AISLES

Chile's 21st Century prog stalwarts are back with yet another lineup change. Founding members guitarists Germán Vergara and Rodrigo Sepúlveda are still with the band as is drummer Felipe Candia. 2012 addition Daniel Concha is back on bass as is keyboard player Juan Pablo Gaete (2014), but the band has had to find a new vocalist. Israel Gil has been brought in to try to fill Sebastién Vargara shoes.

This album is actually a collection of individual songs that the band worked on and released as singles, one by one, over the time span of early 2021 through February of 2023.

1. "Fast" (4:38) love the "fade in" fast-strum two chord progression that the song opens with but the mix remains too muted and distant for my likes. When keys and vocals join the rhythm section, it's with a MOTORPSYCHO-like sound and feel. Very cool! (I love Motorpsycho.) Despite its flaws (sound engineering) this is a great, catchy song with lots of impressive (and loveable) subtle nuances (keyboard, bass, and drum flourishes). Great drumming from Felipe Candia. (8.875/10)

2. "Megalomania" (6:25) styled very much like a KARNIVOOL or LEPROUS song (the main melody is practically lifted from the Aussie band's "We Are"--one of my favorite songs of the 2010s), the instrumental palette/soundscape is far too weak and thin to pull it off (as is the voice of lead vocalist Israel Gil), and yet the imitation (borrowing) of the afore- cited Heavy Proggers continues. Still, I do enjoy the slap and percussion styles used on the guitars and bass as well as the drum exhibition around the six-minute mark. (8.75/10)

3. "Thanks to Kafka" (4:18) Pleasant but not very memorable (other than the lyrical line of literary homage). At this point in the album my jury is still out on Israel; here he's impassioned but the vocal isn't mixed well into the mix of the song (it's buried too much in the mix--behind the bass and lead guitar). I do, however, appreciate the lyrical intent. (8.6667/10)

4. "Disobedience" (7:18) I love the set up and rhythmic foundation of this one: fast-moving drums with thoughtful phrasing from the bass and keys with great vocal deliveries. Reminds me of early PAATOS. And the reach for heaviness really works on this one. I love the FIXX-like chords used for the awesome chorus motif. Great tune! Definitely a top three song. (14.25/15)

5. "Time (A Conversation with My Therapist)" (6:40) quite a melodically captivating song. Once in, you're stuck--but it's such a nice, soul-balming place. I think I could stay here forever. (Aisles has always the ability to do that to the listener with their music.) A top three song for me. (9.5/10)

6. "The Plague" (11:06) opening with those delicate, virtuosic guitar notes is so magical--so much of what I think of when I recall Aisles. (Which makes me think that this song may have been carried forward from a long time ago.) I love the atmospheric soundscape established to back Israel's MARCO GLÜHMANN (Sylvan) vocal delivery. As a matter of fact, the whole song to this point has a LOT in common with the music of SYLVAN. The chorus starts out a little blandly but then Israel and Germán (and others) come forward to win the day. Great drumming, keys, and thrumming bass beneath the lead guitar solo in the fith minute. Then begins the echoed guitar chord play that feels signatory to this band. Very powerful use of choral voices in the sixth and ninth minutes (reminding me of MOTORPSYCHO). Interesting play on the great BLADE RUNNER death speech of Nexus 6 replicant Roy Batty in honor of the COVID pandemic. Great, emotional song. Almost a top three song. (18.5/20)

7. "Surrender" (6:44) a beautiful piano intro is soon joined by the rest of the band with such mature subtlety. What a gift is this band! Israel enters with an equally delicate vocal, but then everybody amps up for the brief chorus preview (with some awesome lead guitar riffing). Man the bass sounds so great on this album: I love how forward and full those notes are coming from Daniel Concha. Just a beautifully constructed, performed, and engineered song. My only complaint is that the drums aren't as forward as the bass. (Felipe is also such a master of subtlety in his drum play.) The instrumental passage in the fifth minute is good, just not as blow-me-away good as the rest of the song (though the drums come through a little better). The vocal delivery sounds so heartfelt--even from German on background vocals! My favorite top three song. (9.75/10)

8. "Needsun" (2:09) fades in as if coming from a previously recorded song--a sentimental salvage job by the band. (It's gorgeous--with great drumming and powerful vocals--so I can see why.) (4.5/5)

