AGORA

Review originally posted at www.therocktologist.com

Do you want great prog metal?

Then I urge you to turn your head to Mexico, because in this side of the globe you will find high-class bands that have nothing to ask to the big names such as Symphony X or Dream Theater. When you listen to Agora, you will really understand what I mean. Well, this Mexican band has been around for more than ten years, composing and playing in a constant way, in order to produce new music that is reaching more and more listeners with the pass of the time. In 2011 they released their latest studio album which is entitled "Regresa al vertigo", a record that features eleven compositions that make a total time of 54 minutes.

It opens with "0100101101000010", which is a one-minute introductory track with a space metal sound. It leads to "Hombre máquina" whose five minutes are full of power, energy and a heavy sound. Here we can appreciate the skills of the band, the musicianship is excellent and since this track I can strengthen what I mentioned above, that Agora can easily compete with the best known prog metal acts. Though the resemblance of Dream Theater, Symphony X,Queensryche or even Ayreon may be evident, Agora are by no means a copycat band, not at all, they do have their own sound, maybe inspired by those older bands, but original nonetheless.

"Víctima" has a symphonic power-metal sound. The guitars are fast as well as the bass and drums, while there is always a nice keyboard cover as background. The vocals are great, very metal-like, ad hoc for this kind of music. After three minutes there is a great instrumental passage where both keyboards and guitar show off their skills making some solos. I bet if you like prog metal, you will feel in heaven while listening to this. "Asesino de almas" has a fast but catchy beginning with a repetitive structure, then a brief guitar riff appears and seconds later vocals join, along with a good bass sound and nice keyboards that create cool nuances. The music is never boring, it is constantly inviting you to belong to their realm, and not to feel uninterested on it, just like happens to me with some other prog metal bands.

"En la nada" is a bit shorter, and it has a few introductory seconds with piano and acoustic guitar, that later will disappear in order to open the gates to the powerful sound. The compositional skills of the band are very good, the song is complex, with some changes and with a cool implement of emotions. Here, the technique is not the only important thing. After three minutes there is a nice change, the music slows down and with piano creates a delicate sound, that later will vanish, so the original structure returns.

"Regresa al vertigo" represents the title of the album, and the lyrics go perfect with the music. Here the rhythm is even faster, closer to power metal but without leaving the prog tendency. There are some minor changes in the track, but it has mostly the same powerful sound. "No hay paso atrás" has a great rhythm and wonderful lyrics. I love the bass lines and in my opinion, the work of the keyboardist is essential during this whole track, and actually, in the whole album because it produces the most accurate atmospheres, nuances and backgrounds, and of course, good solos when required

"Siluetas en el aire" has a softer sound, the voice is delicate, the rhythm is mid-tempo and the feeling is really light, showing the ballad-like side of Agora. Once again, the keyboard atmosphere is wonderful, and here I would like to highlight also the bass lines. After 1:40 the music changes, turns a bit heavier but with emotional. There is also an electronic tune created by keyboards. "Oscuridad" is a short instrumental track with only two minutes length. It is great, and could be perfectly used for any movie trailer.

It leads to "Días de sombra" which starts with piano and with that tense feeling the previous piece left. Seconds later drums and strings enter and keep with that nervous atmosphere. What I like of this band is how they intercalate the instrumental passages with the ones with voice, they know how to make them flow without force them, so the listener has only to put attention and let the music do the rest. The guitar work is great, both in the rhythm and solo faces; the bass lines are always good, drums fast and powerful, emotional vocals and magnificent keyboards.

The album finishes with "1000 futuros" which is the longest song, reaching the seven minute mark. It starts soft but right away the power comes and progresses little by little. We can find different textures here, some changes in mood and tempo, and great musicianship as always. The final minutes are great, with a sense of goodbye, vocals singing wooo ooh ooh oh while guitar riffs and a great structure are built. Great finisher!

Well, this is a very solid album by Agora, and I insist, look to this side of the globe because you will find first-class music, this time, with a prog metal tendency.

Enjoy it!

