QUANTUM PHASE TRANSITION

The second album by the Spanish band Ekzilo represents a huge impact and evolution from their debut, "Ekzilo" (2020). The band has incorporated new elements into their music and taken a giant leap forward in terms of sound design.

The first thing that strikes you are the vocals, present in two of the tracks, ranging from more melodic (and somewhat catchy) vocals to raspy vocals, reminiscent of the Swedish band Opeth, especially in the first track, "Patibulum," with constant changes and, curiously, no electric guitar riffs. Jose Ruiz's work is fantastic, full of personality, based more on solos and rhythmic/melodic lines than on classic rock/metal riffs.

After the initial surprise of the first track, three entirely instrumental and extremely varied songs follow. "La fábrica de barro" practically takes us back to the late 70s, close to the Laietan rock vibe (!!!), and confirms the tremendous variety of the album. A beautiful song. "Dunas" (one of the preview songs) perfectly blends modern progressive rock with a Spanish feel and magnificent lead guitar work. And pay attention to that middle section with jazzy piano. "Brujería" brings us the purest Andalusian influence of this band, with sublime instrumental work (that bass!). That flamenco guitar coda to finish is beautiful.

By the time "Evolution" arrives (and the short final cut "Epílogo"), we've already seen the variety and instrumental (and compositional) versatility of the band, but in this track, everything is amplified even more. It's a song that requires several listens to fully assimilate. There are many cuts, many different parts, many genres (jazz, rock, metal, flamenco, space rock!). Here, the vocals return (clean and guttural; one of the great innovations in the band's career). Pay attention to that beautiful, space section in the middle of the track (the variety of timbres and different sounds Paula uses on this album is impressive, a spectacular piece of work), which may remind you of Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson. Undoubtedly the group's Magnum Opus, and 18 minutes that mark a new path in the band's career.

Definitely a surprising album on all levels. "Ekzilo" (2020) was a very good album, but this "Quantum Phase Transition" is absolutely on another level. A wonderful album, very original, that mixes genres and musical ideas that might not work together, but that do. Production, composition, and musicianship are on par with any current group I can imagine. AWESOME 5/5.

* I'm absolutely convinced that the band should be in the "Eclectic Prog" section, although the classification seems understandable to me considering their first album.

I didn't know Ekzilo before this second album. I had the opportunity to listen to it in full and I was very impressed. It's a truly original and unique mix! There are classic progressive rock elements, many different keyboard parts, and more modern elements (even fans of Riverside or progressive metal bands might like it). "Patibulum" impresses with its vocals (you don't expect them), but my favorite songs are the beautiful "Brujería" (with a great flamenco flavor and magnificent instrumental work) and the great suite "Evolution", which lasts more than 18 minutes and has music for all tastes, many different parts and even exciting moments.

"Quantum Phase Transition" is a great album. It reminds me of both modern bands and more classic progressive rock, all with a marked Mediterranean and Andalusian touch. A great mix of styles with a very personal sound. A great album, very enjoyable.

This year, I've fallen hard for the new wave of Spanish prog, a full-blown infatuation fueled by the resurgence sparked by labels like AmarXe and Astronomy Recording Music. Just recently, I dove into Malabriega's Frippada Andaluza, a stunning gem that quickly earned its place in my collection. Quantum Phase Transition is the kind of album that rips open your lazy prog-fed frontal lobe and pours in Andalusian lava until you're baptized in a genre stew thick enough to drown Rick Wakeman and wake him back up just in time to slap Jordan Rudess. Ekzilo, these mad Spaniards, don't play progressive rock, they airlift it into their own cultural hurricane, spin it around flamenco style, throw in some Opeth growls just to mess with you, and then lovingly hand you a rose. With thorns.

Let's get this out of the way: I haven't heard their first album. Don't need to. This new one stands on its own like Gaudí on mushrooms. It's a half-metal, half-mediterranean, all-in spiritual manifesto by guitarist José Ruiz, whose playing doesn't so much solo as breathe. His lines are sinewy, coiled, tasteful, and absolutely capable of biting your ear off if provoked. And Paula Rodríguez on keys? She's like the ghost of Chick Corea and a warm summer dusk in Cádiz had a baby and let it loose on a stack of analog synths.

Opener "Patibulum" kicks the door down with one foot in Riverside's prog-metal elegance and the other in a death-metal gutter. The harsh vocals come in like a spilled ashtray across a silk tablecloth. Why? Who knows. Maybe it's a dare. Maybe it's genius. Maybe it's a mistake. It doesn't matter. The music moves forward like a thoughtful machine with heart, sharp rhythms, shifting moods, a musical terrain that's tectonic rather than flashy. Then there's "La Fábrica de Barro", what a name! Sounds like an arthouse film about clay workers on strike. The music matches the imagery: brisk, Mediterranean, sculpted. There's a Spanish guitar line in here that could make Robert Fripp drop his pick and just listen for once. "Dunas" follows with a desert-trek rhythm and a kind of sun-drenched precision, blending symphonic flourishes with melodic bursts like it's no big deal.