9. "Game Over" (6:28) melodic yet using an industrial sound palette to get its syncopated CRIMSONIAN ideas across, this was one of the band's last single releases before completing and compiling this album. It's interesting--and very much like the condensed style of Jem Godfrey's FROST* releases of the past decade--with some great electric guitar playing (also in a John Mitchell style)--but I find myself missing/wanting Israel/the band's vocals! Fortuneately, the song just keeps getting stronger as it goes along--until it wins you over! Impressive! (9/10)

Total Time 55:46

I must admit to being prejudiced against the possibility of liking this album as I have such love and admiration for the music (and lineup) of the band's 2009 incarnation and album, In Sudden Walks, but I'm won over. This music is great. It's different, but 14 years later you'd kind of hope that a band would grow and develop--not repeat the same sounds and songs over and over. Aisles have accomplished this in spades. I'm so glad the band persevered during the COVID years (and years of political and internal turmoil in Chile and within the band, respectively) to polish, perfect, and publish these songs!

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music. Aisles continues their stellar contribution to 21st Century progressive rock music. Definitely a Top 10 Album of 2023 (so far).

Album and track titles immediately are anticipating some time of unrest. For several reasons the AISLES crew went through a very difficult phase with some painful moments during recent years, what almost ended in a disbandment. Fortunately, at this point, they could withstand the storm. And so finally here we have a new album at hand that took round about 3 years for having it done. Guitarist Germán Vergara describes it as a 'record of crisis, but also of inspiring moments'. Hence the other good news is following right now: despite everything no downfall, 'Beyond Drama' is of the same high caliber as usual, by example just when being compared with the highly praised 'Hawaii' album from 2016.

For sure a significant change concerning the line up, singer Israel Gil substituted Sebastian Vergara some years ago. The new voice is not a simple copy-cat thing, but similarly embedded into the overall sound anyhow. On the other hand, I would say the way of expressing is significantly differing. Towards a more extroverted style, while considering some new videos presented since the joining. Furthermore fabulous implementation regarding all instruments. Technically seen there's nothing to be desired. The initiating track Fast certainly turns out to be a powerful highspeed entry. And then Thanks To Kafka convinces with extraordinary drumming.

The variable and touching Time basically comes as a ballad, but breaks out of its role at times. Concerning the song writing as such the extended The Plague seems to have been their biggest challenge. The punchy instrumental Game Over finalizes the album with typical band flavour. Hopefully the song title does not implement an inevitable statement, an insurmountable hurdle. Some rumours are coming up about another major line up change. There's enough potential available to survive anyhow, to hold up the top AISLES level, evidently demonstrated with the recent two albums.

AISLES represents the new generation of Chilean prog; born in 2001 on neo symphonic music such as MARILLION, GENESIS and PINK FLOYD even before; melancholy, emotion and long energetic breaks and a jazz- prog touch. A group which has just suffered the departure of 3 of its members but which offers an updated, modern, classic sound based on RUSH, MUSE, ANIMALS AS LEADERS and Steve WILSON, therefore more metallic and rhythmic; an opus reflecting the painful moments of the group, personal, pandemic, political; an opus that aims to be innovative.

"Fast" contemporary modern style with a jerky hit, ah a little RUSH already so it changes from their quieter sound before; it's fresher, energetic rock-pop ... faster in short it moves in the right direction for a good prog metal. "Megalomania" not the MUSE title though; it rocks from the intro; after it is soft melody accompanied by melancholy keyboards and guitars, the drums keeping the hit; today's prog as I understand it now, prog synth- rock fusion against a background of new wave, prog metal and alternative rock imprinting a progressive musical climate in less than 5 minutes; it's longer and perfectly brought with a twirling bass synth and the drums which let off steam in the end. "Thanks to Kafka" in mid-tempo for the fruity, ambient, plaintive and contemplative prog track; lots of voices that imprint themselves in the notes like a musical monologue; on PURE REASON REVOLUTION, a current RUSH, a MISSION, a RIVERSIDE, an ENCHANT for bewitchment and a final modern jewel. "Disobedience" returns to a current sound, yes the djent of the ANIMALS AS LEADERS ranges; aquatic, dark verse, syncopated drums, like an electric jazzy; prog metal chorus with a melodic, astonishing and diversified blow with a final climb where the soft djent sound is becoming more and more evident. "Time (A Conversation with My Therapist)" begins airy, hovering melody, all that to get out of the pangs of everything, of oneself, of society, of the pandemic; I find the discordance of the HAKEN therefore of the GENTLE GIANT; when melancholy becomes a cathartic overture, a musical outlet; the crimsonian break fills the air, gives air to go even further, the crystalline jazz-rock side drives the point home, a title that deserves to be asked twice, the solo is divine, the end luxuriously melancholy.

