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CRISALIDAEspirituSymphonic Prog |
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Definitive can pass as any Italian gem if it were sung in Italian; but, of course is Spanish, and great lyrics, very inspired and uplifting for the soul. I can not comment about further releases, just this one Crisalida, stands firm as one of the classics of progressive rock, a hidden gem....no more!!! If you like vintage Italian progressive music of the 70's, you will love this one. Now, it is up to you....you have been shown the light!!! Recommended.

The band consisted of Carlos Goler on drums, Claudio Martinez on bass, Osvaldo Favrot on guitar and backing vocals, Fernando Berge on vocals, and Gustavo Fedel on keyboards. The music tends to the more melodic spectrum of prog, with lots of great guitar from Favrot and wonderful analog keyboards from Fedel (like Hammond organ, Mini Moog, Solina string synth, piano).
The music alternates between the most acoustic-end of prog, like PFM and CELESTE, and the more heavy, aggressive end like SEMIRAMIS, when Favrot uses electric. "La Casa de la Mente" starts off rather electronic, with heavy doses of string synths and Moog, before the music kicks in with that PFM-like vibe. "Polijas Virtudes del Olvido" is a short piece with more of that Italian feel. I love how Gustavo Fedel closed the song with the Mini Moog before seguing in to "Sueños Blancos, Ideas Negras". Here is some really amazing, laid-back atmospheric guitar work I never could have imagined coming from a Latin country! Then the music gets heavy in the BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO, SEMIRAMIS, or IL BALLETTO manner, even the vocals tend more to the hard rock spectrum here, not unlike IL BALLETTO. "Sabios de Vida" is a piece alternating between more mellow passages dominated by string synths and rocking passages. "Eterna Evidencia" is an instrumental piece with Moog soloing. "Tiempo de Ideas" continues in that Italian-style of prog complete with more great use of vocals. "Hay un Mundo Cerrado Dentro Tuyo" at times brings to mind YES' "And You and I", especially the bass work. The final cut, "Hay un Mundo Luminoso" is basically two different songs. The first dominated by Hammond organ, with almost a jazzy feel, while the second half is basically a theme repeated, first with piano, then synthesizer.
ESPIRITU proves that prog acts out of Argentina can be up there with many of their European counterparts in terms of quality of music and production. If you didn't know that they were from Argentina, you might think they were from Europe, like Spain (or not paying attention to the vocals, Italy). This album is truly one of the best things I've ever heard from Latin America, proving to everyone there's much more to Argentina than tango. Highly recommended stuff!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Recommended, so add another half star at least (by forgetting the bad production!!)


"Crisalida" was the first album released by the band, but it sounds very mature and oragnized, very fresh. The opening track, "La Casa De La Mente" is one of the most shocking moments on the album. It opens with a very inspired Moog introduction, courtesy of the awsome keyboardist Gustavo Fedel, and then the band explotes with a wonderfull Osvaldo Favrot's electric guitar solo. In addition of this, the rhythmic section does a very good job with drummer Carlos Goler and bass player Claudio Martinez. The energy dissapears suddenly, and Favrot changes to very beuatyfull acoustic guitar chords. Then, Fernando Berge starts to sing the melodies. The lyrics are very introspective, full of reflexions about the life and God. I want to clarify these details because the album is full of them, and it's great!
"Prolijas Virtudes del Olvido" starts with a psychedelic introduction, but then the acoustic guitar appears and stay to the end of the track. The vocal harmonies sounds a little less inspired here, but the energy comes back in the next song: "Sueños Blancos, Ideas Negras", one of the most heavy passages on the album. It opens with a very intimist organ solo and a very strong vocal melody, but in the chorus the music changes abruptly with a fantastic rhythmic base. I love this song. The first half of the album ends with "Sabios de Vida", a nice song but not the best.
The second half of Crisalida starts with "Eterna Evidencia", the only instrumental track. The stars of this song are Gustavo Fedel's keyboard and the guitar solos of Osvaldo Favrot. "Tiempo De Ideas" is another very good song, specially on the fantastic chorus. Here, the keyboards has an important role. This last one remebers me some moments of "The Remembering" (Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans). "Hay Un Mundo Cerrado Dentro Tuyo" is maybe the most weak track of Crisalida, but it still is a very nice song. And the end becomes with "Hay Un Mundo Luminoso", the longer piece. It's fabulous, the rhythms has surprising breaks, full of pasion, a great vocalization, and it's ends with chorus repeats. This is the end of this awesome prog rock album.
There is many releases of this album. The original was the Lp in 1975 with the label Microfon. In 1989 Sony Music Argentina released it on CD, then it was a third reissue in 1997 and finally the remastered edition released in January 2004 with Lp style package.
Let me tell you, ESPIRITU was the best argentinian progressive rock band ever (with Crucis, obviously) and Crisalida shows everyone that the South American groups can be as creative and brillant as the europeans. If you are a prog rock lover, don't think twice, get Crisalida right now! It won't bring you down.

