ENTRANCE

If you don't live in Chile or never went to the famous and fabulous Baja festival, you've never heard of Entrance. And it's a pity because this is an interesting prog band from South America. I must admit I'm not keen on live records much, except exceptional ones such as "Absolutely Live" by the Doors for instance. But I was seduced by their previous album (their second one in fact), "En la Tierra" (2002). Entrance is an interesting blend of neo prog (the keyboards especially are close to Marillion's) with traditional prog and pop (the singer often sounds like Miguel Rios, the famous Spanish rocker). Yes, those who know the band, they lost their metal side for a more symphonic one, and this is for me good news. Recorded during Entrance's gig through Latin America including the Baja prog festival precisely, this album is a testimony of Jaime Scalpello's powerful voice and the band's virtuosity. I was glad finding many songs from "En la Tierra" such as a fabulous version of 'Vertigo 2002'. Excellente!

Entrance is back, and is back with a vengeance. With the sophomore release "En la Tierra", this Chilean quintet had delivered an outstanding manifestation of modern symphonic rock from the Latin American field. After a crisis and hiatus, which included the emergence of various projects by the hands of the band's former members (Jaime Rosas, Scalpello, Australis), Entrance got back together to write and record what surely is the most accomplished effort so far - "Entre Dos Mundos". This album feeds from the aforesaid projects' expansions of energy, in this way reinforcing the variety of symphonic rock, prog-metal and melodic hard rock that the fivesome handle so well. In comparison, you can tell that the rhythm duo of Von Chrismar and Godoy has a stronger presence in the overall mix, This album begins and ends with epic tracks. The opener 'Mágica' occupies the first 15- minutes, with introductory water effects than soon lead to a majestic intro of organ and synth. Once the first sung section settles in, the sense of power shows off properly, soon to be enhanced through the long instrumental interlude that states a set of challenging motif and tempo variations, headlong for a spectacular climax. The second section is slow and intimate, with soft piano and introspective singing. The third and final section brings back the explicit pomposity that had been delivered in the beginning (including a fabulous guitar solo by Pilnik): the explosive closure adequately retakes the magnificent keyboard-driven escalade that had been a crucial part of the first's section end. The final suite is 'Voces Ahogadas', which kicks off with battlefield ambient noises. The melodic development is clear and precise, giving special predominance to reflective moods. At the minute 6 mark, the latent ethereal ambience gets to the fore, featuring dreamy pipe organ layers and Scalpello's emotional singing. The suite's last section goes wild in terms of typical progressive complexity, always controlled yet with a sense of free-spirited magnificence. Rosas' keyboards are plethoric, as well as Pilnik's soaring guitar solo and Godoy's undulating bass foundations. What happens between these two monster tracks? A solid exhibition of the band's rockier side, with the band ostentatiously focused on mixing the stylish dynamics of prog metal and the catchy vibe of hard rock (a-la Rainbow and 80's Deep Purple). 'Promesas' and 'Invisible' are red hot rockers that grow firmly on heavy trends, still including effective prog-oriented ornaments along the way: the former has an extended instrumental interlude that almost sounds like a "dream- theaterized" sort of Pink Floyd; the latter inserts a stylish 7/8 tempo on the choruses, as well as Lifeson- like guitar leads and Wakeman-like synth phrases for good effect. 'Ilumina' is a Gody-penned piece (he also handles the lead vocals on this one) lasts less than 3'10" but it sure includes enough variety in its melodic structure to work out as an excellent exercise on prog metal. It sure is a musical journey of titanic dimensions, especially regarding the pyrotechnical interlude. 'Los Hijos de Bagdad', on the other hand, bears the typical feel of standards power rock ballads: penned by Scalpello, its evocative melodic scheme properly reflects the sense of loneliness that overwhelms war victims all over the world. Of course, the title's allusion hints at the victims of the specific war in Irak. Well, this is all there is in this excellent album: "Entre Dos Mundos" is an exciting, effective demonstration of good, modern prog rock. Entrance has made quite a mark for the prog rock filed in 2008.

ENTRANCE are a band from Chile who play a blend of symphonic and heavy progressive music.This is a live release recorded in 2003 at the Baja Prog Festival in Mexico.In the liner notes they thank William Kopecky,PAR LINDH and ARS NOVA.The guitar and keyboard work is outstanding, while the Spanish vocals(although strong) really don't do a lot for me. Alas Fugaces opens with a prolonged(almost 2 minutes)organ solo before drums and guitar take over.Chunky bass lines and guitar melodies stand out.It sure sounds like mellotron that comes and goes.Vocals 3 minutes in.I'm not a fan of the calm that arrives 5 1/2 minutes in with reserved vocals.Changes back 7 minutes in with a blistering guitar solo a minute later. Odisea opens with some nice organ before pounding drums and a heavy sound comes in.Vocals 3 minutes in with some great guitar after 5 minutes. Despertar is restrained for a minute before it kicks into gear.Nice guitar 2 1/2 minutes in as drums pound.Synth solo a minute later. Dos Almas features fragile vocals and piano throughout. Mil Almas is my favourite.I like the drumming on this one.Actually all the instruments shine bright early before vocals come in after 1 1/2 minutes.Sounds like mellotron again before 5 minutes.They are definitely warmed up now.Haha.This rocks out pretty good. Sitios Perdidos opens with a nice crunchy sound.This is uptempo with more excellent instrumental work.Some scorching guitar 4 minutes in.Check out the drumming 5 1/2 minutes in that lasts for 2 minutes to the end of the song.This is my second favourite. Vertigo 2002 is a really good song and rounds out my top 3 favourite tracks.A galloping rhythm to open as strong vocals come in.I like when it calms down 3 1/2 minutes in.When it picks back up after 5 minutes the vocalist laughs insanely.Ripping guitar 6 minutes in and 2 minutes after that. Extranos Entre Dos Mundos is fairly light until about 3 minutes in when it gets fuller.Some fat bass lines after 4 minutes as tempo picks up with lots of synths.Some great sounding guitar solos both at 5 and 7 minutes. Mirada De Luz is a pretty good tune.It opens strongly before settling down with reserved vocals after 2 minutes.The guitar is so tasteful when the vocals stop.The bass is prominant as well during this section.Lots of synths to follow. Sure this has it's moments but it really didn't push the right buttons for me enough to give it 4 stars.Good but non-essential.

