GRITARÉ

With the entry of a powerful female vocalist and the enhancement of the instrumental input, Matraz was ready to move forward with their sophomore release "Gritaré". Considering that the band's sound has now begun to flirt with prog-metal and has leaned toward a more bombastic framework, similarities could be found with Entrance and Toccata. Still, there is also some preservation of the jazz-inspired colors that had made the best of the previous abum's fusion-oriented passages. All in all, the band's nuclear sound has been enriched and empowered. The opener and 'Redención' both create a proper mood to set an adequate ambience for the whole listening experience: 'Gritaré' most certainly rocks convincingly throught each and every pore of its architectonic complexity; 'Redencion' build on that track's force and gives it a moderate jazzy spin to the basic cadence. 'REM' is the first instrumental, set on a piano-led scheme that ultimately indulges in a dynamic mixture of jazz-rock and heavy chops, with all these elements fused in a solid progressive framework. The other instrumental is 'Cóndor', which is overall more relaxed, set on a dreamy melodic sense where the jazz-rock element is dominant, ultimately leading to a fusion-infused coda that brings colorful atmospheres to the fold. Between these two pieces are 'Sangre Derramada' and 'Trazma'. The former is an absollute highlight, a solid, delightful 11 ¾ minute excursion that starts as a vocal-piano duet, then graudaly building up to a central jam where the bass and piano flourishes install a safe environment for the outstanding spectral display of vocal deliveries and guitar phrases, all of it wisely sustained by the drummer. Near the end, we come to enjoy what is arguably the best guitar lead in the abum, and then, the song is wrapped up by a brief reprise of the first section. Brilliant! 'Trazma', on the other hand, brings back the moods already stated by the first 2 pieces, with an emphasis on the rock factor - good but not that great, which can be felt especially after being treated with 'Sangre Derramada'. 'Sobreviviente' occupies the album's last 18 ½ minutes, and by doing it so robustly, it brings a perfect climax. The meditative mood of the first section (with lyrics narrating the mysteries of the human soul) may remind us a bit of 'Sangre Derramada', but after the 4-minute mark, things shift to a more intesn motif, built on a confluence of standardized prog metal and Yes-like old school symphnic prog. The subsequent melodic and rhythmic variations are cleverly linked, going all the way to the ceremonious coda that reprises a portion of the opening section. This is how the album ends, and let me tell you that this is the album that defines the type of progressive trend that Matraz was aiming at. Very good album, recommended to all symphonic prog lovers everywhere.