BREVE E INTERMINÁVEL

This Brasilian five piece formation turned out to be a one shot band with their album Breve E Interminavel from 1996. The entire album has obvious King Crimson hints (both Red as Discipline era): a repetetive, often biting guitar sound, a propulsive rhythm- section (powerful drums beats) and many fiery soli from the two guitar players. Along these symphonic rock dinosaur influences you can also enjoy typical South-American elements like the swinging percussion. The bass play is quite jazzy, like some work on the piano ( a solo in Cellula Matter). One of the few mellow parts is Crisalida: acoustic guitar, soft guitar work with volume-pedal, followed by a nice duet from the acoustic - and electric guitars. The best tracks are Mosaico (sweeping featuring fiery electric guitar, great rhythm guitar and a dynamic rhythm-section) and Bebop Blues (pleasant buzzing bass and jazzy piano), if you like King Crimson and jazzrock this (mainly instrumental) album is a fine experience.

Algaravia, is a brazilian band, with only one album, this was one of the first prog albums i bought, i have listened to it several times, for the first time i thought it was a really great album, but i listened to it again and again and again, until now that i found it a bit boring and with a similar sound in each song, the first song is called Crimsoniana, it is totally reminiscent to King Crimson, i think this album has a clear influence by them, it has some good songs like Cellula Mater and Quimera, which have good passages and some strange complexity in the arrangements, sometimes we can hear a jazz influence too, but talking about the whole album, i would say that it is repetitive and sometimes boring, but it is not bad , not my cup of tea really, and of course i cant suggest it because is simply another album. Thats why im going to give it 3 stars.

In the context of the latter half of the 90s, Algaravia's sole album comes as a lovely surprise that certainly should have received more recognition and should catch the attention of a larger number of prog collectors everywhere. This group has created a powerful combination of rock-fusion, jazz and a domesticated sort of Crimsonian prog, conveniently fueled with a proper dose of stylish psichedelia. Indeed, the heavy prog label indexed to this album is quite inaccurate; this is more jazz-prog fusion with a healthy dose of extra eclectic elements. "Breve e Interminável" is not a brief album, with its 75 minute span, but again, that is not to say that it is tiring or something like that, since the creativity is always active throughout the whole repertoire. Now, let's lend our eras to the repertoire itself, shall we? The opener 'Crimsoniana' bears that dual guitar vibe that generated peculiar dialogues in the 80s KC format, but basically, the fusion element (delivered with some aggressiveness) is the most predominant: Algaravia predates a sonic trick that a few years later we will find in Mar de Robles and Gurth albums, for example. 'Lamento' and 'Variacoes Sobre Tema Nenhum', which together fill a 20+ minute space, take full advantage of their own rooms to expand the ambiences developed in their own themes and variations. The lead guitar enjoys a starring role, being frontally rocking in the former piece and more jazz & funk oriented in the latter. The following piece, 'Cellula Mater', combines both factors with an aim toward elaborating an enhanced sophistication that turns out to be one of the album's most explicitly exciting pieces. 'Crisalida' moves to a very different mood, one of soft warmth and sweet nostalgia, fed with Akkerman-style guitar phrases and rooted on a grayish, autumnal atmosphere. 'Mosaico' seems to pick up from the preceding track's languidness at first, but once the main body settles in, the fusion- prog framework with balances aggressiveness returns as recognizable as a lifelong friend. Once again, the Mar de Robles reference comes to my mind. 'Quimera' has am ore permanent softer side, quite relaxing really, conveniently attenuated by Crimsonian twists: then, the second section brings a rocking power that shines in full splendor. Another highlight from this album. 'Bebop Blues' is quite loyal to its title with its bluesy and be-bop overtones, but the Crimson-oriented fusion thing reappears solidly in the main body's development. I feel this piece as a younger sister of 'Cellula Mater'. The album's full picture is completed with 'Iluminancia', whose first minutes are dominated by eerie ambiences, then becoming more intense without letting go of the contemplative vibe. The coda, delivered on a solo classical guitar, perpetuates the romantic spirit that had impregnated the track's core. So, "Breve e Interminável" is a gem of modern progressive rock (post-80s, I mean), that should not be already forgotten ? I recommend it as a great addition to any good progressive collection, and of course, one of many examples of the powerful (albeit not fairly acknowledged) input that South American countries have been bringing in for the preservation of artistic rock worldwide.

