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░ ██ ██ Artist: Cast ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Power and Outcome █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2017 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2017-12-10 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Progressive Promotion Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ The first song "Rules of the Desert" starts the █
█ album in such uptempo mood and with a punchy style █
█ that I thought it was another band. This song is █
█ instrumental and the presence of the violin that █
█ will be constant throughout the album add a little █
█ touch to the music. The second song "Power and █
█ Outcome" bring back the vocals and reassure me █
█ that it's still the Cast traditional style. The █
█ band is back with his style of symphonic music █
█ with piano and classical arrangements. The vocals █
█ remind me of some Neo-Prog bands of the 80's and █
█ 90's which fortunately is not ruining the talented █
█ songwriting. The third track is a beautiful and █
█ peaceful ballad. "Start Again" is another █
█ instrumental track taking us back to the first █
█ song tempo but this time the guitar is taking his █
█ spot with the keyboards of Louis Alfonso Vidales. █
█ The song shows some impressive instrumental parts █
█ where the guitar is left lose in some exquisite █
█ solos. "Illusions and Tribulations" is another █
█ great track and the best way to enjoy the vocals █
█ when the music is quieter. This is a strong album █
█ of the band with some Genesis and Kansas █
█ influences that will please a bunch of Progressive █
█ Rock fans. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ The last album I reviewed from the Mexican prog █
█ masters was 'Beyond Reality', more than twenty █
█ years ago, so when I saw this pop out of the █
█ envelope I had a huge smile on my face. I have █
█ lost touch with the guys and the many albums they █
█ have released in the intervening period, but I █
█ know that I used to like them and was sure that I █
█ would enjoy this. It wasn't too long afterwards, █
█ that I was telling everyone who would listen that █
█ this was a masterpiece, and I found that those who █
█ had already heard it were saying the same thing. █
█ The comment I had back from one reviewer I value █
█ very highly was that as soon as he first started █
█ playing it the only decision he had to make was █
█ whether it was a 4* album or a 5* album. I knew █
█ exactly what he meant, except that it was only █
█ halfway through the first listen that I was █
█ convinced that here was an album that not only █
█ deserved a 5* rating, but I knew that I was going █
█ to fall in love with it even more every time I █
█ played it, and that has turned out to be just the █
█ case. █
█ This release is a "review killer" in the sense █
█ that it prevents me from listening to all the █
█ other albums I should be playing as it is just so █
█ good in every single aspect. The majority of this █
█ is instrumental, as there is just no room for █
█ vocals, but the two singers (Bobby Vidales and █
█ Lupita Ancuna) make their presence felt when they █
█ have the opportunity. It's just that when there █
█ are maestros such as those on display, then there █
█ just isn't always the place or time for that █
█ element. They even start with an instrumental that █
█ is nearly twelve minuts long, I mena, is this prog █
█ or what? With three lead melody instruments in █
█ guitar, violin and keyboards, there is an █
█ incredibly amount going on, but they rarely really █
█ show off. One of the exceptions to that is █
█ guitarist Caludio Cudero who tears his instrument █
█ to pieces and shreds like a lunatic in "Ilusions █
█ and Tribulations"; yet this is also a thoughtful █
█ number with some great emotive vocals and █
█ beautiful repetitive piano motifs. █
█ This is an album that has made me incredibly █
█ excited, wanting to shout to the rooftops that the █
█ band I knew and loved in the Nineties have █
█ released a stunning album, yet it is tinged with █
█ disappointment that I lost contact for so long, █
█ and what are the albums like that I have missed █
█ out on! This is definitely going to be a contender █
█ for my personal album of the year as for me this █
█ majestically sums up just about everything I love █
█ about prog music. It is powerful yet melodic, full █
█ of instrumental brilliance and simplicity, layered █
█ and complex yet also is full of space and plenty █
█ of room for everyone to breathe and show just what █
█ they can do. █
█ This is a stunning album, and to my ears is █