Espiritu´s music is typical symphonic prog with some hard passages here and there, but overall there are no great inovations to be found, keeping that in mind, this album shows 5 good musicans doing some quality music, which is always welcomed. Mainly inspired in the great Italian bands like Banco, PFM or even the one shot Museo Rosenbach, Espiritu follows a similar path, yet the music comes of a bit less complex, with a bigger use of the electric guitar and, sadly, not as good vocals as the before mentioned Italian bands. Fernando Berge might be a good singer, but he will never be compared with the greats, something which seems to be quite the case in Argentinian prog... what a pitty.
Crisalida is a concpet album about what seems to be a very interesting theme, the relation of the mind, body and soul in every one of us. It´s interesting because in future years another band would take this ideas and develop them even more, I´m talking about Tool with their magnum opus Lateralus. Sure, Keenan must have never heard or Espiritu... but it´s still quite interesting. Yet, the concept might be very good, but the actual lyrics are a bit too simple for their own sake, making some vocal lines almoust cheesy and patchy...
Overall, this album is good, it has it´s flaws, but if you remember that this is a debut album, from a band that comes from a country where prog wasn´t yet "installed" then you might like it even a bit more.

Overall, this is a nice debut with noticeable Italian symphonic rock influences in terms of songwriting. Other influences I detect are Sui Generis (Famous Argentine folk turned prog band featuring Charly Garcia) as well as some English progressive rock bands from the seventies. This Argentine debut, despite sounding a bit amateurish, is consistent in quality and finishes with two strong tracks. One bringing back memories of Yes' And You And I, and another having a very memorable line in its finale.


02. Prolijas Virtudes Del Olvido In the glue is the 2nd track that follows the melody in music started earlier with overlapping vocals, and beautiful passages of synthesizer. A keyboard that you enter insistent then more synthesizers, and .... Surprise!
03. Suenos Blancos, Ideas Negras The third track enter an atmosphere of calm and renewal. Nice guitar break wha, what I call 'Sueños Blancos'. In the second part of the song 'Ideas Black' comes to the surface and breaking up. Fine conventions and riffs with weight in the right measure, a hit!
04. Sabios De Vida It begins with noises and sounds, which I thought were submarines, but soon enter the voices as if they were in a 'box'. The riff that follows is impressive, and the bottom line is totally inspired by Chris Squire (of Yes, that is for sure the most influential bassist of all time). Then the guitar takes care of everything with an incredible power, and to fund the keyboards and vocal melody is one of the most beautiful things I have heard. The vocalizations are really great.
05. Eterna Evidencia That starts now breaking out all of the keyboard Gustavo Fedel catch fire in all directions, the best prog crazy, and in the suit that was Yezda Urfa. An instrument of hell for good!
06. Tiempo De Ideas Beautiful body, professor and vocal melody remarkable. A song full of pomposity and melodies.
07. Hay Un Mundo Cerrado Dentro Tuyo Again the guitar is the ball instead of doing the things that are forgotten at least for a moment. It is amazing the similarity with Yes in the band. Keyboards are played very well on all tracks (if you read them on the site are aware of history that in 1973 the guys were continuing to buy U.S. equipment and brought a Moog synthesizer, a first for Latin America, and it looks they had not yet keyboardist laughter).
08. Hay Un Mundo Luminoso Then the range of closure following the melody of the former than just to stay in the hand. The emphasis is also on the low end with wha of Claudio Martinez, who was once a drummer (?!?) music excellent for closing the disk.
This disc was actually composed for it to be a work of two songs, 21 minutes each, but when the boys were recording the terms of the Argentine season studios did not allow this done, it was difficult because the sound engineers were accustomed only the songs of 3 minutes, wanted the two tracks were recorded for 21 minutes at a time to live, and everyone knows that to do this in compositions of this size with all the trade of tool is not very feasible. I will not tell all the stories of the site of the guys come out and give, very nice guys of the story, an example of how someone can work the most when something of true love.
www.progshine.com