Agora is a little known progressive metal band from Mexico , formed in late 90,s and haveing 2 studio albums and an acustic release so far. This is their second album from 2005 named Zona de silencio issued at Gravis records. Well what we have here, another DT follower, the music has influences from Awake era of DT and even some Fates Warning moments here and there, not bad realy, but I expected more, because the potential is at highest level, the ideas suffers little bit. The music is uptempo with couple of exceptions, very solid musicianship with plenty of good moments, the originality is zero, but the album needs to be discovered by prog metal fans only for how great these musicians play and how easy handle the instruments, awesome. Some very fine keyboards moments interluded with the guitar, a very good vocalist Eduardo Contreras who has a powerful voice with great range, on the slow pieces like Sólo En El Viento is awesome, only piano and his voice, excellent combination in this context and because the album is sung in spanish is another highlight for sure. The faster and more uptempo piece like Una Sola Palabra, title track, Persiste , opening tune 365 or maybe the best piece from here Dunas De Mar are well written pieces, competent playing , catchy arrangements but no more then that, something is missing overall, still I manage to listen more then 3 times this album to catch the whole atmosphere and all is about. The tracks are short, I mean all are under 6 min with exception last tune Dunes de mar, but in only 4-5 min Agora succeded to capture the whole progressive metal essence, is a good thing for sure, but if the piece were developed little further , in musical terms, then were bean a far better album, I guess. Still overall a good album , 3 stars but I can,t give more then that, maybe 3,5 in some parts realy. A pleasent journey in the end but one with some bumps here and there.

SPEEDY GONZALES has some great amigos which have choosed to play some powerful progressive metal in a band called AGORA!MEXICO exports here a product guaranteed ,a sure value in progressive metal comunity under the nice name AGORA!Not to make the confusion with the American band AGHORA led by the sensational guitar player SANTIAGO DOBLES!No,here we have an album sung in Spanish and it fits so good,it's almost exotic,but in the good sense!Fabulous production made in USA and great compositions,muscled and intense from a very,very talented bands!Sometimes sounding like MINDFLOW,sometimes like THE QUIET ROOM,it's defnitelly prog metal at it's best!I think that the unavoidable DREAM THEATER comparation doesn't have the place here,because the Mexican guys are more metal than prog,anyway it's a good mixture and combination!EDUARDO CONTRERAS is a heavenly gifted vocalist and his passionated ,commited,devoted way of singing gives a touch of intensity to the songs ,offering a clear identity to his band ,making this way a precise identification of AGORA between other ordinary prog metal bands!AGORA have it's precise identity,that's sure!!! I even dare to say thet the vocals are what imakes the difference!The other musicians in the band are very competitive too,some technical passages are really mindblowing!The compositions are solid and the musical skills of the band impressive too!A superbe digipack presentation of ZONA DEL SILENCIO and the perfect production combined with the tremendeous quality of the compositions-all are strong arguments to determine the prog metal fans to own a copy of this album,which won a Mexican Grammy for best metal album!!! 4,5 STARS and VIVA MEXICO!!!

DREAM THEATER have broken the barriers with the ''Images and words'' album but the years went by and they have done many experimentations in their career.For those who love their ''Images and words'' period,here come the Mexicans AGORA with the great ''Segundo Passado''.Lots of similarities with the 90'-95' DREAM THEATER period,complex structures combined together with strong melodies and an excellent voice.Vocals are in Spanish, but that's not annoying at all...4 stars...PROG4EVER...

The best production in Mexico. There are other good mexican bands but these guys have the money to make it sound good.

The music is great, not excessive virtuosity, yet technical. A lot heavier than the first one, but I believe the voice on "Segundo Pasado" has more feeling than in this new album. For those who are not familiar with spanish, maybe won't enjoy it completely, but even If you don't understand anything, the music is enough to make you get this CD. Enter the website, check some samples and judge by yourlseves.

The similarities with dream theater is evident in some moments of the album, but I really thing it's not a copy. Agora is just a group of that style...

