Anima Mundi - The Lamplighters (2013)

Artista: Anima Mundi
Álbum: The Lamplighters
Año: 2013
Género: Rock sinfónico
Duración: 54:39
Nacionalidad: Cuba

Lista de Temas:
Suite The Lamplighter
1- On Earth beneath the stars
2- The call and farewell song
3- Light the lantern of your heart
4- The human house
Suite Tales from Endless Star
5- The dream child behind the mask
6- The return - Part I
7- Endless star
8- The return - Part II
Epilogue
9: His Majesty Love

Alineación:

- Roberto Díaz / guitars
- Virginia Peraza / keyboards
- Yaroski Corredera / bass
- Emmanuel Pirko Farrath / vocals
- José Manuel Govín / drums
Guest:
Anaisy Gómez

Uno de los mejores discos del 2013 a nivel mundial, y los links no han durado mucho pero viene Alberto y nos lo resube. Saquenle todo el juguito porque, como todos los álbums de estos cubanos, el disco está buenísimo.

Hace pocos días nuestro mal amigo y compañero Pyramide se quejaba de los pocos buenos álbums prog que habían salido en este 2013 (sobretodo si lo comparamos con el maravilloso 2012, plagado de discos que seguramente serán futuros clásicos). Bueno, les traigo la reseña del que para mí es uno de los mejores discos de este año. Y aclaro que les dejo la reseña, no el disco, que hace poco que salió al mercado, y si lo quieren deberán compararlo o buscarlo en otro espacio, porque aquí no lo voy a publicar al menos por un buen tiempo.
Este es un nuevo discazo de estos geniales cubanos, álbum conceptual al que podríamos traducir como "El farolero" (claro, con razón lo cantan en inglés, en castellano queda horrible!). Lástima que cantan en inglés, es lo único que tienen en contra. Es su cuarto álbum de estudio, y sucesor del fabuloso "The Way", disco que que abrió a los cubanos las puertas de Europa. Dicho sea de paso, tuvieron mucho éxito allí, que les valió numerosas apariciones en los principales festivales de Europa. Musicalmente, continúan la dirección establecida en "The Way", en su escucha podemos evocar allí y allá tanto a Yes, como a Pink Floyd, Genesis y variados elementos del rock sinfónico clásico, donde grandes momentos instrumentales (no podía ser de otra forma con esta banda) nos recuerdan a David Gilmour, Rick Wakeman y Steve Hackett juntos, claro, si es que alguna vez hubiesen tocado juntos. Pero nos podemos imaginar como eso sería simplemente escuchando este disco.
Grabado para la mayoría de las piezas en los paíse bajos, con un nuevo vocalista, con un registro totalmente diferente (debo reconocer que me gustaba mucho más el vocalista anterior). Pero el verdadero lujo, por supuesto, es el duelo constante entre los majestuosos teclados de Virginia Peraza y la poderosa guitarra de Roberto Díaz. Vamos, estoy hablando de una de la mejores bandas sinfónicas, y no solamente a nivel latinoamericano sino a nivel mundial, y si no me creen es porque no escucharon sus discos.

El siguiente texto poético de Roberto Díaz está en la gráfica del disco:

Hay luces que iluminan las zonas más remotas del universo, mientras que otras iluminan nuestros corazones. Corazones Estrellas: el amor que se enciende en medio del mágico mundo que nos rodea. Mediante el uso del farolero este álbum ofrece la oportunidad de ir por el mundo mágico que respiramos todos los días de nuestro viaje. La persona misteriosa con la luz nos lleva a las maravillas de la vida y despierta nuestros corazones. Vivimos en un mundo de leyendas y magia. Un mundo de la humanidad, la tierra, las estrellas, la luz del amor y el significado de la vida. Un mundo donde las cosas aparentemente más simples nos rodean y están con nosotros en la vida cotidiana. Un mundo que para apreciar la magia y lo increíble sólo debemos aprender a ver. Esa es la esencia del corazón iluminado.
Vamos, este es el generador de la luz: su corazón. Ilumina tu lámpara interior.

Y lo que les puedo adelantar, ya que no es el disco, son algunos videos de la banda en vivo:

He escuchado este álbum varias, muchas veces, y creo que este es un gran, enorme álbum. Aunque el nuevo vocalista no me convence tanto, pero tiene una voz que complementa muy bien la música. Y las melodías son memorables, las composiciones y musicalidad son de primera clase. Muy recomendable para todos los aficionados prog sinfónico, sin duda.

