ASCETA

They comprise Rodrigo Maccioni (electric guitar, concert wooden flute, synthesizer), Cristián Peralta (cello), Alfonso Vergara (clarinet, bass clarinet), Arianne Guerra (violin), Alejandro Vera (bassoon), Eduardo Rubio (electric bass, upright bass), and Leonardo Saavedra (drums, percussion) along with two guests in Oscar Pizarro (piano) and Pascal Montenegro (oboe and English horn). The oboe is often the lead instrument within this massively complex and layered piece which is much more like an orchestral construct as opposed to something being perfomed by a band from modern popular music. The title translates to 'Erebus, The Suite of Shadows' and one wonders if it has dual meaning as while Erebus has a place in mythology as the offspring of Chaos and is used to describe the darkness of Hades, it is also a name very well known here in New Zealand due to the tragedy in 1979 when an Air New Zealand flight crashed into Mount Erebus in Antarctica, killing all 257 people onboard.

Musically this is definitely taking us on a journey, through multiple time signatures and massively complex and complicated scores, yet somehow it is also an album which can be enjoyed the first time of playing and is not something to be frightened of. This is true progressive music which is pushing boundaries yet is also something to be enjoyed and not endured while never succumbing to modern fashions and styles. It is an album of incredible depth and import which I have enjoyed immensely.

These dwellers of the Souther Hemisphere, from Santiago, Chile to be exact have forged a new path that straddles the nebulous line between 20th century classical chamber rock and 1970s avant-prog fueled Rock In Opposition. ASCETA may not have conquered the world with its strange forging of knotty instrumental workouts yet but has hit the ground running as demonstrated on its self-titled 2022 debut that effortlessly juggled Univers Zero and Art Zoyd chamber prog bleakness with the classical experiments of classical masters such as Béla Bartók, Olivier Messiaen or in modern days, the Arditti String Quartet. Less than a year in its wake, ASCETA returns with its sophomore effort titled EREBUS, LA SUITE DE LAS SOMBRAS and takes the listener on another adventure down angularity avenue where sugary pop hooks are completely jettisoned in favor of hairpin turns and excessive time signature escapades fully adrenalized.

Fortified with an army of classically trained musicians, ASCETA led by the eclectic Rodrigo Maccioni tackled the typical chamber music instrumentation of the cello, clarinet, bass clarinet, violin, bassoon, upright bass and drums taken into avant-prog rock territory with the inclusion of the electric guitar, synthesizer, electric bass and drumming styles. The band of seven plus a couple guests features an amazing array of seven densely complex compositions that rocket the listener straight into the heart of the difficult listening music section of the musical universe with the seemingly over-the-top and not-so-easy-on-the-ears tugging of the senses. This is definitely not music for the feint of heart and is one of those albums that requires a few spins just to wrap your head around .

This is prog with pride. Chamber rock that heralds champions. In its 50-minute run the band pummels the senses with incessant time signature changes and lugubrious mood churning tones that cast a dark shadow on the soul but in a most satisfying way for those who love these wild rides into the darkest and most technically challenging recesses of the world of chamber prog. While ASCETA follows in the footsteps of myriad artists ranging from Henry Cow, Rational Diet and of course the mutltiide of Belgian and French artists that have kept the style churning on through the decades, ASCETA still finds a unique little niche in the midst of these fertile grounds with its own rhythmic flow and strange quirks that offer a refreshing new take on the tried and true subgenre in the prog universe.

While Chile is hardly a place where one would expect a band of this calibre, ASCETA has placed this South American nation on the map for some of the most intricately challenging music there is to be heard. A wild ride that wends and winds through the vast fields of tempo changes, time signature workouts and instrumental interplay, ASCETA is a no nonsense go for the gusto type of band that excels on the world stage. Although the knottiness of EREUBUS will surely alienate neophyites, seasoned avant-proggers will rejoice in this album's attention to detail and noncompliance to modern day trends that focus more on copycatism than musical mastery. While this second offering in many ways is a bit more of a bitter pill to swallow than the debut, EREBUS yields its secrets after several attentive listening sessions. I, for one, have been loving this one!

