SONUS UMBRA

Brittany on stage.

Shadows Made Of Sound

By Carlos Zaldivar

Shadows on the road behind.

Shadows on the road ahead.

Nothing can stop us now.

Neil Peart

INTRODUCTION.

It started in Mexico the project of a band, which was called RADIO SILENCE beginning of the nineties. Luis Nasser, Ricardo Gómez and Andrés Aullet started the project. Today Luis is the stronghold and the only original member of the band. Back then, in 1994, the band disintegrates and the following year Luis and Ricardo took the project carto the US, but after two years, there were no good results.

Luis, as it should be, persists with RADIO SILENCE and 1997 calls Andrés and Ricardo and edit the “Laughter in the Dark" album, which is a well received and with great omens.

For the next year the band changes its name to "Shadows Made of Sound" in Latin: "SONUS UMBRA".

Under this name they edited three albums:

2000 - Snapshot from Limbo

2003 - Spiritual Vertigo, and

2005 - Digging for Zeros

With some changes in the Line Up in 2013 was born the album: “Winter Soulstice", which is well received and (for me) is a brain orgasm. In fact all albums are.

For this year, 2016, edited "Beyond the Panopticon".

Any album of SONUS UMBRA that you, dear reader, do not have… deserves a punishment. Well, no, just kidding.

CONCERT.

I heard the "Digging for Zeros" and was impressed by the music. Immediately I researched and I became a huge fan of this band born in Mexico.

I got the other albums and finally in recent month May, a rumour spread that SONUS UMBRA was visiting Mexico City. Then I began to be aware, every day, about news on their sites.

Little activity on the site and suddenly, on Monday June 13 this year, I saw the flyer announcing that SONUS UMBRA will be presented the next day at the HOBOS Bar in San Angel (A Mexican suburb). I had to cross the entire city and time was short. But no matter. I would move heaven, earth and sea to be there. (And I did).

Before this, I heard the new album "Beyond the Panopticon" to warm my mood up.

Great!

So, around 8:50 pm on Tuesday 14^th, we arrived at HOBOS Bar to enjoy such a great band.

An exquisite concert, full of Rock, Pop, Prog - Metal and music for the soul, the heart and feed the bloodstreams of our body. Everything was an ecstasy!

Listen live to such great legends of good music, and catalogued as "elitist" because they exist only for “true connoisseurs music lovers” and fans of this kind of music.

The HOBOS Bar became then a shrine to Metal, Pop, and Rock and Progressive which were great musicians.

Very few people, good service and an exquisite show.

In addition we could enjoy the first successes of SONUS UMBRA played by musicians of yesteryear.

It notes that the band has two vocalists, male and female: Roey Ben - Yoseph and Brittanny Lee Moffitt; the privileged and exquisite voice SONUS UMBRA.

By the way, SONUS UMBRA has its base in Chicago, Ill.

And we’ll see you soon, friends.

BRITTANY.

Well, I think this is the first review where I make a special space to dedicate a few lines to this great vocalist: Brittany Lee Moffitt.

She walked up to the stage with a very beautiful dress, straight hair, long, clear and very well groomed. A dark sweater, long, which she would take it off later. Beautiful arms holding the microphone still in my mind.

Seeing her up on stage and grab it, taking the mic and delight us with her sublime voice, was an remarkable experience.

Beautiful and charismatic. Humble and good-natured. Ipso facto I took some selfies with her and I can assure you that she is part of a generation of musicians who presents a long way in music world and that in a few years, she will become a legend. Then, when that time comes, I may boast: I met "years ago" and that I have her autograph in my T-shirt.

This was your first time in Mexico City, and I'll will see you next time and take you out for dinner. Sure I will.

Thank you very much for sharing your voice, music and your presence on stage.

Applause!

A special hugs for my bros Jonathan & Hugo, and the Troopers we enjoyed.

Thanks!

SONUS UMBRA Line Up:

Luis Nasser and me.

Roey Ben-Yoseph - Lead Vocals.

Brittany Moffitt - Lead Vocals.

Rich Poston - Electric Guitar, Keyboards.

Steve Royce - Flute, Keyboards, Vocals.

Tim McCaskey - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals.

Andy Tillotson - Drums, Acoustic Guitar.

Luis Nasser - Bass.

CAGED IN MEMORIES

Anima Tempo. Their Debut.

 

Portrait "Caged In Memories"

INTRO

Finally today, January 9^th, comes to light the already highly anticipated album of this Mexican band: CAGED IN MEMORIES.

It was a long wait, but it is already here.

Some years ago I met who for me, is the best drummer of Mexico, Carlos Carbajal. I saw him studying and playing music sometimes. Then I went to see him playing with a band called CAUSTIC-X.