Los invito a que recorran los excelentes comentarios que recoge este disco por donde pasa:

Anima Mundi es una banda cubana de rock progresivo. Es la única banda dentro de este estilo que ha logrado crearse una vida más allá de los muros de agua de la isla, girando en los últimos tres años por varios países de Europa donde al parecer el prog es más valorado que en el sur del continente europeo lo que es una lástima porque se lo han perdido.
Ya hace algún tiempo reseñamos su disco anterior, "The Way". En estos momentos la banda está fuera de Musea y decidió lanzar su disco con esfuerzo propio. Los resultados aún están por definirse.
La música va siendo cada vez más heredera del progresivo de los años 70, en especial con muchas influencias del Genesis más primigenio. Para este disco han hecho tres canciones básicamente, dos suites y un epilogo, creando una obra de magnificas dimensiones que hará el deleite de los mas conocedores dentro del progresivo.
La “Suite The Lamplighter” está para derretirse, es un viaje sonoro más que una canción, que disfrutado en la penumbra de una habitación te puede llevar donde desees. Ya con "The Way", el anterior disco de Anima Mundi pensábamos que la banda había llegado a su madurez musical, y ahora diríamos lo mismo, pero no haríamos justicia. Esta banda está madura desde hace tiempo y aun es capaz de asombrar a cualquiera.
La “Suite The Dream Chikld Behind the Mask” suena más agresiva y terrible por momentos, con elementos orquestales que recuerdan ciertas operas más famosas. La guitarra de Roberto Diaz se torna más fiera por momentos y en otros recuerda a las composiciones más dulces de guitarristas como Steve Howe.
El "Epilogue His Majesty Love", siendo la canción más corta, tambien es la mas agresiva y posiblemente más compleja en cuanto a las estructuras musicales, dando una amplia variedad al disco.
De esta manera la banda está en el momento en que hace música para músicos, con una intensa belleza apoyada en los teclados, no carente para nada de complejidades rítmicas y sonoras. Una entrevista a Roberto Díaz hace ya algún tiempo demuestra que el principal compositor de la banda ha seguido la progresión indicada por el mismo a través de su carrera.
Con una alineación bastante sólida a través de los años, presentan ahora a un nuevo vocalista, Enmanuel Pirko-Farrath, quien tiene una voz cálida que recuerda por momentos a los timbres más graves de vocalistas de alcurnia como Peter Gabriel y Fish.
Es un placer haber conocido a este grupo, no es música para todos los días pero si para toda la vida.

Tony González

Nuestros amigos cubanos han regresado con un nuevo material (luego del gran "The Way") bajo el nombre de "The Lamplighter", nuevamente paseandonos por un tradicional rock progresivo / sinfónico, que rescata influencias de bandas como Genesis, Yes, King Crimson y ligados a bandas más actuales como Spock's Beard o The Flower Kings.
El disco esta dividido en dos suites, la primera "The Lamplighter" , la segunda "Tales from Endless Star" y el epilogo con " His Majesty Love". El material incluido como nos tienen acostumbrados es de gran calidad, basta con oír la instrumental "Endless Star" o la grandiosa "Light The Lantern Of Your Heart" como para tener una idea del nivel del grupo. Pero no solo encontrarán demostración de virtuosismo, vayan a "The Human House" para deleitarse con la sensibilidad y emoción que derrocha el grupo, basándose en bandas como Camel o el Genesis de los dos primeros discos con Collins.
Para los que siguen la carrera del grupo, se van a encontrar con una nueva voz, ya que Carlos Sosa no es mas de la partida, siendo reemplazado por Emmanuel Pirko Farrath, que hace una solvente tarea, al igual que Virginia Peraza en los teclados, Yaroski Corredera en bajo, Manuel Govin en bateria y Roberto Díaz en la guitarra y uno de los principales compositores del grupo.
No hay demasiado para agregar de esta gran obra, simplemente hay que dejarse llevar por las canciones cargada de buenas melodías y arreglos que acompañan esta obra donde podrán viajar a un mundo mágico cargado de historias y leyendas, cierren los ojos y...¡a disfrutar!

