ANIMA MUNDI: The Lamplighter (PROGRESSIVE ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

It seems that the three years between the release of Anima Mundi's new album and "The Way", the previous one, have been a period of change. Some rumours had spread about the band's separation, but in the end, only Carlos Sosa would have left the ship, leaving his place to a new singer: Emmanuel Pirko-Farrath.

The couple Virginia Peraza - Roberto Díaz being at the origin of all the compositions, one could hardly expect great upheavals in the style of the Cuban group. Unlike "The Way" which only had four tracks, this "The Lamplighter" offers us nine, but, if you look at it better, you can see that in reality we have two suites of four tracks each plus an epilogue.

As an opening, "On Earth Beneath The Stars" starts off gently with piano and flute sounds, then Emmanuel Pirko-Farrath introduces us to his voice, which is generally lower than that of his predecessor. vocals are the first element that makes a real difference with Anima Mundi's past productions and, if during the first listening, we can find it too wise, it becomes more and more endearing. Emmanuel sings in a lower register than Carlos, with less emphasis, but with a depth, a phrasing, a power that fits well into the band's music.

If the musical orientation remains firmly rooted in the symphonic, the compositions seem less demonstrative, less pompous. Perhaps some will regret this relative wisdom, but the album is more refined and, as a result, exciting as you listen to it. The developments and soli, shorter than on "The Way", are no less numerous and of high quality, so that the listener, a little allergic to the musical digressions that extend over time, will find it beneficial. The sharing between each instrument and between music and vocal is more equitable, each speaker ideally standing next to the others like a perfectly adjusted puzzle. Virginia (keyboards) and Roberto (guitar) are always irreproachable in their playing, but less forward than on "The Way". The rhythm section is so well integrated into the whole that its effectiveness is barely noticeable.

"The Lamplighter" marks a slight change of direction for Anima Mundi that could disorient pure and hard fans of thundering symphonism, but this new opus reveals all its richness listening after listening. And this is what we expect from music described as progressive. By concentrating a little bit on their subject, the Cuban group gains in finesse what they lose in eloquence. - Official website

ANIMA MUNDI

THE LAMPLIGHTER

AUTOPRODUCTION

PROGRESSIVE ROCK