EREBUS, LA SUITE DE LAS SOMBRAS.

In the world of modern progressive rock there definitely seems to be an upward trend to looking back rather than forging ahead whether mining the musical motifs of prog bigwigs such as Yes, Genesis and King Crimson or other lesser known artists that were equally as innovative but didn't enjoy any time in the sun. The rush to pop hook fusion also seems to have caught on with many a band infusing prog ideas with everything from punk rock and dream pop to shoegaze and garage rock but then there are those who vehemently defy the simplification process and staunchly adhere to the work ethic and discipline that yields crazy complex prog that takes the listener into a completely new musical dimension.

These dwellers of the Souther Hemisphere, from Santiago, Chile to be exact have forged a new path that straddles the nebulous line between 20th century classical chamber rock and 1970s avant-prog fueled Rock In Opposition. ASCETA may not have conquered the world with its strange forging of knotty instrumental workouts yet but has hit the ground running as demonstrated on its self-titled 2022 debut that effortlessly juggled Univers Zero and Art Zoyd chamber prog bleakness with the classical experiments of classical masters such as Béla Bartók, Olivier Messiaen or in modern days, the Arditti String Quartet. Less than a year in its wake, ASCETA returns with its sophomore effort titled EREBUS, LA SUITE DE LAS SOMBRAS and takes the listener on another adventure down angularity avenue where sugary pop hooks are completely jettisoned in favor of hairpin turns and excessive time signature escapades fully adrenalized.

Fortified with an army of classically trained musicians, ASCETA led by the eclectic Rodrigo Maccioni tackled the typical chamber music instrumentation of the cello, clarinet, bass clarinet, violin, bassoon, upright bass and drums taken into avant-prog rock territory with the inclusion of the electric guitar, synthesizer, electric bass and drumming styles. The band of seven plus a couple guests features an amazing array of seven densely complex compositions that rocket the listener straight into the heart of the difficult listening music section of the musical universe with the seemingly over-the-top and not-so-easy-on-the-ears tugging of the senses. This is definitely not music for the feint of heart and is one of those albums that requires a few spins just to wrap your head around .

This is prog with pride. Chamber rock that heralds champions. In its 50-minute run the band pummels the senses with incessant time signature changes and lugubrious mood churning tones that cast a dark shadow on the soul but in a most satisfying way for those who love these wild rides into the darkest and most technically challenging recesses of the world of chamber prog. While ASCETA follows in the footsteps of myriad artists ranging from Henry Cow, Rational Diet and of course the mutltiide of Belgian and French artists that have kept the style churning on through the decades, ASCETA still finds a unique little niche in the midst of these fertile grounds with its own rhythmic flow and strange quirks that offer a refreshing new take on the tried and true subgenre in the prog universe.

While Chile is hardly a place where one would expect a band of this calibre, ASCETA has placed this South American nation on the map for some of the most intricately challenging music there is to be heard. A wild ride that wends and winds through the vast fields of tempo changes, time signature workouts and instrumental interplay, ASCETA is a no nonsense go for the gusto type of band that excels on the world stage. Although the knottiness of EREUBUS will surely alienate neophyites, seasoned avant-proggers will rejoice in this album's attention to detail and noncompliance to modern day trends that focus more on copycatism than musical mastery. While this second offering in many ways is a bit more of a bitter pill to swallow than the debut, EREBUS yields its secrets after several attentive listening sessions. I, for one, have been loving this one!