Diego - Rock & Prog

Anima Mundi es un grupo cubano de rock progresivo que se encuadra en la etiqueta de sinfónico-progresivo. El ensamble se formó durante el año 1996 por 5 amigos profesionales en música y pasaron a ser rápidamente un imprescindible en la escena alternativa cubana. Gracias a su dedicación no tardan en convertirse en la principal banda de rock progresivo en la isla, ante la sorpresa y el deleite de muchos. Con el lanzamiento de sus primeros trabajos, “Septentrión” en el 2001 y “Jagannath Orbit” en el 2008, la banda toma renombre internacional y se pone a tiro dentro de la variada escena progresiva. El grupo graba su tercer álbum “The Way” lanzado en octubre de 2010 por Musea Records, que se convierte en su más exitoso hasta ahora. El disco es aclamado en todo el mundo y trae a Anima Mundi a los primeros lugares de los mejores progresivos del 2010.
The Lamplighter es su cuarto álbum de estudio lanzado recientemente, en junio pasado. Un trabajo conceptual que es grabado con un nuevo cantante siendo Roberto Díaz el principal compositor. En palabras del propio grupo, el concepto del disco:
“Hay luces que iluminan los espacios más profundos del cosmos, mientras que otra ilumina el cielo de nuestro corazón. Corazones o estrellas, el amor ilumina junto con ellas las luces del mundo mágico que nos rodea. De la mano de “The Lamplighter” (El Farolero), tendremos la oportunidad de un viaje a través de este mundo mágico que respiramos diariamente. Este carácter antiguo y misterioso con una luz (lámpara) viene para llevarnos a la maravilla de la vida. Este es un viaje en un mundo de leyenda y magia, a través de un planeta llamado Tierra, la humanidad, una estrella madre que llamamos Sol, el significado de la existencia y de la Luz (lámpara) de Su Majestad el Amor, un mundo donde las cosas aparentemente más simples que nos rodean y que nos acompañan en la vida cotidiana, adquieren una esencia mágica y sorprendente que sólo un corazón iluminado es capaz de ver. Así que, cierra los ojos porque Anima Mundi y una orquesta sinfónica comenzarán a tocar en la sala de concierto para llevarte a un tiempo sin edad, a las luces de la lámpara que ilumina el mundo: The Lamblighter (El Farolero).”
Doble mérito para este quinteto cubano que no es ajeno a los problemas de la isla y sus enormes limitaciones. Un disco muy recomendado.

