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TAURUS

Symphonic Prog • Chile


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Taurus picture
Taurus biography
Founded in Santiago, Chile in 2003

TAURUS is the name used by the talented Chilean multi-instrumentalist Claudio MOMBERG who after a successful career in bands as SETI, CAAMORA and SUBTERRA released three excellent albums edited by Mylodon Records. Like MIKE OLDFIELD and VANGELIS before him, Claudio plays all the instruments, but to make it even more impressive, also produced all the albums.

It was not a surprise to discover that his music was fluid and elegant with a unique style product of his dexterity with all the instruments.

Despite these notable achievements I should mention that TAURUS is not a 100% Symphonic band, because Momberg blends classical music, Electronic Prog, a bit of New Age (plus GENESIS, CAMEL and MAGENTA influence), but due to the quality of the compositions and the fact that his music would not fit in another sub-genre, we feel that Prog Archives should not let TAURUS fall in the cracks of the system and decided to add his discography to the Symphonic database.

Highly recommended for fans of orchestral and instrumental Prog.

See also: Claudio Momberg

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TAURUS discography


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

3.04 | 13 ratings
Opus I - Dimensions
2010
2.45 | 10 ratings
Opus II - Impressions
2011
3.95 | 24 ratings
Opus III - Research
2013
3.28 | 9 ratings
Opus IV - Elevations
2014

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

4.00 | 1 ratings
Live: Tritone
2019

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

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

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

0.00 | 0 ratings
Awakening (Explorations, Vol.1)
2019
0.00 | 0 ratings
Dawn (Explorations, Vol.2)
2019
0.00 | 0 ratings
Calm (Explorations, Vol. 3)
2020
0.00 | 0 ratings
Conscience (Explorations, Vol.4)
2020
0.00 | 0 ratings
Reflections (Explorations, Vol.5)
2020
4.00 | 1 ratings
Breaking Point (Explorations, Vol.6)
2020

TAURUS Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Opus IV - Elevations by TAURUS album cover Studio Album, 2014
3.28 | 9 ratings

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Opus IV - Elevations
Taurus Symphonic Prog

Review by DrömmarenAdrian

3 stars I continue my journey through modern prog rock and go to Chile and Claudio Momberg who call his musical self "Taurus". His appearance is similar to the Swedish (now) former finance minister Anders Borg(by the way) but I guess Momberg is more talanted. Since 2010 there has been four Taurus records and this year came "Opus 4: Elevations" with a cover that is not so special must I say.

The record lasts for almost fiftytwo minutes and the musicians that work together on the album are Claudio Momberg, Claudio Momberg and Cladio Momberg who are playing all instruments. The number of reviewers has been few yet. Especially Chilean prog fans should be better to check out this because this is talanted and symphonic music that I know could be appreciated in this world. The album consists of ten tracks but I guess that it all should be seen as a whole, called "Elevations".

Well "Elevations" are well done and appropriate prog rock of a symphonic style. Here exist what most symphonic rock fans want such as joyful keyboards and themes that come and go and together make a well working concept. The album is instrumental but not boring. I don't find it so interesting either though but that is my personal opinion. Some tracks of "Elevations" are better than others and those compositions do I recommend for you impatiant fans of heavenly music: "Ceraunius" is one of these and "Zephyria" is another. Listen to these two and perhaps the calmer "Phlegra" too and "Ortygia" of course. Listen also to the album as a whole when you are going by the underground home from work or school. Or put the record on in the evening when you'd like some symphonics in the dark. But I am afraid it won't impress you very much, It didn't with me.

So "Taurus" will get three stars from me, and that is good!

 Opus II - Impressions by TAURUS album cover Studio Album, 2011
2.45 | 10 ratings

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Opus II - Impressions
Taurus Symphonic Prog

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

2 stars Upon the release of ''Opus I: Dimensions'' and SETI's second album ''Discoveries'' Claudio Momberg sat down to complete a second work of his Taurus sideproject.Not even a couple of months had passed from his first album and in December 2010 he entered the Discovery Studios to record ''Opus II: Impressions''.Two months were enough for the whole process and in March 2011 the album was released on Mylodon Records.

