KOTEBEL: Omphalos

Cover	Release	Style
	2006-06	Art Music
	Label
	Musea Records
	Website
	Kotebel
	Contact
	-
	Playing Time	Cat. N°
	68:23	FGBG4652.AR
	Review by	Rating
	Danny	9/10
nederlands	Review
Fascinating, that’s the word I have been searching during the last few times I listened to this music. It says on the back of the CD digipack, “File under Art Music” and that’s what this is, a fine piece of art. This must be a revelation for every genuine progressive rock fan. Kotebel is a Spanish progressive rock band, which was initially a project founded by Carlos Plaza. This is their fourth album and their best so far. Kotebel knows the art of mixing a lot of styles, producing a special style, which I can only call Kotebel music. It’s filled with progressive rock, complex structures, classical music and jazz influences. The albums opens with the great 13 minute track “Ra”, loaded with complex pieces, classical parts on the flute, rock music on guitar and the angelic voice of Carolina, sometimes playing each others themes, which gives a total different view to the parts. The main part of this album is the 30 minute track “Pentacle’s Suite”. To give you an impression of the variation, I give you a short description of the 6 parts of this epic. “Prologue” contains beautiful operatic vocals on an ambient background. An ambient atmosphere built up with flute and percussion. “Sun Pentacle” is complex with a Crimson, Gentle Giant feeling with lots of keyboards and guitar solos, which make a perfect fluent switch to melodic parts. “Mercury Pentacle” is built around operatic vocals (incredible voice) and acoustic guitar. An ambient tune and an awesome melody on flute. It ends with a ballad worthy guitar solo. Flute, piano and cello give “Venus Pentacle” a classical music touch, while the “March Pentacle” is more complex and jazzy. Finally, “Epilogue” is a more symphonic ending for this great suite. And that’s not it, because there are three other tracks. “MetroMnemo” is build around a very complex guitar solo, very Crimsonian with a touch of Holdsworth. “Joropo” is a very rhythmic piece with flute and piano, topped off with a duel between flute and keyboards at the end. “Omphalos”, the title song is the most difficult part of the album, with a mix of all the styles, previously mentioned. This album is a real challenge for the progressive (rock) music lover. Either you like it or you don’t. There’s no in between. (you can find some samples on www.kotebel.com ) It’s certainly the best album of Kotebel so far, so you should start with this one and if you like it, buy one or more of his previous albums. For me, it was a real discovery and it is still revealing its secrets while I’m playing it again.
Musicians
Carlos Plaza: Keyboards Adriana Plaza: Keyboards Omar Acosta: Flutes Carlos Franco: Drums & Percussion Jaime Pascual: Bass César Garcia Forero: Guitars Carolina Prieto: Vocals Guest Musicians: Miguel Rosell Arreaza: Cello
Tracklist
Ra (13'10) Excellent Meat (8'51) Pentacle's Suite (I. Prologue) (1'36) Pentacle's Suite (II. Sun Pentacle) (5'20) Pentacle's Suite (III. Mercury Pentacle) (7'26) Pentacle's Suite (IV. Venus Pentacle) (4'22) Pentacle's Suite (V. Mars Pentacle) (6'38) Pentacle's Suite (VI. Epilogue) (4'49) MetroMnemo (4'15) Joropo (4'53) Omphalos (6'57)
Discography
Structures (2001) Mysticae Visiones (2001) Fragments of Light (2003) Omphalos (2006)


Beekstraat 1 - B-2640 Mortsel - Belgium