"The Plague" centerpiece where the sound is jazzy at times, on the tortured guitar of SAGA, on that of ANIMALS AS LEADERS, on the ancestor RUSH for this declination from another age; replenished with synths and a cinematic atmosphere, the text unfolds on the pandemic plague, a playful crescendo that gives pride of place to the melody, a progressive softness that rises towards prog metal in a sinuous and subtle way, in a very beautiful way, piece which reveals its charm as you listen; the spoken finale against a backdrop of a police siren amplifying the current madness of the world and the djent riff which rises, rises, saturates space and thought, superb. "Surrender" lands on a jazzy mid-tempo flirting plaintive musical ballad; consensual title at first glance which brews a languorous atmosphere thanks to the dreamlike voice of Israel; Juan's synth solo vibrating, full of emotion, final climb introducing "Needsun" mashup perfect musical interlude, slow but sure narcissistic progression. "Game Over" almost linked instrumentally closes this telluric journey with a complex and tortured melody; a fruity and heavy soft djent from ANIMALS AS LEADERS, supercharged South American hints à la AL DI MEOLA, other futurists with video games; games in which certain members of the group were immersed in most of the time between compositions; a theme with contained polyrhythm which shows another face of the group where the intensity is at its maximum, sublime.

AISLES releases a musical bomb; it's beautiful, it's fresh, varied, airy and modern enough to easily escape on it. Their 5th album stands out from their original sound by pouring on experimental, fusion and 2 and a half years of work; behind this drama of the group's explosion is born this staggering opus where perhaps their heavier, more merging, more avant-garde musical future lies; musical, enterprising and efficient, apart. Definitely top potential.

Chile based band AISLES was formed back in 2001, and came to some prominence when they released their debut album "The Yearning" in 2005 through Mylodon Records (South America) and Musea Records (France). Since then they have set up their own label, Presagio Records, and have released a further three full length albums. "Hawaii" is the most recent of these, and was released towards the tail end of 2016.

"Hawaii" strikes me as a solid album through and through, and one that have been assembled with a lot of care. If not a brilliantly shining diamond then at least a gold nugget. A production well worth seeking out if melodic, accessible progressive rock is to your general liking, and in particular if a double length science fiction based concept album is explored within this specific context.

Review originally publishes in www.therocktologist.com

A nice album!

I had the luck to see Aisles on stage in their recent visit to Mexico City and I must say they really know how to prog! They are as good on stage as in their studio albums, which let us realize their capabilities. This band from Chile is now promoting their 'Hawaii' album, a release from 2016 which is a great 2-cd concept album that shows the development of the band to a new sound, I mean, their regular neo-prog sound can be found here but maximized to its best expression, and also with some spacey, melancholic nuances and jazzy touches that make this a great release.

In the first CD we will find five songs. It opens with 'The Poet, Pt. I: Dusk', a challenging 10-minute epic wisely chosen to start the album. Its first minute is a nice jazzy introduction that leads to a calm atmospheric sound. Little by little the instruments add their prints, and then vocals appear at 2:30 and the concept is about to begin. The song explodes at minute 4 where the sound becomes a bit chaotic, and then it slows down and changes once and again, with a great instrumental passage that shows that neo-prog sound, mainly due to guitar and keys. And then, it fades out so we suddenly are now listening to 'The Poet, Pt- II: New World', which is a calm piece, laid-back and with a melancholic feeling. If you push me a bit, I find this part much weaker than the first one, to be honest, in spite of its pretty good final part that adds a Camel-esque sound.

A storm or maybe an earthquake appear in 'Year Zero', the music is soft and calm, but then an electronic rhythm starts so the atmosphere becomes spacey and futuristic, the mood is a bit tense, it easily puts some images in my mind. It leads to 'Upside Down', a melancholic tune due to the piano sound. The vocals are sweet but disarming, main and backing vocals, by the way. Later a nice guitar solo appears while electronics work as background, now the atmosphere is a bit darker and the song more intense and interesting. The first CD finishes with the amazing 'CH-7', which happens to be the longest composition off the album. I'll be honest, the first time I listened to it, I seem to feel bored, but later the love for this track grew up on me when I could find its beauty, but maybe one has to be patient and listen to it with good headphones, maybe one's mood also helps here. It might be a slow piece, but it has brought several feelings to me, from despair to hope, and when a song does that it means it has reached not only my ears but also hit something inside myself.

