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ICONOCLASTA

Jazz Rock/Fusion • Mexico


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Iconoclasta biography
ICONOCLASTA is part of the "new generation" of progressive music still being produced, and one of the few progressive bands from Mexico. While Mexico is not an obvious hot bed of progressive coals, ICONOCLASTA makes a worthy attempt at creating quality progressive music. ICONOCLASTA have several albums and one EP, which have recently become available on CD. Iconoclasta's 1983 self-titled first release represents a developing band that is still trying to find a style.

Progressive doesn't come naturally from this band. It seems obvious that the band members have a passion for prog rock, but their overall style still sounds like a smattering of other bands rather than a cohesive whole. I keep getting the feeling that I've heard it all before. "Cuentos De Arquicia," the first cut, sounds almost popish, with a bouncy keyboard line. But ICONOCLASTA's sound develops in the second cut, and improves with each tune. The main instrument is the electric guitars, with the keyboards secondary, though frequently used. Ricardo Ortegon is a capable guitarist, but needs to find a few more tones for his guitar. It seems that Ortegon's first exposure to electric guitar was the "two slightly distorted guitars" from Mike OLDFIELD's "Tubular Bells". That tone is predominant throughout the album, though Ortegon breaks out from that tone somewhat in "Reminiscencias". By "Memorias De Un Hechicero," I was tapping my foot and bouncing my head, despite myself. That is a good sign. "Estudio VI" is a guitar study over a progressive keyboard rhythm. Flamenco and other Mexican styles really surface in this tune, though other Mexican rhythms can be detected throughout. But fortunately, this album isn't JUST flamenco guitar and progressive rhythm. "Reminiscencias" is a far better conceived thematic work than ICONOCLASTA, addressing the band's pacifist anti-nuclear stance and their criticism of the arms race. However, I couldn't detect this by listening to the new singer, since the lyrics are falsetto Spanish. Fortunately, the focus is on the instruments and not the voice. The music is thoughtful and introspective, progressing toward a unified whole rather than a slapped together amalgamation.

The 16'40 opus, "Reminiscencias De Un Mundo Sin Futuro" (Reminiscences Of A World Without A Future), is the centerpiece of this album. Though I think this epic cut starts out a little slow, the tune develops rather nicely, again showing Mexican influences throughout. This tune is a very g...
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ICONOCLASTA discography


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ICONOCLASTA top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.69 | 34 ratings
Iconoclasta
1983
3.72 | 46 ratings
Reminiscencias
1985
3.75 | 31 ratings
Soliloquio
1987
3.80 | 26 ratings
Adolescencia Cronica
1989
3.25 | 20 ratings
En Busca De Sentido
1990
3.18 | 15 ratings
La Reencarnacion De Maquiavelo
1992
3.27 | 13 ratings
De Todos Uno
1994
3.00 | 8 ratings
Trece Años
1996
3.17 | 12 ratings
La Granja Humana
2000
2.59 | 11 ratings
Resurrección
2009
3.27 | 11 ratings
Movilidad
2013
4.50 | 2 ratings
Alter Ego
2023

ICONOCLASTA Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.00 | 5 ratings
Iconoclasta en Concierto
1991
3.73 | 6 ratings
Live in France
2002
4.00 | 1 ratings
Concierto de Aniversario: 35 Años
2022

ICONOCLASTA Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

ICONOCLASTA Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

2.95 | 3 ratings
Siete Años
1988
3.97 | 9 ratings
Iconoclasta / Reminiscencias
1989

ICONOCLASTA Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

3.11 | 15 ratings
Suite Mexicana
1987

ICONOCLASTA Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Resurrección by ICONOCLASTA album cover Studio Album, 2009
2.59 | 11 ratings

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Resurrección
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by TenYearsAfter

3 stars This legendary Mexican prog formation delivered a serie of strong albums in The Eighties featuring a progressive blend of jazz, jazzrock and symphonic rock, strong points are the outstanding interplay and inventive musical ideas. Ten years after their latest studio-album La Granja Humana (2000) Iconoclasta found new inspiration. The current line-up includes Iconoclasta veterans Ricardo Moreno (acoustic - and electric guitars, keyboards and compositions), Ricardo Ortegon (electric guitar) and drummer Victor Baldovinos, along new members Greta Silva (vocals and bass) and Alma Castillo (vocals).

