LA BIBLIA

An Argentinian masterwork that blew away latin american's music. This is a concept album about ... the Holy Bible!? It was revolutionary because it was done in 1971. In the 90s, the band reunited and did a remake with good results (similar to Oldfield and his Tubular Bells II). However, The vocals were not as good as in the original version. I'll talk about the original version.

The album begins in a mellow tone with sliding riffs until the song picks up its pace and ends in a magnificent instrumental section. The next two songs are of high quality too. Moises is a nice melodic piece with a synth driven conclusion and Guerras is a track that is focused primarily on instrumentation and excellent rhythms. There is also another good long track and a short acoustic number. The REAL highlight is actually Cristo. It is an epic that will delight fans of symphonic rock (long, complex, has an orchestra) and has good lyrics. Apocalypsis is a disturbing chaotic mess that works. In the re-make, there are two other bonus songs that are good enough to not be low points in this great album.

2. Genesis (9/10) 3. Moises (8/10) 4. Guerras (8/10) 5. Profecias (7.5/10) 6. Libros Sapienciales (8.5/10) 7. Cristo (9.5/10) 8. Apocalipsis (7/10) 9. El Manto de Elias I (8/10) 10. El Manto de Elias II (7/10)

My Rating (Original): B+ My Rating:(Remake): B

Preachy and sung in Spanish ... who cares?? This is one of the best prog albums from Argentina!

Well, this is my favorite album from Argentina, but there is a better version from de bad Vox Dei, the original version, that was made in 1971. This is an excelent concept album about the Holy Biblie, the lyrics are excelent, doing an description of the most known parts of the bible. Starting with a orchestral Introduccion. Then, the Genesis, a track that isn't as good as the other versions are, is completly different, it is mi favorite song in the original version, from here isn't, but it has good orchestral music. Moises, one of the best tracks, with excelent voices from the band Sui Generis, very melodic, having good instrumental parts. Las Guerras is a track focused on instrumentation, another excelent track. Profecias is an acoustic track. Libros Sapienciales, my favourite track from this version, with excelent vocals and music, where in the second part of the song, plays the band Espiritu. Then Comes the most progressive song from the album: Cristo, long, complex and orchestral song. Apocalipsis is the ending song, a chaoting song that, as the name says, is inspired in the armaggedon. The only thing that i dont like from all the versions of La Biblia, is that they are too short for being an album that describes the Holy Bible. In the last version there are two extra song from the Prophet Elias. And in the reedition of the original version there is a Bonus CD with other takes of the songs and bonus tracks like Mandamientos, and a live version of Genesis.

There are four versions: 1971 Vox Dei - La Biblia (original verision, now reedited double CD with extra tracks) 5 stars 1974 Ensamble Musical de Buenos Aires - La Biblia (this version that i'm reviewing completly different from the others in the music, but lyrics are the same) 5 stars 1987 Vox Dei - La Biblia En Vivo (Live Version) 5 stars 1997 Vox Dei - La Biblia 1997 (re-make of the original version with two extra tracks and some guests) 3.5 stars

This is not the original version released in the 71', the original is very symphonic. The cualiti of the sound is not good, but it worths a try. The voices are very melodic, in this album Vox Dei are four members. This album it's not the only progressive album of the band, another album is "Estamos en la pecera" of 75'. This band are a band of Hard Rock, but if you only want one album of them, La Biblia is the best and of course the only essencial of the band. The original album is a 8 songs album: 1-Génesis (6:37), 2-Moisés (7:28), 3-Las guerras (13:12), 4-Profecías (7:35), 5-Libros sapiensales (2:16), 6-Cristo (Nacimiento) (3:18), 7-Cristo (muerte y resurrección) (10:37), 8-Apocalipsis (4:47) The first version counts with two guitars, drums, bass, a little of flute. The funny thing in this album don't have keyboards. I don't know this version of the 74', i know the original of 71', the reedition of 87', the live version of 97'. But if you want something primitive, take the original version

La Biblia by Vox Dei is one of the milestones of Argentinean rock music of all times. This is only comparable to the impact records like The Dark Side of the Moon , Tommy or Sgt Pepper had on global music. This has influenced loads of musicians from my country and 40 years after it's release it's still highly revered.

For non Argentinean users of Progarchives , you must take into account that "La Biblia" has several version. I will describe the original studio version released in 1971 and NOT the one posted here which includes an orchestra.

This record has a very psychedelic atmpsphere and features almost no keyboards using a wide range of styles : heavy rock , blues and even orchestras on the epic "Cristo". The lyrics on this record are plain awesome , describing some of the bible most remembered moments: Genesis and the beggining of time , The birth of Moses and how he was found on the Nile , The last supper , The death of Jesus etc... Really incredible and moving compositions

On the starter , "Genesis" we have great vocals from Ricardo Soule and one of the most incredible outros I have ever heard. "Moises" has a very psichedelic feel , almost resembling Nektar or early Can works for you to have an idea. "Las Guerras" is the longest and heaviest song of the album: clocking at 13 minutes is a blues rock epic.

Profesias is a slow tune featuring an orchestra in the back and really good guitar work , then develops into a melodic ballad in the middle of the song. "Libros Sapienciales" is a prelude to the birth of Christ with really moving lyrics. "Cristo" is a 14 minute epic divided in two parts: The first part includes an orchestra and the second one is a blues rock epic highlighting a long harp and guitar interlude.

The record closes with "Apocalipsis" which is a chaotic instrumental

I recommend this record to all Latin American prog fans , specifically those that have a good understanding of Spanish and the Bible to appreciate the strongest point of the album that being the lyrics and vocals.

