CARBONO 14

I buy a pirate copy of this disc (sorry for that, but in that moment i hadn't any money) some time ago, and later, just now, i noticed the exsimio's second album is really great....i can't descript the atmosphere and "the interplay between guitar and finest mellotron....." and all of those bull[&*!#], that sounds like words everyone repeats again and again...i really loved it, it has strong guitars, and minimum instruments, despite of this the album is great...in one song, the lyrics talk about a strange success, is your work to find out what it says.... Chaito!

PD: It isn't an essential disc (we can mention here aisles "the yearning", subterra "sombras de invierno", los jaivas "alturas", jaime rosas "creciendo" and ergo sum "mixolidio", they're essentials), but have it makes an idea of what is happening here, in latinoamerica, un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos. contact to francisco sazo 08-7684322 byeeeee

In Chile, the last years had been a lot of orignal band in the prog scene, but one special band makes me proud to be chilean: Exsimio, and C14 speacly.

Well, this secound album has more experience than "Exsimio", now Perez learn of his mistakes and don't try to sing, but recite the lyrics, the low point in "Exsimio". Here we can find a mature band that has a lot of sound to show to the people in general, with original ideas about music, with the classic influence of King Crimson, but the KC in the last disc, although there's only influence, not a base to make the disc. The work of the bass-drums is great, because it gives a powerfull base to the album, and the sounds that Iñaki and Corsione gives with theyre fresh musical ideas make this disc an essential disc of the last years of the prog. An 100% recommendable album to the people who's searching for original music and is boring of the bands that only copy to the others.

EXSIMIO are an instrumental band from Chile. Comprised of a drummer, bass player and two guitarists. No keyboards. You would think with two guitarists that they would be the focus, but no, it's the bass and drums that dominate.The bass player especially stands out from the other musicians, he's the star and leader of this band. Love the album cover of a guy dusting off a buried guitar, like it's been there for centuries along with the skull and bones beside it. Haha.

Check out the crisp and amazing drumming after a minute on "Ser En El Ensueno", as the guitar continues to grind it out. Some great atmosphere late. On "C-14" they step it up a notch, and the drum / guitar interplay is incredible. Killer bass 3 minutes in, and the guitar starts to light it up a minute later. "Amenaza" has this powerful soundscape with some ripping guitar 1 1/2 minutes in. In "El juicio II" the bass playing again steals the show. There is also some Spanish speaking going on (no idea what he's saying), but the fat bass and awesome drumming are loud and clear after 2 1/2 minutes, as the guitar grinds away. Nice. "Sentencia" is a short, dark song with more chunky bass as a heavy sound comes in.

"Eugenisia" has a cool sound to it, it gets heavier a minute in and the guitar comes in grinding away before 2 minutes. "Haploide" has Spanish words, again spoken by the bass player (I still have no idea what he is saying). Amazing song though. "El Trauko" features some incredible drumming. Guitar comes in around 4 minutes to end it. "Esquizofrenia" has this interesting guitar melody early. Some nice bass after 1 1/2 minutes as drums pound away. It becomes more passionate a minute later. A barrage of drums comes in late. "Fragmentos" is fairly laid back(for them) until 3 minutes in when guitar and bass let loose. Killer bass ! "2012" has spoken vocals and a lighter than usual sound.

This is highly recommended ! If you like GUAPO or the heavy KING CRIMSON style music, this is for you.

