CABEZAS DE CERA

I must say that as for originality, this band wins most of the points. Not your typical prog. Essentially an instrumental band (except for some narration on Pretexto A Un Texto Fragmentado and Al Aire). The percussions department here is quite a busy and much varied one. I really love the job Francicso Sotelo does here, he gives the music such a special atmosphere with his instruments. Ramses Luna with all of his wind instruments (flutes, sax and clarinet) leads the music and gives a sort of ethnic tone to it. Mauricio Sotelo provides the rythm with his guitars and bass. there are several guest musicians completing the sound and the overall result is an original, intriguing and satisfying listen. I would not call this Latino-prog as I heard several times. There are some Latin inuendos in some songs, but that is it. WHat I do hear is some tribal like music, Jazz and rock. Very well performed. A refreshing and very good album. (3.5 stars)

Im not tired to suggest this band, im not tired to talk about them, because they are great, maybe from my country you know Cast and Iconoclasta, i think both are the most well - known mexican bands , because they are older, and of course they are great too.

This is the debut album from Cabezas de Cera, this great mexican band, ( im proud of them), and is my favorite band from here. They have a unique sound, something different if we compare them to others, they make a differen progressive rock mixing not only guitars bass and drums, but flute, stick, saxophone, and electronic sets. I Have always said that its very difficult to place them in one subgenre, here in the archives they are in Art Rock section, it could be,but its difficult because they have an innovative mix of sounds and influences, in this album we can listen to some folkish and ethnic passages, great guitar and stick work reminiscent to Tony Levin, and in general to King Crimson, and also with jazz and trumpet a jazzy influenced sound.

Pay attention to their structures , they are great, Encantador de Serpientes Gitana and Gocxilla are my favorite songs here . Im really pleased with this band i like some of my fellow proggres, but this is a new band, with something fresh, complex songs , new ideas and i think it is so enjoyable, but i have to tell that mthis is not everybody`s cup of tea, i love them, and i really love this album, it is highly recommended because i`d like you to give them a chance, only a few of you already know them, and thats unjust, so give them a chance, then im sure you will enjoy them, for all that reasons im going to give it 5 stars, for me it is a masterpiec of progressive rock.

Only when the new millennium had already arrived, could the amazing Mexican ensemble Cabezas de Cera release their eponymous debut album after a few years being around. This was the album that helped them to establish themselves as one of the most interesting avant-prog current champions inside and outside of Latin America. The guys in CDC show that they are capable of creating astonishing sonic experiments in a trio format (plus very occasional guests): A guy on guitars and stick, another one on sax-clarinet-flute and another one on acoustic and electronic percussion, all three committed to concretize a modern approach on a multicolored rock music that includes non-conventional frames (inspired by KC and the RIO movement), electronic sources, jazzy leanings, ethnic-based textures. 'Veintiuno' kicks off the album from the jazzy side of things, incorporating exotic ambiences on sax and cosmic ambiences on synthesizer in the background. Then comes 'Gocxilla' one of the album's apexes. This one is really aggressive, while keeping a constrained rhythmic structure: it sounds as some sort of sinister mixture between 73-75 KC and 80s Present, with an explosive climax at the closing section. As a deep contrast, next comes 'Encantador de Serpientes', an ethereal acoustic-based piece in which the diverse flavors from the Middle East and Latin America mingle in one cohesive joyful amalgam. Special attention to the well-crafted acoustic guitar soloing and the floating, mesmerizing lines on flute and sax, alternately. 'Un Pueblo Escondido' also bears an unhidden folkloric flair to it, although this time the electronic thing builds the theme's basis - the stick and electronic drums lay the foundations for the display of sax and violin solos (great performance by guest violinist Jorge Gaitán). 'Caravana' alternates eerie Arabic motifs (starting and ending sections) and RIO rocking extravaganzas (middle section). 'Pretexto a un Texto Fragmentado' is more focused on contemporary electronica with a Crimsonian vibe: the recited lyrics set an anti-bourgeoisie satire, half- pessimistic, half-dadaistic. 'Gitana' brings a solid return to the ethnic-jazz stuff, with many touches of Flamenco and Arabic folk. And once again, the Crimsonian thing remerges in 'Frontiera', which sounds like some sort of Gordian Knot lost track with Fripp and Belew as guests: this is perhaps the most obviously "ordained" track in the album, which doesn't stop the stamina of rock be highlighted beneath the delicate architecture of the piece. The closure is a light exercise on sophisticated jazz-pop played on acoustic guitar, drum kit and sax: the recitation is a parody of radio DJ salutation and farewell to an anonymous audience. Beneath the whole display of musical intelligence that Cabezas de Cera put into their music, there's always room for humor and sarcasm as a vehicle of critical social statements. The band's rebellious cosmovision is nothing but an extension of their lucid experimentalism in the realms of music and sound. "Cabezas de Cera" is both a feast and a must for all avant-rock and avant-prog lovers.

It was memowakeman's interview with this band that reminded me about checking them out.I'm so glad i did,and memowakeman has reason to be proud of this Mexican band.An interesting blend of styles here,i thought they'd be listed under Rio/Avant but Eclectic is the better fit in hindsight. "Veintiuno" opens with these different sounds coming and going including some deep bass.Drums then guitar follow with spoken words as well.It kicks in around a minute.The sax sound great 3 minutes in.It settles a minute later with bass then builds back to a heavy sound. "Gocxilla" opens with these explosive sounds that come and go before a minute then this scream.A powerful KING CRIMSON-like section then takes over.It settles before 3 minutes as sounds cry out.Clarinet comes in.It's raining after 4 minutes then it kicks back in heavily before 5 minutes.Amazing tune. "Encantador De Serpientes" opens with strummed guitar,percussion and flute.Drums join in as the tempo picks up.The tempo continues to shift though.Huge bass lines after 3 minutes.Sax before 5 minutes. "Un Pueblo Escondido" opens with some major fuzz.Who do they think they are? A canterbury band?(Haha). The song kicks in around 1 1/2 minutes.I like the guitar and bass here.Some flute as well.Violin 3 1/2 minutes in.I hear children's voices before it kicks back in around 5 minutes with some nice violin and bass. "Caravana" has a surprising Celtic flavour at times with what sounds like a tin whistle.Lots of percussion too then a blast of fuzz.Yes! Drums and trumpet as well.Incredible sound. The song settles then kicks back in one more time.Great song! "Pretexto A Un Texto Fragmentado" is experimental to start out and we get some spoken words which are contrasted throughout with a guitar section. "Gitana" features drums.sax,acoustic guitar and other intricate sounds.Fat bass 2 minutes in. "Frontera" sounds so good.The sax is fantastic and so are the bass and drums. "Al Aire" opens with spoken words and strummed guitar.Sax joins in as the words stop.They continue to take turns.Nice bass 5 minutes in. 4.5 stars for me.I find this recording to be so inventive and interesting.It's challenging yet enjoyable at the same time.