If King Crimson had made this album, it would have been praised as one of their best in the recent years. Definitely. But since it was issued by mostly unknown prog rock band from Brazil, it will be recognized only by a small group of people who were lucky to pay enough attention to its content. My first impression after listening was positive, but far from willingness to repeat the listening. Somehow I listened to it once again with my friends and we all agreed that the album is far from being just a good prog rock album. From that moment I have kept returning to the album as possibly the most pleasant surprise in a last couple of months. The music is gloomy enough to attract the fans of Anekdoten but also dynamic and alert to be acceptable for those preferring Al Di Meola and RTF. More than seventy-five minutes of musical virtuosity - fine eclecticism without violence over used styles - with complex developments of theme and mood. Special attention should be paid to guitar work of Sidney Jaires and great percussion background of Vladimir Ricardo. Breve E Interminavel mustn't be the last effort of Algaravia.

Brazilians Algaravia emerged in mid-90's from Fire Worshippers, a Heavy Metal act from Recife, fronted by guitarist/singer Fred Herbaud and his brother-bassist Jean-Jacques Herbaud.They worked as a trio with endless drummer changes, eventually collaborating with Albert Pimenta.As the style of Fire Worshippers constantly progressed through time it was necessary for the core to add new musicians to the band.Thus, Algaravia were born with Sidney Jaires joining on guitars and Gilson Rocha on percussion.They recorded one album for Progressive Rock Worldwide, ''Breve e interminavel'', released in 1996 with Fred Herbaud handling also the supporting keyboards.

With an opening track named ''Crimsoniana'' it's rather impossible to fail on guessing the band's style.Algaravia played a complex Progressive Rock with long, mainly instrumental tracks, led by a dual guitar manifest inspired by the music of KING CRIMSON, offering complicated twists, technical moves and atmospheric solos with occasional support by background keyboards.They added a light rural touch in many pieces via the use of percussion, coloring the sound with a somewhat Latin flavor.The album is full of jazzy interventions, guitar distortions and a solid rhythm section providing the necessary surroundings, but bass and drums often come in the forefront with unusual patterns.The truth is that they fail to escape from the influence of ROBERT FRIPP, but there are a few original tracks with a personal approach, led basically by the use of acoustic guitars and the ethereal vocals of Fred Herbaud, reminiscent of compatriots TERRENO BALDIO.The later part of the album is pretty strong.Algaravia eventually have found a balance between light, folky flavors, dissonant Fusion and KING CRIMSON-like Heavy/Experimental Rock, at this point they sound actually as a mix of KING CRIMSON with GENTLE GIANT, delivering some playful melodies and dreamy vocal lines next to the twin guitar orgasms of Fred Herbaud and Sidney Jaires.

The band was unfortunately short-lived despite a reputedly good live activity.The departure of drummer Albert Pimenta marked the end of Algaravia's history in 1998.

KING CRIMSON-like Prog Rock with technical virtuosity, mechanical executions and haunting atmospheres, accompanied once in a while by nuances of Brazilian Music.Well-played and recommended material.

...and another great work from short lived band from Brazil. Thats nothing surprising, as the supreme brazilian masterpiece (at least from PA) came from such a similar phenomenal - of course, we're talking about Bacamarte's Depois do Fim.

But anyway. In the middle nineties, Brazil was full with a strange miz of music. In the radio we have basically Cássia Eller, Chico Science, Nirvana, Pear Jam, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and a bit of Rush. Music like King Crimson (especially the contemporary releases of King Crimson) rarely appears on radio. The same goes for other classic bands. What was, in a certain manner selling and appearing was the Heavy Metal scene (all genres and sub-genres). Progressive Rock, as a whole, was almost forgotten.

Thats why the work from these guys are so interesting. As the title (and sounding) of the first track suggests, their sound is very closely from King Crimson - not only the classic albums, as we can see even something from Thrak, I suppose. The drummer insists in use all his equipment and refuses a simple beat, the guitar goes from agressive to a more gentle perspective as "Varioações sobre Tema Nenhum" put it. But in a more concisive way, the key tracks from their syle could be "Cellula Mater" and "Crisálida". But the album goes all along with great tunes that never sits in itself, progressing as a unit and then as a whole - in other words: they work as a album.

I would consideer their style more closely related to a 1990' ecletic prog as heavy. As long I use not to enjoy long albums, I do feel happy that they've made it 75min of music, as this is the only album of the brazilian King Crimson.

As the nineties were a difficult decade to made any non-commercial music in Brazil, from three I gave four stars to these guys.