THE PARADOX

Argentinian keyboardist/pianist from Buenos Aires, who received Classical and Jazz education.He participated in a couple of projects like the Jazz-oriented trio S.O.S and the Progressive Rock band Silion Zelf, before measuring his own talent in 2011 with a self-produced album on bandcamp, ''The paradox''.With Refay on keys, backing vocals and programming the album was completed with fellow Silion Zelf bandmates David Minian on vocals, Cristian Arone on bass and Agustin Perez Santangelo on guitar as well as Juan Gris on lead vocals, Rodrigo San Martín and Lukas Argen on guitars.

This album fairly falls into the Neo/Symphonic Prog category, featuring only one track in Spanish and the rest in English, highlighted by some impressive keyboard themes by Refay, including organ, piano and synthesizers.The tracks are rhythmic, bombastic and dynamic with occasional poppy leanings but mainly a nice symphonic atmosphere, relying somewhere between ARENA, GALAHAD and Latin-American acts such as ENTRANCE, APOCALYPSE, MENAYERI and AISLES.The game is played between powerful E.L.P.-like synth fanfares, flashy soloing with a somewhat Fusion edge, big time orchestral segments and smooth, Classical- and Folk-styled piano variations.The guitars of course are always there to provide the electric depth, while the vocals are quite nice with no significant flaws in the singing parts.At moments the huge symphonic leanings with the presence of more accesible tunes recall the works of CHRIS or IAN GORDON in a more diverse style of composing.And there are even some old-styled, punchy passages with organ and mascular guitars, executed in a monster Heavy Rock enviroment.

For fans of keyboard-drenched music with evident symphonic orientations, packed in pieces, which burst equal doses of accesibility and sheer technique.Refay's first solo album comes no less than warmly recommended.