But it appears that this time Momberg set things in a hurry.Not that he is far from great composer, his Classical training and influences are again on full display in this album.But he seems to have lost the balance between Electronic soundscapes and Symphonic Rock with this effort, which heavily relies on his work on keyboards, piano and samplers, usually forgetting the extra touch provided by the electric guitars, which made Taurus' debut sound pretty charming in the first place.The synthetic beats and orchestrations sound very pale and fake, really a pitty, because the man happens to be an accomplished sound engineer as well.His new work now reminds me of the more symphonic side of ELOY FRITSCH and VANGELIS with vibes of his work with SETI during the floating synth moves and the discreet use of organ.So, the main components in here are electronic- and keyboard-based interludes and textures with a Classical and cinematic edge, occasionally offering some Neo Prog tunes, but a deeper and more efficient sound is to be desired.''Weights'' and ''Phoenix II'' are the two single tracks to offer some guitar moves and these happen to be the strongest pieces in here as well, a nice combination of soaring synthesizers, sentimental solos and retro-styled organs.The rest of the material is rather soft and cosmic with some breaks into grandiose symphonic music, not very convincing and elaborate compared to Taurus' debut.

Electronic/Symphonic music with a certain composing quality, lacking the depth of more balanced efforts of the style and suffering a bit from the thin orchestrations.Anyway, this could be a decent listening for fans of Film Scores and cinematic arrangements...2.5 stars.

 Opus III - Research by TAURUS album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.95 | 24 ratings

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Opus III - Research
Taurus Symphonic Prog

Review by Ivan_Melgar_M
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars 4.5 Stars would be more accurate

Opus II ? Research was the first album I Heard by TAURUS, and even when I was impressed with the fantastic music and impeccable performance, almost caused the rejection of the band buy the Symphonic team, being that is the most eclectic release with evident preeminence of electronic and New Age elements. But we are here to review an excellent album despite it's categorization.

It seems to me that OPUS III is some sort of conceptual album related to seas (islands and Archipelagos) in earth and the moon, because even the mention of Empedocles could be related to the submarine volcano, but being an instrumental album, it's always hard to tell.

Opus II is opened byTranquility an it's impressive piano solo that seems to lead to a Symphonic track, but as time advances starts to morph towards electronic Prog with VANGELIS reminiscences, working as an introduction to then album, almost as a dramatic prologue. Delightful opening.

The first notes of Pacific remind me instantly of Moonmadness by Camel, but after some minutes it's obvious we are before a more dynamic track, with constant changes and full of surprises. Normally the weakest spot of one man acts like TAURUS is in the percussion, being that many multi- instrumentalist go for drum machines, but Claudio Momberg is a very solid drummer and his work with all the rhythm section is impressive. The Mellotron sections are a dream made true for GENESIS fans.

Nord simply caught me by surprise, because despite the evident Rick Wakeman influences (Criminal Record era), it's obvious we are before something unique, because unlike Rick, Claudio Momberg doesn't pretend to make a keyboard driven album, so he places more emphasis in the percussion and bass, creating a strange and almost mysterious atmosphere.

Mediterranean takes us back to Classical inspired Symphonic, with an almost orchestral sound created basically with synths, a nice and relaxing track that serves as an intermezzo before the aggressive Tuamotu this time closer to Neo Prog due to the vibrant use of guitar reminiscent of MAGENTA and PENDRAGON, a nice combinations of tracks that help to maintain the coherence and balance of the album.

Empedocles is pure spacey Electronic with massive use of synths in the vein of VANGELIS and even JEAN MICHEL JARRE, a bit repetitive for my taste, but a nice change, specially when followed by the softer electronic oriented Tyrrhenian and the classical inspired Serenitatis. At this point it's obvious for me that Claudio is a master in production, because the order of the tracks and the combination of styles is done in such careful way that never loses coherence or logic, the album is balanced in the best possible way. Simply brilliant.

Opus III is closed by the extremely delicate Serenitatis, a beautiful track that summarizes the spirit of the album, by large one of my favorites.