chewbone

"Patience is a virtue". Guess we've all heard that one. But with epic music it is absolutely essential. The wine must have time to ferment, in the minds of the creative talent which thankfully we are still able to witness in independent musicians like Anima Mundi. Imagine keeping this type of album bottled up for so long and wanting others to hear and appreciate it. Yah, it's tough on the artist as well as the fan. But in the end, it has to be just right.
It has been since 2010 that The Way, Anima Mundi's third album was released. A lot has changed. My original suggestion that AM pursue an album cover designed by Ed Unitsky was graciously considered, and the benefits to you the music purchaser will last for years. Unitsky went above and beyond, as he always does, to generate a stellar piece of artwork which canonizes the concept of this album so well. More on the artwork and concept later.
With The Way, many reviewers noticed the intricate bass rhythms and out of this world keyboard work. I and many other reviewers immediately placed it in the same category and level as Classic Yes. For me it was like the 'Yes' debut album, 'Going for the One', 'Topo Oceans', 'Fragile', and 'Close', all wrapped together as one. When I reviewed it I did not have a lyrics sheet. So I guessed at the themes. When I finally was able to buy the album, the lyrics and themes just blew me away. You need time to appreciate this creative art. 'The Way' vastly surpassed Yes' 2011 production, 'Fly From Here', to my humble ears.
And again, patience will be worth the wait on The Lamlighter, because this album is different. In many ways. First, they have a new lead singer, Emmanuel Pirko Farrath, who has known members of the band for over ten years. I do miss Carlos Sosa's vocals on this album. However, Farrath's vocals fit more with the new direction AM is pursuing with this album. The band is made up of José Manuel Govín on drums, Yarosky Corredera on bass, Emmanuel Pirko Farrath on vocals and the historical leaders and founders Virginia Peraza on keyboards and Roberto Díaz on guitars and vocals.
If The Way was Anima Mundi's interpretation of Yes, then I think The Lamplighter is an AM interpretation of King Crimson. The guitars, both intricate bass and innovative lead guitar, command this album, where the keyboards did the last. But, wait, those who love Virginia's keys will not be disappointed.
So... let's dig into it. ;^)
'The Lamplighter Suite' opens with 'On Earth Beneath the Stars' set to soft keyboards and flute. You can tell from the start that this will be another epic journey. Taking you back, this time to the sounds of 'In The Court of the Crimson King'. Well, this isn't 'Schizoid Man', but that flute and soft keyboards will definitely amaze. The welcome back, from Farrath. As if he was always there, begins, "You ask me who I am. A simple answer is always deep. I am the voice that calls hearts. When they pretend to quit".
Everybody in? Yes, it's great to be back! Farrath sings, "Come to the Lamplighter house. Walk to the lighted human house". Then, yes, take it away Virginia! Amazing keyboards. The guitar work already is creating new signature sounds which will get even better further on. Off on another great adventure!
'The Call and Farewell Song' picks up the tempo. Virginia's bold marching keys will stun and amaze, as always. This may be the closest they get to 'Schizoid Man'. Farrath sings, "Pilgrims have emerged, from the labyrinth of ground". Yes, the drums will rock your walls or earphones. Farrath sings, "Farewell caress of the wind. Prophets and all men's kings. I know sleeper's dreams remain. Planets will turn once again". Reaching back through time to pull forward that feeling you get when you first heard, 'I Talk to the Wind'. Excellent lead guitar from Roberto. Yarosky Corredera's bass right there…keeping time. Farrath sings, "Unpredictable tides. Will make our ship sail and wreck sometimes". Yes, "In the Wake of Poseidon'…ok, I'll go back there with you. But this ship sails through the air, Farrath sings, "While in the core of the sun, souls cast no shadow".
Now, before I go on…this is not King Crimson. Impossible…they don't have Greg Lake. But it will take you back to that period of classic prog.
'Light the Lantern of Your Heart' is the unveiling of the story and concept of the album. The flute and deep bass return like on the wings of butterflies, (to borrow a line of lyrics off 'The Way').
Excellent Genesis era keys and guitars re-open the second part of the track. Farrath sings, "Light the lantern of your heart. Everything will be embraced. By the almighty once again. Light the lantern deeper inside". Digest that for a while as Virginia lights the sky with those 'Going for the One' pipe organ sounds. Then, later, Farrath sings, "Unite this great legion of lighted heart. Come on nothing can stop us now! Gathering souls looking far beyond. Blessed eyes by wisdom and dusk. Let's defeat this tempest hailing from the dark". Just what the doctor ordered and the world needs.