A masterpiece of prog and a milestone of Argentinean Rock music.

(I am not reviewing the 1974 version of the album, but the original from 1971.)

I find it odd that Vox Dei is not included in Progarchives, especially since their album La biblia is a marvellous concept album. Though I've been familiar with it for a long time I really didn't listen until a few months ago. Some albums come creeping up on you when you least expect it. Anyway, I don't speak spanish. Having read latin in school and being interested in languages in general I do understand certain words but not all of the lyrics. But that's not really all that important. The important thing is the way the music speaks to me. It hits me right in the chest and fills my body with joy. The music is very proto-proggish, sometimes with strong influences of blues. Theres a roughness about the whole thing, a ragged, furious feel. I am not all that knowledgeable about south american prog but this has to be one of the diamonds from that area. It grooves on very nicely and is ended with the apocalyptic Appocalipsis. I find the first song, aptly titled Genesis, to be on of the highlights with strong, emotional vocals and really, the album doesn't let up after that. Do give it a few spins. I think you'll thank me afterwards.

While Argentina was slow to jump on the rock bandwagon, they more than made up for it once the 70s hit and developed a wide range of European styled progressive bands along the way. The very first band to craft a fully developed concept album was the Buenos Aires based Vox Dei who released a double album titled LA BIBLIA (The Bible) early in 1971. Not only was it the first Argentine concept album but also one of the first rock opera albums of the entire Latin American scene. While clearly inspired by the Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" of 1970, LA BIBLIA displayed an exponential leap in the rock simplicity of early Latin American rock and created a work on par with its Anglo counterparts. As expected the concept tackled the narrative of The Bible that began with Genesis and ended with a Revelations styled track called "Apocalypse."

While the Vox Dei album would become an undisputed classic of the Latin 70s rock scene, apparently not everyone was happy with its outcome. Three years later in 1974, Jorge Álverez, the producer teamed up with Billy Bond to re-record the entire album and craft it they way they thought it should've been made. While the original was a double album just shy of an hour's run, the new version would trim the fat and keep things at a single vinyl album's run of just shy of 45 minutes and create more ambitious renditions of the same exact run of tracks. This new version of LA BIBLIA was truly a work of passion with an ambition that was unparalleled at the time. Sparing no expenses, this new recording amassed over 400 hours in the studio and took nine months with the most modern equipment of the era that utilized eight channels.

The cast included an army of musicians and the most well known Argentine bands such as La Pesada, Sui Generis, Espiíritu and Pescado Rabioso. Some of the participants included Alejandro Medina, Carlos Cutaia, Carlos Goler, Charly García, Claudio Gabis, Claudio Martinez, Kubero Díaz, David Lebón, Fernando Bergé, Gustavo Beytelman, Gustavo Kein, Jorge Pinchevsky, Juan Rodriguez (el batero de Sui Generis), Miguel Cantilo, Moro, Nito Mestre, Osvaldo Favrot, Poli Martínez, Raúl Porchetto and Rinaldo Rafanelli. If that wasn't enough the musicians were backed by La Ensamble Musical Buenos Aires. Ironically none of the members of Vox Dei were invited to participate in this newer rendition despite the album serving as a faithful re-recording of that band's efforts.

LA BIBLIA is as magnanimous and monumental as its subject matter suggests which took the Spanish language narrative and dressed it up with epic compositional flair that fused highly developed Western classical music with the heavier edges of hard rock and symphonic prog. The music is so perfectly constructed that it practically narrates the emotional responses despite any language barriers experienced by non-Spanish speakers, a luxury of readapting a prior work instead of inventing one from scratch. Technically speaking, this sonic interpretation of the scriptures utilized a quadraphonic system that utilized live and studio settings as well as the early 70s love affair with the synthesizer in ways made popular by the likes of Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman.

Billy Bond has stated that the intent of remaking this classic is the fact that the original sounded so rushed and was recorded in a mere three to four weeks which was hardly enough to animate such a soundtrack of an epic topic such as the Bible. He also explained that while certain parts were right on target, the mid-section felt pompous and out of balance. The whole affair was tantamount to launching a three ring circus with so many musicians laying down countless tracks as to create a larger sum of the parts. While the album was lauded by critics, the commercial success was disappointing as the ambitiousness of the album coincided with the military dictatorship years of the 70s. While the initial fruits of their labor may have been brushed aside during its time, the album has retained a sense of timelessness and is a less haughty affair than many similarly natured concept musicals that tackle the seemingly inexpressible concepts like the entire works of such a massive historical tome.

This second recording of LA BIBLIA recorded by the plethora of artists and managed by Billy Bond and Gustavo Beytelman is quite the triumphant expression that captures the spirit of not only the Argentine rock scene of the early 70s but also successfully conveys the message of the theme. It's a grand expression of not only the exquisitely delivered classical compositional constructs but also exudes healthy doses of harder edged rock in the vein of contemporary bands like Led Zeppelin complete with heavy guitar riffs and stellar soloing. The production techniques are cleverly utilized to implement the perfect accompanying effects whether it be the backmasking, echo effects or other accoutrements. Like many an Argentine prog band of the 70s, this too has quite an air of the classic prog that was all the rage in Italy since Argentina was colonized by many Italians and even its dialect of Spanish has taken on Italian language characteristics. So too has the musical delivery of this style of symphonic prog and luckily the efforts that went into this one have been rewarded by a sense of longevity as the decades plod on. This is a great work and despite sounding like a major cheeseball is quite tastefully carried out.