ROCK SINFONICA: 1. UN PUNTO INFINITO

Supernova started their career as an all-instrumental power trio from Argentina, with a clear symphonic direction in their progressive style, full of academic niches, sometimes elegant and subtle, some other times bombastic and pompous, but always rocky and energetic (they have since added a female vocalist to become a quartet): this is what their debut album, 'Uno Punto Infinito', is all about. Though ELP is one major influence, Supernova clearly doesn't settle down to being just a mere ELP-clone. You can also notice some Wakeman-like melodic approach, as well as some obvious hints from MIA (a much celebrated Argentinean keyboard-centered band from the 70's). Supernova keeps loyal to a melodic tradition common to many South American bands: their symphonic sound is actually very rich, due to their complex compositions and well crafted arrangements, and in no lesser degree, due to each individual member's ability to function properly as a part of the whole. The electronic ambience provided by the digital keyboards is at times counterbalanced by effective lines on flute (which may remind the listener of Focus' van Leer). The drummer also uses a bunch of electronic drums, which serves as a complement to the keyboards' wall of sound; meanwhile, Sánchez exhibits his performance skills on a 6-string bass to fill a sensible bridge between the melodies played on keyboards and the intricate rhythm signatures. The tracks' titles show right away the band's intellectual/literary concerns. Three examples: 'Excalibur', 'Apocalipsis II', 'La Náusea' (after Sartre's La Nausée): actually, these are some of the highlights in 'Uno Punto Infinito'. There is also a cover of "Fortuna Emperatrix Mundi", the most popular section from Orff's Carmina Burana. This sort of pretentiousness (I'm not using this term pejoratively) manages to build a sense of correspondence with the material, which is, obviously, very much academically driven. 'Ganso Verde' and 'Supernova' are also quite impressive tracks: on the other hand, the subtle delicateness of 'Dolmen' should not be left behind. The overall result is even in musical terms, despite one minor flaw: the sound production, which sometimes seems to fail to capture the band's strong energy. My formal rating for 'Uno Punto Infinito' indicates that I consider it a great example of well-done symph prog in the contemporary era. This CD was self-produced and independently distributed back in 1998