█ essential. Nothing more, nothing less. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Very bombastic and majestic symphonic prog █
█ straight out of the 70s but with modern █
█ arrangements delivered by Cast in their 19th (!) █
█ studio album. Strong references to classical █
█ music, guitars often verging on neo-classical █
█ themes and riffs and a very strong violin presence █
█ in Roberto Izzo sort of complete the puzzle. In █
█ the more than 70 minutes of this album, the music █
█ is very diverse, at times overfilled with complex █
█ structures, relentless soloing and changing of █
█ speeds and themes, almost a cinematic approach to █
█ dragons, queens and castles. The album cover █
█ points to that sort of thematography with clear █
█ references to Genesis (is that Peter Gabriel?) and █
█ Marillion. █
█ The strongest references are to Kansas and █
█ especially their earlier works. Cast are not █
█ afraid to experiment with extended song structures █
█ and this pays off to a very inspired and majestic █
█ outcome - the lengthy opener ''Rules of the █
█ Desert'' is a great example of this. Musically and █
█ lyrically there is not much that I can pick upon, █
█ apart from the vocals and vocal lines. The effort █
█ to over-express themselves leads to vocal lines █
█ that sound to me slightly out of tune with the █
█ music, while the accent and the way of singing can █
█ put the listener off from enjoying the full █
█ grandiose of the compositions. There is something █
█ here that does not quite match and is difficult to █
█ figure out, but definitely an area for improvement █
█ in order to produce a truly memorable output. █
█ Other than this, ''Power and Outcome'' is an █
█ orgasm of melodies and structures, a 70-min Song █
█ for America or Cheyenne Anthem missing the catchy █
█ vocals and refrains. The musicianship needs to be █
█ discovered even if you don't enjoy the full █
█ spectre as I did. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Virtuosic instrumental symphonic prog from these █
█ Mexican masters. "Power and Outcome" makes me want █
█ to go back into their discography since my last █
█ listen to anything by them was 2008's █
█ "Originallis"--which was brilliant. How can such █
█ an amazingly talented band fly so far under the █
█ Prog World radar? █
█ 1. "Rules of the Desert" (Instrumental) (11:35) █
█ the first four and a half minutes are monotonous █
█ but after that things take off and impress. █
█ Definitely has at times an "overture" feel to it. █
█ The final five minutes are jaw-dropping █
█ astounding. (9/10) █
█ 2. "Power and Outcome" (7:25) great start with █
█ awesome piano work and beautiful strings support. █
█ Awesome vocal, never over the top, always fully █
█ invested and in the pocket. Great synth bank █
█ supported electric guitar solo followed by █
█ beautiful violin solo in the middle instrumental █
█ section. A top three song for me. In the same vein █
█ as 1995 Polish NeoProggers COLLAGE. (9.5/10) █
█ 3. "Details: a) Circle Spins (5:47) sounds as if █
█ it came from an off-Broadway musical. The whole █
█ production is very theatric, with the piano-base █
█ and solo lead vocal delivering some very poor █
█ lyrics. Way over the top. (7.5/10) █
█ 4. "Details: b) Start Again (Instrumental) (8:43) █
█ uses too many tricks of the late 1980s hair-band █
█ heavy rockers (kick drum, guitar and synth sounds, █
█ and machine gun guitar soloing). (8/10) █
█ 5. "Through Stained Glass (8:46) styled and █
█ vocaled like a 1980-ish STYX song, I must say I █
█ enjoy the melodies and chord progressions. So long █
█ as the drummer stays in support, it's very good █
█ (could be great. The repeated "chorus" of "Vaults, █
█ arches, with the windows" is the weakness.) █
█ Amazing soli and support structures, sounds, and █
█ performances. Those fourth, fifth, and sixth █
█ minutes are PURE PROG MAGIC! As good as COLLAGE █
█ ever did back in the mid-1990s. At the six minute █
█ mark we get a shift and what feels like a switch █
█ in direction, but it's only a side road; a little █
█ mellower but just as well woven and melodically █
█ enrapturing. Violin is given full stage all too █
█ briefly in the eighth minute before the band comes █
█ back together for the full whole-band weave to █
█ end. Another top three song--one of the best prog █
█ songs I've heard this year! (9.5/10) █
█ 6. "Illusions and Tribulations (9:27) starts out █
█ feeling as if it's a continuation of the previous █
█ song. At the two minute mark there is a █
█ distinctive shift which ends up establishing a █
█ setup for an amazing virtuoso guitar solo--the █
█ longest one on the album. As usual, nice keyboard █