The second CD starts with 'Terra', a nice peaceful track where acoustic guitar and the sweet voice guide us to a new journey. While the minutes pass, new elements are being added, but in the end the tranquility reigns here. 'Pale Blue Dot' is a very nice track, it has a modern sound, like prog and alternative so it might be easy to dig and enjoy so its 10 minutes run fast. 'Still Alive' has a Marillion-like feeling with its calm and melancholic sound. Then a short but addictive track appears with 'Nostalgia', it is the shortest one, but man, it is beautiful, I love it. Then the great 'Club Hawaii' appears, a ten-minute epic that shows Aisles' sound at its best. Great musicianship can be appreciated here, amazing changes in time and tempo, wonderful drums and a first class technical shuffle, here also the singer does an extraordinary performance. The strings are great; this must be one of the best tracks off the album.

The last part of the album comes with 'Falling', a short and tender piano-based track that leads to 'In The Probe' which has the same melancholic sound and a Marillion-esque feeling with the vocals. The prog rock label is not here anymore, but that doesn't matter. In the end, Aisles has offered a very good album that has led them to international success, and now I am eagerly waiting to see them live next Progtoberfest in Chicago.

Enjoy it!

First time I heard Aisles was on their dark concept album 4:45AM. With Hawaii, they deliver another 80 minute concept album, about a group of human colonies surviving after the earth is destroyed. Musically it's a very interesting mix of melodic symphonic rock, transferring the sound of the 70s and 80s to a 21st century sound. There is no lack of musicianship in this band, and Angel is one of the best vocalists I know. Highlights for me: jazz rock infused The Poet, and the wonderful, very melodic, symphonic rock pieces CH-7 and Pale Blue Dot. Progressive Rock lives in Chile.

So here it is Hawaii (2016), the new Aisles album. Aisles is a band from Chile and Hawaii is their fourth album and it was released by their own label Presagio.

In their debut album The Yearning (2005) the band was pretty much shooting its bullets to every side, that album was lacking unity. In Sudden Walks (2009) they corrected that, finding their way. On their third effort 4:45 AM (2013) they left their Neo Prog influence behind and a new sound emerged. So, what about their new effort?

Hawaii (2016) is a double concept album inspired on a post apocalyptic world where human colonies were established in space after the destruction of Earth. But before the extinction of the planet Earth a project was initiated to make sure human race would survive. And this my friends is where Hawaii (2016) takes us in its almost 82 minutes: a sci-fi Prog adventure.

It is important to follow the lyrics and it's a delight to do that because the Digipak in which Hawaii (2016) is encased is just beautiful! Also, vocals are a very important part in Aisles' music so that's one more reason to follow the lyrics with attention.

Musically speaking, Aisles has grown a bit more since their last album 4:45 AM (2013) (the first with their new lineup) and although you can find many great and interesting instrumental passages (like in the opening duo 'The Poet', 'Upside Down') the melody is what strikes you. Hawaii (2016) is all about melody and the moods one can create with it. Sebastián Vergara pulls double duty in many moments where he lays different vocal tracks to create melodies.

Like with many of its contemporaries, Aisles bet on the electronic side of the Modern Prog in some moments (like 'Year Zero', 'Upside Down' or 'CH-7'), but always focusing on melody. But my favorite tracks on the album, however, have to be 'Terra' with its acoustic and melancholic mood and 'Pale Blue Dot' with its melodic Prog feeling (in a way, the 'old' Aisles sound). 'Still Alive' has that same 'old Aisles' feeling and it's a very good track. 'Club Hawaii' has a voice intro that could have been used more throughout the album and it's one of the few that really sounds like a Neo Prog song.

All in all Hawaii (2016) is a very solid effort from this talented Chilean band. And it was deserved that they just got back from an European tour, one of the few South American Prog bands to be able to do that. Of course it may be a daunting task to sit through all of the 82 minutes in one sitting and if your favorite kind of Prog is not the melodic you may find yourself asking 'why?', but if that's your sound you're going to find many moments for your ears pleasure.

I believe that if you're fan of bands like A.C.T (for its melody) or Ayreon (for its concept) you should definitely give this album a spin, I would do that if I haven't already.

