Short Reviews [ Cruz De Hierro - 2001 - "Cruz de Hierro" ]

CRUZ DE HIERRO is a side project of Cast drummer Antonio Bringas who, along with his own brother Ernesto (guitar), are the leaders of the band as well as authors of most compositions on the album. Musically, Cruz De Hierro's debut album can't be compared to Cast at all, as Ernesto Bringas, the main mastermind of the band, is obviously under the influence of the Prog-Metal genre (in general, thanks to which the music of Cruz De Hierro sounds really original). There is more than enough of the essential progressive ingredients on "Cruz de Hierro" to consider it an album of the Prog-Metal genre: plenty of heavy - interesting and diverse - arrangements, frequent changes of musical direction, tempos and moods, fast and mastery guitar solos, incredible keyboard, especially piano, passages, and engaging interplay between drums and bass guitar. The lack of inventiveness in composing is, however, obvious on a few songs of the album, but the only serious weak spot here are the vocals of both the lead singers on the album: they don't fit too well for the music of Cruz De Hierro, to say the least. While I am almost sure that the second album of Cruz De Hierro will sound more mature in all regards, the band, in my view, need another, only one yet really good vocalist.

Vitaly Menshikov: November 25, 2002