ABRAXAS  

“Abraxas”
(Ars Mundi, 1996)

Members:
Adam Lassa (voice), Szymon Brzezinski (guitars), Marcin Blaszczyk (keys and flute),
Rafal Ratajczak (bass) and Marcin Mak (drums and percussions)

The Polish quintet Abraxas got the attention from the same moment of the edition of its homonymous disk of premiere. Their style was framed under the rules of the neo-prog in the fundamental features, but they were not limited to follow melodic clichés characteristic of this subgender, but rather they incorporated elements of Gothic court and etno-coalition with the purpose of enriching its compositions and arrangements. In fact, the origin of the band goes back to the second half of the 80s, that which gave them experience and maturity from a lot before having the first opportunity to offer to the world its material engraving. 

Adam Lassa's vocal registration is really attractive: he works their cadence in a playful way and evocative with you break, murmurs, and contained and solemn laments of Hammill's influence. The musicians, on the other hand, demonstrate to be an it assembles very adjusted: the alone of guitar, and the alone ones and keyboard curtains find a good anchor in the rhythmic section. 

The disk begins with a brief and agile instrumental titled “Before”, which connects with “Tarot”, a complex and well elaborated track that it puts us in warning of the unfolding of melodic creativity and wealth of textures that we are come along the disk. Others of the tracks that exhibit a high level of creativity and progressive sophistication are “Alhambra”, “Ajudah” and “Tabula Rasa”. “Dorian Gray” it is another quite sophisticated track, although it doesn't have the extension of those previously mentioned ones. On the other hand, "Inferno" and “Kameleon” they show the most cheerful side in the band, while “De Profundis” it lowers the force a little to exhibit a melancholicer and rested facet, but without never losing the expressive intensity. 

In conclusion, a disk that doesn't have loses for the quantity of progressive resources that exhibits, and in retrospective, a colossal opening for a discographic career that, in spite of its brevity, it must be magnificent, just as we notice when revising its following works. 

César Inca