From the ominous opening synthesizer sequence to the tumultuous finale, this sophomore release from Argentina’s Nexus is a breathtaking platter of progressive rock. While the bands first CD was a credible statement, Metanoia simply blows it away on all fronts, and literally left me breathless.
I simply cannot say enough about the talents of keyboard player Lalo Huber. He is all over the place here, laying down magnificent Keith Emerson inspired flashes of brilliance on organ, piano and synthesizer. In fact the band combines some elements that really give them a unique sound. In addition to Huber’s symphonic wall of sound, there is the hard rock guitars of Carlos Lucena, the nimble bass of Daniel Ianniruberto, the pounding drums of Luis Nakamura, and the powerful, majestic vocals of Mariela Gonzalez. The best way to describe this band is like a Spanish version of Cairo, but with female vocals. Most of the tracks are quite lengthy, and contain many parts, so as you can guess the instrumental sections clearly outweigh the vocal pieces. Give Mariela credit, when she has the spotlight, she really lets it rip! To list the songs that standout would be pointless, but I will make mention of “En Las Manos de Dois (In the Hands of God)” and “Tan Cerca del Fuego (So Close to the Fire)” as two that are simply mind blowing. The mixture of melody and complexity to Huber’s playing is outstanding, and the heavy guitars add a nice balance to the music. Fans longing for the glory days of ELP will no doubt dig this immensely. Highest recommendations here folks!
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