Equaling the magic and surpassing the power of their namesake debut album, Exsimio's "Carbono-14" was one of the most exciting prog releases in 2005, either regarding the South American continent or the worldwide spectrum. The band's line of work is pretty much the same, albeit with a harder edge provided by the enhanced input of the dual guitar riffs and counterpoints. That means that the rhythm section feels obliged to tighten up their amalgam in order to keep up with the ensemble's overall pace, and sure they manage to do so successfully. Once again, bassist Pérez does a terrific job at complementing his rhythm duties with services as a "third guitarist" in some of the counterpoints that take place. The combative nature of the three tracks with lyrics focuses on social violence ('El Juicio II'), abuse of political-economical power ('Haploide') and the environmental deflagration ('2012'), which add rebellion to the anger spread all through the instrumentation. The cover image is quite significant: excavation tools, craniums and archeological ruins, all of them seem to symbolize the band's intention to analyze the roots of modern's society self-destruction. 'Ser en el Ensueño' kicks off the album as a subtle overture that partially announces the display of strength to be immediately developed in 'C- 14' and 'Amenaza'. These two numbers solidly portray complex structures in which the stronger elements get fluidly combined with other constrained passages - 'Amenaza' includes some of the best guitar leads of the album. The aura of restlessness and anger feels like a cloud floating heavily in the air as the album goes on. This sensation of emotional turmoil is taken to a rather hostile level in 'Haploide' and 'El Trauko', two segued pieces that display a most powerful unit, as well as in the oppressive, gray atmospheres of 'Esquizofrenia'. Also notable are the martial, obsessive cadence of 'Eugenesia' and the clever use of decreasing nuances in the closure '2012'. These are really specific examples of the album's appeal, which can only be enjoyed as a sequenced whole of ballsy prog numbers. Definitely, with this amazing sophomore album, Exsimio reaffirm themselves as a proficient item of current Crimson-inspired prog: "Carbono 14" is exciting and inventive, in a word, excellent

Now, that i call Prog! What a great effort from this chilean muscisians! Carbon 14 is a wonderfull album full of dynamics and complex melodies. Their playing is so tight, i have a long time to hear something so good as this. You can understand instantly that they are experienced musicians and i like the fact that mr. Carlos Pérez abandoned the role of the singer and start to talk wonderfully spanish now and then contributing in album's stunning atmosphere. The best part for me is the bass playing. You have to hear this, Carlos Pérez plays some magnifical complex passages that make this record so perfect. Ofcourse you can't complain abou the other musicians, all play fantastic music. I also loved the astonishing drum play that inerplays with the bass. You shoukd check these guys, they play prog so good! Very highly recommended!

If "Exsimio" was a good release, this one is even better. "Carbono 14" meets the identity of Exsimio: that particular sound announced on the debut album, that mix of the classic line up of rock bands with this atypical final result, here dominates the entire experience of listening "Carbono 14", with a rocker style, powerful, but always doing what we knew of Exsimio.

The album starts with an intro, and so on 'C-14' starts building what follows, say, by the half of the song, a rhythm which catches you and doesn't stop until 'Sentencia'. 'El Juicio II' is the first spoken song, and it's about Jack and Carneamarga's mother. Now we know who are these people introduced on the debut album, and what is their story.

The album close with '2012', stuck in a D while the voice complains about the system and the leaders. It's something like 'Electioneering' of Radiohead, or maybe like a paradigmatic ending of an album of Tool.

"Carbono 14", the album, is a great job by Exsimio, with less of Primus and more of Exsimio! There's a special atmosphere surrounding the disc, and it's highly recommended for prog lovers.

Exsimio is an instumental prog band from Chile. This is their second and last album to date, with which the band managed to be included in the most pleasant surprises in 2005. "Carbono 14" is a great album, evidently more mature and solid than their self-titled debut in 1999.

The characteristic of Exsimio's music is the leading role of bassist Carlos Pérez. All compositions are based on the rhythm section and, strange as it may sound, this does not work against the final result. On the contrary, the level of musicianship is very high and the rhythm changes, which are never-ending throughout the album, are at many points brethtaking.

The three songs with lyrics ("El Juicio II", "Haploide" and "2012") mainly focus on world economical policy and the consequences of ecological disturbance caused by humans. I 'd say that "2012" is my favourite among these, but the best moments in this album are not Pérez's narrations. The pounding bass lines and intese drumming in "Esquizofrenia", the heavy constant riffing in "Eugenesia" are magnificent. Most of all everything that happens in the title-track portrays what Exsimio stand for: creative and innovative progressive music, and more specifically, something like metal influenced King Crimson.

Recommended to all fans of adventurous instrumental prog.