3.5 stars

Aisles is again on the map of art/progressive rock scene with their forth album, a double CD issued this year 2016 named Hawaii. Another worthy release from this chilean band who delivers only the good things here even quite slowly because this album was released after 3 Sears from previous offer. Art rock with progressive rock elements thrown is to be found here, melodic arrangements, nice warm vocals, Vergara brothers are quite great not only here but aswell on previous albums. The passages are emotive and well compose higlighted by CH-7 very nice piece with top notch passages, another intrestig one is The Poet part I and II. As I said the music is well crafted, elegant interludes between musicians bordering neo prog in parts but with a good doze of art rock elements added, no unnecessary noodlings here for the sake of it, melodic and pleasent melodies. Definetly another good album comming from Chile, Aisles is for sure one of the most talented bands ever from South America who needing a wider recognition, they are now a mature band for sure. A special mention is for the art work and whole package, absolutly great, digipak format. I personaly like a lot this band for some years now and because this is another well produced , played and performed release, Hawaii deserves 3 solid stars rounded to 3.5, a good one.

Well, already three albums in the back since 2005, the band knows how to make it big! Hence they decided to publish the shiny gem (and title track?) Club Hawaii as an initial appetizer, some weeks prior to the officially scheduled release date. The song features versatile vocal moves by Sebastian Vergara, where I was at first inclined to think of more than one lead singer in a row. Yeah, that surely will make you hungry for more!

In November 2015 they went to a local beach house, spent a week together, writing music the whole time. It must have been an amazing experience for them, with the final result of this successful double LP resp. CD. Obviously designed as a concept album "all the music was written with our hearts and minds, set on the idea of these human colonies - a small group of people who are able to preserve some of the heritage of mankind after earth is destroyed".

Mysterious business this, contradictive, so much lovely music dedicated to such a catastrophe? For example practically set into operation on Year One? Sorry, I know, I'm sure, this is placed as a warning to the human race, and all that is more than necessary, so much the more it's pointing to a direct duty. Hereby I really don't know what meaning the label 'Hawaii' bears for them, either within the current context, or even in a wider sense, since they already had a single named like this on their 2009 album 'In Sudden Walks'.

Okay, it's time to leave this highly speculative territory, while concentrating on the most significant, what we're able to hear. At first, the sound mix is out of the question, perfect! What also strikes overall are the fine (eclectic) touches due to the tricky implementation, which will unlock its potential after several rounds well and truly. In general, as this is offered like a concept album, it's recommended to listen in one go. Alternatively, if you will pick up some excerpts explicitly, this won't evoke a problem neither.

Just por ejemplo to notice the terrific CH-7, I'm really flabbergasted! Twelve and a half minutes of real beauty! However, this is also accurate regarding the whole production in principle. And so, consequently, AISLES are another strong contender for a 2016 Prog Award of course. Issued via Presagio Records 'Hawaii' is a very entertaining blend of neo and art rock, which I would mark as a real breakthrough, at least their best (so far) with ease. 4.5 stars, with conceivable tendency to a masterpiece ... time will tell.

This is an album from a band that arises from the less complex side of the neo-prog genre, and features callbacks of vocal-fronted pop rock circa very late 70's progressive rock akin to material by Kayak or Styx. Atypical of most well- known prog bands Aisles (or I guess AISLES as they stylize it) has an aforementioned heavy emphasis on vocal work performed by Sebastian Vergara, which depending on who you are, could spoil most experimentation or improvisation present on 4:45. Guitar work and overall use of flashy, echoing effect-laden playing style is very similar to music you'd find on late-career material from Pink Floyd (Division Bell mainly). To me this is a bit disappointing because it has that sense of a band who used to play extremely well on their own but due to age they had to rely on background ambiance and soundscapes to make up for any emptiness they would have been able to kill in their heyday. This does not at all apply to Aisles, who has been around only since 2001, but is forgivable because, surprise, they aren't Pink Floyd. Variation is mostly present towards the end of the album, but retains mainly the same style, tempo. This causes a bland factor for most of the tracks on the album, making them forgettable for the most part- that is but for the finale epic Melancholia; a song where this style of Aisles actually works as well as has equal balance between the vocals and the instrumentation. This song demonstrates creativity that I do hope to see on upcoming albums from the band.

Unfortunately 4:45 as a whole is humble but also doesn't quite cross the threshold of skill that I expected. Compositions are not unique, lacks a unique style, and overall is not played quite to snuff as I think it could have. Like most of Aisles' releases up to this point, this is another step up the proverbial rung for the band's rising potential. An album doesn't quite satisfy but also makes me expectant for a followup.