FERMÁTA

A confident fusion debut from Fermata, with Tomás Berka's keyboards and Frantisek Griglák's guitar playing providing a particularly interesting sound. Raw and aggressive, the music clearly shows a mild Mahavishnu Orchestra influence, Griglak in particular showing just as much capacity as John McLaughlin for fast-paced playing - as shown off on the opening track Rumunská Rapsódia. A good fusion debut which feels at points rather anonymous - the band would develop a more distinctive sound over the course of subsequent albums, of course. Fans of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and anyone interested in jazz from beyond the Iron Curtain will be particularly happy with this one.