[ SHORT REVIEWS | DETAILED REVIEWS
[ SHORT REVIEWS | DETAILED REVIEWS
|
 (105 min 2CD, InsideOut) Prolusion. Argentinean keyboardist and composer Octavio Stampalia formed JINETES NEGROS (Black Riders) in 1999, several years after he disbanded his former outfit, Anima. The band's name is the derivation of "The Black Rider", the poem by poetess Nene D'Inzeo, which inspired Octavio to write music. Their sophomore release, "Cronos", is also the fruit of inspiration, but the story of it is yet to come, in due time and due place, below.
Jinetes Negros
TRACK LIST: 1. El Jinete Negro 4:11 2. La Anciana 4:23 3. Cinco Tigres 3:42 4. Floreces Tiemblas y Te Vas 4:39 5. Un Verano al Sol 4:42 6. Soldados de Fuego 3:52 7. Sacro-Cielo 5:10 8. El Rey 6:50 All tracks: by Stampalia. Produced by Stampalia. LINEUP: Octavio Stampalia - keyboards Marcello Ezcurra - vocals Pablo Robotti - guitars Marcello Vaccaro - basses Christian Calaizzo - drums With: Carlos Tornadu - flute David Murstein - violin Gerardo Pricolo - percussion &: Mixed Choir
Analysis.
I don't understand Spanish, but I blindly believe that "Jinetes Negros" is a full-fledged concept album, because a sense of the story is ever-present here, and this is not all. Although there are stylistic dissimilarities between some of the eight tracks presented, overall, all of them are entities of the same compositional conception. What the band usually develops here is a unique, one-of-a-kind blend of progressive Hard Rock and light Classical music with elements of Opera and some medieval influences. But despite what seems a monolithic signature at first, every song reveals its underlying finesse. The traditional synthesizer sounds can rarely be heard on this album, because Stampalia plays almost exclusively the ARP-like imitator of stringed chamber instruments, very effectively using different orchestral pads. Primarily due to the lavish symphonic textures of the keyboardist, most of the tunes are fast-paced romps through the entire sonic spectrum. The music is heavy and lushly symphonic at once, with acoustic instruments (flute, above all) often being also in a key position in the arrangements, adding more warmth and freshness to the overall sound on five of the eight songs present. The lead vocal parts are shared between a mixed operatic choir and singer Marcello Ezcurra, and such a combination of operatic and Rock vocals is surprisingly effective. As for particularities, Un Verano al Sol is anthem-like in character, and the last two compositions: Sacro-Cielo and El Rey are slower, denser and, simultaneously, a bit more intricate than the others. It was pleasantly surprising to hear complex odd meters in such a kind of music as is here in general, and these two are especially rich in them. The one with the piano passages and no Rock instruments involved, Floreces Tiemblas y Te Vas, more directly touches Classical music and Opera. Also, this is the only track here where most of the solo vocal parts are handled by an operatic female singer. The CD features three more tracks, which I didn't put in the track list above because they practically repeat some of the fundamental material. The 'bonus' versions of Floreces Tiemblas y Te Vas and Soldados de Fuego are just a bit different from the originals, while the video, shot on the music of La Anciana, is worthy of attention. Your CD/DVD player won't indicate it, so you have to put the CD into the CD drive of your computer. This is a movie-like video clip and it's remarkable by the concept and the production alike. There is a teenager on the run throughout, having hallucinations, seeing a demon in each of the people he meets on the street, in the subway car etc. It looks like he tries to run away from himself. The events develop dramatically, and the ending is very unexpected. I think it's the right time to stop the story, but please believe me, the video is extraordinary, highly impressive, and is masterfully combined with the music. Back to the album as a whole, I'd like to note that there is something in common between "Jinetes Negros" and Rick Wakeman's "The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table", though it's barely perceptible. Overall, the band's debut shows great promise and lots of talent. To simplify things, I would say that this is probably the most diverse and sophisticated Hard Rock I've ever heard.
Jinetes Negros - 2002/2004 - "Chronos"
(56 min, Viajero Inmovil)
Analysis.
In concept, the second Jinetes Negros CD, "Chronos", is similar to "Astrological" by Edhels. This time out Octavio drew his inspiration from Salvador Dali's 12 paintings featured in the calendar published by the painter's wife Gala Dali Foundation in 2000. The booklet liner notes say the lyrics are as surrealistic as the works of Dali, and the music's intricacy well matches with them. I am not responsible to debate upon the lyrics since I don't know Spanish, but the latter remark not always corresponds to the actual state of affairs. Excellent songs, some of which are probably the band's best compositions to date, just alternate with those sounding less convincing, which are located on the even positions. Though there is one exception to the rule; it concerns the last song and its predecessor. The first five of the even tracks, and also El Fruto del Espacio, are structurally much similar with those from the band's debut outing, but are inferior to them compositionally. Some of these are ballad-like in character, the others don't contain orchestral arrangements, but what's of a greater importance is that the absence of operatic choir is strikingly evident only on these six, due to their accessibility of course. There are quite a few spots where the vocals repeat endlessly, being caged within the framework of theme, which isn't fully baked or developed to the level where it obviously could have been. On the plus side, there are some sections where the band begins to stretch out and so what they do the best. Being considered Hard Rock, the songs are great, but they certainly lack of diversity from a progressive standpoint, as the music rarely elevates beyond standard Hard Rock basis. The quantity of orchestral arrangements has been lessened in general. While most of the other tracks begin with Classical music-like preludes, the further events develop in the way of classic Prog-Metal or, rather, Cathedral Metal, with Stampalia playing not only a string ensemble, but also organ and piano. For the most part, the music is either moderately slow or mid-tempo, yet, with an amazingly high level of composition and performance. Like the first four of the odd tracks, Me Veras Desangrar and El Hada Blanca are also about progressive Cathedral Metal with bits of classical, though these have a distinct Spanish sense in addition, due to specific solos of acoustic guitar. It would've been a strong (really strong) Prog-Metal-related album if it had been restricted within 35-37 minutes, by the removal of the weaker tracks.
Conclusion.
After the band's so promising debut I had expected more from "Chronos". But while I would have found this album more interesting had it been more challenging, I can certainly recommend it to you if you like "Jinetes Negros". That CD comes highly recommended, even though it may be a bit too straightforward for those into more unusual progressive music. All in all, I'd be happier if Octavio Stampalia would fasten his eyes back on the style he tested with Anima. The further movement alongside the line of Chronos might lead to a chronic stagnation.
VM: February 16 & 17, 2005
Related Links:
|
[ SHORT REVIEWS | DETAILED REVIEWS - LIST | BANDLISTS ]