Overall a very enjoyable album, even though probably not easily accessible for many. The sound is somewhat pedestrian and it takes time before something becomes memorable. On the other hand, this is very original and unique and the listener can never know what comes next.

Quirky music complexity is clarified and actualized from the beginning of "Preludio", that is veiled in a depressive realistic atmosphere like the current tough situation all over the world. And a contrast and comparison of darkness and brightness get to be apparent in a huge suite "El Hereje Y El Devoto ~ Profanos Y Arcanos". You can hear melodic, rhythmic complications around this suite, filled with sensitive strings, dry-fruity, a bit objective horn sections, and bitter supportive rhythm sections. On the contrary you can find the suite could express difficulty nowadays and brilliant hope and expectation in the near future. Our life involves ups and downs ... but in "La Danza De Los Condenados" as a dance sometimes crazy and sometimes calm, we, the damned by various issues, should never give up hope and keep dancing under their complex melodic departure. Let's face forward and go ahead together, ASCETA say.

Asceta is a modern avant-prog ensemble from Chile created by Rodrigo Maccioni, the guitarist-flautist of the group, with the aim to explore the boundaries of prog universe by combining experimental and chamber rock elements. This certainly is not an easy task, so the classical quartet is helping out here with violin, cello, clarinet and the chamber music trademark - bassoon. This leads to a very intriguing result.

1. Fobia (8:47) encapsulates everything phobia represents but put into musical form. It starts dark and spooky with cello and violin with bassoon underneath. Later piano joins, guitar and bass follow. 2 minutes in the drums come into the mix and support the structural twists and turns, some of which are quite menacing. Everything ends quietly. (8,25/10) ;

2. Virusmosis (4:27) starts with a chaotic string plugging, which soon is interrupted by guitars and drums. The passages come and return from time to time. A challenging but playful composition, really good. (9/10) ;

3. Gigante Microscopico (8:21) opens with a very mosquito-(moustique-) like sound, very realistic that. The themes are dynamic, they evolve in an unexpected way, with the quieter, softer moments in between. The violin play is impressive (8,5/10) ;

4. Los De Afuera (6:37) has an ominous intro, intricate percussion. Bassoon leads early on. Many sudden changes throughout, nice melodies too. I wish they stayed in for a bit longer without this amount of stops and starts of new themes, maybe it's just me (7/10) ;

5. Ameba (4:39) has a lot of whirly melodies here and there with the always changing rhythm foundations. Nice build-ups. Like the chello and flute in the end (7,5/8) ;

6. Movimineto Estatico (4:28). Intriguing intro, the stringed components appear from nowhere. 1:30 mins in drums join, everything picks up. Again, very thought-out composition, quiet ending (7,5/8) ;

7. Sistemas Alterados (6:48) Sudden intro, quiet development. Some of the passages created by the rhythm section are playful and dynamic, it gives nice opportunity for strings and piano to shine over top. Those faster points are often changed by the slower ones, which creates the feel of balance in composition. Nice finish (8/10).

The production is , in my humble opinion, superb, every instrument sounds clear and it is one of the advantages when compared to that of 1970's avant-prog records.

This is a very well done album, one of the best in the year it came out. Now, those, who are familiar with the subgenre of RIO, know that the music is often complex and challenging. Not every prog listener will understand it. However, those, who have heard some works by groups like Univers Zero and Art Zoyd before, will have a good time with this. At least I had.

ASCETA was founded in 2020 by the guitarist / flautist Rodrigo Maccioni who had written music that didn't quite fit in with his main band Abrete Gandul which has released four albums since its inception in 1999. Somewhat of a pandemic project ASCETA emerged from the desire to create music that was above and beyond the casual prog sophistication of Abrete Gandul and required a team of eight classically trained musicians to pull it off. ASCETA was born when two quartets, one of rock and jazz instrumentation (guitar, bass, drums, piano) joined forces with a classical ensemble which included violin, cello, clarinet and bassoon.

The project grew into a larger than life soundtrack sounding chamber rock orchestra that not only evokes classic Univers Zero and Art Zoyd of the Rock In Opposition world but also ample doses of such disparate influences including the 20th century modern classical sounds of Béla Bartók, the world of tango in the vein of Astor Piazzolla as well as the less predictable world of prog acts like Frank Zappa and other artists existing in the world of avant-prog. Likewise the classical influences are far reaching and steeped in an accomplished sense of dedication. This all instrumental album features seven well-defined tracks that evoke true dedication to a musical craft that has been fine-tuned into absolute perfection.

