Chronos Mundi - Luz e Trevas (1999)

Artista: Chronos Mundi
Álbum: Luz e Trevas
Año: 1999
Género: Rock sinfónico
Duración: 43:14
Nacionalidad: Brasil

Lista de Temas:
1. Intro
2. Luz e trevas
3. Nasce a semente
4. Thermo
5. Forest valley
6. Symphonies
7. D

Alineación:
- Alexandre Maraslis / keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars
- Robson Bertolossi Jr / bass, vocals, electric and acoustic guitars
- Gustavo Voigt / drums

Otra resubida, esta vez de un álbum de rock sinfónico brasilero, un disco poco conocido pero que ha tenido muy buenas referencias, un disco melódico y pastoral, con bastante influencia genesiana, con canciones agradables y de buen gusto. Así empezamos el viernes, que por ser viernes promete dejarles varias cositas más para el fin de semana. En principio, dejo éste álbum especialmente recomendado para los amantes de prog sinfônico melódico.

Otro desconocido (al menos para mí) proyecto brasilero en el mundo del sinfónico progresivo, quizás menos brillante que el álbum de presentado anteriormente, sigue igualmente el camino de la mayoría de los grupos brasileros, enfocados principalmente al desarrollo de buenas melodías sinfónicas, incluso con ciertas tendencias pop, y cantado en portugués.

Chronos Mundi is a symphonic neo-prog band close to Tempus Fugit. Their 1998 debut Luz & Trevas is a very good one with the emphasis on keyboards and delicate guitar pieces, with a decidedly Italian feel during the vocal passages. Here are lo-fi mp3’s of the tracks Forest Valley and Symphonies.

KinesisCD

They perform a refined, colourful and lyrical Progressive sung in Portuguese. They create airy and delicate melodies close to those of the first HECENIA or of Seventies Italian bands, and use the Hammond organ and vintage keyboards sounds (Organs, Moog...) and evoke thus LE ORME.

Musea Records

Three man band with a "oceans of keyboard sound". Acoustic guitar is in the Steve HACKETT style. Really tight bass & drum. Their music is by symphonic prog and is richly developed with intricate interplay. This is very good music with several instrumentals and all of the symphonic intrigue. Vocals in Portugese but there aren't many vocals. Extremely melodic, the group has basic influences from PINK FLOYD, YES, ELP, GENESIS, PFM and RENAISSANCE. Recommended...!!!

Progarchives

Chronos Mundi was an apparently little-known Brazilian trio that released just the one album, Luz e Trevas, in 1999. The band consisted of Alexandre Maraslis (keyboards, guitars), Robson Bertolossi Jr (bass, vocals, guitars) and Gustavo Voigt (drums). Their music has a largely pastoral feel and is highly melodic, much in the tradition of the many fine symphonic bands from Brazil. There's also a little bit of a Genesis influence, circa Trespass. The album is comprised of 7 tracks, 4 main songs and 3 short instrumental pieces.
The brief opening piece, Intro, is an ambient soundscape of electronic effects that gradually builds and segues into the title track. This in its turn is a complex piece that comprises many changes of tempo and mood, and these two pieces combined get the album off to a promising start. The album takes a bit of a dip with the next couple of tracks, the 4-part song Nasce a Semente, and the short acoustic instrumental Thermo. Nasce a Semente doesn't lack variety but it's interesting rather than excellent, while Thermo is no more than an unremarkable little interlude. Fortunately the album finishes strongly with two top-notch songs, Forest Valley and D(xi), which are interspersed by the miniscule orchestral pastiche of Symphonic. Forest Valley is a lovely pastoral ballad featuring acoustic guitar and willowy synthesizer, and its English lyrics don't seem out of place alongside the other Portuguese- language songs on the album. D(xi) is a 7-part suite containing some spoken-word vocals and an extended guitar solo reminiscent of Steve Hackett, a definite highlight. All three musicians are skilful if not virtuosos and the songs are structured well, although the sound is perhaps a bit thin at times as there's little multi-tracking or overdubbing. There's nothing here to really get the pulse racing and there are a couple of weaker tracks in the middle of the album. However all the tracks flow together nicely and there are some quality songs, including a couple of real high notes to finish. Recommended to fans of mellow, melodic symphonic prog.

Chris "seventhsojourn"

No he encontrado videos para traerles, per créanme que el disco está bueno. Quizás lo único flojo que podemos achacarle tiene que ver con la producción, el sonido no es de lo mejor, imagino que será una producción independiente con todo lo que ello conlleva, pero con todo es un disco que vale la pena escuchar, sobretodo si nos gusta ese estilo sinfónico tan melódico que tanto se parece al progresivo italiano, pero no, es sinfónico brasilero, y cada vez estoy más convencido que se parecen bastante.
He de destacar algunas canciones, como "Symphonics" (la última canción) que me parecieron sencillamente hermosas.