'The Human House' re-opens with soft flute and keys. Farrath sings, "You already know who I am. I've left the flame with you. Wait for others. Their time will come. As once it came for you". Now sit back as Roberto's guitar and Virginia's keys blow your mind. Side one of a traditional album ends full of powerful music, emotions, and lyrics.
The second side of the album, 'Tales from Endless Star Suite ', opens with the track, 'The Dream Child Behind the Mask'. This side will convince you that you just might have purchased the prog album of the year. While Steve Wilson and others are trying to create a new road for prog intertwining melodies from pop and metal, others, like Anima Mundi, Comedy of Errors, and The Watch, are going back to the roots; and re-defining the genre from its seminal beginnings. Both off to improve the sound and vibrancy of progressive rock in their own way.
Then the slow intricate guitar you remember from King Crimson matched with that ethereal web of sound from 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway' and other Genesis classics surrounds your ears. The slow wheel grind of this one picks up pace as Virginia's keys weave their magic to the deep sounds of Corredera's bass. Simply irresistible. Farrath sings, "Once we heard her voice that arrived, telling the tales from endless star, in timeless songs". Now that is what I have been talking about! Then, Virginia's awesome Genesis deep keys, (I only hope the next AM phase will be a Gabriel era Genesis one), before Roberto provides another mind – bending and blowing guitar experience.
Then Farrath sings, "Call her dawn, call her truth. The highest secret for me and you". Just try to sit still with that guitar and stellar key extravaganza going on.
Since Roberto Díaz and Virginia Peraza are the founding members of the band, it is only fitting that they each have their own showcases. 'The Return - Part I' is Roberto's. His acoustic and electric mixed guitar assault is both beautiful and phenomenal. The soft keys, drums, bass, and flute decorate the soundscape well.
The 'Endless Star' opens like a journey into space, complete with otherworldly keys and wide rimmed guitar sounds. This is the longest track at over ten and a half minutes. Then Virginia turns up the volume and action on those keys. Roberto's electric guitar solos rival some of the best you have ever heard. I only wish it was endless. If it wasn't enough already…prepare for the piano dessert. Freshly filled with power drums and pounding bass. Some nice Hackett-like riffs only add to making this one of the best instrumental tracks on the album…maybe any album this year. I told you if you had patience we'd get there.
'The Return - Part II' is the epic closer for the second half of the album. Just like all the great bands, they know how to close an album well. Farrath sings, "Their eyes reflected all past glory and memories". with that glorious slow acoustic guitar and flute surrounding the soundscape. Then, just as a last reminder Roberto plucks the strings, from the memories of 'The Court'…just one more time. Thank you.
Yah, I know there was an 'Epitaph' on ItCotCK, but this is the 'Epilogue', which begins with 'His Majesty Love'. Farrath sings, "His Majesty Love. The highest above. A cradle below. His Majesty Love". More excellent guitar, bass, flute and keyboards, as Farrath sings, "Cast his nature and he became. In his universal embodiment. Moves his brush and paints once more, His unfinished masterpiece of love". They close with beautiful acoustic guitar…as it should be.
Easily one of the best albums of the year. The artwork by Ed Unitsky must be experienced. This small pic on our website is simply not enough. Go to Ed Unitsky's website: http://www.edunitsky.com/, for the larger pics. Or… even better yet, buy the album. You know the music is good from the review above.
The artwork captures the theme perfectly, with the hearth representing your heart, full of flame, along with the other Earth signs. The pride and freedom of the peacock, the tenderness and transformation of the butterfly, the vivacious wisdom and attitude of the lizard, and the patience, tolerance, and evolution of the frog. Ed's art also graces the inner pages of the CD, where the lyrics unfold in front of Ed's otherworldly visions.
Please, experience this record…this year. It is worth every hard earned note and idea. Progress takes time. The effort is definitely there. For those that love deep, emotional music, this is what you crave.

