ÜNDER LINDEN

After years and years of creating a cult following and actively pursuing the perpetuation of prog rock in their native Argentina (this band also works as organizer of the annual Sinfo-Prog festival, at La Plata), Ünder Linden has finally made it - the release of their debut album. This instrumental ensamble is so well ordained and cohesive that it is comes as no wonder that you find aout that all of them individually are veteran experts with a long past as prog rockers. This band is full of skills on an individual level, but generally speaking, the showing off comes more recurrently from the ensemble itself than from pyrotechnical duels between this and that musician. having said that, it is clear that the compositions are arranged and performed in order to allow the guitar and violin share most of the spotlight, with the keyboards mostly creating background atmospheres and pertinent orchestration, plus very occasional soloing. Even this statement has to be understood as a symptom of the band's pristine musical sensibility, since the guitat and violin leads are perfectly based on the main melodic structure of the underlying theme that happens to be developing at the moment. Also, their moments of duelling are very controlled, but none of this means that the band lacks energy or uses it with neglect - on the contrary, both the patently powerful moments and the reflective ones are delivered with crucial energy and emotional allusions. Classic Camel and Focus (their symphonic side) come out as their major influences, with additional influences from UK, Hackett-era Genesis and melodic hard rock a-la Satriani/Vai. The rhythm section is very polished and very tight, in this way impeccably complementing the overall atmospheres sustained by the keyobards and enhanced on the guitar and violin's lines. The opener 'New-New / Danza de Ballenas' starts with soaring cosmic textures, based on low-tone keyboard layers upon which the bass, guitar and violin ramble for a while with phrases and/or effects. Once the mid-tempo is set on, the main theme goes settling in, gradually going to a faster crescendo that is so full of majesty that the listener must feel moved by it. 'Desolación' is just a scene of a door opening, sounds of wind and the door closing, just a prelude to 'En la Piedad de los Dioses', a piece the somewhat follows the path of the opening piece: it starts with a sense of serenity that borders on sheer melancholy, before a second section wraps things up in a more dynamic manner, albeit keeping things relaxing (ocasionally reminding me of KBB at their softest). 'Casi Fue' is focused on the melancholic side of Ünder Linden, even straying a bit apart from standard symphonic prog and elaning closer to Satriani's slow tracks: the energy is still there, but this time is it clearly constrained in terms of both composition and delivery. The level of power takes a dramaic turn upwards with 'El Conducto', one of the most explosive numbers of the album. It recaptures the prog vibe of tracks 1 and 3, only to take it to a more robust dimension. The band deals with the tempo and mood variances without losing an inch of focus on the track's overall spirit - 'El Conducto 'is a second highlight after the amazing opener. 'Gravitaciones' kind of drags the rocking flourishes of the preceding track, even flirting with melodic hard rock in places. By now, the album has reached a very interesting level of musical power, and surely the symphonic-prog fiendly listener has felt hooked on this band for a while. 'El Cortito M.K.' finds the band returning to the Satriani/Vai influence, at least for a couple of minutes (I suspect that this pieces is performed only by the trio of guitar-bass- drum). Anyway, 'M.K.' seems like an interlude within the whole repertoire's scheme. 'Tiburón en Marcha' (Spanish for 'Shark on the Road'), despite its title alluding images of animal horror movies from the late 70s and early 80s, is neither creepy nor aggressive at all. It is actually the band's most candid exercise on melancholic moods, based on their most simplistic melodic idea: the ambience is not sad, but relaxing, even refreshing. This is very pertinent, since the last two pieces are designed to increase the intensity. Don't be fooled by the opening textures of 'Linden', full of languid mystery as they are - for the second half, things will speed up in an explicit fashion, turning into an exciting progressive voyage that totally confirms the Camel-meets-Focus reference. 'Parafinal' is credited as a bonus track (like a homage to Farenheit, an older band that a few members of UL used to play in), but it actually works as a proper closure for the album. It's got enough dynamics and complexity as to bring a pleasant final taste in the heart and mid of the listener: the sense of joy reflected in the main motif and enthusiastic performances make this track sound like a marriage of Camel, Crucis and early solo Hackett. Definitely, these last two tracks are other highlights to consider the value of this "Ünder Linden" album as a whole. Arguably, this is the most accomplished Argentinean symphonic prog album of the year; undisputedly, Únder Linden is a band that has earned to be acknowledged as a major symphonic prog act nowadays, both Latin-America wide and worldwide. I have said this before (and some others have, too): a whole bunch of the best current prog items comes from outside the predominant Middle European/British/North American scenes, and this album proves it for one more time.

This Argentine five piece band was founded in the late Nineties and consists of experienced musicians who played in several bands. In 2003 Under Linden released the live album Festival Sinfo-Prog La Plata from 2003 and in 2007 the first studio CD entitled Under Linden.

