Toccata - Circe (2005)

Recordamos este disco en nuestra saga de progresivo mexicano. Opera prima (y creo que único álbum de estudio) de esta gran banda mexicana, que estos día me puse a escuchar nuevamente después de algún tiempo, léase algunos años. Un excelente disco de algo así como hard rock sinfónico venido desde México, instrumentalmente casi perfecto, con un sonido cercano al de Nexus, basado en los rimbombantes grandes clásicos del 70 (Genesis, ELP, UK) pero con un sonido más moderno, como un neo-progresivo cercano a veces al heavy progresivo, manteniendo el equilibrio entre un rock poderoso y complejo... teclados orientado al sonido sinfónico, guitarras poderosas... en definitiva, un disco que me gusta mucho, si no lo conocen se los recomiendo. Buenísimo...

Artista: Toccata
Álbum: Circe
Año: 2005
Género: Hard rock progresivo / Rock sinfónico
Duración: 69:24
Nacionalidad: México

Toccata es una banda mexicana que entrega un hard progresivo sinfonico, con un sonido por un lado grandilocuente y desplegando cierto grado de complejidad, y por otro suave y melancólico, con teclados neo sinfóconicos y toque de metal en la guitarra, donde se mezclan las referencias setenteras y del progresivo actual, especialmente aconsejado para quienes gusten del hard rock y de las voces femeninas (agradable y potente voz de Andrea Medina). No es un álbum que me haya vuelto loco, pero es un buen ejercicio musical escucharlo ya que es un buen despliegue musical y con sonido bastante original, pueden descargarlo tranquilos que no se arrepentirán.

A ver, copio una reseña publicada en Amazon:

"TOCCATA es el nombre de este quinteto mexicano, interpretando un rock progresivo sinfónico. Con tal nombre se puede esperar que el guitarrista Alonso Romero es un fanático de las obras de Emerson, Lake & Palmer, y este es exactamente el caso. Las capas de teclados son especialmente formuladas a la manera de Rick Wakeman o Keith Emerson. También se puede notar influencias modernas no muy diferente a DREAM THEATER. La voz ronca y enérgica de la cantante Andréa Medina trae un blues-rock con cierto toque propio. Su primer y único álbum "Circe" (2005) publicado conjuntamente por Musea y Mylodón, revela un apasionado concepto convincente formado por ocho canciones. No hay más preguntas: aquí está ineludiblemente una de las mayores revelaciones de la escena mexicana."

Sin embargo, hay dos puntos que me gustaría considerar:

1) A veces la voz grita demasiado, si se midiera un poco sería perfecta.
2) El concepto del disco, relacionado con los amoríos de una muchacha, me parece demasiado tonto, y ello se traduce en las líricas que por suerte están en castellano. Me imagino que temas para discos conceptules pueden ser desarrollos filosóficos, o lo épico de una novela, o casi ensayos de temas tan complejos como la historia o la existencia humana, el universo, etc. Pero es necesario profundizar en el tema que se toque, cosa que no se hace aquí y quedan en deuda en este punto, las letras son superficiales y por ello bastante bobas, pero por suerte se compensan con la parte instrumental.

Vamos con algunos comentarios, si les parece (sino también):

Here we have a good piece of real Progressive Rock. It was a nice surprise to me to find this material from this Mexican Band, since this is not a popular Genre in Mexico (I know it since I am Mexican). No doubt they have a great influence from classic masters of 70's but at the same time a good mix of Neo proggers. Andrea on lead vocals seems to me a little be stronger that it should be but creates a little dark atmosphere to the tracks she sings. Guitar and Keyboards create a good melodic symphonic mix while Bass and drums are not simple background but creates a good balanced rock beat. I appreciate they stick to rock roots not trying to make unnecessary latin or jazz fusions which is typical from bands around here, for obvious root reasons. Because the lack of information and presence over the Internet it seems to me that this band has been disappeared by now and it would be a sensible lost since the group looked promissory. I was tempted to assign five stars because I like this album very much but I would set aside my feelings and I will give a good and well deserved four for an excellent addition to a prog collection.

Gustavo Leon

Prog music of the highest calibre Toccata is a band from Mexico and release a single album so far in 2005 entitled Circe. I'm saying with my hand on heart - this is among the best albums i ever heared in last 5 years, stunning music. The music is very complex, bombastic and dynamic on one hand and on the other hand is very smooth very melancolic. Anyway the voice of Andrea Medina is absolute mindblowing, superb tone of voice great range and tonality, not very often i listen to such powerfull voice. All the musicians are very skilfull so the musianschip is top notch. Lots of great riffs, astonishing rhythm-section. The album sounds very very well sung in spanish, that is not the case on other groups, but here is excellent. All in all every piece from here is a treasure of modern prog music. The band is symphonic prog but with metal influences on some pieces that's why even prog metal listners will be very pleased to hear this album. Forte tracks are:La carrera de las vacas flacas, Futuro amanecer (just listen to her voice here on this piece - astonishing) and the instrumental one Anonima existencia . So i'm very impressed by this band and album, in my top 20 of all time. 5 stars without hesitation, recommended among the best albums in last 10 years.

Bogdan Olariu

They are a Mexican five piece band, not argentinian as said by Erik Neuteboom on his review. Excellent album! its full of progressive influences like, pink floyd, yes, emerson, lake & palmer, iq, dream theatre and other bands, but they don't only try to imitate them, you can clearly notice their creativity, songs like "Consecuencias", "Soy"," Anonima Existencia", "Perdido" and "Danza Cosmica" full of dynamism, changes everywhere, mellodic and hard passages. I love the dialogue between keyboards and guitar in "consecuecias", the clasical orchestrations in "soy", the guitar and keyboard solos on "anonima existencia" are amazing. The voice of Andrea Medina gives to toccata a blues touch, sounds really good!

Phobosgva

I was very lucky on my last visit to my brother in Mexiko, i could'nt belive it when i saw that Arena was going to perform on a local teathre, i rushed to buy my ticket as soon as i could... Arena was outstanding but something about the local prog band (Toccata) which performed before Arena caught my attention, the sound was poor but went better as they were playing, on the third song i started to think about buying their album...at the end of their performance I was 100% sure i wanted it... so i bought it... I was shocked by the skills of the performers specially the guitar player and the keyboard player. The guitar player reminds me of steve vai and petrucci (I am not saying he is at the same level as them... ok?) but he has a lot of good stuff of his own, on scene you can see he's a bit shy but once a few chords he did a few tricks wich impressed me ... the keyboard player also impressed me, he had to make a lot of things with his limited equipment... The singer.... sings very good but in some parts i can see the voice is overworked, i noticed that the singer on the album is other than the girl i saw live but both sing really good... I can't understand the lyrics, but i really think that their music is awesome, on all their songs you can see a vague influence of yes, genesis, E, L & P, Pink floyd, U.K. and other bands of the 70's, you can also hear the influence of recent bands like Dream theater and IQ... Although the influences i mentioned, their sound is very original... I wish i could understand the lyrics, im working on it...

Heinzharaldf

Otro álbum recomendado. La verdad, las secciones instrumentales me parecen buenísimas. Háganse el favor y conózcanlos, no se van a arrepentir.

http://www.myspace.com/toccatagrupo

Lista de Temas:
1. Consecuencias
2. La carrera de las vacas flacas
3. Perdido
4. Puedo decir
5. Anónima existencia
6. Futuro amanecer
7. Soy
8. Danza cosmica

Alineación:
- Andrea Medina / voz
- Alonso Romero / guitarra
- Victor Garcia / bateria
- Zain Hernandez / teclados
- Victor Miranda / bajo