Black Expression is a project conceived by Argentine multi-instrumentalist and composer Eduardo Jorge Martinez that offers Progressive sounds. The second album “Mundo Real” was released on April 24, 2022 and contains 5 long tracks in which the debut lineup participates and a guest on vocals. The trio is completed with Pablo Martinez on keyboards and Gabriel Bikerway on drums and percussion, while on the vocal parts on track 1 and 4 we find Lara Ausensi. A deep bass line opens the album and the first track “Por Siempre” developed on intertwining keyboards and heavier guitar riffs than the previous work. The Symphonic traits blend with more Heavy passages, with the imprint of the Argentine Prog with references to the 70s groups. The vovcale enriched by the effects is melodic and pleasant. The track is enriched with tempo changes with the intensity that increases with the passing of the minutes with forays into the harder sounds of the Prog. Good instrumental textures, with a second part where the guitar offers a good solo insert and the keyboards fill the melodies. A softer first introductory part with percussion and electronic keyboards features “Alcanzar,” then developed with distorted guitar riffs and hammond intertwining. The bass lines are supporting, while the keyboards and the guitar take the stage in the central part, duetting and evolving the central theme of the piece. Here too the intensity increases with the passage of the piece, which alternates passages of more elaborate Prog with other more Heavy and Symphonic interludes. At times, however, it loses a bit of intensity, but overall it is a pleasant track with an excellent ending in crescendo. “Mundo Real” is the title-track and is an epic of over 16 minutes that contains all the elements that characterize this new work. The sometimes heavier approach that characterizes this second album blend well with those of the Symphonic Prog that we already appreciated in the debut. The track is very long and in some moments it loses intensity, and then in others it returns with a more decisive sound, good solo textures and keyboard work. The sounds of the South American Prog of the ’70s combine with the personal and modern traits of the artist. The shorter track of the album “Tigre de Papel” opens with acoustic guitar arpeggios and a deep bass line on which keyboard orchestrations are inserted. With a change come heavier guitar riffs and the sound becomes harder, with the entry of the vocal and the guitar that takes the stage combining prog and Hard Rock. In the central part a softer cue soon gives way to a second part close to Prog Metal, with pompous keyboards and a final with melancholic arpeggios of piano and guitar. An albun with some good passages and ideas, moving the sound towards a more Heavy Prog than the debut, mixing with the Symphonic features that characterize the project. Good mixes between guitar and keyboards that offer some noteworthy solo cues, the rhythmic session is solid and full of tempo changes. In some passages the sound is less incisive, but it is my humble opinion, an aspect that can still be improved and that has little impact overall. A listening recommended for lovers of Prog sounds with that Symphonic touch characteristic of the South American bands of the ’70s revisited in a modern chive and mixed at times more Heavy.
Tracklist
01. Por Siempre (08:28)
02. Alcanzar (09:32)
03. Mundo Real (16:12)
04. Tigre de Papel (06:06)
05. Suite (11:40)
Lineup
Eduardo Martinez / Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar and Bass
Pablo Martinez / Acoustic Piano, Minimoog, Lead, Pad, Harp2600 and Hammond Organ
Gabriel Bikerway / Drums, Marimba and Percussion
Guest Artist:
Lara Ausensi / Voice on Tracks 1 and 4