"The House Of Mind" opens with synths galore for over 2 minutes then it kicks in with some killer guitar. It settles somewhat after 3 minutes as vocal melodies then vocals come in. Check out the acoustic guitar 4 1/2 minutes in. "Tedious Virtues Of Olivado" is uptempo early with heavy guitar before piano and vocals take over. "White Dream Black Idea" opens with synths and gentle guitar. It kicks in at 2 minutes but settles back down quickly with vocals. Contrasts continue. Full speed ahead 3 minutes in as tempo shifts continue. They're kicking but 5 1/2 minutes in.
"Sabois De Vida" opens with lots of atmosphere before the guitar crashes the party. This is pretty uplifting before 2 minutes. More excellent guitar after 4 minutes as themes are repeated. Check out the synths early on in "Eternal evidence" as drums and piano support. The guitar comes in ripping it up. "Idea Of Time" features some uplifting organ as vocals join in.The tempo picks up but it continues to change throughout.
"Yours Is A Closed World Inside" opens with drums, synths and strummed guitar. A fuller sound after a minute until it settles as vocals come in. It kicks back in when vocals stop. Nice. "There Is A Luminous World" is upbeat until it calms down with passionate vocals. It kicks back in as contrasts continue. The guitar lights it up 2 1/2 minutes in. It turns pastoral before 5 minutes before a full sound with vocals returns to end it.
I really like the way this band sounds, a very enjoyable listen.

"La Casa de la Mente" Light synthesizers build a fine introduction. Following this, frenetic guitar bursts through with a Latin rhythm backing it up. This style of playing isn't what I like to listen to at all- so many notes in such a short period of time, and the guitar even sounds slightly out of tune in places. It gives way to a sudden acoustic guitar and piano with calm vocals. The synthesizer returns over a pleasing rhythm, and serves as the highlight of the song.
"Prolijas Virtudes del Olivido" Steady snare drum and a dual guitar lead ushers in more synthesizer over piano and acoustic guitar. I quite like the keyboard work and the delightful vocal harmonies.
"Suenos Blancos Ideas Negras" Swampy guitars, airy synthesizer, and deep bass create a slow psychedelic piece. Midway through it rocks out with heavy guitar and a solid bass groove. This piece especially reminds me of Eloy. The finale charges on with some excellent guitar work.
"Sabois de Vida" Spacey, almost underwater sounds open the track, and soon it launches into more semi-psychedelic rock. The bassist is the one to watch on this song. The piece becomes halcyon abruptly, with acoustic guitar, piano, and fair vocals.
"Eterna Evidencia" This is a wild synthesizer ride that I want to get off of as quickly as possible. The tone and choice of notes just do not fit with the background music. It is painful to hear.
"Tiempo de Ideas" After some experimental sounds, this song has vocals over organ, and then launches into a so-so acoustic rock song. The electric guitar and synthesizer tend to work well together during the conclusion.
"Hay Un Mundo Cerrado Dentro Tuyo" This is a light acoustic guitar and synthesizer piece. The slightly whiny vocals make this sound similar to a David Bowie song.
"Hay Un Mundo Luminoso" Despite it's length, the final track feels close to mainstream classic rock. An extended guitar solo, the tone of which I do not like due to its graininess, contributes to that time. It does feature a soft acoustic passage in the second half. The ending is delightful, with some nice organ, synthesizer, and vocals.

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