Ars Nova - Chrysalis (Force For The Fourth) (2005)

Artista: Ars Nova

Álbum: Chrysalis - Force For The Fourth
Año: 2005
Género: Hard rock sinfónico
Duración: 46:04
Nacionalidad: Japón

Lista de Temas:
1. Succubus
2. Transi
3. Horla Rising
4. The Forty-Two Gods
5. Metamorphose
6. Nova

Alineación:
- Keiko Kumagai / keyboards
- Shinko Shibata / bass
- Masahiro Goto / drums
- Satoshi Handa / electric guitar

Otro disco de las japonesitas ELP... tampoco de lo mejor que han sacado, personalmente lo considero mucho mejor que su primer disco pero distante de sus grandes discos. Igual su estilo es maravilloso aunque a lo largo de este disco resulte un poco tedioso. Un disco vigoroso, con el estilo de estas niñas ya completamente consolidado, al que solo le falta, para mi gusto, un poco más de texturas que permitan hacer apreciar todo su poderío cuando están allá arriba. En cambio, intentan estar permanentemente allá arriba y de tanto estar por los cielos como que cansa. Pero igualmente su estilo es impecable y arrollador.

El estilo musical de ARS NOVA no ha cambiado en mucho desde que realizaron su primer álbum allá en 1992. Desde entonces hacen un rock progresivo clásico infectado por el estilo de ELP, con la básica diferencia de hacerlo 100% instrumental y tal vez más rudo, adaptando acaso el poderío de un estilo exitoso a los gustos de la actualidad. Lo que sí ha cambiado, y mucho, es la alineación. Aquí, ARS NOVA se convierte en un cuarteto que desplaza el súper trío femenino y deja de recibir a músicos invitados para grabar el álbum.
Alineados por Keiko KUMAGAI (teclados), Shinko SHIBATA (bajo), Masuhiro GOTO (batería) y Satoshi HANDA (guitarra eléctrica en 1, 3, 5), ARS NOVA representa en "Chrysalis - Force for the Fourth" un rock progresivo clásico en toda su expresión, incluyéndole matices de un rock rudo y expresivo, girando alrededor de la imagen de la muy famosa teclista KUMAGAI (tanto la versión japonesa de 2005 como la francesa de 2006, exhiben en portada a Keiko a manera de capullo que sugiere una transformación, en este caso el núcleo de la banda). La música, un buen álbum nada más, que representa el estilo con amplia calidad mas no ofrece alguna diferencia que les de un lugar privilegiado entre los grupos importantes.

Alfredo Tapia-Carreto

Un par de referencias y vamos al disco (en inglés, eso sí):

Again we can enjoy a sexy front cover from the Japanese progrock band Ars Nova, have they turned into the equivalent of Seventies Roxy Music and their 'sex-sells- cover-art-policy'? Anyway, more remarkable is the fact that the trio has become a four piece band because guitar player Satoshi Handa has joined Ars Nova on this album (on 3 tracks). His powerful guitar work is a fresh addition to the wonderful but a bit predictable sound of their last albums: fiery runs in Succubus, fat riffs in Horla Rising and a biting, wah-wah drenched sound in Metamorphose. The interplay between his guitarplay and the sparkling, often bombastic keyboards and dynamic rhythm-section is an exciting extra dimension. The other songs sound as we are used to with Ars Nova: melodic and fluent featuring heavy Hammond organ waves, flashy synthesizer flights and beautiful orchestrations. So here is another fine Ars Nova album, not really surprising after all those years but if you like keyboard driven progrock, this band will please you.

Erik Neuteboom

This last Ars Nova album to date, is actually a compilation. But what is interesting is that it is not just a compilation.
All the numbers have been revisited and some sound rather different than their original counterparts. The opening number "Succubus" is as wild as on "Android Domina": lush and bombastic keyboards, but some furious guitar has been added (same applies to "Horla Rising" from "Android Domina" as well). "Horla" features grandiose and melodic synthesizer and it is worth an attentive spin.
During most of their career, the band was limited to a trio (bass, drums and keys), but there was already a change with their previous record "Biogenesis" which featured Arjen Lucassen as a guest; and I have to say that the addition of this instrument is not a bad thing.
There are two songs from their second opus : "Transi" and "Nova". The latter is another highlight of this work. A keyboards firework fully dynamic but melodic as well. A great digest of their work.
The least interesting of this whole compilation effort is "The 42 Gods" from "The Book of Dead". Too much performance oriented IMHHO.
I am also disappointed by the rendition of "Metamorphosis". I far much preferred the original released on "Biogenesis". This is indeed a "Metamorphose" like it is newly called here. The guitar is not well received here. It converts this track too much in a Crimson mood. Too bad because the original work was one of my fave from this band.
This is a pleasant manner to access the band. It allows you to discover their ELP-ish universe and it's up to you to decide if you want to investigate more of their work (of which my preferred album is "Android Domina").
The band announces a new album for the summer of 2008. They are currently recording it and a full time guitar player is now part of the band (Satoshi, the one featured here as well). Hopefully, it will be in the vein of "Android".

Daniel

Y ahora sí me despido de ustedes hasta el lunes, que vamos a ver que nos depara el destino en nuestra increíble travesía musical (y no solo musical).