EXÉGESYS

Hailing from la Plata, the Argentinean band Restam Suriv has been struggling for years to make a statement in the prog rock scene, and now, in the first half of May 2009 they released their debut album entitled ?Exégesys?. The band?s style is solid and robust, not in the sense of an essentially progressive metal band, but mostly a symphonic rock band with lots of energetic nuances and ornaments that relate them closely to the prog metal thing. As long as we perceive the nucleus for this line of work, we can see that Retsam Suriv belongs in the same family group as other Latin American bands such Hexatónica, Toccata, Entrance, Matraz and Nexus. Considering that keyboardist Cristián del Giorgio is the main writer, it is only logical that his arsenal constitutes the core and the overall ambience for the whole band?s sonic developments, although the defining sets of arrangements generally leave plenty of room for guitar riffs and leads. ?Estigma? kicks off the album with pompous spacey synth layers, very Floydian in an Ayreon sort of way. Once the full band settles in, the melodic framework brings an effective combination of old school prog (Yes, Genesis, PF), heavy-oriented neo (Arena) and stylish prog metal (?I&W?-era Dream Theater). The inclusion of slight jazz ornaments work as a funny resource of variation, but the melodic twist that starts at the 4 ½ minute mark all the way toward the final climax is a more relevant aspect of this track. ?Lombardía? is the first sung track, and it pretty much follows a similar mould than that of the opener, but given its longer extension and more pronounced symphonic overtones, it turns out to be more ceremonious and dramatic. The interlude developed during the 7 to 8 minute mark features attractive synth washes, while the closing section is catchy and outstanding. The title track follows, marked by the efficient duels between the keyboardist (Wakeman-meets-Rudess) and the guitarist (Howe-meets-Moore-meets-Petrucci). The utilization of successive ragtime and romantic passages paves a way of typically prog eclecticism before the reprised coda. ?Recuerdos de Traición? is basically a semi-power ballad: it comprises a faster middle section whose main purpose is to enhance the momentum in order to provide a partial climax. ?Lluvia de Estrellas? is based on a duet of piano and chanting: written by the female singer, it is her personal tribute for the departed rock star Freddie Mercury (it?s been so many years ago? my God!). For ?Triste Final?, the guys and girl of Retsam Suriv go headlong for a hard rock scheme refurbished by progressive tricks, pretty much like what Entrance does 60% of the time. The least exulting passages provide a pertinent variety for the track?s thematic thread, ultimately leading to a clear symphonic-oriented momentum. This sort of bombast is further enhanced in the instrumental ?Bajo Tu Dominio?, whose musical richness delivers a zenith of creativity in the whole album?s conception. The 13? minute long ?Reflejos? is the longest track of ?Exégesys?: wisely alternating the extroverted and calm passages in a very equilibrated way, it features a spacey section between minutes 7 and 9, as well as a relatively dense passage that brings a Gothic aura to the whole symphonic structure. The album?s last 9 minutes are occupied by the instrumental ?Ósmosis?, a robust tour-de-force that states a mixture of ?Estigma? and ?Bajo Tu Dominio?, with a touch of eclecticism related to ?Reflejo?. Arguably, the best synth solos in the album are comprised in this piece. Well, this is all I feel I have to say about ?Exégesys?: Retsam Suriv reveals itself as a new name that all prog collectors over the world have to pay attention to, particularly those who always enjoy the bombastic side of the genre.

The story of Argentine prog formation Retsam Suriv (from right to left 'Virus Master') starts in 2002 and then the band joins several festivals, near their hometown Buenos Aires. Not until 2007 the band decided to work on a debut album and finally two years later Retsam Suriv release their debut album entitled Exegesys. This release got a worldwide support, by French Musea, Japanese Poseidon, Brasilian Rock Symphony and Mexican Luna Negra.

The heartbeat of Retsam Suriv their sound is the combination of female singer Vilma Del Giorgio (wide range and lots of emotion) and keyboard player Christian Del Giorgio. His spectaculair work on the keyboards reminds me of (fellow Argentines) Jaime Rosas Cuartetto and Entrance from Chile. Viima and Christian are supported by different musicians on guitar, bass and drums in the first four tracks and the remaining five other tracks (in total five instrumentals).

In general Retsam Suriv delivers dynamic symphonic rock with harder-edged guitar play and sumptuous keyboard, fuelled by a dynamic rhythm-section. Like in the long compositions Lombardia (exciting accellarations and flashy keyboard flights) and Osmosis. The atmosphere is frequently 'over the top' but if you like keyboard driven bands like ELP and Japanese Gerard, this sound will delight you. At some moments the music turns into dreamy with moving Gilmourian guitar work (like in Lombardia), tender Grand piano runs and soaring keyboards.

As a huge fan of early Queen I was pleasantly surprised with Retsam Suriv their tribute to Freddy Mercury named Lluvia De Estrallas, a wonderful song with a strong build up and a fiery guitar solo.

This was a promising start that will please the fans of harder-edged and bombastic symphonic rock, or the more elaborate prog-metal. In 2014 Retsam Suriv released the successor entitled Danger.

My rating: 3,5 star.