ASTRALIS

Looking at the line-up on this second album I notice one change: keyboard player Juan Pablo Gaete is replaced by Mauricio Gaggero. But listening to this new CD I can hardly hear any difference between these two keyboard players, again we can enjoy choir-Mellotron-like layers, fluent synthesizer flights, swelling church-organ, soaring keyboards and pleasant piano runs. But the focus is on Patrico Vera his moving guitar work, with lots of howling runs and propulsive riffs.

Especially in the titletrack : from tender to very sensitive in the bombastic, very moving closing section.

In the song Caminos Internos : powerful and flowing in the vein of Nick Barrett.

And the excellent final composition Saraswati: a long, strongly build-up solo with elements from David Gilmour (bluesy) and Carlos Santana (very intense sound), culminating in a compelling final part with propulsive drums and bombastic keyboards, goose bumps!

The two short songs sound a bit different: a playful tune with delicate interplay between guitar and keyboard flute in Los Pasantes and catchy neo-prog with tasteful guitar and keyboards in N'ctar De Luz. But in general Astralis sounds as on their debut CD, the best example is my highlight Est's Aqu': after a dreamy intro, a slow rhythm with howling guitar follows, then a mindblowing part (play it loud!) with an atmosphere between ominous with a swelling church organ, a soft but propulsive bass sound, sensitive electric guitar runs and dramatic vocals and finally a slow, very compelling rhythm with moving guitar, great!

I am sure this Latin American Neo Prog answer to Pendragon will delight the fans, because Astralis have delivered an album with emotion (typical for Latin American prog) as the main ingredient, well done, it was worth waiting 3 years!

The style has not changed dramatically.It is a somewhat less symphonic and more atmospheric Neo Prog effort with downtempo arrangements offered through six long compositions with Vera-Pinto's guitar work in evidence and nice keyboard colors supporting.With links to the emphatic Polish Prog stylings and notable references to the sound of PENDRAGON, PALLAS and MARILLION, ''Voces del bosque'' explores the more accesible territories of Neo Prog with expressive vocals, strong guitar solos, bombastic riffs and striking melodies as its leading characreristics, while the more minimalistic guitar textures seem to have also a slight FLOYD-ian flavor.An excellent production supports the rich sound of Astralis and the synthesizers of Gaggero have also plenty to offer, from MARK KELLY-like floating solos to more grandiose and cinematic soundscapes.The complaint comes from some quite stretched minimalistic passages with a spacey atmosphere, led either by keyboards or guitar distortions, where the band seems to have lost its inspiration.

''Voces del bosque'' is not a masterpiece, propably it is even slightly worse than Astralis' debut.But the mass of memorable riffing, melodic solos and well-refined retro influences mark this as a quite promising release.Recommended.

I could catch a copy- that i will delete -from this album at the web.

I ,ve listened to it several times. I must say this album is quite better than Astralis first one.

I found the first one not original because in Chile there is a basis of folk and rock to be influence of an original piece of work.

And that is what happened in this one.

Musicians forgot the so typical influences of Pendragon and Marillion(the masters of neo prog) and they went to some original folk prog simmilar to the Jaivas and other Chile,s folk music but with a little influence (i think) of Italian symph prog bands as Le Orme. I must say vocals are very similar from Le Orme,s vocalist.

A good,well played..with nice arrangements album. Good musicians and good music of course.

4 stars

As we move on, the Satriani thing sticks in my mind. As if Satch has set up a Neo band and recycled some of his musical ideas from the Surfing & Flying in a Blue Dream albums. The difference being that he'd reined in the shred guitar.

As we come to Doble Arcoiris, I thought for sure I'd heard the melody in a pop song ( a good one, btw). It eventually come to me - it's similar to the chorus parts on Klaatu's Little Neutrino. But I'm still wondering why I think where I heard a pop song that sounds like this. I thought of some mellow Beatles Lennon tracks, but nothing clicks so far.

Bajo El Domo De Cristal is an encapsulation of the album. The Neo sounds, with its' AOR and modern pop sensibilities, the melodic Satriani guitar fills & solos, and the synths washes & backing all come together as a summary of the sounds found herein.

Kinnara ends the album and could well have a fit on any number or latter day Marillion albums.

All in all, a decent album. Not one that will grace my CD player too often, but not one that made me grab the remote to skip sections or songs when I replayed it.

