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Dificil Equilibrio - Simétricanarquía CD (album) cover

SIMÉTRICANARQUÍA

Dificil Equilibrio

Heavy Prog


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hdfisch
PROG REVIEWER
2 stars Actually the CRIMSON influence in this band's music is very much obvious and one could say they "carry it on their sleeves".It's quite nice to listen, but after a while it gets boring since one realises that it's in fact just a more or less a good copy of Fripp-ish guitar style . But one can as well hear clearly that it's not CRIMSON playing. Something is missing in a way, first the compositions are not very interesting with little variation, sometimes the same riffs are just repeated over and over again. Third track offers some strange avantgarde sounds and the fourth one is trying to kill one's nerves with strange repetition-alike vocals.

Altogether one has to say that this record is offering just a mediocre copy of KC music and I'd rather recommend to listen to the original unless you're a particular fan and collector of this band. Although one has to admit that the musicianship is very good, it's still not enough to give it more than 2,5 stars!

Report this review (#21465)
Posted Sunday, March 27, 2005 | Review Permalink
Cesar Inca
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars "Simétricanarquía" finds the Spanish Crimsonesque ensemble Difícil Equlibirio delivering a showcase for musical maturity within the progressive frame that they chose to set their musical vision into. Still very 80s Crimson-inspired in nature, the album's repertoire manages to introduce some newer textures within their power trio sound in order to create some refreshing richness for the basic formula. These other textures preferentially come from math-rock, 90s jazz-rock and fusion; to a lesser degree, you can also notice some post-rock ornaments in a few occasional passages. The album kicks off on a very exciting note with the catchy counterpoints developed in 'Vidas Son Horas', with the harder and the softer passages craftily alternated in a solid continuum. The use of repetition is vivid enough to stay away from the dull. 'El Ángel Exterminador' keeps things quite catchy with its mixture of KC's "Three of a Perfect Pair" and your regular Attention Deficit. The presence of trompet and cello by guests helps to add texture and colour, while the main motif remains simplistic (yet clearly inventive). 'Penumbra' brings shadows of experimental fog under the guise of musique concrete, only to be segued into a joyful rendition of Gong's classic 'Dynamite'. The layful joie de vivre displayed in this cover allows the band to exorcise their more frontal punk-related ghosts, so to speak. An interesting diversion from the very cerebral counterpointing plays developed in the first two cuts. 'Al Destino Devenir' finds the ensemble exploring their heavier facet. This side of theirs is one of the main reasons why I stated that this album represented a sort of renewal of the band's ideology: this is much less Crimsonesque (despite the evidently Frippian vibe in some guitar riffs) and more leaning towards the spirit of Don Caballero and the complex side of Tim Alexander- era Primus. This is a definitive highlight of the album, if not its undisputed apex. 'Ruptura III' lasts less than 3 minutes, and that's a real pity since it is a pretty number built upon a melodic jazz structure: a portrait of mental serenity that finds in the sax solo an adequate enhancement. This number should have been longer, indeed. 'Jaqueline', a cover of a reilly- penned cut, finds the band headlong for a further exploration of their not so evident candid side, even bordering on what we might as well identify as moderately complex pop- rock. Track 8 is an Arabian fusion interlude between the preceding one and 'Trayecto V', a solid showcase for what DE can do when they filter their Crimsonesque vibe through a heavily exotic vibe. 'Bypass' is a slow rocker whose energy is cleverly stated through the use of syncopated pulsation and guitar subtleties: as Frippian as post-rock can get. Finally, the last track (the namesake one) delivers a techno recreation of 80s KC, catchy and high- spirited. After a moment of silence comes the coda, which is a soundscape accompanied by a voiceover. This narrative serves as an effective parting word for a very good album, acutally more than good or very good, excellent. "Simétricanarquía" should earn Difícil Equlibrio a spot of respect and appreciation among fans of Crimsonian prog, particularly.
Report this review (#125367)
Posted Sunday, June 10, 2007 | Review Permalink
Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars KING CRIMSON and GENESIS have to be the most imitated bands on this planet. Spanish band DIFICIL EQUILIBRIO are influenced greatly by KING CRIMSON although they do mix things up a bit and they definitely keep my full attention throughout this disc. This album is very good and I have to agree with Cesar Inca that this album should earn KING CRIMSON fans' respect and admiration.They certainly have mine.There is some guest sax, trumpet and violincello here as well.

"Vidas Son Horas" is all about the angular guitar as the drums pound. It settles 1 1/2 minutes in. Great sound after 4 minutes then the guitar comes back to the fore 5 minutes in. "El Angel Exterminador" has this intricate soundscape that is joined by violin before a minute. It's building then it settles back as contrasts continue. A change 3 minutes in as the trumpet plays over top.This is so good. It then kicks back in after 4 1/2 minutes and the guitar is wondrous after 5 minutes. "Penumbra" opens with violin then an atmospheric calm comes in with experimental sounds. "Dynamite" is uptempo with these vocals shouting out the words quickly with sax and drums.The guitar replaces the vocals and it proceeds to rip it up.Vocals and sax are back 2 minutes in.

"Al Destino Devenir" has this heavy guitar / drum intro. Angular guitar before 1 1/2 minutes and the shrapnel is flying. Nice. "Ruptura III" has a lighter soundscape but it's beautiful. Sax joins in after 1 1/2 minutes. "Jaqueline" is a short intricate piece. "Zakarit Mena Al Maghreb" is another short tune with some amazing sounding percussion and drum work. "Trayecto" has some nice bass and drum work while female vocal melodies and guitar help out. Cool track. "Bypass" opens with synths and atmosphere as the drums join in.This is great ! Some powerful drum work especially late. "Simetricanarquia" is catchy with angular guitar. A real toe tapper.There's silence late then these spoken Spanish words come in with guitar to end it.

I am such a fanboy of the Heavy-Prog genre and this album is another example of why. Very satisfying.

Report this review (#304574)
Posted Saturday, October 16, 2010 | Review Permalink

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