EL PROFETA

PROGHEADS ALERT, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST OVERLOOKED NEW PROGROCK BEAUTIES!! I discovered this new Spanish band while surfing on a Spanish site. The very positive review seduced me to order it, WHAT A DISCOVERY! Bijou is an instrumental five piece band that plays in the 24-carat symphonic rock tradition with a modern sound. The seven compositions (running time more than 1 hour) are absolutely marvellous: lush and varied keyboards (from sparkling piano to bombastic orchestrations), very moving duo- guitarwork (many sensitive and howling soli, harder-edged riffs or twanging guitars), a splendid and energetic rhythm-section and lots of shifting moods, accellarations and great soli on keyboards and guitar. A very strong point is that Bijou plays wonderful and captivating progrock with an own identity, what an incredible high level for a new band with a debut-CD! The highlight on this CD is the epic titletrack (3 parts, almost 25 minutes) in which they manage to create a very captivating Morish climate featuring keyboards that sounds like the flamenco guitar in the piece "Zambra mora", one of the most Arab inspired flamenco rhythms. I keep my five stars for the next album!? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL PROGROCK AFICIONADOS!!!

From Spain, the new instrumental act Bijou offers one of the most interesting instrumental symphonic prog recordings for the last years: "El Profeta" is a most attractive catalogue of catchy compositions, each one of them craftily arranged for the solid interactions between all instrumentalists. The band's symphonic essence is properly incarnated in the use of clear melodic lines and stylish harmonic foundations: regarding these specific factors, the labour of keyboardist Rubén García's proves crucial for the overall articulation of the ensemble's sound. The light-hearted orchestrations provided by García consistently set the band up on the trend of neo-prog, while the dual guitar inputs sometimes lead Bijou closer to Satriani/Vai hard rock territory, but all things considered, the band's main essence is definitely progressive in a modern fashion. The development of the main melodic lines never gets overdone: on the contrary, the guitarists and keyboardist's skills are ordained under the precise demands of each particular theme, and the soloing gets to a moderately indulgent level, always keeping a sense of elegance and a preoccupation for the maintenance of the interaction's fluidity. The stunning opener 'Los Albores del Fuego Imperecedero' and 'Triste Euforia' are perfect examples of the features I've just pointed out - these are two of the most archetypical Bijou numbers. 'El Camino a Casa' explores the hard rock facet further, while tracks 3 & 4 exhibit a well-balanced compromise between symph prog and hard rock. 'Sueño en la Noche de los Tiempos' finds the band leaning closer to contemporary jazz-rock (a la Tribal Tech, CAB) - a special mention goes to bassist Alberto Mateos' individual input for this track, of which he's also the writer. So far, things have proved interesting to excellent in a solid manner, but the best is yet to come. The three-part namesake suite that closes down the album comprises the greatest dose of musical excellence in the album. The colorfulness and energy that is displayed all through the different linked motifs portrays an almost architectural beauty, yet it is performed with evident warmth, in this way, creating an aura of positive vibes in the listener's room. The 'Recuerdos de Invierno' contains some Arabic textures that come to the fore, a thing that serve to introduce some exotic flavours into the sonic landscape. This band is really young, so it is no surprise that their inspired musical ideas is not accompanied by a more challenging treatment of them, but the positive signs of talent and enthusiasm are so powerful that we can only be optimistic about what they may bring in future recordings. Rating: 3.5 stars, very good, almost excellent.

A heavy and beautiful gem has come from South Europe!

From the very start, a beautiful keyboard solo must move us. Los Albores del Fuego Imperecedero is a very strong message from BIJOU. I can pay for only listening to the first keyboard solo...this sound, im my humble opinion, might impress Spanish symphonic progressive rock on us (of course, maybe overestimated). On the contrary, the first impressive phrase might make the latter phrases and songs somewhat dim. No, no, the whole album is so great. The latter of the first track has heavy but lyrical and melanchoric sounds with aggressive keyboard, sharp-edged guitar and bass, and drums with heavy punchs and kicks. El Camino a Casa is a straight rock song...sadly with slightly dizzy drummings. In Encuentros again attacks an amazingly brilliant keyboard solo. In all cases, the beautiful and massive keyboard sounds can stretch other instruments I consider. On Imaginació, it's very interesting and important that heavy and loud guitars try to battle with a keyboard backing. Surprisingly, backing keyboard sounds run forward through all other instruments and at last guitars and percussions are exploded aggressively in front of a keyboard. Triste Euforia is exactly opposite of the previous track and is euphoria of us with BIJOU, I always feel. After Sueño en la Noche de los Tiempos a bit pop ballad, the mastersuite El Profeta will get started. Colourful sounds with a beautiful synth, heavy rhythm sections and heavier guitars, are so terrific...although over 25-minute song is too long for me to keep my mind in... South flavour here is so mysterious and brings us to the third world. However, sadly the impression of the first track is too strong and passionate for me to keep my mind in...

