SOLIS
Neo-Prog • Brazil
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Brazilian outfit SOLIS was formed in 1996 by Sergio Augusto (drums), Marcos de Pinho (guitars), Ricardo Figueiredo (vocals, keyboards) and Claudio Hamilton (bass).
In 1998, while recording their debut album, Hamilton left to settle in USA, which lead to Bernard (bass, of TEMPUS FUGIT) to be involved on the CD prior to the addition of Jonatas Luis (bass) to the line-up.
1999 saw the release of "Gemini", a production exploring symphonic rock with a variety of influences; compared to acts like TEMPUS FUGIT when issued.
After a concert at the Rio Art Rock festival de Pinho and Luis got involved in another band, THE MONTAUK PROJECT, but in 2002 a new recording was made by SOLIS; a single track called Floro do Tempo made for a MPB project.
The band are currently working on a, as yet untitled, second album.
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SOLIS discography
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SOLIS Reviews
Showing last 10 reviews only
Solis Neo-Prog
Review by
Warthur
Prog Reviewer

Solis Neo-Prog
Review by
b_olariu
Prog Reviewer

Solis Neo-Prog
Review by
progrules
Prog Reviewer

Gemini is a short album and it could have been a vinyl with appr. 20 minutes of music on each side. The first song is a regular neo prog track and with this one Solis seems just another one in a long line up of very fine neobands in my collection. The track offers almost 12 minutes of melodic music featuring the usual instruments.
But what this album is really about in my opinion is shown in the second song Alma Gêmea. The finest acoustic music I was talking about is what you can experience in the first six minutes of this enchanting track. It stands out in authenticity and genuineness beyond believe. It's so mollifying and this release is worthy of procuring just because of this part. Unfortunately the last three minutes ruin it a bit with piano and electric guitar that shouldn't have been there really. And that coming from me as huge fan of electric guitar. It should tell enough ...
Third track is very short and are a bit of the same as first six minutes of previous. With biggest difference the overdone sliding of the fingers across the strings that spoils this one a bit.
The album ends with a pretty long epical track with both styles combined and it's probably the best example why I can't really pigeon-hole this album in the end. The beginning and ending of this epic is multi instrumental with keyboards and electric guitar like in the opening track but the middle part is once again with lots of acoustic guitar and the authentic vocals. These vocals by the way are the biggest factor in the mollifying feeling this album creates. The voice is far from perfect, sometimes even seems out of tune but still enchants you. Very special !
Anyway, also the final rating for this release is pretty hard. The exceptional six minutes in second song are simply of masterpiece level but alas it's not all we are treated with. The constant tossing about of the mentioned styles doesn't work very well for me I'm afraid and I would almost give three stars because of that. But what prevails ultimately is the fact we're dealing with a very special album here. Non-essential is not the right description here so I will have to round up because of that. Four stars rounded up from a strong 3,5.
Solis Neo-Prog
Review by
kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team

Admittedly, the Brazilian aspects are clear enough, especially in the two middle acoustic pieces, even if the short but sweet "L'Essence" is sung in French. "Gemini" is nothing if not a world prog fan's smorgasbord, which might explain why I delight in nearly every moment. The production, the clarity of each instrument, the uncluttered arrangements, the sweepingly epic melodies, the blended mood and tempo shifts plant this effort solidly on neo's top rung.
The first and last cuts are particularly dramatic, with "Solis Invictus Mitra" comprising multiple engaging segments. Both Marcos de Pinho and Ricardo Figueiredo excel on their instruments, and are liberated and reined in tastefully, time and again. In terms of influences, they are so well integrated that I'm hard pressed to identify a mentor, but I would suggest that symphonic prog masters and perhaps local as well as far flung (middle Eastern?) folk music are as important to SOLIS as any direct neo influence.
"Gemini" is a singular work of wide appeal, in which SOLIS plays the ethic fusion twin card, too seldom seen around here. I recognize it when I hear it, even if I might be a half world off. 4.5 stars.
Solis Neo-Prog
Review by
Prog-Brazil
Prog Reviewer

Solis Neo-Prog
Review by
evenless
Prog Reviewer

1. Sete Luas De Andrion (11:54)
Great up-tempo piano intro! You feel immediately the song is going to be exiting and take you somewhere and it really does. Nice detail is that the guitar theme is inspired by the first movement of the fifth symphony by Ludwig Van Beethoven. 5 stars!
2. Alma Gêmea (9:52)
Why does voice of Ricardo Figueiredo irritates me on this track of the album, but less on track 3, and not at all on tracks 1 and 4? I think its because this song is very acoustic and actually the lack of instruments make his voice not very pleasant to listen to, while in tracks 1 and 4 there are abundant instruments to make it all sound a lot better. Only 2 stars for this track because it's really bugging me.
3. L'essence (2:15)
Very short and acoustic track sung in French. Not bad, but no highlight either. 3 stars.
4. Solis Invictus Mitra (16:27)
This and "Sete Luas De Andrion" are definitely the two masterpieces of this album. Fortunately those two tracks are also the longest ones on the album. "Solis Invictus Mitra" actually consists out of seven different tracks blending together in one. Al parts vary in tempo and mood, from happiness to loneliness and sadness. Very well done and certainly one of the two highlights of GEMINI. 5 stars again for this track!
Final score: 5 + 2 + 3 + 5 = 15 / 4 = 3,75 points
Solis Neo-Prog
Review by vfdo

It has soft and heavy rythms that perfectly matches the album, and even when "Sete Luas Do Andrion" and "Solis Invictus Mitra" are quite long (wich once was a standard in early prog music) they never become boring or monotonal due to the great music arrangement and companion between the instruments.
I find the album very simplist but very complete in the composition.