Very good band. A sound very Progressive and Metal, although on that occasion there was a song in Spanish, which I could not digest well, “Alas de Cristal”.

Since 2011 they were announcing their album "Caged in Memories" and the release for some “year”… soon.

I have seen this band on several occasions, at the “Heavy Metal Sports Bar”, “Chocolat Bar”, “Monster Rock Bar”, “Club 27 Live” and recently at “La Comandancia METAL”.

And like some bands, CAUSTICA-X evolved and those changes were to improve and mature a little bit musically.

This team, today has become in... ANIMA TEMPO.

And well, recently I had the enormous opportunity and pleasure of attending the LISTENING PARTY to taste THE FULL ALBUM and enjoy it song by song.

ANIMA TEMPO is the band that already enjoyed to go to Finland to play and "mingle” with superb bands.

THE ALBUM

The investment of time, money and effort are reflected in this fantastic work. Changes in plans, fixing new routes and finally with a world-class production, today goes on sale, globally the official debut of ANIMA TEMPO with their: CAGED IN MEMORIES.

An album that addresses family / social issues that somehow all we have had or have seen them, but that ultimately have the notion that there are and cannot hide them.

First of all, it’s an album not suitable for people who don't have a well-educated ear for this kind of music. It is PROG - METAL of first level where the voices play a very important role, between the fine and the growls that give a full flavor.

On the other hand, you have to know to revel in a conceptual album where the lyrics, performances and music take a history, an end... a pleasure!

It is an album that indeed: actually not all the songs are different, they are "part" of a complete concept. And it is that there are albums where all the songs are different, have no links between them and are still very good. There are albums that you can't buy just a song, because you'd have an incomplete history. You can't go to the library and ask the chapters 3 and 8 of a book. You buy a “complete” book. Thus it is CAGED IN MEMORIES. Equal and even sounds throughout the album are highlighted, and when reflected that we "are living" the album, the history.

It is an album that you cannot enjoy the most on public transport or at a party; it should enjoy the most carefully, VERY LOUD, with awareness and taking possession of the characters in each song.

This first debut, contains 7 exquisite songs, where keyboards are those who guide us throughout history. These play an important role because they are well used and never exaggerated; as in other bands. Keyboards, usually accompany other instruments, on other occasions not protrude; and in others, as in Anima Tempo, they play a very important role, and it is when I conclude that the musicians are a great team. They are a full band.

Spectacular beginning with the introduction of the song LAST AWAKENING. From the first seconds it captivates our ears and the attention grows. What a great drums wow!

Followed by CONFESSIONS and ART OF DECEPTION, where the quality of the instrumentation grows. That classic sound that takes us back to epic stories in the world, but now at a personal and family level.

SCARLET ANGEL, which I like most, has a sublime touch and voice, is to a certain tone, somewhat sweet, with a lot of feeling.

After an instrumental track, which by the way I didn't like to much, is the intro, and seconds later I lost part of the story, but after a minute it redeems the composer. Here we could make a parenthesis and write the letter that we are feeling about.

CELLOPHANE EYES is as follows and is the song of the album that has been promoting. It is an extraordinary song that well may represent a PROG - METAL in High Level around the world, of course, representing Mexico.

And to close with a superb track, a magnificent composition of more than seventeen minutes, and is the homonymous song of this album. CAGED IN MEMORIES is an exact duration where unfold three parts: DESPERATION, CONTRITION & ACCEPTANCE.

In truth, what a little bit I've written is exactly that: "a little bit". You must have it and enjoy it because so far, you may complete this brief review onto a huge story of Music and Pleasure.

It’s an extraordinary production by Dante Granados (Mexico) and Erik Mikalsen (Norway).

In stores: already at this time.

THE BAND

ANIMA TEMPO is:

Gian Granados - Voice and Guitar

Dante Granados - Lead guitar / Synths

Daniel Gonzalez - Growls / Guitar

Pedro Vera - Bass

Antonio Guerrero - Drums

What I love and at the same time I am impressed is the intellectual, cultural and musical “state of mind” of this quintet to make this kind of music. Moreover the talent of Dante to compose and produce it.

What a BAND!

And the hardest thing is to give a rating. Some people always ask me why the 10, and it is not easy. It is 10 for astonishing bands, like Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Pain of Salvation, Mystery and others. But no doubt nor sure that Anima Tempo, become bigger and astonishing, and in that moment, deserve a 10. 

While that moment, with humility and appreciation, I give them a 9 for this album.

And see you in your next concert, soon.

PROG - METAL, proudly Mexican, as the level of any other Nordic bands.

 Cellophane Eyes