█ work throughout. (I love how often little "sneak" █
█ "glimpses" of some rather perfect and awesome █
█ organ work sneak into my ears. At five minutes █
█ male vocal joins piano and strings "classical" █
█ aria section. Nice background vocals here, too. █
█ (9/10) █
█ 7. "The Gathering (8:16) opens, again, feeling as █
█ if a continuation of the song before, with a █
█ minute of wicked-fast keyboard, guitar, and violin █
█ mirrored riffing. The vocal that enters at the end █
█ of that minute is calm and meaningful, sung and █
█ supported instrumentally and b vox so beautifully. █
█ A shift at 2:23 into a kind of Celtic/country them █
█ with piano, organ, and amazingly fast guitar █
█ shredding is unexpected but quickly winning. What █
█ a solo! Almost two minutes worth! Eddie Van Halen █
█ would be proud! This is followed by a turn taken █
█ by the violinist--rather sedate and melodic at █
█ first, but then sneaking into Mark O'Connor or █
█ territory. Another shift at 5:10--back to the █
█ wonderful second section with a reprise of the █
█ vocal structures--is sudden but works. My final █
█ top three song from this album. (9.5/10) █
█ 8. "Conquest" (Instrumental) (3:30) pretty █
█ instrumental with another theatric-recap feeling █
█ to it. Great melodies and soli. Probably the best █
█ theme on the album but it's one, it's short, and █
█ it's difficult to compare it to the long epics █
█ above. (9.5/10) █
█ 9. "Full Circle" (1:57) a vocal piano song that █
█ again gives this album a concept theatric feeling. █
█ Not unwelcomed as this one has more of a █
█ Renaiassance/Classical music feel. Nicely done. █
█ Awesome vocal; practically flawless. (9.5/10) █
█ 10. "Dialect for the 21st Century" (5:16) a nice █
█ song, quite an intricate weave, in which the █
█ drumming is just too front and center during the █
█ first two sections. Once the third section sets up █
█ for the flaming lead guitar solo, the drummer █
█ falls into background in a perfect way. Man, he is █
█ SO good when he's there, in the background, in █
█ support, laying down the base for the █
█ instrumentalists to create their weaves over the █
█ top. (8.5/10) █
█ The drummer is much better as a follower and time █
█ keeper. When he tries to lead and fill with his █
█ flourishes and nuances it becomes overwhelming and █
█ often detracts from the rest of the music. I also █
█ dislike when his bass drum part seems to replicate █
█ the finger play of the keyboard melodies. █
█ 4.5 stars; a near masterpiece of progressive rock █
█ music. Were it not for a few weak spots, this █
█ would surely be one of the finest albums of the █
█ year--especially as it contains five or six of the █
█ finest songs I've heard of the year and a band of █
█ some of the most virtuosic instrumentalists and █
█ songwriters in Prog World. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ I love reviewing prog, but I definitively love █
█ reviewing albums from Mexican bands (I am Mexican) █
█ whose talent should be noticed even in the █
█ furthest frontiers. One of those bands is Cast, a █
█ legendary band with over 30 years of belonging to █
█ this amazing musical realm that gives us a lot of █
█ satisfaction. Cast has a prolific discography with █
█ some line-up changes but with an intact symphonic █
█ prog spirit, which can be appreciated in this new █
█ 2017 release Power and Outcome, an album I like a █
█ lot and that comprises a magnificent line-up in █
█ which Carlos Humar'n returns to the band on bass, █
█ along with the inclusion of violin-maestro Roberto █
█ Izzo. In this album I noticed also singer Bobby █
█ Vidales much more comfortable and with a mature █
█ voice, and of course, Alfonso Vidales continues █
█ creating amazing compositions with the sum of the █
█ talents of Antonio Bringas on drums, Claudio █
█ Cordero on guitar and Lupita Acu'a on backing █
█ vocals. █
█ I recently could see them live and I must say this █
█ line-up knows the business, I mean, they are █
█ friends and family, so what they share in concert █
█ is as great as in studio, their current live sound █
█ is amazing, which is why I am really happy to know █
█ they are touring and happy to know I will see them █
█ again soon in Chicago, when the Progtoberfest █
█ takes place. Well, this new album is very solid, █
█ maybe a bit long, it has a symphonic tendency for █
█ the likes of people who love old school prog and █
█ neo-prog. It features 10 songs and a running time █
█ of 70 minutes. █
█ The album opens with the bombastic 'Rules of the █
█ Desert', a 12-minute epic in which Vidales and co. █
█ take us to a wonderful journey of first class █
█ instrumental prog, there are some vocals █
