LENIN

Hailing from Quilmes, Lenin is one of the most exciting young bands that have been stirring things up in Argentina's current underground rock scene: Lenin plays a robust sort of psychedelic prog rock whose stamina is cleverly matched with an eclectic approach that embraces space-rock, math-rock, stoner and post-rock elements into a coherent sonic framework. The repertoire comprised in the band's debut release "Río Hecho Cacería" is just fabulous: a curious fact is that each one of the 5 tracks in the album is entitled after the exact moment in which it starts within the CD's integral duration. A peculiar idea, indeed, that makes the first track be named '0.00'. In fact, this opener is really a tour through various places and landscapes wrapped in varying atmospheres. It gets started with a cosmic prelude that anticipates the powerful display of agile psychedelia instilled in the first main motif: the driving bass lines state the nucleus for it. Things stop almost abruptly in order to give room to a gentle acoustic guitar passage, which is succeeded by some bass guitar pounding moves at first and a new psychedelic jam later. This one is a bit less ballsy yet a tad more sophisticated than the first jam. The next thing is a percussive section (augmented with edition tricks) that culminates in a drum solo, and so the stage is set for the emergence and development of the final jam, an electrifying display of rocking fire ultimately augmented with spacey sound effects. After this ambitious entrance, the "Río Hecho Cacería" goes on with '11.26' and its explosive moods, somewhat coincidental with the proposals from compatriot acts Defórmica and Falsos Conejos. The final sections turn to more lyrical realms, including quotations of one of Piazzola's most famous compositions ? 'Libertango'. '18.48' finds the band fully prepared to explore its extroverted side toward its very limits, establishing new frontiers of progressive excitement that encapsulates elements of Crimsonian patterns, math-rock and stoner. At this point, Lenin establishes a specific climax for the album as a whole, exorcising images of explosions in the Universe and conjuring visions of surreal bonfires. In short, '18.48' is a definitive highlight of the album. The transition toward subtle moods in the finale makes a convenient variation of the permanent energy, still present in the guitar's various layers. '26.60' bears a very similar power, not matching the previous track's incendiary nature totally, but still preserving the album's dynamics with both creativity and stamina. The presence of synth ornaments in the final passages states an effective spacey closure to the overall idea. The album's closer, '33.09', is the other long track in the album: unlike '0.00', this one states a clearly defined sense of consistence in its compositional framework throughout its sections. The alternation of louder and softer passages is handled with calculated flashiness and clean fluidity. The mysterious spacey section that begins around the 4 ½ minute mark allows the band to explore jazzy cadences in the rhythm section. A few seconds before the 8 ¾ minute mark, the reprise of the massive opening motif is being prepared, and so the concluding climax generates flaming vibrations and powerful intensity. Despite its youth, Lenin gives abundant proof of its maturity as a psychedelic prog act: once again, a band from South America provides good reason to keep on believing in progressive rock in the new millennium.