The 10 compositions on Resurreccion sound melodic and elaborate, but don't expect their Eighties sound. Because Iconoclasta have a kind of reinvented themselves, with a varied mix of styles but not with the focus on jazz and jazzrock, like in their past. There is an important role voor twin-guitar play and duo vocals, almost in every track. I can't mention real highlights but the level on this comeback album is good, with lots of variety.

An exciting opener with fiery electric guitar, a catchy keyboard brass sound and a powerful rhythm-section in Sin Escape.

Dreamy with warm vocals and pleasant work on the acoustic guitar in Hijo.

A Mike Oldfield-like climate with a strong build-up featuring wonderful interplay between sensitive acoustic ? and electric guitar in the instrumental Deidad Solar.

Strong interplay between guitar and synthesizer in the instrumental Huatla ?Homenaje A Maria Sabina.

Great rock guitar (with use of the wah-wah pedal) in the songs La Resurreccion De Maquiavelo and El Perro De Pavlov.

And emotional vocals and guitar in de compelling in the final track La Etica Del Verdugo.

To me this album sounds as a pleasant and varied 'resurrection' of the legendary Mexican band Iconoclasta, but far from their Eighties sound.

My rating: 3,5 star.

 Soliloquio  by ICONOCLASTA album cover Studio Album, 1987
3.75 | 31 ratings

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Soliloquio
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars About three months after ''Suite mexicana'' Iconoclasta released their third full-length album ''Soliloquio'', this was the seventh and last pressing on their own Discos Rosenbach and the first album to feature guest musicians: another member of the Moreno family, Rosa Echevarria, provides vocals in one track, Alexandro Gonzalez plays flute in another one, Arturo Huizar sings in the same piece, Laura Vazquez also sings in a pair and Jose Luis Romero guests on sax.

''Soliloquio'' consists of four long cuts and the first one in line, the 6-min. ''Cuando la musica era espiritual...'' provides the most symphonic of all sparks delivered by the band so far, an excellent piece of romantic Symphonic Rock with beautiful, operatic female vocals, soaring synthesizers, soft guitars and pianos and some surprising use of bells, a magnificent opener to say the least.The 7-min. ''Solo tu fruto'' follows more or less the same vein, this is very good Symphonic Rock from the 80's with dreamy keyboard parts and GENESIS-styled guitars, supported by crystalline Spanish female vocals and some bombastic sections, somewhat drifting away from the smoother sound of the opener, the style though remains fairly symphonic and pretty progressive.''7:19'' is sung by Arturo Huizar, this one contains some Fusion hints as proposed in the previous works, but the sound of the guitar with the STEVE HACKETT-like chops and solos screams GENESIS, while the later part of the piece contains also some incredible folky flute psychedelics.Very dense and fast music with accurate performances.The 15-min. title-track is another convincing composition by the best Mexican progressive band of the 80's.Dramatic and romantic Progressive Rock, often flirting with the Italian sound of period bands, containing some slight VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR influences during the limited sax and organ lines, the music passes through dreamy and more complex variations, the female vocals are again beautiful and some jazzy hints are detectable throughout.Solid work on a long and emphatic arrangement.

Iconoclasta's fourth work resembles much to the sound of the debut.It's rather closer to GENESIS with strong symphonic overtones overpowering the light jazzy vibes.Great stuff and quite an achievement for 1987.Strongly recommended, reissues are out, including the two tracks from the ''Suite mexicana'' EP...3.5 stars.