Nice, but not necessary. If you liked Fragil's Avenida Larco, but would prefer a more Neo, or SYmphonic sound along with the pop sensibilities, though, this could be a worthy investment.

postcript - towards the end of Kinnara, I swear I thought they were about to play the opening riff from the Scorpions "Animal Magnetism".

Of course, some might say (accordingly) that the intro for ''Nocturno Urbano'' has some Floydian relations, but it doesn't last for long actually. As soon as the vocals start, some sort of gloomy feeling surrounds you. It is mostly due to the scary mood that Patricio Vera Pinto is putting into his vocals (which aren't too many here). This is a very oppressive track (and the few lyrics are also going into this direction). A highlight IMO.

''Noventa y Nueve'' is again a long song which mixes several musical influences: neo-prog, symphonic music and a harder edge. Still, the band uses the latter scarcely. It features great synthesizers and a powerful riff to start, and then all of the sudden, it turns into a wonderful and symphonic part. Vocals are again excellent and what to say about the guitar work?

Their leader (vocals and guitar) Patricio seems to be well known on the Chilean rock scene for quite a while (the late seventies according their site); so there is no wonder that he feels at ease here. ''Astralis'' also started to play as soon as 1999 which corresponds to the title of this wonderful song (''Noventa Y Nueve''). But I don't know if there are any relation. It is another highlight.

There are few to none weak pieces on this album. The ballad ''Doble Arcoiris'' is maybe a bit behind but a rather peaceful and enjoyable track as well. ''Bajo El Domo De Cristal'' is probably the track with the best vocals. I really like like the style: a perfect elocution but at the same time he doesn't seem to exagerate his work (as some Spanish singers tend to do: Ñu'', ''Triana''). The middle instrumental part is ''Yes'' oriented (''Awaken'') and introduces the closing section in the best manner. Do I need to add that the guitar solo is splendid? Probably not: it goes without saying by now.

The most symphonic and beautiful track from this album is the long closing number ''Kinnara''. It is so melodic, so brilliantly interpreted: both vocally and musically. It is a sumptuous song which should please most prog lovers (symphonic, neo-prog and Italian ones). Again, the work from Patricio is outstanding even if his improvisation was probably not necessary.

This band is quite a surprise, believe me. It definitely deserves your attention and I hope that they will release a follow-up to this very good debut album. Four solid stars without hesitation. Thank you Erik for the addition.

Well a good effort here. I think this album does not offer a very important improving in neo prog or in progressive rock in general. A quite boring album i must say. Vocals are not very pleasant to hear(like a bad imitation of Le Orme vocalist).

Influences of Le Orme,Pendragon,Nexus.

The sound isn,t very good. I don,t know if the music putted the keyboards in a very second place or the keyboardist is imitated,but i think a good neo prog band requires a very good keyboardist.

3 stars

This is the debut CD by Chilean four piece band, I hope they will release many more, what a beautiful, often compelling music! I would like to analyse this album song-by-song.

Bienvenida Al Interior : A melodic and alternating sound featuring pleasant and modern keyboards, propulsive guitar riffs, howling guitar, warm Spanish vocals and lost of shifting moods. A great start, gentlemen!

Nocturno Urbano : After a spacey intro the atmosphere changes into a kind of 'symphonic blues' with moving guitarwork (like Nick Barrett from Pendragon), this in combination with 'choir-Mellotron-like keyboards' carries me away to Progheaven.

Novento Y Nueve : This long track (12 minutes) contains lots of variety, strong play on guitar and keyboards and inspired vocals, the music often reminds me of early Marillion, this is neo-prog at its best!

Doble Arcoiris : After a spacey synthesizer intro and fragile guitar with soaring keyboards, a slow rhythm with piano and synthesizer solo follows but this song is build upon the wonderful, often moving guitar play, goose bumps.

Bajo El Domo De Cristal : Another composition with lots of shifting moods, I am delighted about the beautiful, very moving guitar solo and a captivating break with an impressive church-organ sound.

Kinnara : This final track (10 minutes) contains in the first part a blend of dreamy parts with soaring keyboards and sumptuous pieces with sparkling piano and sensitive guitar. Then we can enjoy a Brian May inspired guitar interlude with echo and fiery runs, culminating in a final part featuring an up-tempo with flashy keyboards and propulsive guitar.

This CD is highy recommended to all early Marillion and Pendragon freaks, what a wonderful and moving neo-prog album!