ASCETA

One of the great Rock In Opposition albums of 2022 comes not from Belgium, France, the UK or even North America for that matter but from the southern hemisphere. Santiago, Chile to be exact. ASCETA, Spanish for ascetic, the noun that is which refers to a persona who renounces material comforts and leads a life of austere self-discipline is actually a fitting moniker for a group of musicians who are more inspired by delivering complex niche music than cashing in on the latest pop music trends which at this stage in the 21st century have reached an all time low it seems. This is nerd music all the way and what an amazing find this was!

ASCETA was founded in 2020 by the guitarist / flautist Rodrigo Maccioni who had written music that didn't quite fit in with his main band Abrete Gandul which has released four albums since its inception in 1999. Somewhat of a pandemic project ASCETA emerged from the desire to create music that was above and beyond the casual prog sophistication of Abrete Gandul and required a team of eight classically trained musicians to pull it off. ASCETA was born when two quartets, one of rock and jazz instrumentation (guitar, bass, drums, piano) joined forces with a classical ensemble which included violin, cello, clarinet and bassoon.

The project grew into a larger than life soundtrack sounding chamber rock orchestra that not only evokes classic Univers Zero and Art Zoyd of the Rock In Opposition world but also ample doses of such disparate influences including the 20th century modern classical sounds of Béla Bartók, the world of tango in the vein of Astor Piazzolla as well as the less predictable world of prog acts like Frank Zappa and other artists existing in the world of avant-prog. Likewise the classical influences are far reaching and steeped in an accomplished sense of dedication. This all instrumental album features seven well-defined tracks that evoke true dedication to a musical craft that has been fine-tuned into absolute perfection.

In the fifty years or so since the Mothers of Invention and Henry Cow introduced the world to a whole new musical paradigm called avant-prog, the nebulous style has shapeshifted between the world of chamber music, classical string ensembles and the world of freeform experimental rock but very few have muddled the distinctions as successfully as ASCETA seems to have on this debut self-titled release. The seemingly perfect amalgamation of nerdy chamber prog amplified by rock ambitions and classically skilled workouts, ASCETA has eschewed the trap of many avant-proggers of diving into the whimsically world of weird and instead focusing on perfecting the classic sounds laid down by early Univers Zero, Art Zoyd and Present.

The results are nothing short of breathtaking with eerie spell casting intros ushering in time signature rich processions of nerdy avant-prog Rock In Opposition that ushers in a dark and gloomy emotional response without ever taking it too far. Sounding like one of those soundtracks for a film that never existed, ASCETA has captured the essence of a true heroes journey through sound and sound alone with triumphant displays of what often sounds like a mix of military marching music mixed with tango grooves augmented by angular time signature deviations and the warmth of 20th century classical tones and timbres while the woodwinds offer the proper dosage of chamber music and the guitar and drums dish out some serious delectable jazzy chops.

Like all artists who excel in the difficult music section of the prog world, ASCETA may require a bit of acclimation to digest the overt business but the band has also strived to offer instantly warm and cuddly melodic touches that really do impact upon the first listening experience. It's really imperative to let this music sink in as there is as much attention paid to the range of tones, timbres and textures as there are to the rhythmic displays and stellar instrumentation. This is the type of music that only seasoned classically trained or long time jazz musicians could pull off without a hitch.

What i really love about ASCETA is not only does it bring the sounds of classic Univers Zero and Art Zoyd to the 2020's but also in how well this ensemble reinterprets it all with a new stylistic approach. ASCETA employs much more 20th century classical aspects to its sound and eschews the forbidding darkness that UZ and AZ cranked out in their early years. Graced by a modern production and mixing job that is every bit as accomplished and the musical performances and advanced compositions, ASCETA is a true treat for those who are floored by true musicianship that is set in the context of a traditional style without sounding like a carbon copy of any particular act that came before. One of my top picks for albums of 2022. I just wished i had discovered it earlier. One of those that was love at first listen but only grows better on each return visit. Looking forward to the next chapter of ASCETA. Chile is officially the next hotbed of Rock In Opposition splendor!