 Suite Mexicana by ICONOCLASTA album cover Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, 1987
3.11 | 15 ratings

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Suite Mexicana
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars In a rare move by an 80's Prog band and just prior to releasing their third full-length album, Iconoclasta decided to launch a 2-track 7'' vinyl EP with compositions apparently written at the dawn of 1987.This effort was titled ''Suite mexicana'' and released in August 87', the fourth pressing of their own Discos Rosenbach label (a compilation of Mexican Metal bands was the previous one in 1986).

First track ''Mestizaje'' opens with a very pastoral acoustic crescendo and a strong Latin Folk flavor, but soon the familiar Iconoclasta style will come in evidence.A mix of symphonic and jazzy aesthetics in a very dense Fusion amalgam with time changes, complex bass lines, sharp guitar moves with a STEVE HACKETT-like touch and a nice keyboard performance by Rosa Moreno, which includes both symphonic and more quirky executions.A total 7 minutes of rich Symphonic Fusion.''Revolucion en 6/8'' is the second part, starting with the farewell flutes of the previous track and following the same vein.The music is just a bit more pompous with the good changes between electric guitars and keyboards leading the way, while this time the music becomes richer and more retro-styled with the presence of an organ.Lots of Classical influences and symphonic underlines, the band sounds now like Argentinians PABLO EL ENTERRADOR with the balanced guitar/keyboard interplays, but Iconoclasta were a band fond of fusing different influences, as a result they sound pretty virtuosic and diverse, always having links to STEVE HACKETT's personal albums.

Maybe it would be an excess to give this one a strong recommendation, as this suite has been part of several reissues of Iconoclasta's ''Soliloquo'' album.Anyway, if you ever come across a copy of this short vinyl, do not hesitate.Dense and ch

 Reminiscencias  by ICONOCLASTA album cover Studio Album, 1985
3.72 | 46 ratings

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Reminiscencias
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Guillermo
Prog Reviewer

4 stars Iconoclasta is a Mexican Progressive Rock band which exists since 1980, which I consider a real "record" in survival years for a Mexican band, and more for a band in this musical style. Believe it or not, I only listened to a song from this band only once, maybe on a Mexican TV musical programme, many years ago. I wasn`t interested then, because they sounded to me as a band very influenced by Classical Music arrangements. So, I saw their albums in some record shops in my city several times many years ago without being really interested in buying them. But, I found this album in youtube so I listened to it twice and I found it very interesting. So, yesterday, I visited the websites of two Mexican record shops. For my surprise, I couldn`t find their albums there, with the exception of a very expensive import (!) CD copy. Anyway, they have their own record label and it gives them the musical freedom to do what they want, which is a very good thing for them.

As I expected, the members of this band are all musicians who formally studied in musical schools. At least I think so, because they are very good musicians who really sound like knowing a lot about musical theory and technics about how to play their instruments. All of the musicians really show to really know how to express themselves very well using a lot of "musical and technical vocabulary" which obviously the formal musical training can provide. At the same time, I think that the composition of the songs in the album, the same as the arrangemements, really were a hard work and I think that both things really took them a long time, and they really sound like they rehearsed the songs a lot. So, as a band they sound very well. The album is a concept album with a statement against nuclear war and with some ecological messages. The music at the start of the album is almost "quiet" but with the passing of time it becomes more heavy and complicated, with some changes in time signatures which sound very well. There is also the presence of two female members, and there are some very good femalel vocal choral arrangements in some parts, and a female lead singer who sings like she is singing an "opera aria".I couldn`t understand the lyrics despite they are sung of Spanish, and this female solo vocals are brief. All the members in this band really shine in their performances, but particularly Victor Baldovinos is a very good drummer.

The musical influences from other bands are inevitable. I think that their musical influences are from bands like Premiata Forneria Marconi, Banco, ELP and King Crimson, but at the same time they have their very own recognizable musical style which shows their Mexican roots very well.

I think that the recording I listened from this album in youtube was taken from a LP copy, so the sound is not very good. But the recording and mixing of this album is very good, with maybe the passing of time showing that it sounds a bit dated. Anyway, this is a very good album from a very good Mexican Progressive Rock band.

