odd nod to 10cc as well. “Esas trampas” has that
pizzicato strings effect again, with a really nice vocal from Marcelo Ezcurra but quickly picks up in power and intensity under the heavy guitar of Eduardo and the pounding drumming of his brother. If he is his brother. The vocal, too, gets stronger and more forceful.
“Las cuatro verdades” (the four truths) has a very Kamelot/Arena feeling to it with a gothic overlay and some really nice orchestral overtones and some hard guitar, frantic keyboard; seems like it may be the first instrumental on the album. Slowing down with some nice piano, acoustic guitar and flute it heads past the halfway mark before stabbing orchestral synth takes it back up tempowise and it ends on a big choral vocal and synth blast. “Purgatoria” (anyone?) starts off with a heartbeat bass then turns into a nice mid-paced keys-driven half-ballad with jingly guitar and really sumptuous violin.
We're almost there then with “A los ojos bello” (those beautiful eyes?) with a powerful, dramatic, cinematic start using raging violin and heavy percussion plus snarling guitar. Another seven-minuter, the vocal is harsh and uncompromising, lending the song something of a Led Zep feel with organ pulled direct from the best of Purple and choral vocals that Jim Steinman would kill for. It really builds up to what is pretty much a last salvo from the band in a massive concerto of music, vocals and choir. Really very special and would have been a great closer, but they bookend the album with the outro to go with the intro, and it's basically a slower reprise of that opener, with deep bassy voices accompanied by the higher register ones that fades out as a sort of final prayer and brings the curtain down really well.
TRACKLISTING
1. Tawa saira intro
2. Juez de los malos
3. Corazon y naranjas
4. Cancion del oceano
5. Suene tu milagro
6. Shawarma
7. Amada inmortal
8. Luna de India
9. El eterno retorno
10. Esas trampas
11. Las cuatro verdades
12. El velo
13. Purgatorio
14. A los ojos bello
15. Taw Saira outro
Now I must admit I got a little turned around here near the end of the album. With the songs not being in English, it's hard to tell which one you're listening to if you don't keep a close eye on the running order, and somewhere along the way “El velo” became “Purgatorio” and on from there, and I actually missed out talking about “A los ojos bello”, but in the end it doesn't matter that much because this is an album with no bad tracks. Not one.
For a band who are usually prog metal this is a surprisingly mellow release, though it does have its tougher moments where Jientes Negros remind us of their roots. But whether it's prog metal or prog rock that you're into, or indeed both, this album will satisfy your cravings and leave you wanting more. I would have to say, based on this album at least, that Argentinian progressive rock is looking better each time I check into it.
A solid
8.5/10