█ whispered, though, but not sang yet. Cordero's █
█ guitar offers its first solo at minute two; he's █
█ been a crucial member of Cast this new millennium. █
█ Izzo and his violin has also been a wonderful █
█ addition to the band, adding classical, jazzy and █
█ even metal nuances to this symphonic prog feast. █
█ Keyboards are outstanding as usual, Alfonso █
█ Vidales is a first-class keyboard player and █
█ composer, believe me. The title track comes next. █
█ 'Power and Outcome' brings vocals for the first █
█ time, Bobby Vidales as I mentioned earlier, is now █
█ a very mature singer, his voice produces loads of █
█ nuances and emotions, of course, the music might █
█ guide its strength, but his voice is a very good █
█ instrument on Cast's music. █
█ A two-part suite entitled 'Details' comes next. █
█ First 'Circle Spins' brings a soft and tender █
█ sound, maybe a bit pop- oriented. After the first █
█ bombastic tracks they made a considerable change █
█ with this first part of the track, which is a bit █
█ weaker. Its second part is 'Start Again', is █
█ instrumental and much faster and elaborate than █
█ its predecessor, here we can find the perfect █
█ synergy between strings and drums. It is much more █
█ powerful and enjoyable, without a doubt. 'Through █
█ Stained Glass' is a great song where their █
█ potential is shown every single minute. Both, the █
█ instrumental and vocal passages are great, once █
█ again I point out the violin's participation █
█ because it is something we weren't use to enjoy in █
█ Cast's music, so its addition has hit the nail. █
█ One of the best tracks has to be the amazing █
█ 'Illusions and Tribulations', almost 10 minutes of █
█ authentic progressive rock in which all the █
█ instruments play an important role. As you can █
█ imagine, it brings a salad of sounds and a █
█ diversity of changes that let our mind play and █
█ picture different passages. The first half of the █
█ song is completely instrumental, then it slows █
█ down and vocals appear and a new passage is █
█ created for like 3 minutes, then the last part █
█ becomes more emotional and when it finishes you █
█ will have a smile on your face, I assure you. You █
█ will not take a deep breath because 'The █
█ Gathering' starts right away with a fast spirit █
█ and believe me, that spirit prevails the whole █
█ track, so be ready for another bombastic symphonic █
█ episode here. █
█ 'Conquest' is a very visual track, I mean, it █
█ sounds like a soundtrack of some film so one can █
█ imagine different things while the music speaks. █
█ This is a nice short instrumental song. Another █
█ short one is 'Full Circle', piano and vocals are █
█ here first, then the other instruments join little █
█ by little, creating a nice soft atmosphere that █
█ leads to 'Dialect for the 21st Century', the last █
█ song of the album, a very good track to finish an █
█ extraordinary, lengthy but solid album by Cast. █
█ Not to be missed. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Mexican band CAST are veterans in the progressive █
█ rock scene, with a band history going back to 1978 █
█ and a recording history that started in 1994. They █
█ have been signed to several labels over the years, █
█ and have a grand total of 19 studio albums to █
█ their name, in addition to live albums and some █
█ compilations. "Power and Outcome" is their most █
█ recent studio production, and was released through █
█ German label Progressive Promotion Records in █
█ 2017. █
█ If vintage era symphonic progressive rock is a █
█ type of music you tend to appreciate, Cast is a █
█ band you should be familiar with at this point. If █
█ you aren't, this is a band you need to have a go █
█ at. With as many albums to their name as they have █
█ finding a good place to start can be challenging, █
█ but as far as I'm concerned any of their three █
█ most recent productions are excellent points of █
█ entry to the charms of this veteran act. This most █
█ recent one is perhaps a tad more intriguing than █
█ the duo that came before it. All in all a high █
█ quality, excellent example of vintage symphonic █
█ progressive rock. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Rules of the Desert 11:34 ░
░ 2. Power and Outcome 7:24 ░
░ 3. Details (a) Circle Spins 5:45 ░
░ 4. Details (b) Start Again 8:42 ░
░ 5. Thru a Stained Glass 8:43 ░
░ 6. Illusions and Tribulations 9:25 ░
░ 7. The Gathering 8:15 ░
░ 8. Conquest 3:28 ░
░ 9. Full Circle 1:55 ░
░ 10. Dialect for the 21st Century 5:16 ░
░ 70:27 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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