EREBUS, LA SUITE DE LAS SOMBRAS.

Asceta is an ensemble from Chile who would perfectly fit-in in that description. Formed in 2020, they have now released two studio albums where concepts such as avant-garde, chamber music, rock in oposition (RIO) lie, and though yeah, we could label their musical style, what they create is full of freedom.

For this second released entitled 'Erebus, la suite de las sombras', the 7-piece ensemble (and their two guest musicians) developed a 50-minute album where darkness reigns, where a somber and tense atmosphere leads the path to an spiritual realization. The album starts with 'Preludio' and yeah, I can tell they have been influenced by acts such as Art Zoyd or Univers Zero. The music sounds like a nightmare, however, there are moments of tranquility which, in fact, could be confusing, however this musical journey could be a simile to our own life journey.

'Pseudo-fonía del tormento' is an exquisite track where we can appreciate how good the ensemble understand each other, we can hear every of the instruments played in a great way, clean, pure and emotional. Violins, bassoon, cello, piano, drums and much more, all adding their grain of sound and also creating colorful moments, because though we can clearly listen to some obscure grey passages, there are several instants where their diversity of sounds provoke brighter atmospheres and color palettes.

'Concilio de brujas' is a beautiful and surprising track, because I thought it would be another passage where obsurity reigns, but no, here we perceive a shiny, cheerful meeting where calm takes over. Love the wonderful amalgam between strings and winds. But when the next track arrives, darkness and tension are implemented once again. This is an extraordinary epic track divided in two, first 'El hereje y el devoto' brings what RIO is about, music with no boundaries, with high quality and with a considerable amount of difficulty (both, to play and to dig). I love the music changes, so challenging, so full of quality and personality. There is a constant dialogue between the instruments, but I highlight the work of flute and clarinet creating the brighter side, while bassoon and cello defend the darker side. 'Profanos y arcanos' is quite interesting because it is a mixture of colors, nuances and emotions, we can create some images in our heads, I can picture a meeting of gods and ascetics, who are dialoguing in order to live in harmony. This is a great track.

'En lo alto y en el abismo' has a more vertiginous rhythm and sound, the faster the more tense, drums here are wonderful throughout the track, delicate but intense, fabulous. Of course that softer piano moment also caught my attention here, but later where the passages explode, it is exquisite to listen to the strings at unison developing the song's different episodes.

'Por sobre mi cadáver' is a great example of a proggy avant-garde track. I love its short and constant changes in tempo and mood, it can sound a bit chaotic, and maybe its intended, but what I love is their capacity of bringing brief moments of disguised tranquility and then embrace us with the chaos once again. The album finishes with 'La danza de los condenados' in which the rhythm in moments, represent a dance indeed, "dance of the damned", it could perfectly work for a silent film. So after the different passages of the album, where light and darkness where shared, the ascets have nothing left but accepting their fate, and live under Erebus' rules.

A great album from this Chilean ensemble. Applauses!

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