 Reminiscencias  by ICONOCLASTA album cover Studio Album, 1985
3.72 | 46 ratings

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Reminiscencias
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Two years after their great self-titled debut Mexican veterans Iconoclasta offered their sophomore effort ''Reminiscencias''.And nothing seems to have changed actually.The line-up remained the same, more or less an affair of the Moreno family tree, while the album was released on their own Discos Rosenbach label.

This time the band chose to deliver an even more symphonic style compared to their debut, which is actually a good thing considering the great talent within the band, but the new effort lacks the great energy of their debut with the short opening ''La Genestacion de Nuestro Mundo'' sounding more like a piano-based introduction than a complete arrangement.''El Hombre Sobre la Tierra'' is a smooth Symphonic Rock piece, carefully structured with a very dreamy atmosphere, following once more a GENESIS/STEVE HACKETT influence.Elegant flutes, background symphonic synths and HACKETT-ish guitar hooks all the way.''La Era de los Metabolismos Tecnologicos'' is propably the most dynamic track of all.Nice Symphonic/Fusion with plenty of keyboard solos, deep bass lines and decent guitar work, but overall rather chaotic and slightly abstract.The 17-min. ''Reminiscencias de un Mundo sin Futuro'' is the virgin attempt by the band to create a long prog epic.The result is partly succesful.This composition contains all of the Iconoclasta trademarks.Dreamy symphonic keyboards, HACKETT-ish guitar workouts, a very strong rhythm section, while you should add the acoustic break and the following female chant to complete the whole atmosphere.But sometimes these pieces do not sound that tightly connected, while the epic lacks a trully killer melody to rely upon.

Only the second track recalls the fantastic inspiration of Iconoclasta's debut.The rest of the album is also good, but not at the same level of their first release,with a few black holes here and there.Recommended overall, especially if taking into consideration the dark age of its release.

 Adolescencia Cronica by ICONOCLASTA album cover Studio Album, 1989
3.80 | 26 ratings

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Adolescencia Cronica
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by maryes

4 stars How already said in my review about "Soliloquio" (review #496708 in August 03, 2011, 19:27 EST), I consider "Adolescência Crõnica" a highly recommendable albun, but not in the same level of "Soliloquio". In this subsequent album from 1989 the band shows less symphonic moments than in the previous album, by the contrary, in this work the band shows a more aggressive posture. In fact much more space for guitars and less for keyboards, another great difference between the two albums is the absence of female vocals which contributes in a decisive way to make of "Soliloquio" a masterpiece. Really in some moments the music in "Adolescência Crônica" seems more closely to the ecletic-prog sound from the band PRAXIS in his album from 1987 entlited "La Eternidade de lo Efemero" whose line up includes Héctor Hernández / guitar and Ricardo Moreno / keyboards, both in the line-up from "Adolescencia Cronica" .However, the album shows one symphonic moment in the track 3 "Es una historia" a sweet ballad with some GENESIS and FOCUS "hints". The detach from "Adolescência Crônica" is the fantastic cohesion from the band to execute very intricate arrangements, full of alternate beats and a variety derivative melodies based in a main theme, which can be clearly noted in tracks such as in the track 4 "Esquizoide", 5 "Más allá que la cortina moral " and 6 "El alivio del clímax". My rate is 4 stars !!!
 Soliloquio  by ICONOCLASTA album cover Studio Album, 1987
3.75 | 31 ratings

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Soliloquio
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by maryes