In the fifty years or so since the Mothers of Invention and Henry Cow introduced the world to a whole new musical paradigm called avant-prog, the nebulous style has shapeshifted between the world of chamber music, classical string ensembles and the world of freeform experimental rock but very few have muddled the distinctions as successfully as ASCETA seems to have on this debut self-titled release. The seemingly perfect amalgamation of nerdy chamber prog amplified by rock ambitions and classically skilled workouts, ASCETA has eschewed the trap of many avant-proggers of diving into the whimsically world of weird and instead focusing on perfecting the classic sounds laid down by early Univers Zero, Art Zoyd and Present.

The results are nothing short of breathtaking with eerie spell casting intros ushering in time signature rich processions of nerdy avant-prog Rock In Opposition that ushers in a dark and gloomy emotional response without ever taking it too far. Sounding like one of those soundtracks for a film that never existed, ASCETA has captured the essence of a true heroes journey through sound and sound alone with triumphant displays of what often sounds like a mix of military marching music mixed with tango grooves augmented by angular time signature deviations and the warmth of 20th century classical tones and timbres while the woodwinds offer the proper dosage of chamber music and the guitar and drums dish out some serious delectable jazzy chops.

Like all artists who excel in the difficult music section of the prog world, ASCETA may require a bit of acclimation to digest the overt business but the band has also strived to offer instantly warm and cuddly melodic touches that really do impact upon the first listening experience. It's really imperative to let this music sink in as there is as much attention paid to the range of tones, timbres and textures as there are to the rhythmic displays and stellar instrumentation. This is the type of music that only seasoned classically trained or long time jazz musicians could pull off without a hitch.

What i really love about ASCETA is not only does it bring the sounds of classic Univers Zero and Art Zoyd to the 2020's but also in how well this ensemble reinterprets it all with a new stylistic approach. ASCETA employs much more 20th century classical aspects to its sound and eschews the forbidding darkness that UZ and AZ cranked out in their early years. Graced by a modern production and mixing job that is every bit as accomplished and the musical performances and advanced compositions, ASCETA is a true treat for those who are floored by true musicianship that is set in the context of a traditional style without sounding like a carbon copy of any particular act that came before. One of my top picks for albums of 2022. I just wished i had discovered it earlier. One of those that was love at first listen but only grows better on each return visit. Looking forward to the next chapter of ASCETA. Chile is officially the next hotbed of Rock In Opposition splendor!

Such a deep, tight combination of melodic lines and rhythmic bases comes up on us. "Fobia" should be phobia in English I guess, and a complicated dark theatrical sound readout is pretty suitable for the meaningful title. Complex phrases created with various instruments, especially weird strings and fragile winds, catch our heart strictly. Unearthly silence amongst the melodies would drive us into another madness. Repetitive incarnations of anxiety and impressive intonations are lyrical and somewhat predictive. The following "Virusmosis" might claim the current situation as mentioned above ... Quite critical viewpoints tinged with uptempo sound potential can be heard, but contrary to the crisis, their plays cannot be disrupted nor warped at all. Guess around this track is their strong intention for stabilizing their mental, physical, and musical condition. "Gigante Microscópico" gets started with an eerie, mystical sound / noise collective. Wondering what the song title means but their tightly junctional sound discharge blows such a query out completely. In the middle part a battle of clarinette and bassoon is well matured and splendid. We are relieved and encouraged by some balanced melody lines between dissonant avantgarde phrases. More painful soundscape can be felt via "Los De Afuera" but every player should be merged and united with others perfectly, not be assertive nor explosive. And the latter part of "Ameba" is pretty as sensitive and elegant as Chilean wine (my love). Such a smooth acoustic expression is also one of their brilliant characteristics, methinks. "Movimineto Estático" is another gemstone featuring synthesizer-based dream collection. Swinging jazzy atmosphere flavours incredibly charming. There should be our comfort deeply in this track. On the contrary, we can enjoy the most critical movement in the last track "Sistemas Alterados", that consists of dangerous noisy punctures and tighten-up enthusiastic sound collectives of dissected melodies and deeply heavy rhythms. Massively appropriate for the epilogue is middle-tempo high-profile sound energy itself.

