Formed in Chile in 1994 La Desoorden's body of work is represented in the form of conceptual albums which tackle important historical events in their native country. After a period which saw the band release a couple of independent CD's, La Isla De Los Muertos originally issued in 2004 is the album which put them on the map so to speak. My review copy I believe to be a re-release issued in 2007 that comes in an elaborately produced digipak. The story of La Isla De Los Muertos revolves around The Baker Operating Company and the land they occupied within Chile in the early part of the twentieth century, and how approximately 200 men, women and children came to perish in the area known as the Isle of The Dead.
I'd classify the music on La Isla De Los Muertos as basic, straight ahead rock with some jazz and folk undertones. An early highlight musically is the second track "Pardos fueron frente al mar" which clocks in at just over seven and half minutes. Although I wouldn't necessarily call it progressive rock per se, but this song does shift tempos and moods quite effectively. It also features some vibrant sax playing from Peter Pfeifer. "Me pregunto entre todas las preguntas" begins with a bit of spoken word (all vocals on the album are sung in Spanish by the way) before guitarist Alfonso Banda rips off a brief but searing solo on this two minute instrumental.
However after listening to La Isla De Los Muertos many times in its entirety, my feelings about the music were always the same. I just wasn't moved by this one at all and I kept hoping for a little more fireworks, and just that one little spark musically that would come along and make me really sit up and take notice, unfortunately it never happened.
Track Listing
1) Transformación del mito
2) Pardos fueron frente al mar
3) Algo tenía que ver la luna
4) Pero dios los visita
5) Me pregunto entre todas las preguntas
6) En los ojos de la muerte
7) Caleta tortel (puente)
8) Seguramente encontraremos
9) Las palabras viajan en el viento
10) Bajo pisagua (puente)
11) Lo que ha quedado es sólo esto
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