Yesterday I was a bit harsh with Opus I, which I found a bit repetitive, in the same way and to be 100% honest, I have to praise Opus I, which in my opinion is one of the best releases of 2013, would go with 4.5 stars, but the system doesn't allows this, so I have to rate this great album with 4 solid stars.

 Opus I - Dimensions by TAURUS album cover Studio Album, 2010
3.04 | 13 ratings

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Opus I - Dimensions
Taurus Symphonic Prog

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars A prolific multi-instrumentalist and engineer from Chile,Claudio Momberg decided to start this one-man project under the name Taurus in 2009.Momberg is the keyboardist of Chilean bands SETI and Subterra,but the slow recording processions of the second SETI album forced him to create this project,initially started as a work of Classical-oriented music.His first album ''Opus I: Dimensions'',released in 2010 on Mylodon Records,would see him going a step further though.

The album opens with the great 24-min. instrumental journey ''Air'',a composition built around Momberg's synth and piano work with only a few spots with STEVE HACKETT-ish melodic guitar work and some strings added,but the track is actually a hypnotic number of Symphonic Electronic music with strong hints of VANGELIS and THE ENID music,very mellow but with an intense inner power and plenty of atmospheric parts.''Structures'', clocking at 15 min., is the second movement of the album, continuing the style met in the previous movement,but now with a more rock attitude.This time the guitar work has a basic role with strong MIKE OLDFIELD leanings,while the rhythm section is an integral part of ''Structures'' all the way.The synth,harsichord and piano work of Momberg remains though the centerpiece of this instrumental epic,again in a grandiose symphonic style.Moving on to ''Solids'',the shortest piece in ''Opus I: Dimensions'',the style comes closer to Momberg's regular bands,modern Neo/Symphonic Prog with floating synths and nice organ throughout with a little heavier guitar parts but always a strong tendency towards Classical composition.For the closing ''Tension'',Momberg decided to leave his keyboards apart and deliver a classical-guitar crescendo close to the likes of RICARDO ZAPPA and MIKE OLDFIELD,but this one is maybe a bit stretched out.

The first solo work of Momberg under the name TAURUS offers some really strong work of Symphonic/Electronic Prog with series of beautiful soundscapes and comes strongly recommended for fans of the style.

 Opus I - Dimensions by TAURUS album cover Studio Album, 2010
3.04 | 13 ratings

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Opus I - Dimensions
Taurus Symphonic Prog

Review by Ivan_Melgar_M
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Great ideas, excellent musicianship but a bit repetitive

A few days ago, TAURUS from Chile was suggested to Symphonic, after listening Opus III - Research, my impression was that Claudio Momberg had done a fantastic job, but closer to Electronic Prog and New Age, rather than to Symphonic. Then I got Opus I - Dimensions, my opinion changed, this music was closer to Symphonic, but less inspired than the third release, so the band was added and I started to write my reviews.

The album is opened by Movement I - Air, a 24 minutes epic in which Momberg creates interesting atmospheres that remind me clearly of Watcher of the Skies, the problem is that the atmospheric section seems to last forever and never evolves or even changes, somehow sounds as if it was a long introduction that goes nowhere. Good ideas, great performance, but absolute lack of development.

Movement II - Structures is more or less a continuation of the first track, even when here there's a slight evolution in the song, the problem is that he does in almost 16 minutes what could have been done in 5:00. Better than the previous, but not enough, the lack of surprises makes it tedious.

Movement III - Solids is a clear improvement, a vibrant track with lush keyboards and delightful abuse of Mellotron that reminds me of MAGENTA'S debut Revolutions. At last a song that keeps the listener interested from start to end, my impression is that TAURUS should stick to short tracks, because the lack of variations is more evident in extremely long musical piece. This is how all the album should sound.

The album is closed by the tedious Movement IV - Tension, again great ideas, impeccable performance but repetitive to an extreme, if it wasn't for a dramatic organ passage around the mark of 3:45, I would had fallen asleep.

Normally I would rate this kind of albums with 2 stars, but being that it's Claudio's debut as soloist, I will give Opus I - Dimensions 3 stars that should be 2.5 if the system allowed them.

I can't wait to review the fantastic Opus III

Thanks to Ivan_Melgar_M for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

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