Mark Johnson

There are lamps that enlighten the deepest spaces of cosmos while another one lights up the skies of our heart. Hearts or Stars; Love enlighten them and along with them lights the magic world that surround us. By the lamplighter hand, we will have the opportunity of a journey through this magic world we breathe every single day.
This ancient and mysterious character with a lamp comes to take us away into the wonder of life. This is a journey in a world of legend and magic, through a planet called Earth, human kind, a mother star we calls Sun, the meaning of existence and the Lamp of His Majesty Love, a world where the seemingly simplest things that surround and go with to us in daily life will acquire the magic and astonishing essence that only a lighted heart is able to see. So close your eyes because Anima Mundi and a symphonic orchestra will start to play in a concert hall tunes that will lead you to an ageless time into the tales from who lights the lamp that enlighten the world: The Lamplighter.

Anima Mundi

In 2008 the Cuban prog rock band Anima Mundi really surprised me with their strong second album Jagannath Orbit (see review). At the time I wasn't familiar with Septentrión (2002/2012, see review) the band's debut, so it was my first acquaintance with this excellent band that include so many influences in their music from bands like Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd. Two years later they released their masterpiece The Way (see review) and the entire prog world was at their feet. This resulted in touring through Europe in 2011 (see review) and 2012 (see review) and the release of a live album and DVD called Live In Europe (2012, see review).
During their second tour in Europe they started to record their fourth studio album The Lamplighter in the Netherlands. Unfortunately their excellent lead singer Carlos Sosa decided to quit before the album was completed. Health problems and daytime jobs appeared to be difficult to combine with Anima Mundi. So the line-up of the band's latest album slightly changed and now consists of Virginia Peraza (keyboards, vocals), Roberto Díaz (lead guitar, vocals), Yaroski Corredera (bass), Manuel Govin (drums) and Emmanuel Pirko-Farrath (lead and backing vocals). Former member Anaisy Gómez contributed on the clarinet.
The story of this album already started in 1998 when the suite Tales From Endless Star was composed. In those days they dreamed about making an album with a symphony orchestra, but that was too expensive, so until now they couldn't make their dream come true. Moreover, at the time they didn't have the necessary instruments, technology and experience at their disposal. Since technology improved a lot things looked differently a few years later, and they were able to record the already written songs and make them sound like an orchestra. Accordingly the music on The Lamplighter sounds very orchestral from time to time, mainly due to the use of many keyboards which provide beautiful flute samples and violin parts.
Just as the previous two albums The Lamplighter is a concept album. It's a kind of spiritual story about a lamplighter who not only lights the darkest places in the universe, but also those in the hearts of men. In a way the lamplighter is a metaphor for the sun or even God who lights the hearts of people. It's a journey into a world of magic on a planet called Earth, a mother star called Sun and about the meaning of our existence. Once the heart has been illuminated by the lamplighter the seemingly simplest things that surround us in daily life obtain the magic that only enlightened hearts are able to see. Well, this sounds rather pretentious and high-flown, but it's obvious that such a concept needs a special art work. Therefore they asked the famous Belarusian artist Ed Unitsky to create something special for this album and as always he came up with some stunning artwork (see enlarged picture) that shows a strange and old light up lamp guarded by a frog, a lizard, a peacock, a butterfly and two grasshoppers in a magic forest.
Obviously expectations ran high for this album since the two predecessors contained an unbelievable high quality level of compositional talents and musicianship. One way or another I had expected a kind of The Way, part 2, but The Lamplighter simply can't be compared to the band's previous effort. Maybe that was the reason why I initially had some problems to get into this album. This happened before while writing a review for Songs From The Liar's Lair (2009, see review) by the Finnish band Ageness. That album either needed a completely different approach compared to the previous albums, but eventually it turned out to be a masterpiece. I guess this also applies to The Lamplighter.
After a few spins I got used to the new singer's voice and the compositions started to grow on me. The beauty of the music was revealed after a couple of listening sessions and again I could enjoy the superb guitar and keyboard parts throughout the album. Many times the music carried me away to the seventh heaven! Some parts on the album already sounded rather familiar. Excerpts from songs as The Return, Endless Star and His Majesty Love were already performed during the Dutch gigs. The influences mentioned earlier can be heard on The Lamplighter as well, but I don't mind at all since Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd recorded excellent music. It's difficult to mention any highlights because the entire album can be regarded to be one great highlight.
If you've read this review carefully you already might have noticed that this album deserves the highest rating of five stars just like The Way got on this website. Sometimes it's very strange that an album needs a couple of spins to flourish. After a while I just got addicted to The Lamplighter and I played it over and over again! You probably will feel the same once you've heard the beautiful music on this album. Eventually The Lamplighter appeared to be a true masterpiece as well!

Henri Strik

Anima Mundi...World Of Soles...beautiful soles could be with the addition of this beautiful music
Another inspired album of this Caribbean band
...Who could really tell that a band of Cuba with al the caribbean environment...salsa music...will be so good composing and playing symphonic prog rock....normally this good bands come from more freezing countries of Europe or the North America and environment inspire this kind of music.....and all the influences are from those countries.
So this is the best symphonic prog rock album i have listened in years...
So beautiful songs...so good instrumentation ...really you will remember the operas primas of the old symphonic prog rock .
This band...this album...will always be an excellent addition to prog rock...and particularly this album a masterpiece

