EL JINETE NEGRO

****1/2

This album is nowadays called Jinetes Negros, not "El Jinete Negro". I believe this change was made when the Viajero Inmovil label issued this album. Before that it was only an independent release.

What a pleasant surprise this album was! This Argentinean group is a project by the keyboardist Octavio Stampalia, who was previously in the group Anima, and the singer Marcelo Ezcurra. According to the liner notes it is music composed for the poem "El Jinete Negro" (The Black Rider) by Nene D'inzeo. Her poems have inspired keyboardist Stampalia. The overall sound is very operatic due to the wonderfully arranged choirs. Besides the normal prog line-up there is some additional flute and violin in some of the tracks. The production quality is of high level as well.

The album starts with the wonderful "El Jinete Negro" with beautiful choir parts. The 2nd track "La Anciana" is more straightforward but excellent as well. There is a videoclip for this track included but I have to say that I don't really like it. But the music is good. The album continues strongly after these tracks and the 4th beautiful track "Floreces, Tiemblas Y Te Vas" being the highlight from the album. The track "Sacro-Cielo", again with beautiful choirs, deserves a mention too.

This album seems to have different covers. The Viajero Inmovil version I have is different, more beautiful might I add and housed in a very nice mini-lp sleeve. This version at least includes the already mentioned videoclip as well as different versions of the tracks "Floreces, Tiemblas Y Te Vas" and "Soldados de Fuego". Mmmmmm....nice!

Conclusion: An impressive album!

Sometime in 1999 in Buenos Aires ex-Anima keyboardist Octavio Stampalia along with singer Marcelo Ezcurra formed Jinetes Negros with an aim to perform Symphonic Prog music.The band had also bassist Marcelo Vaccaro, guitarist Pablo Robotti, drummer Christian Colaizzo and percussionist Gerardo Pricolo on board and in 2000 they released the debut private CD ''El jinete negro'', re-released as ''Jinetes Negros'' four years later by Viajero Inmovil.

And sure, there is some evident mood by Stampalia to fill the sound of the band with plenty of symphonic keyboard fireworks, however the result sounds like a less inspiring and more commercial oriented JAIME ROSAS or NEXUS.The album contains eight rather short tracks, which lean heavily on Ezcurra's voice (which is very far from special) and the clear rockin' grooves of the rhythm guitars, eventually offering tracks really accesible but not particularly memorable.Among those easy tunes Stampalia decided to throw some Classical-influenced bombastic keyboards, more evident on the instrumental parts, and most of them are pretty enjoyable.They just not seem to fit with the rockin' attitude the band has chosen, especially on the opening tracks.The later compositions are far more interesting with some nice flute work, well-crafted orchestral parts and atmospheric choirs, though the cheap synth sound will not allow them to escape mediocrity.

''El jinete negro'' is an uneven mix of good Symphonic Rock with flat and cold Hard Rock, where the talent of Stampalia meets the cliche side of rock music.Not particularly recommended...2.5 stars.