Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Crisálida - Crisálida (Homónimo) CD (album) cover

CRISÁLIDA (HOMÓNIMO)

Crisálida

 

Neo-Prog

3.68 | 15 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Gatot
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars An Impressive album from Chile!

I knew nothing about Crisalida until my colleague prog head Wahyu Adi informed me emotionally on how he has been totally impressed by the neo-prog music created and delevered by this Chile based band. He urged me to have a try and he gave me this debut album.

Oh man ... it BLEW me away at first spin! Why?

First, the kind of music the band delivers is something that I have been missing a lot from any new progressive bands: the combination of high energy, or you may call it an energetic or dynmaic kind of music blended beautifully with great tagline melody, captivating tempo, mood and style changes throughout the music that brings you to musical orgasm from start to end and you are not even aware that the album reaches its final track. Man ... I am not exaggerating it, try it for yourself and satisfaction guaranteed! The music scores high on the composition in terms of melody, complexity, harmony, change of styles and structural integrity.

Second, the music brings me to the zone when I don't need to think about what kind of genre or sub-genre or sub-sub-genre these folks are trying to do. I am just drown into the beauty of the music they are playing and I do not really care what the heck of musical genre they do - it does NOT really matter to me at all. It brings me to the basic principle: "Music is emotion". Yeah, that's right man! My emotion is totally stirred when I am listening to this album like what I am doing now while writing this review. Of course I am accompanied by a cup of kopi tubruk (freshly brewed Javanese cofee). Well... if you force me to say what kind of genre this band plays, I tend to say it's the kind where you can not differiantiate between symphonic prog and progressive metal. Yes, the texture is symphonic or neo- progressive but if you look at the tempo and guitar solo you will see the smell of Petrucci style but .. the keyboard sounds bring you to symphonic music - I would say it's Mark Kelly style (Marillion Fish era). Confused? I bet you are! I do apologize for not being able to give you the right answer on this issue. Can I suggest this: "A hybrid of symphonic prog and progressive metal"? You'd better have the album first and make your comments about it.

One thing for sure, do NOT miss this album!

"Alas" (3:43) (in Javanese language this word means 'forest') is a great opener in symphonic prog style starting with an ambient keyboard solo followed with musical riffs using keyboard as main instrument followed with guitar riffs. The music gives a chance to Cinthia Santibanez Verdugo delivers her powerful voice in Spanish. This is another excellent thing, the lyrics are Spanish and they sound well ini the kind of music Crisalida is playing. There are parts with guitar solo and keyboard solo that reminds me to progressive metal scene. The song ends beautifully in relatively short period.

The second track "A mi tierra no llegarás" (4:47) is in fact much more captivating with excellent opening part with drums followed with keyboard and guitar that brings to voice entering the music in moderate tempo. But the music climbs its tone with really powerful (I mean it) Cinthia voice. You will find this song is very dynamic and it demonstrates the ultimate power of female vocal who sings wholeheartedly throughout the song. I think she can control high and low tones beautifully in this song. The guitar solo by Cristian Alfredo Carrillo is also wonderful. This second track is really a WOW! to me. It's really great! Look at how Manuel Soto performs his keyboard solo after guitar one. Oh man ... You must listen to this album! Rodrigo plays his drums using double pedals that reminds me to typical power metal music.

"En el nombre de... "(5:06) maintains the same spirit with the first two tracks through the relatively fast tempo music with some insertions of heavy musical riffs - but it's not really progressive metal. Yes, you can find the nuances of power metal of Rodgrigo drumming - buut it's in a balanced way. The great thing about this song is its melody that allows the female vocal delivers her best through various changing moods and tempo of the music. This third track is more prog than the previous two tracks. It blows me away .. especially on the way the singer sings (it's because of the powerful melody).

You will remember Dream Theater if the track number 4 "Ameba" (4:58) is being played. It's becase of the opening riffs remind you to the similar prog metal music like Dream Theater. But the female vocal makes it different from other bands. There is part where the band is able to combine symphonic prog (through the keyboard solo) and progressive metal (through the drum work and guitar riffs). Garcia is finally given a chance to give his bass guitar solo followed with Petruccian guitar solo.

"Hojas en invierno" (5:22) starts mellow with stunning guitar solo followed with mellow female voice. When the track reaches the middle it elevates to a very nice and more complex symphonic prog music using keyboard as solo instrument. "Justicia made in Chile" (5:04) brings the music back to progressive metal style with double pedal bass drumming combined with excellent keyboard. "Sinfonía "V"" (3:18) brings the music into heavier tone with dynamic riffs and powerful vocal. "Silencio" (1:49) provides a musical break with nice piano touch and mellow vocal. It's a nice bridge to the next instrumental track. I bet you will love to listen to "Despertar" (5:04) - an instrumental track that reminds me to band like Aghora which combines heavy progressive metal music with jazz falavour. Well, you can say this track at par excellent with Rush 'Yyz" or other Dream Theater instrumental tracks like the wonderful "Stream of Consciousness". But this instrumental track is not purely metal as it has other styles as well. It's mainly a symphonic prog music, of course. The guitar solo brings you to the Petrucci style. This time the bass guitar solo gives the jazz components of the music. It's really an excellent composition.

The remaining two concluding tracks "Camino secreto" (6:32) and "De sueño y libertad" (6:57) are also excellent.

Overall, it's a highly recommended prog album that you must have it. It's a 4.5 star rating. Keep on proggin' ...!!!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW - Deep sympathy for the Gaza situation ...

Gatot | 4/5 |

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Share this CRISÁLIDA review

Social review comments () BETA







Review related links

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.