MASCARAS URBANAS

Luckily, RAEL are not all-the-way Spanish-singing band (though I DO enjoy this Latin incarnation of GENESIS!!!) As you might guess from their name, they're GENESIS- inspired band as Italian THE WATCH or Scottish CITIZEN CAIN, but RAEL has more sophisticated manner and Neo approach (think of MARILLION or GENESIS 74-78). Having only 1 weak track here ( "Peregrinos del Tiempo"), the album stands very high in sound/songwriting material quality.Catchy opener in 7/8 "Mascaras Urbanas" is made in "Dance on a Volcano"/"Down and Out" vein.The 3-parts "The Land of Sin" has unusually psychedelic and even KCish middle section and wonderful ballad ending.Songs like "Shadows in Ixtlan" and "Escapando de mi Imaginacion"("Escaping from my Imagination" in 13/16 !) are the ones GENESIS never would made - unusually atmospheric and soundscapy.The best tracks here are "Icarus" (think of "lost" GENESIS masterpiece song circa "The Lamb...") and "Momo and the Grey Men" epic (a mix of "Forgotten Sons" and "The Musical Box"!). Extremely recommended for GENESIS-heads and Neo/Art/New Symphonic Prog devotees!