[Review] Policromía – Sintagma

Polichromía is an Argentinian band from Buenos Aires that plays Rock sounds with marked Progressive traits and a Heavy vein. They have released four albums, the new “Sintagma” was released on September 16, 2022 and contains eight medium-length tracks. The album opens with “¿Cómo se llama el ladrón?” a track that immediately immerses us in the band’s progressive sounds. The vocals, in the tradition of Latin-American bands, are melodic, while the music alternates between softer and heavier passages. The interplay between the hard guitar riffs and the keyboards is remarkable, while the rhythm section is solid and gives body to the songs. In the second part, the band develops solo interweavings between guitar and keyboards, before returning to vocals for the last verses and closing. A dreamy atmosphere with guitar arpeggios opens “El signo del estancamiento” the keyboards intertwine and with a tempo change the sound becomes more heavy. Hard guitar riffs and the entrance of vocals and the song develops with modern Prog traits. The rhythm section is solid and is enriched by tempo changes, which allow them to move from more melodic openings to more heavy ones. A fine solo characterises the second part and with the return of the vocal, the track ends. “Obsidional” shows a darker facet of the band’s sound, between heavy guitar riffs intertwined with keyboards and a granitic rhythm section. With the entry of vocals, the track alternates between heavy and softer, more melodic parts, with a sound that combines Heavy Prog and Post-Rock traits with a personal imprinting. The guitar offers an interesting solo in the final part. The heavier side of the band’s sound characterises “Despedida,” track enriched by continuous tempo changes. A mixture of melodic and Progressive traits with Metal overtones and darker atmospheres, creating a personal sound. In the instrumental section, the guitar takes centre stage with an extended solo. Massive guitar riffs and a solid rhythm section open “Cerca del puñal,” which continues the exploration of heavy prog sounds. Tempo changes and melodic inserts counterbalance the more metal sections, with good guitar work and organ inserts. An intense instrumental section is enriched with solo interludes before returning to the vocals and concluding with a crescendo. “Crónica de una época de crisis” is a tight track, with heavy, dark guitar riffs, continuous tempo changes and fine keyboard work in the background. An elaborate blend of genres and styles that keeps the listener exploring the different facets of the band’s sound with fine instrumental parts. A more delicate intro opens “Insignificancia” before returning to the strong sounds that characterise the band. Heavy riffs and a granitic rhythm section, with a modern and markedly personal imprinting thanks to the addition of very modern effects and sounds. In the final part, the solo parts are well crafted and add quality to the song. The shortest track “Oliveros” closes the album, with an intro of arpeggios and more electronic sounds over which a melodic vocal is inserted. With continuous tempo changes the track develops, combining Prog between Rock and Metal and Post-Rock, a massive and powerful track with softer inserts. An album that shows how the band has over time created its own sound with personal traits, combining Prog Rock and Metal with forays into Post-Rock. Melodic parts counterbalance the heavier ones, with good guitar and keyboard work and a solid rhythm section enriched by tempo changes. A recommended listen for lovers of the heavier Prog sounds with melodic, modern and markedly personal inserts.

Tracklist

01. ¿Cómo se llama el ladrón? (04:57)
02. El signo del estancamiento (05:41)
03. Obsidional (05:47)
04. Despedida (06:33)
05. Cerca del puñal (05:53)
06. Crónica de una época de crisis (06:46)
07. Insignificancia (06:06)
08. Oliveros (04:50)

Lineup

Juan Martín Galeano / Bass and Lead Vocals (tracks 1 to 8)
Lucas Emilio Martín / Guitars (tracks 1 to 8) and Backing Vocals (tracks 1, 2, 6 and 7)
Nicolas Abate / Hammond Organ (tracks 1-5, 7-8), Rhodes (tracks 1-6 and 8), Synthesizers (tracks 1 to 8), Grand Piano (tracks 3, 4 and 6)
Gudy Prada / Drums (tracks 1 to 8)

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Author: Jacopo Vigezzi

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