FREAK

This is Alejandro Matos` fourth solo album, which was recorded in 2008 and it was released in 2009. This album also is an independent release (not connected with major record labels), so I think that it gives Matos the freedom to create the kind of albums he likes. This is also a conceptual album which (I think, because it is not very clear in the lyrics) tells the story of the old fight of humans between good and bad in relation to religious beliefs and social norms. So, if one person chooses to follow that morality, he or she is considered as a "nomal" person, but if he or she has questions or criticizes that morality, he or she is considered as an alienated person, a "freak" who is considered by the others as an "anormal" person. In the end, the message of this conceptual album is that it doesn`t matter if the persons don`t agree very much with that morality (which sometimes is false and hypocritical), and that the world could be a better place to live if that so-called morality could be less heavy and more real. The music is also dark and dense, but not very dark, having more musical variety and even having some Classical and World music influences in some parts. I think that in this album everything sounds better than in his previous album ("Persona"). It sounds like Matos has improved and matured as musician, composer and singer. His vocals are better, but the musical chords changes are more complicated and his voice sometimes sounds a bit forced. Again, I think that a stronger lead singer could have done a bettere work. The programmed drums are programmed better, and they really sound like being played by a "real drummer", and the rhythms are more complicated sometimes. Matos also plays more distorted guitars, but he also plays some acoustic guitars which give more varitety to the album. The keyboards are also played better, with the use of piano, organ and other keyboards, which are mixed more at the front and having a more notable participation in the sound of the album and even a main role in some tracks. The keyboards create very interesting sound atmospheres, and that is a very good improvement in his musical arrangements. The recording and mixing are also better. In comparison to "Persona", the music has more variety, with more use of contrasts between "heavy" and "quiet" parts, and in the end it leaves a more optimistic view to the listener. Still, and that is inevitable, there are some musical influences from bands like the early Marillion, Pink Floyd and The Cure. But I like this album more than his previous album called "Persona", even if the repetition of some musical themes leaves the listener a bit tired. I suggest you to visit www.alejandromatos.com.ar to listen to this album and to buy it, if you like it. And if you want to read (in Spanish) about how the album was created and more details about the concept of the lyrics, visit his blog : ruidosagrado.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html .