AUREOLA GRIS

I first heard from Sapiens when they were performing live in a club in Guatemala City. I was immediately awed by their proficiency and virtuosity, but mainly because of the genre they were playing; prog is not a common thing in Central America. As a matter of fact, vocalist Fernando Scheel was and still is prominent in the pop and folk scene in Guatemala, as well as in production of many local artists, Fernando Martín is widely known as a jazz and fusion drummer, and José Manuel Briz was my schoolmate (although a few years older than me, so he never knew me), whom I had heard playing the bass with school bands.

A good friend of mine, close to Martín and an absolute jazz fan, gave me this debut album as a gift, and I still keep it close to my heart as one of a few published examples of prog rock in Guatemala.

There's not much I can say about the production quality, since I am not knowledgeable on the matter. I can only say that it sounds way better than what was produced in the Guatemalan rock scene of the 90s.

Musically, however, Aureola Gris excels by far from most of the music around here at the time. Although I would say that Scheel's pop influence is predominant, given that he is the main composer, the jazzy style of Martín and the complexity of García and Briz all contribute to a well executed album.

Highlights of the album are the strong opener "Sharalalala", the absolute prog of title track and "Mar Abierto". Not so prog but certainly very characteristic of Guatemalan rock are "Control" and "Congélame Si No". I would say that the rest of the tracks are pure Guatemalan pop rock with prog elements, and not all of them are lyrically or musically strong, although they all contribute to the good vibe of the whole album.

My main complain about the album is definitely Scheel's voice. It's not that he has a bad voice; absolutely not. It just doesn't fit the music. I would also complain a bit about the lack of keyboard leads; Scheel's keys only serve as texture and fill, which leave me wanting more. The rest of the instrumentation is excellent and leaves nothing to be desired.

As a rare example of Guatemalan prog and for the virtuosity of the performers, this is definitely a very good addition to my prog collection. 3.5 stars.