ASCETA's magnificent creativity and dynamic mentality should be appreciated by all chamber rock fans. Finally a happy new 2023.

Respect to the obvious comparison with bands like Art Zoyd, and Universe Zero, I personally find the Asceta's music to be more dreamy than dark. Some passages make me think to classical authors like Debussy in primis. The opener, Fobia, is cinematic. Its finale reminded me to the soundtracks of the most dramatic moments of the classical series of Star Trek.

Proceeding, Virusmosis has some rock moments hidden inside a soundscape similar in some ways to the Spanish band October Equus.

I sometimes wonder how a human being can compose so complex music. "Gigante Microscopico (microscopic giant)" starts like a sci-fi movie of the 50s, but it quickly turns into something completely different. I like the sudden changes of rhythm and the pauses. It's incredible how all this stops and starts don't interrupt the continuity of the track, which contains also hints of the latin origins of the band even with some arabesques. This is my favorite one, in particular the second half, whith the dialogue between bass and guitar with the strings and the clarinet behind.

The track lengths and the total duration of the album make me guess that it might have been conceived for a vynil release. If so, "Los De Afuera (those from outside)" should be the first track of side B. Again, I think it could be perfect for a movie soundtrack. One of the reasons why I like this kind of music is that it gives me the possibility to create mental images. This album does it. Sticking on the music, the work made by the flute on this track is remarkable, but clarinet, violin, cello, every instrument concurs and I must also make my compliments to the production. In particular for how the volumes of the various instruments are balanced.

the first notes of "Ameba" are reminding of Stravinskij, at least until bass and drums make us remember that this is "Chamber Rock", not "Chamber Only". I'd be curious to give a look to the scores. I'm absolutely sure that not a single note is improvised.

"Movimento Estatico (Ecstatic Movement)" Start with "concrete" sounds then after few seconds takes a path that made me think to the Soft Machine. It sounds jazzy to my ears, and here the eight musicians are like a full orchestra.

"Sistemas Alterados (Altered Systems)" opens with the strings of the piano like in "Heavy-Aries-Heaven" by Vangelis. This track has a mood similar to that of the previous one, what I describe as jazzy probably mistaking. I have the impression of an relationship with Gentle Giant.

In summary, this is an excellent album that doesn't have anything less than the outputs of Universe Zero or Art Zoyd or any other RIO band. We have eight great instrumentists and an excellent composer playing seven tracks full of things, with passages often unexpected and a great composing work on the rhithmic section (I guess).

4 stars, but very close to 5.

...and let me say that I consider the stars no more than a little eye-catcher. If an album is good is good. Stars aren't relevant.

...and this is very good.

Many thanks to Rodrigo for sending it to me. I have really enjoyed it and I hope that RIO-addicted listeners can do the same.

When I got this originally I was listening to a lot of Psychedelic music so when I spun this at that time man I was blown away at this structured music that is classical and avant and so well played. Udi Koomran mastered this in Israel which only adds to the value. Kind of cool that on my cd package there was this loose fitting cover over it of the original cover art, primitive like it was done by a pencil but so interesting comparing this to the final result plus on mine it has 23/100 so I'm also blessed to be one of the eventual 100 people who have this physical copy.

I'm thankful that this clocks in at around 44 minutes because this is a lot to take in. Often there is so much going on with the array of sounds but then we get the contrasts thankfully where the atmosphere is welcomed. A dark and mysterious vibe to this one which made me think of UNIVERS ZERO of course but this isn't like "Heresie" at all, it just has that mood at times. A song like "Ameba" brings some light to the table but that's not the only example and I really like how some of the tracks start with atmosphere and experimental bits before the song kicks into gear. Songs like "Fobia", "Gigante Microscopico" "Los De Afuera" and "Movimiento Estatico".

While Chamber Rock is down the list a ways as far as my favourite styles of music goes, I can't help but be so impressed with what Rodrigo and his band have come up with here. As beautiful as the city from which this band comes from.