Good album I wanna say. Recommended from Spain. :-P

A very pleasent surprise coming from Spain. Bijou is a young spanish band formed in early this decade and released so far a single album in 2005 named El profeta. The album is entirely instrumental and a damn good one from first piece to the last. Bijou plays something between neo prog a la Galleon and more recent heavy prog arrangements not far from Everon , but also incorporeded very well some symphonic prog elements just to complete the whole picture in a nice and catchy album. Very well balanced release, with no fillers here, just winners, every piece shows the talent of this unknow band from our days. The band succeded with only one album to bring something realy intristing, with bombastic orchestration who melted very good with more mellow ones, the twin guitar of Nacho Morán and Álvaro García did a very good job. Now the cherry on the cake here is the keyboard passages, simply excelent work made by Rubén García, lush and very wonderful keyboards combinations here. El profeta worth to be descovered by a wider public because they worth it. Very nice are the oriental interludes (more the arabic ones) with the all instruments , that gives a nice mood and smooth atmosphere. The best piece is Imaginació - a good example of how solid musicianship is here. In the end a recommended album for sure, energic and well produce release aswell. I don't understand why they are so unknow, only 3 votes and reviews so far, is beyond me. 4 stars easy, a pleasent surprise coming from land of toreadors.

This album has been ranked in the Neo-Prog genre but itt is balanced between neo and symph actually.

The great instrumental opener is as far as I am concerned the best track from this album. Probably the most and enjoyable symphonic part from the whole.

The album is pure instrumental and I have to admit that after a few tracks, the whole sounds a bit? boring. It is too much repetitive and without true melody. Most tracks are displayed without any atmosphere (''Encuentros'' or ''Imakinación'').

Another of my fave is the melodic and gorgeous ''Triste Euforia''. Indeed very much sad but so beautifull and passionate. Such a great guitar solo in the second half is so beautiful?The keys taking on and displaying a splendid finale . Splendid track by all means. The second and last highlight.

But frankly, there won't be so many great songs on this album. ''Sueno En La Noche De Los Tiempos'' being one of the weakest and introducing the long title track split into three sections (over 24 minutes). I have to say that none of these three parts left some great souvenir in my brain.

Three stars for the whole. And I am VERY generous.

BIJOU was a short-lived progressive rock band that tried in vein to find a vocalist for their unique brand of symphonic prog meets neo-prog hybrid sound with touches of heavier rock in the vein of classic Rush however such a vocalist never materialized in the band's native Zamora, Spain and as a result BIJOU released its one and only album EL PROFETA in 2004 as a purely instrumental affair. Despite the band's one and done contribution to the greater world of prog, this album has amazingly seen three pressings with totally different cover art. The original self-released version features the cool hand with an eye on the palm, the 2005 Musea release another version with a deep sea angler and the Mexican label Luna Negra release the more colorful split screen effect with a collage effect of a man and deer-human.

This band consisted of Alberto Mateos (bass), Arturo González (drums), Nacho Morán (guitar), Rubén García (keyboards) and Álvaro García (guitar) with the gravitational center fo the band revolving around keyboardist Rubén García's exquisite musical skills. The rest of the band pretty much just supports Garcia's leads without ever really delving into interesting contrapuntal elements in their own right as the twin guitar attacks consist of nothing more than a chugging riffing section and the classic neo-prog guitar sweeps. The drums are also fairly lackadaisical however once in a while the band steps things up and everyone shifts into full gear. The album features seven tracks including the massive 24-minute closing title track which consists of three lengthy suites.

The album is quite long at 61 1/2 minutes for an instrumental prog album that sort of skirts on autopilot much of the time. The variations of the keys are impressive but unfortunately the rest of the band doesn't really deliver equally compelling contributions although bassist Alberto Mateos holds his ground. The twin guitar effect suggests more variations in that department but the two guitarists seem to be content just keeping the melodic touches afloat without really adding any creative stamp. As the album strings along it becomes apparent that the band was just crying out for a vocalist because this really sounds like a karaoke version of a prog performance as this style of music is typically built around a strong vocalist's lyrical delivery. Since there is none the album sort of comes across as an intricately designed scaffolding system with no house to paint.

The band was not without potential but this sounds more like a rough draft or rehearsal that was crafted to woo in a talented vocalist but for whatever reason this style of music presumably was not the most popular game in town in the far western city of Zamora situated next to the Portuguese border. While the melodies are strong, everything comes across as just too safe for its own good. Even the keyboards never really take off into wild and adventurous territories. It's a basic prog by the numbers that needed to be embellished upon with at least one member stepping up to the plate to infuse the basic musical flow with some sort of creative edge. While a pleasant listening experience, unfortunately BIJOU wasn't really ready for primetime at this stage and decided to record and release what it had crafted rather than disappearing without a trace. Commendable for a band in a region of Spain rarely associated with this sort of music. Good but not great unfortunately.