5 stars In spite of considering highly advisable other albums of this fantastic Mexican band , as for instance "Reminicencias", "De Todos Uno" and "Adolesc'ncia Cr'nica",I agree with most of the collaborators of Progarchives that quoted this "Soliloquy" as the ICONOCLAST'S best work. Really the album is "filled" of beautiful arrangements for all of the tastes, to begin I detach the beautiful theme of Track 1 "Cuando La M'sica era Spiritual Y No Fisica O El Adivino Del Ultimo Periodo De Paz" in whose opening heard a theme where stands out Rosa Echevarria Moreno's soft feminine voice ; this same theme repeats in an instrumental way where the electric guitar leads the melody on an magnify arrangement for eletriic piano, accompanied by a rhythmic section of "take the breath." The track 2 "Solo Tu Fruto" with the vocal feminine of Laura Vasquez and a percussion that more if it seems with the sound of a musical box is simply great. The track 3 "7:19" begins with a theme in the Heavy-Prog style and it develops a jazz rock on with prominence for Alexandro Gonz'lez's flute. The track 4 "Soliloquy" is the most complex of this albun mixing symphonic prog, jazz prog & heavy prog. My rate is 5 stars!!!
 Suite Mexicana by ICONOCLASTA album cover Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, 1987
3.11 | 15 ratings

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Suite Mexicana
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by maryes

4 stars This is really a quite singular work, because, although t in "Mexican Suite" are present all of the elements rhythmic, melodic and instrumental characteristic of the sonority of the Mexican band ICONOCLASTA, as well as the virtuosity of their arrangements and individual executions. This EP sound as a type of "homage" to the traditional Mexican music. The track 1 "Mestizaje' it begins with a classical guitar solo that reminds the music "La Paloma", that in spite of it being composed by a Spanish musician (Sebastian Yradier) after he visited Cuba in 1861, became a quite popular musical theme in Mexico and later in the rest of the world , the music soon after, changes in a "festival theme' initiate for an percussion arrangement accompanied of "whistles", as that summoning the crowd for some event just as a parade or a fair in a central square of some Mexican village, actually in some moments you get to hear "Mariachi" playing their "Guitarróns and Vihuelas!" The track 2 is enough similar to the track 1 in his central theme, however with a midlle section where come vigorous electric guitar solos with "acid" synthesizers that takes the remaining of the music to something much closer of the symnphonic prog, returning to the initial theme. My rate is 4 stars!!!
 Resurrección by ICONOCLASTA album cover Studio Album, 2009
2.59 | 11 ratings

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Resurrección
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Music By Mail

2 stars The best news with this album is the introduction of a new female bass player! With a rather staccato playing style, she cuts through very fine and bears a lot of the music. She's singing too, together with another new member, vocalist Alma Castillo. Alas, the intonation of the vocals is at times unprecise and it reduces the enjoyment .... if there is such a thing on this album! Iconoclasta have been there many years and there is not too many new things here; they feel kind of worn out and uninspired; there is a lack of cohesion in the compositional material, a terrible feel of unending jamming or noodling to fill time and tapes; the vocal arrangements are often based on too repetitive lines, again unending .... The lack of a dedicated player taking charge of the keyboards can also be felt, Ricardo Moreno - one of the three remaining founding members together with guitarist Ortegón and the drummer - playing occasional synth textures on top of his guitar playing. Fans of the band will probably find something to catch and enjoy: the folky acoustic tunes with vocal harmonies, some of the soloing, whatever else! The global feel seems to me "another album" from Iconoclasta ... and not one of their best!
 Live in France by ICONOCLASTA album cover Live, 2002
3.73 | 6 ratings

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Live in France
Iconoclasta Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by baldovinos

4 stars Iconoclasta - "Live in France" (Metropolis Records CDM 6011, 2002, CD)

Is it amazing that the Mexican band Iconoclasta is still around? Yes, but on the other hand with such passion founder member Riccardo Moreno shows, to keep the torch of prog rock in Mexico burning, it's hardly suprising. Although the band is more than 20 years old, they still try to experiment within their style, daring to make complex music even today. This is a live recording from a concert they gave during the 3rd festival of progressive rock in Poitou-Charente, France. Their line up is Ricardo Moreno (guitars and keys), Victor Baldovinos (drums), Nohemi D'Rubin (bass), Ricardo Ortegon (guitars) and Salvador Gobla (keys). It's an excellent lively sound and the interplay between guitar and synths is perfect. The audience show their aural appreciation when the drummer juggles with his drumsticks during an intermezzo within the brilliant classic "Suite Mexicana." Iconoclasta is still a force to be reckoned with live. - Roel Steverink

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