SACRED HEART OF EARTH

An enjoyable compilation aimed firstly to international audiences and bearing band's name translated into English, "Sacred Heart Of Earth". Additionally some songs are sung in English, but they lose their original impact due to singer's accent and mainly to the translated lyrics where you can transfer words but not ever ideas. Otherwise, the production is great and the musicianship is high, SAGRADO are a band that excels in these points.

As said elsewhere, this album may be a fine entrance door to the band and also to know how Brazilians approach progressive music, an issue characteristic of our culture, neither better or worse, simply different. Brazil's folk and traditional tunes are steadily spilled along the tracks, in an array of sophisticated and complex sounds, that certainly will please new and old band's appreciators and fans.

'2001 - Also Sprach Padim Cisso' is a great starting point where strange (for a non-Brazilian) sounds coming from the inner land mix with futuristic arrangements resembling those done by Eumir Deodato for the original Strauss' piece.

Other songs were reviewed in their previous albums but some are truly interesting like 'Kian' and 'Travelling show'. 'Sweetwater', originally in English, increases greatly with its catchy and soft harmony.

'Sagrado' is a petit bijou, 'Carpe diem' is neatly agreeable, 'Gypsy rhapsody' is totally frantic while 'The central sun of the Universe' provides a great adieu to this remarkable and almost flawless compilation.

Not really a masterpiece, but a work compulsory to be included in any music collection, be it progressive or not.