REVIURE

An album that came to my attention due to its high ratings and frequent reference by other PA members over the years. As the band's third and final album of their 1970s run, it is their most highly-developed but I would urge music lovers to also check out their wonderful if slightly-less-mature 1976 release, Intención.

1. "Reviure" (9:56) starts off like a MAGMA song but then quickly moves into an ominously-chorded formative weave in which the musicians feel like they're figuring each other out, trying to find the common structure and space from which to launch into song. It's very Mahavishnu/RTF-like. At 2:15 they finally congeal--bursting forth into a fiery controlled chaos in which stops and starts are peppered with blistering soli from guitarist Eduardo Niebla as well as Benet Nogue's Moog. Drummer Juan Punyet is forceful and constant as is loud bassist Jean Gomez. A break at 4::50 leads into a keyboard riff that is repeated over and over as all the other instrumentalists join in with their own two-measure staccato melody lines, creating an complex and energetic weave which somehow turns smooth as Mellotron and organ join in. Another break and organ-supported "quiet" section at 6:40 leads to Benet Noque's first vocals. He sounds like Aldo Tagliapietra or one of the other RPI vocalist who like to used the distant reverb sound effect on their voice. In the ninth minute the band returns to full rock power, cruising along at a fast but safe speed until the second half of the tenth minute when everybody starts speeding up and speeding up, resulting in a "crash" into a spaceless void in which spacey sounds make you think the careening vehicle flew off into the cloudy heavens (which is, in fact, the start of the second song). (18.25/20) 2. "Somni" (9:34) the suspended animation-voyage through the cloudy heavens continues with lots of weird psychedelic phenomena to observe and feel. It's really like being in a dream--or better, a drug trip--in which you are the astonished observer of so many unbelievable and totally random and disconnected things floating (or sometimes speeding) by you. The overwhelming feeling, though, is definitely childish delight and fearless amazement. In the seventh minute the music heavies when a distant vocal announces some change like a circus ringmaster. Very NEKTAR-like. The dirty bluesy guitar lead that ensues is over the ramped up music is also quite ROYE ALBRIGHTON-like, but then the rhythm section slows way down--holding on to the same melody and chords but slowing them down with their effects makingit seem as if the whole world--the observer's perspective--had suddenly moved into slow motion. And there it ends. Cool song with, as mentioned, elements that fell Nektar-ish, but also a pleasant and melodic feel (due a lot to the soothing constant of the gentle acoustic guitar strumming)--not quite Gong-like; more BRAINTICKET. Not as instrumentally flashy or complex as the previous song but quite engaging. (18.5/20) 3. "Atila" (11:56) opens with some coughing noises--as if from a drunk smoker--before keyboard arpeggio riff and bass line open things up. Within 30-seconds the band has congealed in a two-chord driving flow that sounds very much like the music coming from our current Cornwall-based Scottish favorites, THE EMERALD DAWN. In the fourth minute they slow down for a serene patch (probably to water the hourses) before drummer, bass, and keyboards begin to announce the time to recommence the procession. With the army on the road again, there are many constants in the march with plenty of small, light conversations going on within the phalanx. Another bridge in the sixth minute leads us into some landscape in which there are more challenging mountain paths, giving the soldiers not only a tougher journey but also some spectacular views of the land below them. This section culminates in rollicking downhill jaunt with an "I'm Just a Singer in a Rock 'n' Roll Band" sound, speed, and structure to it. Nice lead guitar and synth dual soloing in the eight minute just before an impressive drum solo to fill a minute or so (which, by the way, I'm very pleased at how clear/cleanly it was recorded). At the 10:30 mark the rest of the band rejoins, picking up the rapid pace of before but employing a different chord structure. Then shows up the monstrous ogre who, apparently, devours the phalanx of soldiers, leaving behind a windswept plain empty of not only humans but life as a while. I guess that's what Atila did! (22.5/25) 4. "Al Mati" (7:14) apparently, a very melodic rock song is needed to complete the story: a vehicle for a narrator to expound upon the lessons and morals of the story we've just been privy to. I have to admit that I do like this kind of RPI-like narrated story scape. Then, for the second half of the song, there is an instrumental divertimento in which the band members get to show off their chops a bit. (13.75/15)

Total Time: 38:40

The involvement of the keyboard player's contributions is amazing: he is involved everywhere and many times with multiple sounds/tracks going on at once. The lead guitarist is highly skilled but I do not always like his choice of "antiquated" sounds. The bass player and rhythm guitarist are both very good while the drummer has a lot of nice moves and energy he just doesn't always feel in sync with the rest of the band.

A/five stars; a minor masterpiece of energetic progressive rock. It is especially impressive how involved each and every one of the dextrous band members is at every turn, shift and straightaway.