LOS DELIRIOS DEL MARISCAL

An outrageously good slice of Argentine prog-rock, this second release from Crucis finds the group on seriously breathtaking form, channelling elements of symphonic rock, jazz, funk and folk into a blistering whole that truly defies expectation. Featuring Gustavo Montesano(bass, vocals), Anibal Kerpel(keyboards), Pino Marrone(guitar) and Gonzalo Farruiga(drums), this four-piece existed for a brief while during the mid-seventies, a time which saw a clutch of talented groups emerge from the countries folk-inflected past. Crucis, alongside the likes of Invisible, La Maquina De Hacer Parajos, Alas, Aquelarre and Espiritu, formed the core of a remarkable scene that failed to find an international foothold at the time yet has since become more and more popular with fans of more obscure progressive music. Made up of just four extended and mainly instrumental tracks, 'Los Delirios Del Mariscal' is the pick of the bunch, an album filled with virtuoso musicianship, razor-sharp guitars, shimmering synthesizers and some beautifully serene momente sof blissed-out latin prog. Highlights include the superb ten-minute title-track and it's gorgeous acoustic embellishments and the intensely epic closer' Abismo Terrenal', a piece which features a strong dose of jazz-fusion layered over the carefully-crafted progressive melodies. Simply put: A genuine masterpiece of the highest order. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012