PERPETUUM KARMA

Nexus is by far Argentina´s most known prog act at the moment...yet the funny thing is, I had never heard of them before I found this site. Actually, Nexus has more fans and success in Europe, specially in Spain, than here in their homeland... what a pitty

Having seen Nexus live in 2005 I was really waiting for Perpetuum Karma´s release, for in that show they played three songs from it (Perpetuum Karma, Travesia and En ese viento I think...thought I might be wrong, but I really think thouse were the ones) and the fisr week it came out here, I bought it. Well, first of all I must tell you, if you ever get the chance to see Nexus live, go and see them, they are very good. Now, the album...

At fisrt I did not like this album, I thought all songs were too long, I hate the singing and I founded it just uninspired... but then you listen to it for a second time, and a third...and a fourth...and you see than you might have been wrong at first. Now I can say that I really like this album, it might not be as good as Metanoia, but it´s certainly a good album. And yes, the songs might be a bit too long for their own sake, but after a few spins this isn´t a problem anymore, and yes the singing might not be Nexus best part, at least not anymore, as Mariela Gonzalez left the band to form the band Atempo, so Carlos Lucena and Lalo Huber had to take over the singing and...well, as backing vocals they might be very good, but they are not lead singers...but after a while you also get used to their voices... but Nexus music is not uninspired!

Now, the music. Nexus has two strong points: the guitars and specially the keys. Lecena and Huber, although no virtuosos, are two fine players which really make Nexus stand out from the rest of some Argentinian bands, just like Crucis (Argentina´s most prolific and successful prog act from the ´70). But, they do have a weak point also: the drumming. Luis Nakamura is not up there with the rest of the band, as he is a very limitated drummer, but well, it´s not always that all musicians are masters of their instrument, so why should this be a problem, as long as Nakamura doesn´t play out of time? Well I tell you... Nakamura uses the smallest kit (and I don´t mean small cause there are not enough drums or no double bass-drum, I mean his kit is tiny, almoust from little children)...and one really must ask, why? I see no explanation, cause it´s not like he gets a different or better sound of it, in fact the sound of the drums are weak, there is no power... what a shame...

The songs go from very good to "so so", but there is no real bad song... but no masterpiece for that matter either. The best songs might be the epic "Mirar hacia el centro", with Huber and Lucena playing wonderful riffs and that very catchy kind of melancholic chorus, "Del abismo al sol" is a mellow track with gentle guitar works that, although being almoust 10 minutes long, passes very rapidly and "En ese viento", a sad song with a great acoustic riff and ...good vocals! Yes, thats cause the band asked someone else to sing here: Lito Marcello, and one says...why doesn´t he sing all the songs? Well, it´s fine the way it is anyway. The "worst" songs (which as I said aren´t really bad at all) are "Perpetuum Karma", maybe not that bad, but to name the album after this uneven track might make it a bit worst jejeje and "Cruces y sombras" an unnesesary long song (14 minutes) that could use more power than what it has (specially the drums and guitars).

This is a fine album, no masterpiece, not their best, but it´s great anyways, Highly recommended for thouse vintage keyboard lovers!