Robert Sargent

Two steps forward, five steps back.
After the brilliant 2010 release The Way, I had great anticipation and expectations for The Lamplighter.
The Lamplighter continues with the outstanding compositions and excellence in musicianship. To me, Anima Mundi (Roberto Diaz and Virginia Peraza are listed as the primary songwriters) have improved with their compositions. Where some of the songs on The Way seemed a little overly grandiose and maybe a little too sweet in places, the songs on The Lamplighter while not abandoning the established Anima Mundi style, manage to work in a bit more variety in arrangements and moods, and seem to reduce the layers of keyboards to let the music breathe a bit more. This is for me the two steps forward, and if this was the only change from The Way, it would lead to an outstanding rating.
The primary instrumental core remains the same as on The Way -- Peraza, Diaz, Corredera and Govin. Their work is excellent, highly skilled, great voicings and enough technical chops to keep it interesting.
There are some really great, inspired instrumental sections to this album. For example The Endless Star segment of the Tales from the Endless Star suite is fantastic. I even like the inclusion of excerpts from Toccata (Ginastera's 1st Piano Concerto), which could have been cheesy but they pull it off.
But there was a personnel change between The Way and The Lamplighter. Carlos Sosa is no longer the lead vocalist. His vocals were great, even if they were maybe a little sappy in places. On The Lamplighter, Emmanuel Pirko-Farrath assumes the vocal duties. I know this is probably a matter of personal taste, but the vocals on The Lamplighter are a major, major disappointment for me. Pirko-Farrath's range is very limited, there are serious pitch problems throughout, and his vocals lack the emotion of Sosa's. There is also a good deal of accent to the English lyrics, which normally doesn't bother me, but I guess combined with the other issues just seems to make it worse. To me, the vocals are a big negative on The Lamplighter, thus five steps back.
The production and engineering are great, nice and clear so we can hear everything that's happening. The mix is first rate, although I'd prefer that the vocals were mixed lower -- not just because of what I said above, but because I think they obscure the support instrumentals. The mastering is a problem, unfortunately. The levels are pumped way too high for this genre (the RMS is -11.4 for cripes sake, so there's like 7 dB of limiting and compression being applied). Fortunately a proper limiter was used, so I don't see a lot of clipped off peaks, but the excessive compression still hurts the clarity a lot (a mild pass through SeeDeClip Pro restored the lost dynamics and improved the sound, if you're into that kind of thing).
Overall, if you like symphonic prog in general, Anima Mundi is well worth checking out. They are one of the shining stars from the Caribbean/Central/South America region. I would personally recommend starting with The Way, or even Jagannath Orbit, not here though, although that pains me to say since the instrumentals on The Lamplighter deserve to be enjoyed. Anima Mundi produces a kinder, gentler prog with positive themes and more pleasant sounding compositions, which may not be everyone's cup of tea, but have always done so with a high level of composition and musicianship.
Maybe the vocals will not be an issue for you. I might eventually get used to them and be able to appreciate the rest of the album more, but right now after a half dozen listens, the vocals really detract from my enjoyment.
So, sadly, this is a flawed gem for me. Like I said, if they redid this album with Sosa, or any really good vocalist, this would probably be a five star rating for me (maybe something like 4.75 rounded up). As it stands with the vocals, I just can't give it more than a 3 star rating (I go between something like a 2.75 to maybe as high as a 3.5, but rounded to a 3). Perhaps there is a story behind the change in vocalist and why Pirko-Farrath joined, but I'm confused why, after establishing such a high standard on their two prior albums, they would release an album with substandard vocals?

Paul

I was really looking forward to the follow up of 'The Way', an album that stunned my senses rather surprisingly, not quite expecting a Cuban symphonic prog extravaganza to bowl me over. On first and second audition, I must concur with other reviewers who mentioned the rather odd vocals that grace this fresh release. Let's get one thing straight, the music is spectacular, stately and impossibly brilliant. Being multi-lingual, I appreciate anyone expressing themselves in some other language than their native tongue and I actually enjoyed previous vocalist Carlos Sosa whose accent was only slight but new singer Emmanuel Pirko-Farrath has no command of English whatsoever and sadly, what this does is that it distracts to the point of being too obvious. In view of German national Helmut Koellen's brilliant English language singing on Triumvirat's early albums, where he learnt phonetically to pronounce each lyric properly, I must criticize the choice of a singer who struggles so overtly. Sing in Spanish, hombre! You have a decent voice but mangled words are never enjoyable.
When the mood becomes instrumental, Anima Mundi are easily among the most technically proficient musicians out there, featuring a magnificent keyboardist in Virginia Peraza. She has a strong symphonic inclination by using a tremendous amount of mellotron, synthesizers, organ and piano colorations throughout the arrangements. Bassist Yaroski Corredera provides some expressive bottom ends and occasional runs that are truly defiant. The drums are expertly handled by Jose Manuel Govin, never an issue in Cuba where percussion is a state accepted religion. Guitarist and leader Roberto Diaz is a killer slinger, his searing leads and chugging riffs inspire with abandon and grace. The melodies are grandiose and kaleidoscopic, expertly entertaining and effortlessly complex. The poor vocals kill the joy, though. Unfortunately, they are not few and far between. On 'The Human House', one can plainly feel the ridiculousness of mispronounced words such as 'cam' instead of 'come'. Sorry, but it's unavoidable and they linger like a sour aftertaste. Yet elsewhere on this short track, the playing is superb, go figure!
The pain is best expressed by the woeful rendition of the lyrics on 'His Majesty love', its torture when the words do not even make any sense and the delivery suffers accordingly. The finest moments on this disc is the all instrumental 'The Return-Part1', with its neo- medieval sheen and the bombastic epic segue 'Endless Star' and both are jewels of the very highest order. The latter in particular runs for a good 10 minutes and showcases the immense talent at hand, Peraza doing some masterful work in arranging this colossus of sound and fury. Diaz shows off delirious electric guitar technique that is just off the wall brilliant. The rhythm section just cooks up a tropical storm of musical delight.
Roberto, please invite Carlos back or re-record with someone who has mastered a language (any one of your choice, even Kobaian!) and I will anoint this with 5 cigars. Cover by the amazing Ed Unitsky only deepens my sorrow, for it's a truly stellar package.

