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Bacamarte - Mário Neto: Sete Cidades CD (album) cover

MÁRIO NETO: SETE CIDADES

Bacamarte

 

Symphonic Prog

3.52 | 90 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

ZowieZiggy
Prog Reviewer
2 stars After the acclaimed album "Depois Do Fim" released in 1983 (but recorded in 78) and which was the work of a band, what we get here is pretty much a solo album by their leader, Mario Neto.

The material featured was composed in the eighties and who knows why it took some fifteen years to get them released. Under the name of "Bacamarte".

This album has little to do with the gem almost all reviewers praised on PA. Some tribal sounds ("Ritual da Fertilidade"), some folkish mood ("Filhos do Sol"), some childish little tune ("Carta").

Most of the songs are shortly formatted and there is nothing as brilliant as the wonderful "Ultimo Entardecer" from "Depois..." to blow our ears. Where are the great symphonic sounds ? The opener "Portais" maybe holds such elements.

The best of this work is by no doubt the smooth "Espírito da Terra". Mostly acoustic for half of it, it features a pleasant guitar solo (one of the very few from this album). Spacey and ambient music. Soft and melodic. A highlight.

There is also a duplicate song from their first album : "Mirante das Estrelas" (over six minutes). I believe this is too much. First of all the artist wants us to believe that this is a "Bacamarte" album which is not; second, this album is not ultra long and to repeat a song from a previous album in its original form is a lousy job. Of course, "Mirante" is a good song (Yes oriented).

Another good song is the complex "Canto da Esfinge & Portais". Crimsonesque approach (intro), pleasant and symphonic middle-part ("Yes" then "Genesis"). It is one of the very few that can hold the comparison with their brilliant debut. For nine minutes, we got there. But the bass solo after these is quite irrelevant. Strong and jazzy finale to close the second good original track.

I do not appreciate the way this product has been marketed (the outside). To be on par, the music (the inside) is not relevant either. So why bothering ? I believe it was a serious mistake to release this work under the "Bacamarte" umbrella.

Fooling the fan is a short-term vision. This band could have been remembered for ever for their great album "Depois Do Fim". Now there is a serious stain on their reputation. Five out of ten. Two stars.

ZowieZiggy | 2/5 |

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