Well, with a title like that, I just could not resist: Rodrigo Maccioni is certainly no fool and I am far from either blind, or deaf for that matter! Alejandro Vera handles the bassoon, Pascal Montenegro on English horn, Alfonso Vergara plays clarinets, Arianne Guerra the viola with bassist Eduardo Rubio and drummer Leonardo Saavedra, adding Jorge Bugueño on electric piano and ably led by Rodrigo Maccioni on electric guitar, keyboards and flute. Now, to be fair, RIO/Avant is not necessarily within my expertise but If I am to be called a Prog Rogue, I must live up to being open-minded and occasionally swim against any tide. Also, I quite enjoyed Penguin Café Orchestra, so I should be okay. Vamos!
The title track opens the curtains with courageous flair, a gigantic nearly 22-minute epic that takes boldness to new heights, an orchestral effect where all the musicians get to blend in and interface with precision. Overflowing with twists and turns and the occasional somersault, I was particularly captivated by the stunning viola and clarinet elements, as well as the muscular drum work and when the bassoon and horns kicked in, the amazement was palpable. Rodrigo certainly has a keen ability to marshal all the components into a cohesive centralized core, his mathematical electric guitar work showing not only rhythmic complexity, but the soloing can often bewilder with gushing emotional outcry. The arrangements are definitely intricately woven, the variations suggesting a hypnotic quality that cannot be ignored, and yet the entire opus is highly melodic and agreeable to the ear, with hints of dissonance and even playfulness that add the obligatory spice. Vergara’s clarinet is often the highlight, as the warm sound of the instrument exudes a sense of fun that collides softly with all the surrounding mayhem. As far as experimental Prog is concerned, this piece is quite the mind-opener.
The next three tracks are all under 8 minutes long and serve as sonic portals that seek to express various images that could have qualified as a suite, the reflective “Temple of Mirrors” aiming at more ambient scenarios, closer to modern classical soundtrack music. Here the strings are oblique, the percussion choosing percolation as well as propulsion, the bass boisterous and Rodrigo ripping hard on the fretboard. More of an experimental KC feel, Leonardo Saavedra channeling both his Muir and Bruford influences to perfection, a stunning slice of bravado. “When They Arrive” injects some mystery into the proceedings, the stark echoes of a science fiction scene apparent to these ears, somewhere between eerie and intriguing, the cacophony linear and purposeful, as the piano plays the conductor all along. The trilling sounds midway into the piece owe a sense of vibrating lizard tongues , amid the rhythmic aspic, a frightfully vivid touch that hit the mark. “Everything Stopped” explodes from the gates with furious abandon, shards of razor wire cutting into the skin and the mood bends into adrenalin-fueled numbness. The piano and English horn bounce off each other like two coy lovers, a synth painting the backdrop, the woodwinds curling delicately among the drumbeats, eventually led by the gripping viola into another sombre realm. Rodrigo takes over with a cyclical guitar pattern that settles the score into a more athletic environment. The insistence is punctuated by the bass /drum duo that shows little remorse in dragging the remaining instruments into the cauldron.
A sustained final track ,“Memento Mori” summarizes the overall mood quite succinctly, a form of controlled bedlam that never seems to jar negatively, yet keeping the listener perpetually close to the edge, as if on a highwire. Peaks, valleys, entrances and exits are all undertaken to bring the listener to some distant space, a comfortable confusion that can never be predetermined. Kudos to all the musicians who weld together with apparent impunity, led by Rodrigo who never hogs the limelight, content to orchestrate the various engaging sounds and shaping them into a cohesive whole. This was quite the personal experience, especially for a fan of melody who generally shies away from dissonance and turmoil. It certainly helped with my blood circulation and overall cardiovascular disposition. A band I intend to follow
4.5 Aconcaguas