During the more than 50 minutes of running time we can enjoy progrock that is driven by violin (both acoustic as electric) and electric guitar (with hints from early Hackett solo). In general the atmospheres alternate between dreamy and slow rhythms but some songs deliver mid-tempo beats with lots of fiery guitar solos and sparkling violin work that often reminds me of JL Ponty. The rhythm-section plays fluent and is a perfect starting point for the frequent solos on guitar and violin. The keyboards sound pleasant and tasteful but in my opinion a bit too subdued, I had preferred a more dominant keyboard sound as a contrast to the omnipresent guitar and violin in order to sound more varied. My highlights on this very melodic and tasteful album are the alternating El Conducto (exciting final part with strong interplay between guitara and violin), the fluent Gravitaciones (excellent and varied work on guitar), the compelling Tiburon En Marcha (sensitive violinplay and howling, often wah-wah drenched electric guitar) and the captivating Linden (dreamy intro with melancholical violin, lots of fine shifting moods and a final part with blistering violin and fiery guitar).

To me this sounds as a promising debut CD that will not only please the violin aficionados but also symphomaniacs and jazzrock fans. My rating: 3,5 stars.

Promising debut from this Argentinian outfit.

Symphonic prog rock of the more mellow variety is the name of the game for this release; with atmospheric textures from synths accompanied by guitar soloing are the dominant traits. Obviously, with a description like that a name like Camel comes to mind, and this band do indeed have a similar sound to this classic act, although parallels to German band Eloy can be found as well; especially in the bass lines but also by the use of space-tinged synth textures in some songs.

The at times extensive use of violins do set the band apart a bit though; and there is the potential here for a unique sound to be developed. On this release most compositions lack that certain extra that makes it a brilliant creation; but fans of this type of music should find it a satisfying addition to their collection - in particular if they like this type of music in instrumental form.

Non-regionally heavy symphonic rock from Argentina!

My first listening to Parafinal could strongly make me excited. Flyin' guitar solo, the string section holding the whole sounds strictly, and the bass and drums putting enthusiasm into listeners...wonderful sound and style I wanna say. This is the reason why I have got their eponymous album sooner and it could not betray me of course!

New - New / Danza de Ballenas, with a heavy and dark opening and plaintive bass and electric violin sounds, shows the way where this album itself should go I feel. Under the linden tree, what are they thinking with the song? On the sleeve is a picture into pieces of a linden tree - their dreams should be into pieces too...? However, the very lyrical and fruitful sounds can let us (listeners) and them (Ünder Linden) not nitpick anymore. Yea I'm sure! En La Piedad De los Dioses is exactly God's sadness shown behind us. Violin solo can lead us into a depressive but warm ground - their sounds are not only plaintive but also powerful and hopeful. On the contrary, in the next Casi Fue and El Conducto the powerful electric guitar solo can push us upstairs as well. Each song has the same flavour but a slightly different spice from others. Gravitaciones, a straight rock shot, the high tone bass solo comes to the front - and the keen violin lets the bud blossom out into a bright sunflower! Tiburon En Marcha? A shark in March? Hmm...battles with the sharp-edged violin and the laidback guitar, like a shark rushin' to a catch? Obscure meanings of the titles make us imagine more wonderfully? Sorry. But till the last Linden we should listen to the album without breathing enough well.

I shall give them two words - powerful and lyrical!

Strange thing, this is an Argentinian band named after a boulevard of the Berlin district.Under Linden came in life in 2001 by husband and wife Mario Gimeno (drums) and Gabriela Gonzalez (keyboards), both played during the 70's/80's in the underground group Fahrenheit, with whom bassist Jorge Dal Cin also spent some time, it was meant to become also a member of Under Linden.Violinist Roberto Medina, a former bandmate of Gimeno, and guitarist Ignacio Scarsella completed the line-up.In 2003 the band released a live CD-R, captured at the Festival Sinfo-Prog in La Plata and in 2005 they felt that the time for a studio album had come.Their self-titled debut was recorded at the Hollywood-City Bell Studio in La Plata between October 2005 and November 2006, released in 2007 on Viajero Inmovil.Some themes on the album date back from the days of Gimeno and Gonzalez with Fahrenheit.

Under Linden play all instrumental and highly melodic Neo/Symphonic Prog with emphasis on sensitive, atmospheric themes and elaborate melodies, deriving elements from the music of CAMEL and OUTER LIMITS.The strong presence of the violin somewhat sets them apart from the mass of bands following the same style and the result is a lovely, laid-back album with occasional breaks into more grandiose executions with a big, symphonic sound.Typical elements of their style are the smooth, LATIMER-like guitar solos, the refined keyboard soundscapes, the solid rhythm section and the impressive work of Medina on violin.There are even some acoustic lines placed next to the electric runs and the production is great, giving a beautiful color to Scarsella's emotional guitar plays.Almost all tracks begin with a calm prelude on synths and guitars and eventually build upon Medina's violin parts and Scarsella's rising guitar textures, a combination that works pretty well, but gets a bit tiring along the way.During the more pronounced violin themes a slight folky underline becomes discreet, but the bulk of the album is melodic Symphonic Rock with a crystalline and mellow sound.

Not a groundbreaking work, but this is music played over a strong emotional content, delivering imaginative themes and even offering some rockin' and richer ideas.Recommended.