But then "Brujería". Man. THIS is the track you play to convert someone. There's a moment midway when everything stops for a Spanish guitar that doesn't show off, it remembers. It knows. It testifies. The rhythm section is locked in tighter than a dictatorship, and the whole thing spirals into this final flamenco-flavored finish that's got more soul than half the jazz-fusion scene combined.

And "Evolution"? Eighteen minutes of pure cinematic grandeur. It's not a song, it's a damn odyssey. Acoustic guitar solos that feel like blood rituals, keyboard textures that whisper and then roar, bass and drums galloping like Andalusian stallions through time signatures that shouldn't work but do. The growls return (briefly, mercifully), but by that point you're too deep in the trip to care. There's even a jazz section that sounds like Soft Machine reborn in Seville with Miles Davis feeding them absinthe.

The closer, "Epilogo", is just a minute and change of solo guitar but feels like a sunset after the war. A perfect, humble comedown.

So yeah, Ekzilo may have been quiet for five years, but this album? It screams. It sings. It matters. Quantum Phase Transition is one of those rare progressive albums that's not about showing off but showing up, for the music, for the feeling, for the damn soul of it all.

Recommended for: Anyone who's ever air-guitared to King Crimson, cried during a flamenco solo, or wished Tool had a Mediterranean cousin with better manners and a bigger heart (Jose Zegarra, Progressive Music fan. Filmmaker+Executive Producer of the Romantic Warriors documentary film series).

This second album by Ekzilo represents a radical evolution from their self-titled debut. It has a magic quality. It mixes a thousand surprising things, and they all fit together. The album never strays, even though he has plenty of opportunities, haha. It takes risks and excels. The instrumental level is very professional. And the composition. The production is a 10/10.

It's a magnificent album (and of Spanish origin). The suite, both in its title and style, demonstrates this absolutely wild evolution. On first listening, with those pauses and changes in key, it leaves you disoriented. But everything works perfectly together (as does the entire album). There are so many different influences here, but this "Quantum Phase Transition" is an album that doesn't deserve musical spoilers; it's better to let yourself be surprised by it. Few albums this year are as surprising and of higher quality.

The particles shift their collective behavior.

'Quantum Phase Transition' is an album that confidently stands on that fine line where restraint is worth more than excess. This mostly instrumental work, with only two vocal tracks (the opener and the closer), dives into a state of carefully measured sonic contemplation.

I came into it without any prior knowledge of the band's earlier material, so I wasn't expecting that raspy voice in "Patibulum" It caught me off guard - in the best way. That intensity, that controlled frenzy, immediately brought Between the Buried and Me to mind, especially those sections where everything seems to break apart, yet never fully loses its shape. You're left wanting more vocals - there's a real curiosity about how that voice, somewhere between clean and shredded, might have blended into other moods across the album. Still, the decision to use it only at the beginning and ending has its own logic - and it works.

The interplay between the musicians feels intentional, but never stiff. There's a constant dialogue; they listen to each other, give space, push and pull. "Brujería" encapsulates that perfectly: tight rhythm, collective growth, and an outro with Spanish guitar that's not just for show or folklore - it closes with identity, with a sense of place.

What truly elevates this album above the average is the keyboard work. It's not background - it's foundation. It builds atmosphere without becoming dense, sustains tension without being predictable. There's a melodic sense always present, yet never obvious; piano, synthesizers, Rhodes, Hammonds... everything in its right place, delivered with impeccable taste. There are moments when a single texture or ambiance speaks louder than any virtuosic solo - and that's not easy to pull off.

This isn't an immediate album, and it doesn't need to be. It has layers, patience, intention. Once it pulls you in, there's no rush to leave - and when it's over, you feel the need to return, just to find something you missed the first time.

This band still has room to grow. Within their style, there are ideas and concepts that deserve deeper exploration. No doubt - their best record is still ahead.

Music: 4 stars

Lyrics: 3 stars

Execution: 5 stars

Emotion: 4 stars

Production: 4 stars

Artwork: 3 stars

Average: 3.83

Another great spanish band

As I've said before, this is a good era for Spanish progressive music. In recent years, we've heard great bands like Malabriega, Noah Histeria, Cielo Drive, Vientos Moderados del Este, Jordi Farreras, Joan Villalonga, and Javier Miranda. The Astronomy Records label has been steadily guiding the genre's train, along with Rafa from the Amarxe label?another Spanish imprint leaving a strong mark on the global prog scene.

Now we have Eksilo, a very interesting band that bursts through the front door with a strong debut. Quantum Phase Transition blends extreme metal with jazz fusion and neo-progressive touches. When I heard the opening track, "Patibulum," I was caught off guard?in a good way. It's a devastating, powerful start. But from there, the album slowly moves away from that intensity and drifts into something more predictable. Not bad, just less gripping. The band clearly has chops?these are skilled, creative musicians? but as the album progresses, the surprise factor fades and things start to drag. Some tracks left me wanting more; others just wore me out.

Eksilo is a great band with a promising future. They're still finding their voice, and that's okay. If the album had a more defined concept or theme, it might've held together better. As it stands, I'd stick with "Patibulum" and "Evolution" as highlights. The rest, while well played, didn't quite land for me and at times slipped into boredom. Despite that Eksilo is a great band that deserves more stars but for now on it has to improve those moments and evolve.