CORSARIO NEGRO

Los Natas on Progarchives: All I have to say is...it was about damn time!!

I've never suggested Los Natas as a probable inclusion to the archives (I guess it was laziness), but I often wondered why this awesome band wasn't already here. Today when I realised someone had made the job for me, I thought to myself that the least I could do was writing a review for them, if only to make them well known on ProgArchives.

For those unfamiliar with the band, Los Natas are an argentinian trio with different reminescences, such as Pink Floyd or Black Sabbath (I like to think of them as a Black Sabbath on acid). They are very well known in the stoner rock scene (they shared stage with bands like Queens Of The Stone Age or Colour Haze, just to name a few), and to my opinion they are one of the most interesting bands my country has to offer, and their live shows are definitely a one of a kind experience.

I chose Corsario Negro for this review since it happens to be my favourite album from them. The music here is really hypnotizing, dark, moody, constantly changing, and filled with instrumental passages as in almost every other Natas offering. The highlights of the album are Patas De Elefante, El Cono Del Encono, the title track, which is a long jamming, and Hey Jimmy, which is a completely different song from the rest. A simple short guitar-based instrumental very relaxing and soothing. In fact, the whole album takes the listener to a sensorial trip with an openly wide variety of sounds and textures.

4 stars.

LOS NATAS are from Argentina and this is studio album number three from 2001. My favourite from them is their next one from 2002 "Toba-Trance". These guys are a straight up trio but make up for being somewhat limited with bass, drums and guitar only by changing things up a lot. They are so adventerous! That Prog spirit is here in spades. Man they get heavy on here at times, too heavy for my tastes as it gets to that Doom-like level. But I get so impressed with the contrasts, repeated themes, and the constantly shifting passages.

Some vocals usually sounding distant but effective from where I sit. Maybe mixed low. Some experimental stuff on here too but this one rocks pretty hard. My favourite is "Lei Motive" which is one of the more normal tracks(haha). The only guest on here is the brief piano on this song which doesn't add anything. Besides this song I really like these three "Patas DeElefante", "Hey Jimmy" and "Contemplando La Niebla". The song title "Americano" makes me think of the movies.

So while this isn't all fun and sunshine or consistent as I usually put it, this is well worth the 4 stars. For fans of heavy adventerous music.