Thomas Szirmay

ANIMA MUNDI The Lamplighter : GREAT album for any PROG music fan! Very nice CD with magic artworks from famous artist Ed Unitsky invites listeners to discover the new music world: it's something new between Camel (Rajaz) and The Flower Kings' ballads and it's really NEW step for the band! It's original, with typical Anima Mundi's music features (in harmonies, for instance), and not a "clone" of the Great PROG Ancestors' style - but you can also hear Yes, Genesis mood there... Also - very good and serious echo of Classical music: from Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet - Dance of the knights to Edward Grieg - Peer Gynt. Oh - and there isn't any 'Cuban Rumba-Mambo-Cha-Cha-Cha' at the album from musicians of this country - only Classic Epic Prog! (lol) If to speak more seriously... This album gives you a very big (and rare now!) treasure: beautiful bright melodies that you can remember at once! For sure, with great acoustic and el guitars by Roberto Diaz (he has the same sort of melodic energy that... Steve Hackett, I would dare to say this after all AM's albums and live shows !) and... I love MOOG solos and "violins' pizzicato" moments (thanks, Virginia Peraza)! In general, pleasantly to notice a very "smart" arrangement of the album: sometimes flute notes, exactly when/where they MUST to be, sometimes drum's moment and bass' line... These things are important there, because all of them work on a whole impression that is 'GREAT' ! I enjoy new singer's voice very much as well - if you love John Wetton's/Greg Lake's style, - you will join to me and Emmanuel Pirko Farrath ;) Yeah, it's conceptual album in 2 parts, a classic PROG themes (Love, Light, Creation)... but deep and SINCERE lyrics SPEAK with the listener... again. Really good poetry in a way, maybe, of The Flower Kings' one. And again and again I want to say about MUSIC: there are many sweet and touching moments in the album, and I am especially glad to meet there powerful development of bright melodies that you've already remembered (they was before in vocal or guitar part for example). ...I want to play this such a beautiful album again and again, and I do it! Anima Mundi (Roberto Díaz, Virginia Peraza, Yaroski Corredera, José Manuel Govín, Emmanuel Pirko Farrath) - thank you very much for the best PROG emotions with "the Lamplighter"!

Olga Potekhina

In my opinion, one of the best symphonic prog bands in the world today. I was a little concerned as to what this would sound like after I heard there would be a new vocalist on this album. Well, I have been listening to this cd non-stop since I received it, and I must say, once again, the band has not disappointed me.
Powerful, lush, and occasionally dark, this seems quite a divergence from their last masterpiece, "The Way", of a few years ago. The interplay between guitarist Roberto Diaz and keyboardist Virginia Peraza is fantastic as usual. The compositions are well written and performed to perfection. The new singer, Emmanuel Pirko-Farrath has a great voice which complements the music very well. He does sing with an accent. However, this does not detract from my listening experience.
All the melodies on the album are instantly memorable, but the ultimate highlights for me are "The Dream Child Behind the Mask", and the 10+ minute instrumental "Endless Star".
Will certainly be a top 5 album for me in 2013. Highly recommended.

Ken

Este álbum parece ser una luz cálida pero muy intensa en el alma del mundo del rock sinfónico actual, que es capaz de breillar en los corazones de los amantes del rock progresivo.
Discazo, totalmente recomendado y seguramente uno de los 10... o 5 mejores álbums del 2013.
Consíganlo y disfrútenlo, recuerden que, la menos para mí, es una de las mejores bandas de rock sinfónico a nivel mundial de hoy en día.

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