EL FIN DE LA INFANCIA

Majestic symphonic progressive rock from Venezuelan act which have laid unfortunately dormant for almost 20 years. This brand new album starts off on an odd note with 2 rather dark foreboding symphonic tracks which are highly un-characteristic of the remainder of the album. "Childhood's End" is highly original and orchestrally rich music which reaches almost terrestrial heights. Musicianship is simply outstanding with some grand instrumental work including the profound cello playing of Peter Pejtsik from "AFTER CRYING". Pedro Castillo's guitar playing is tremendous and also offers a truly beautiful singing voice. This album contains a couple of truely remarkable aspects including wonderful instrumental variations, vast tempo and mood swings,. All musical aspects come together on the 24 min epic masterpiece "El Fin De La Infancia" which in many ways steals the show.. Overall this album is very well recorded and offers great sound dynamics when your sitting on the bus going to work.

After a hibernation period in the realms of standardized commercial pop-rock, Témpano reemerged as a major progressive force while organizing the CD release of their pioneering album "Atabal-Yemal". When the original line-up reunited in order to fulfill the aforesaid enterprise, there was a need reborn: the need to create significant music under the prog rock banner. And so it came to be that Témpano became one of the most prominent prog South American bands nowadays, starting over and refreshening their ideals. While the Musea people ask material from them for their multi-group epics, the band itself delivers two excellent prog efforts for the new millenium. Témpano are stronger than ever, indeed. "Childhood's End" was their official comeback album, and it was a journey straight to the major leagues: as an extra factor, After Crying cellist Peter Pejtsik helped the band to fulfill their vision in many tracks of the album, and even wrote some parts of the introductory number 'Tres'. This brief track sets a pace of intensity and density for 'Timorato', an impressive tour-de-force in which Castillo's guitar is featured in a somewhat Frippian way, while the rhythm section lays a powerful foundation and the keyboard and cello inputs draw hypnotic orchestrations and adornments. 'Lugar de Casa Nuevas' gets more lyrical, creating a sort of mixture between Camel and Happy the Man in a very dinamic way - this time it is keyboardist Della Noce who steals the show at some time. 'Sin Retorno' is the least complex track in the album, paving a road of melodic rock with a hint of jazz-pop. Once again we must mention guitarist Castillo as the leading star, since his leads happen to provide a big deal of emotional power to a song that, with softer arrangements, would have been just trivial. Thanks to the band's overall genius, this track becaomes a very effective modern symphonic ballad. 'Grillos' finds the band exploring their jazzy facet deeply and energetically: the avantgarde trend is their choice, and it certainly allows them to deliver an ellegant set of disturbing textures all the way through. Disturbing indeed, yet very lyrical: I think that being capable of creating lyricism in a somber context is one of the main virtues of the Témpano people as writers and performers. This motto is incredibly enhanced in the multi-part suite 'El Fin de la Infancia'. This 25- minute opus is an inventive catalogue of various influences used in the sequence of all successive motifs: the heritages of 73-75 King Crimson, Yes, Happy the Man, Univers Zero, Gentle Giant, 73-75 Pink Floyd,. all of them are properly ordained and recycled through the band's own vision. This has to be one of the most accomplished prog epics for the last 16 years! The last two tracks have to bear the weight of following the epic, but they cannot be ignored. 'Escape para el Hombre Común' sets a vibrating mixture of Gentle Giant-esque exquisite dissonances and jazz-rock with a funky basis. 'En la Vía' is a bit smoother, built on a fusionesque trend that seems somewhat inspired in Pat Metheny. The predominant melancholic mood of this track is a very effective closure for a very intense album. The amazing richness comprised in "Childhood's End" proves that Témpano is a masterpiece making machine.

This was a comeback album for this Venezuelan band, as it had been 11 years since their last release.This is a good symphonic record, but for me nothing more.The guest cello from Peter Pijtsik(AFTER CRYING) is a nice touch on several tracks, but the bass player is the star on this album.There is some orchestration sprinkled in here and there as well.

"Tres" is a short introduction track with drums and bass leading the way and cello playing overtop. "Timorato" features more great bass to open with a full sound arriving quickly.The tempo shifts a lot on this one. Cello 2 minutes in as bass throbs. Tribal-like drumming to end it. "Lugar De Casas Nuevas" is my favourite track by far. The most symphonic in my opinion with an addictive keyboard melody throughout. The bass is once again prominant in this catchy, bright song. Some tasteful guitar after 2 1/2 minutes as drums pound. "Sin Retorno" opens with strummed guitar with vocals and a mellow sound before a minute. Some vocal melodies and nice guitar that comes and goes.The best part is the instrumental section 4 minutes in. Not a fan of the light vocal ending at all.

"Grillos" is kind of jazzy until 2 minutes in when it gets heavier. The drums and bass stand out. It settles back down before it ends. "El Fin De La Infancia" is the almost 25 minute epic. It takes a while to get going, but hey they have lots of time right ? There are actually a lot of different moods to this one early.Then some classical guitar, orchestration and even a haunting section after 16 minutes. More fat bass lines 21 minutes in as they truly throw everything but the kitchen sink at us. I hate to say i was underwhelmed but... "Escape Para El Hombre Comun" is mellow to start but it does get a little heavier. Mellow again to end it. "En La Via" opens with slow paced piano melodies. A nice uptempo rhythm a minute in with more fantastic bass. I really like this tune. If you listen to the vocal melodies and the heavy bass lines you'll find a very Zeuhl-like flavour to this one. Check it out after 5 minutes. The song ends as it began with piano.

Like I said this is a good one, it just failed to capture my prog-imagination in any way.