I didn't listen to the first album so i don't have a point of comparision but What i have to say is that Agora is one of the better Metal/Prog bands i have hear in Mexico of this moment... I have seen they playing alive and they are great musicians all of they an amazing voice, two fantastic Guitarrs, wonderful bass, great keybords and drums ...

They deserves Success...

This is such a great effort for this 6 fellow country-men for adding new things to the Progressive Metal.

Being DT fans, you might expect adaptation and neat rythm changes throughout the album, but at the same time, exploring new sounds and they do it really well.

Here I'll mention track by track what do I think of the album.

1. 365. Cool metal riffs with keyboard companion. IMO, the song should have lasted longer, but it's a good opening track. 8/10 2. Persiste (Persist). Even more riffy than the previous, with good changes. The drumming is outstanding. and neat keyboard solo. 8.5/10 3. Una Sola Palabra (Only One Word). Maybe the intro could have been improven, 'cause hearing a rythmbox is not a really nice thing for a metal album. Slow tempos, but then reaches a powerful emotion. 7.5/10 4. Desde La Tempestad (From The Storm). Nice song 'til it reaches 1:48, the lyrics blow the song away, in my opinion. I think another voice tone could have been used, but taking that away, is a really nice song. 6/10 5. Sobrevivir (To Survive). Ressembles a lot of early-Dream Theater. Really nice piece of work musically. Nice tempo changes and the drumming is, again, amazing, and so are the guitar solos. 8/10 6. Zona De Silencio (Silence Zone). The title's track is perhaps one of the best Agora's songs. Musically amazing. The riff is really catchy. Guitar solos are incredible and variations are really cool. 9.5/10 7. Solo En El Viento (Alone In The Wind). This is a new Agora's exploration. This track is only voice and piano. Fresh change and really fascinating voice by Eduardo Contreras. 9.5/10 8. Renacer (To Re-born). Heaviest song in the album. Eduardo Carrillo's drumming is outstanding. The singing builds up again in order to create a great song. 8.5/10 9. Seres Eternos (Eternal Beings). The best track in the album, IMO. The acoustic sound gives us a new variation of what a progressive metal band may sound. Seems like since track 6, Carrillo's voice cleaned up. 10/10 10. Dunas De Mar (Sea Dunes). Great rythm changes. The guitar work here is really amazing. Heavily harmonic and coordinated. 8/10.

I shouldn't forget to mention the following: a. As for the lyrics goes, this album is really complex, but yet, really nice. b. Eduardo Carrillo is maybe one of the most amazing drum players I've heard. Ressembles a lot of Neil Peart or Mike Portnoy. The kid's really talented and leads the group very well.

Great album. Try http://www.agorasite.com in order to purchase it. You won't regret it.

The best CD of Agora until now.... Heavier and more progressive than the last one Segundo Pasado, the mix is better and the quality of recording..... Now we can see some amazing solos from the guitar players, more progressive drums, the voice of Eduardo Contreras like in the last CD is amazing! and a new bass sound with the addition of Daniel Villareal after the departure of Pablo Longi. I really recommend this CD for all prog-metal-rock fans is one of the best pieces in spanish and you'll be surprised of the things that Agora is creating here in Mexico.

Agora es uno de los mejores grupos de progresivo que existe en la actualidad en México. Creo que este disco de Agora salió mucho mas progresivo que el anterior(Segundo Pasado). Es un muy buen material para todos aquellos amantes del buen progresivo. A la grabación le sigue faltando todavía pero mejoraron en comparación con la de Segundo Pasado. Todos los músicos son muy buenos y con esa voz que tienen son impresionantes. Lo mejor de todo es que es progresivo en español, algo que muy poco se da.

Saludos desde Hermosillo, Sonora, México.

I think this album is one of the best in the history of mexican rock, incredible songs and great performance by the band. Their new album, Zona de Silencio, is better, heavier, melodic, and just amazing. Agora is the next band to kick the world of rock & roll and at last Mexico will have a great metal band on the map of the universal hard rock and heavy metal.