BETA

A highly creative, sophisticated, and far-more-advanced version of the 1990s' Grunge scene and its Tool and The Mars Volta spawn.

1. "Neuropa" (8:16) What the heck am I listening to? Reprocessed versions of Hendrix solos? Stripped down variations of songs/sounds from countrymates, ZA!? Maynard James Keenan and TOOL's latest expression of their wild, extra- visionary ideas? Whatever it is, they have my complete and undivided attention! And then, suddenly, out of the blue, at the five-minute mark, they go into the deep recesses of TOOL's inner world--a place I didn't know other humans were allowed to visit. Amazing! How do they enact much less envision this stuff? (18.875/20)

2. "Gracias Y Perdón" (5:56) sounds like something from NIRVANA or one of the other Grunge bands of the early 1990s. Very deeply impressive. (9.25/10)

3. "Sagitario A" (6:38) how do they do this? How can they get away with it? How can they so easily, so deftly, switch motifs while introducing entirely/completely new/fresh sound palettes and stylistic themes each time? (9.25/10)

4. "Tribu Virtual" (4:26) the first song that seems to get a little stuck in one universe (this one quite similar to those created by ALICE IN CHAINS, only evolved 30 years on). (8.75/10)

5. "SeñalRuido" (5:49) a song that feels quite conformist to the TOOL universe, despite its (usual) radical motif switches. What imaginations: both structurally (compositionally) but also--more--in terms of sound engineering choices and tricks! I feel as if I'm listening to a Jimi Hendrix of the engineering console: it's all so new, refreshing, and utterly astonishing to me! (9.125/10)

6. "Lloviembre" (5:00) a bare-bones, more starkly-laid out guitar palette that sounds much like Chris Isaak's "Wicked Ways," but then Layne Staley-like vocals and Danny Carey-like drum layout take us to the third minute's transition into guitar-bass-n-drum power trio heaven: like listening to a modern, more sophisticated ROBIN TROWER on heavy psychedelics! (Oh! Robin was on mind-altering substances already? Then he would appreciate this one!) The computer noise finish seems to prep us for the next tune--one that is focused on some of the issues of AI. (9/10)

7. "[i.4]" (5:26) though we start out in a world of simple blues-rock guitar, the technological sound manipulations begin in the second half of the second minute--and they really boggle my mind! What a brilliant (and great) enhancement to the stark guitar world. At the end of the third minute, then, we move into a motif with a base of heavily-distorted fuzz guitar which is then expanded with multiple other tracks of guitars, bass, drums, voices, and effects--piled on! So creative! (9.25/10)

8. "Concursología" (5:22) back to the Grunge of the 1990s yet anchored in the heavy metal of the 1980s (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica) and even 1970s (Black Sabbath and King Crimson). A truly mind-blowing (and mind-bending) song! How, I mean, HOW can they do this?!?!? And then they have to top it off with some sound-bending engineering tricks to bridge us into the next song! (10/10)

9. "Epílogo" (3:16) sounds like HYPNO5E's 2018 master class in cinematic adaptations, Alba - Los hombres errantes. But then the induction of electronic and engineered track manipulations renders it unto yet another parallel yet different universe. (8.875/10)

Total Time 50:09

This band is definitely taking Grunge and Tool-like tech Metal into new dimensions. Their ability to smoothly deceive us into letting them morph and apparate from one style and sound palette to another in the blink of an eye--over and over throughout the course of each and every song--is uncanny: akin to that of a master magician. Apparently, their previous album--their 2017 debut, Singularidad o barbarie was an exhibition of electronic experimentation, but this one is a demonstration of innovative sonic engineering unlike most anything you've ever heard! Beta is definitely an album that needs to be heard! Spread the word! Sigilu is ready to lead you into new and different dimensions of sound (and reality)!

A/five stars; a minor masterpiece of mind-blowingly-creative sound manipulation delivered in a musical style that might be called 21st Century Grunge TOOL-point-three-million-and-two.

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