GAMA DE ESPECTROS

Coming from the prolific area of Querétaro, Delta Red is a power-trio that sure can emphasize strongly the power in the concept. In the later part of year 2009, Delta Red released this excellent album entitled "Gama De Espectros", an exhibition of inventive, eclectic heavy prog that includes noticeable doses of jazz-rock and fusion as well as psychedelic colors and math-rock cadences. Bozzio Levin Stevens, Rush, "Red"-era King Crimson and why not, Don Caballero, can be traced as particular references and influences for Delta Red in their road of musical self-discovery. The band's sound, while performed with finesse, bears a harsh quality that makes it closer to Tryo, AkinetónRetard or Arco Iris' rockier side than to Mar De Robles or Ergo Sum. The albump's first 12 minutes are occupied by the namesake track, largely based on an extended 5/4 jam. The whole sonic scheme rocks really hard although therte is also room for subtlety: the sense of urgency never gets too overwhelming, and in fact, there are some contemplative quieter passages that settle in at times to provide a reasonable variation. The first full stampide comes with 'Estampida', whose first half completes a combination of heavy and funk- oriented fusion. Its second half shifts toward languid moods. 'Segunda Premier', generally speaking, delivers a progressive ambition similar to that of the opener's, but the result turns out to be more electrifying and climatic. The links among the stronger and softer passages is extremely polished. The pairing of tracks 2 & 3 makes the first highlight of the album. 'Cuarto Oscuro' bears an abundantly texturial compositional framework, but the delivery is far from soft: its is powerful and austere, very Crimsonian - the guest bartione sax player happens to provide a major asset for this piece. 'Día Fuera Del Tiempo' and 'Opus 14' are two tracks that can be described as Rush-meets-King Crimson with slight touches of jazz-rock in the fold - two more highlights. 'Ciempiés' is a funky rocker whose patent fusion colors come to its definitive fruition in the tropical-oriented coda. 'El Dique' is more mysterious and austere, full of equally relevant elements of jazz-rock and psychedelia. The last 8+ minutes in teh album are filled by 'Venus', which is an integral manifestation of the sort of power and colorfulness that the band has been recreating continuously throughout the album: an appealing closure that closes down the full musical circle of "Gama De Espectros". Delta Red is a name to be noted down in all us prog collectors eager to keep in touch with the latest most interesting items of nowadays prog rock.