GRITARÉ

Yoohaaa..!!! A prog band from Chille? Oh man, I have never imagined that I have the opportunity to put my views on a band coming from non famous progressive rock lands that we typically hear. That's the beauty of exploring prog music - it does not really matter from where the band is coming from; and music is inherently a very universal language we can talk all over the world with no physical as well as mind boundary at all. Well, I have to be careful on saying this thing as due to physical boundary I have no luxury of attending prog concert that usually performed in the west. I envy on you guys who can enjoy prog gig anytime you want down there in the west. But it's okay, it does not limit me to explore the music from all over the world.

MATRAZ gives another perspective in the way that it blends an energetic prog music with their own language in its lyrical part. I fully respect because it provides a different nuance compared to the English language commonly used in music. This second album combines various styles: symphonic, progressive metal and .jazz / fusion style! What a unique blend of styles! I remember when I reviewed AGHORA couple months ago where I enjoyed an excellent blend of metal and fusion styles. Matraz's music is different. The jazz nuance is delivered through the touch of piano (mostly) by Diego Aburto. All of their compositions were built around progressive metal scene with heavy riffs. It's different. That's why it deserves detailed review.

Gritaré (7:47) opens the album abruptly with heavy guitar riffs that create a trae image of progressive band with symphonic touch - through the use of keyboard sound at background. It may remind you to bands like Nightwish or Evergrey. The guitar solo fills the opening part backed with soft keyboard sound and dynamic drumming. The music turns into heavy riffs augmented with dazzling drum sounds and keyboard work. With this kind of opening, it suffices to say that this is a prog met track. You bet! The powerful voice of female lead singer Loreto Chaparro enters the music nicely, accompanied with softer riffs. As she sings a long, the music turns slowly with and reaches the part where piano enters the music with jazzy style. The music turns into uplifting faster tempo with guitar riffs and screaming vocals. Overall, it's a prog metal tune with some flavor of jazzy piano (not much).

Redencion (6:17) opens with soft music dominated by piano sounds followed with some soft guitar riffs but the piano maintains the jazzy style. Quite a unique blend, actually. As the music moves forward, the guitar solo performs its role to bring the powerful vocal enters the scene. This time I still do not know is this a jazz/fusion or progressive metal? Even when the rocking guitar solo demonstrates its expertise followed with single layer keyboard solo, there is a blend of metal and fusion on rhythm section. It's clear enough whenever piano takes the solo part, the accompanying rhythm section sounds like a jazzy tune. It's a stunning piano though! Again, the guitar shows its excellent solo in a truly rocking track. Oh, what an excellent song!

R.E.M. (4:20) - uhm, I hope that this title is nothing to do with pop rock band REM. This track opens with wonderful piano solo backed with guitar riffs and produce a combined styles of jazz and metal. Basically, this track explores more jazz than metal itself. The metal part is indicated through the guitar riffs but the overall music flow demonstrates jazz/fusion style. Despite riffs, the guitar also produces clean play. It reminds me somewhat with Pat Metheny, partially of course. It's a nice instrumental part that if we listen to it alone seems like produced by a fusion band.

Sangre Derramada (11:39) is relatively long track that begins with a mellow singing part and some work on piano. The lead singer demonstrates her capability in delivering low and high points in quiet passage during opening. For those of you who favor or enjoy Joe Sample kind of music (hey, I'm listening a wide variety of music - not just prog rock), you may like the piano fills right after the first lyrical verse. For me personally, this part is a kind of relaxing even though most of the time I do not really favor jazz / fusion. At approx minute 4 plus, the music flows with solid bass lines that bring wonderful piano solo. What makes this song marvelous is the demonstration of its lead singer singing potential through the part that starts approx minute 5 until 6. It is then followed with another great piano work. Oh my God . I swear that this part is truly killing me (even though I do not favor jazz). But this jazzy part is excellent!! The rocking guitar solo part is also stunning! It's truly a progressive music in its true meaning!

Trazma (5:46) begins nicely with guitar work that projects the image of prog met scene. But hold your thought for a second! And .. see how the band brings its music into quieter passage with soft and floating piano sounds and wonderful vocals! The music turns into faster tempo with some guitar riffs but it's still maintaining the guitar riffs. The keyboard solo that follows is really excellent. This track demonstrates the right balance between two styles: jazz (through piano solo) and metal (through guitar riffs). Another excellent track!

Condor (6:28) opens with ambient keyboard and guitar fills featuring bass guitar solo. Yes, bass guitar takes the main melody. Looking at this opening part, it's a jazzy tune, you may guess. Having featured a relatively long bass solo, the music turns into excellent piano solo. I would say this track is 90% jazz music with very little influence of rock.

Sobreviviente (18:33) is the album's epic that concludes the total music offering. It starts mellow with an ambient symphonic keyboard solo, followed with some piano fills. Drum beats gradually enter the music with some keyboard's sound effects, followed with vocal line. At approx minute 4:35 the music turns into a faster tempo with prog metal nuance. The music changes - sometime abruptly - into various styles with prog metal dominance. I would say that this track is 80% prog met scene and the rest is jazz / fusion indicated by the sounds of piano. In the middle of the track there is an obvious guitar solo typically exist in any prog metal music, combined with a stunning keyboard solo! Basically, this track brings the listeners into various kinds of emotions.

SUMMARY

It's an excellent progressive rock music combining metal and jazz/fusion styles. However it may not appeal to "pure" jazz lovers as the music is progressive in nature. For those who love the heavy side of prog, ie. Prog metal may find this album "weird" as it explores their music stream into jazz style. This is based on my assumption that typically many prog metal fans that I have known do not favor (even HATE!) jazz music. My advice is only one for this category of people: be open mind and enjoy this music. Unfortunately I have never listened to the band's debut album "Tiempo" so that I can comment how the band has progressed since its debut. Despite the excellent compositions offered by this album, I have some reservations toward this album:

1.) Most of guitar riffs were produced with relatively "rough" sounds that give me a sort of distorted sound for my personal taste. It should be polished in such a way that it produces a well rounded (bit softer) sound. It's probably a production issue. But, don't take my words bluntly. I know that some people who love death metal would love this sound.

2.) There are some segments with not really smooth transition pieces.

I conclude this album with an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars rating. I salute this band from Chile for producing excellent music! Recommended! Keep on proggin' ..!!

Yours progressively,

GW

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