W.A.L.H.F. MORE F. (WITH A LITTLE HELL FROM MORE FRIENDS)

And the prog party continues! Anyone who has traveled to Mexico or familiar with Mexican culture will be aware that the nation is all about having a good time with one festive activity after another so it's little wonder that the Acapulco born Pablo Eduardo Ibarra Robles or better known in the prog world as GRECO BASTIÁN would make the perfect host to attract talent from around the world to craft some stellar collaborative efforts and make some unforgettably addictive avant-prog mixed with math rock, chamber prog, zeuhl and all kinds of other influences. Thoroughly impressed with his 2022 release "With A Little Hell From My Friends," i was awaiting another album in the same vein and only two years later we are treated to yet another star studded cast of hellpers on WITH A LITTLE HELL FROM MORE FRIENDS! Cramming together the influences of acts like Present, King Crimson, Koenjihyakkei, Magma, Frank Zappa and Ruins, GRECO BASTIÁN returns with even more friends than before for this avant-prog party of the year.

Partygoers include (just to name a few): Matt Hollenberg (John Zorn, Titan To Tachyons), The Mercury Tree, Markus Reuter (Stick Men, The Crimson Projekct), Marc Ducret (Tim Berne, Bobby Previte), Patrick Gauthier (Magma, Weidorje), Paolo Botta (Yugen, Ske, French TV), Bernard Falaise (Miriodor, Ensemble Supermusique), Tatsuya Yoshida (Koenjihyakkei, Ruins), Alan Benjamin (Advent, Mirthrandir), Anthony Beard (Ni, Piniol, Scherzoo), Rémi Leclerc (Miriodor, Les Projectionnistes), Emanuele Sterbini (Sterbus), Craig Walkner (Far Corner, William Kopecky), Ed RosenBerg III (Jerseyband, Kilter), Håkan Almkvist (Ensemble Nimbus, Hans Bruniusson), Ivan Rozmainsky (Roz Vitalis, Compassionizer) Vincent Sicot-Vantalon (Unit Wail, Scherzoo) Joe Lester (Intronaut, Mouth of the architect) Samo ?alamon (Quartet, Quintet...) Shawn Persinger (Boud Deun, Prester John) Steve Marek (Monobody, Loose Lips Sink Ships) Salvador Govea (Iconoclasta, Govea) Jonathan Piña-Duluc (Proyecto Piña-Duluc, El Trío) AND Juan Belda (Juan Belda Bit Band, Skalectric). Like WOW!!!

The album features eight tracks at a traditional album's playing time of 42 minutes but surprisingly not available on any physical format as of yet because GRECO BASTIÁN is still seeking a label to host his wild ride of a musical parade. Uh, Musea, Cuneiform? Why aren't you jumping on this? Delivering the same intensity and knotty crazy avant-prog excesses as the previous album, this one feels like a natural advancement with crazy complex time signatures run amok with crazy rhythmic drives and unrelenting brutal prog bombast. While complex and technically infused, the repetitive zeuhl inspired grooves offer a stabilizing force that allow adventurous riffing sessions and super energized soloing. Once again the long list of attendees offer a diverse approach to each and every track with GRECO's tight knit compositorial skills offering the tangible connective tissue as not to make the album sound like a various artists release.

While the album is similar in many ways to the last, this one is organized a bit differently and the production sounds better. Likewise the bass grooves seem more pronounced and the mixing job is supreme. The album starts and ends with the "Kobaïan Call To War" parts which pay tribute to the great Magma while the inner tracks ramble on at full speed. For those who disliked the previous album because of its unrelenting rapidity and incessantly unforgiving time signature brutality, then THIS ONE'S NOT FOR YOU!!!! This is one wild avant-prog vortex of sound that will freak your shit friggin' out! This one is for the most adventurous seekers of everything turned up to the highest prog levels possible. It's all instrumental and it's busy AF. Layers of crazy contrapuntal amass to create a frenzy of exciting intensity akin to one of those modern roller coaster rides that does an unthinkable amount of spins through tunnels and the like. This is complex prog for complexity's sake and for those who crave this, they are in for a treat.

Once again GRECO BASTIÁN seems to evoke Danny Elfman styled compositions are far as chord changes and various elements on board are concerned but the music of the myriad influences also shines through as do the idiosyncrasies of each guest musician on board. This is the type of prog party where things get so wild that the neighbors have to call the cops! This one offers no moments respite. No time for breathers. No ballads, no moments of contemplation, no way. This one is an incessant brutal speedfest from beginning to end with knotty angular rhythms, pummeling time signature changes and adrenalized performances with no chance for the musician's to catch their breath. OK a few scant moments do exist! Hardcore as hell and adrenalizing AF, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MORE FRIENDS delivers exactly what i was hoping for, namely more of the same uncompromising energetic drive and complexity of what the previous release offered. One of my favorite avant-prog artists of the 21st century so far! GRECO BASTIÁN is without a doubt the best part host prog has to offer! Completamente asombroso!