With their second studio album, Entrance benefited from the entry of new members on three departments: both rhythm roles and lead vocals. The renewed line-up was at the time more willing to stick to Jaime Rosas' progressive nature, and simultaneously, guitarist Pilnik became friendlier with the idea of adding a higher level of sophistication to his punchy style. And that's how Entrance came from being a prog metal band more concerned with the metal aspect to becoming a more solidly progressive oriented prog metal band. The ballsy overall sound remains the same, yet the material reveals a decided attitude to deliver a more mature and complex set of arrangements and expansions from teh main melodic ideas. The opening four part suite, based on Hesse's literary masterpiece "Steppenwolf", sets things clearly from the offset. The fiery, cleverly complex part 1 'Odisea' displays a well-ordained combination of Wakemanesque restless keyboard flourishes, ballsy guitar riffing and soloing, a tight rhythm section and an efficient singer who can use his natural romantic timber as a medium of emotional deliveries. For part 2 'Despertar' the fire is slightly decreased, but the progressive complexity remains unchanged. Part 3 'Dos Almas' is a vocal-keyboard duo in which Rosas and Scalpello deliver a neffective marriage of melancholy and serenity: the vocals and the piano phrases work for and with each other. Finally, part 4 'Mil Almas' recaptures the bombastic vibe of 'Odisea' and ultimately takes the whole suite to an attractive climax. Rosas, who had already recorded his solo album "Virgo", is obviously a composer who is confident with his vision as a vehicle for Entrance's maturation. A bit less ambitious but equally impressive rearding melodies, orchestrations and interplaying is his other composition 'Bi-Axis', a 3-part suite. Actually this one sounds more cohesive in the linkage between all sections, while 'Lobo Estepario' was more like a soundtrack to a story through its different chapters. Between the two is a very good new version of a track from the debut album: with this line-up, the energy comprised in the original version (IMHO, the best song from "Entrance") is carried out with an enhanced exquisiteness. 'Tabatha' is a power ballad adorned with cosmic keyboard nuances: nowhere else in this album does Scalpello sing in such a moving way, portraying sadness with strength of character. The closure 'Vértigo 2002' is the most patent rocker, keeping its vibe loyal to the usual patterns of prog metal: catchy melodies, riffs arranged on complex rhythm patterns and tempo shifts, amazing pyrotechnics on guitar and synth, powerful drumming, complex bass lines. Whilke Scalpello sing his lines, the instrumentation fluids very solidly all the way. A very attractive end for a very good album: "En la Tierra" won't dissapoint those symph prog lovers who don't mind a bit of extra rock nor those prog metal fans who are curious about what is done in the genre outside the Anglophile and European contexts. 3.5-4 stars for this one.

This is the second CD from the Chilean five piece band Entrance. The name of the keyboard player sounds familiar to me, it's Jaime Rosas who is now playing with his own band The Jaime Rosas Cuartetto (I have reviewed his albums with the Cuartetto and Trio). His sounds reminds me of Japanese keyboard wizard Toshio Egawa (Novela, Gerard, Sheherazade): obvious classically trained, fluent and often bombastic.

On this CD Jaime got room to showcases his impressive abilities, already in the opener "Lobo Estepario" (four parts) delivering a sumptuous church organ sound, flashy synthesizer flights and spectacular interplay with the fiery electric guitar in "Odisea" (part 1), lush keyboards, sensational synthesizer work and Rick Wakeman- like play in "Despertar" (part 2), wonderful classical orchestrations, piano and strings in the dreamy "Dos almas" (part 3) and spectacular keyboard work featuring organ and synthesizers in the bombastic "Mil almas" (part 4). The vocals are strong, often warm and a typical South-American overtone. The guitarplay (from twanging to fiery and heavy) and the rhythm-section are also worth mentioning. The other four compositions (between 4 and 12 minutes) are "Alas fugaces" (alternating with passionate vocals), "Bi-axis" (a Dream Theater inspired climate with propulsive guitar riffs, biting electric guitar and amazing duels between guitar and keyboards), "Tabatha" (sensitive electric guitar solo, beautiful piano work and emotional vocals) and "Vertigo 2002" (dynamic progrock like Rush and Gerard with a propulsive rhythm-section, great interplay, fiery electric guitar and swirling organ and slashy synthesizer runs).

It's not music that will gain an award for elaborate compositional skills but it's very entertaining, often bombastic progrock from very good musicians. And it contains more emotion than bands like Dream Theater, Rush and Gerard because of the inspired Spanish vocals.

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