Mago De Oz - Finisterra


Year of Release: 2001
Label: Locomotive Music
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 108:29:00

Another one of the heavy, superbly orchestrated Spanish bands improving with age is Mago De Oz (translated - Wizard of Oz). Borrowing heavily from the classics, using both flute and violin throughout their music, these guys deliver the goods and then some. While the two hour double set, Finisterra was released in Europe over a year ago, it's seeing the light of day in North America now thanks to Locomotive Music.

Each album in the Mago De Oz catalogue borrows heavily from the mid-to-late seventies school of hard rock. Melody, guts, emotion and a vintage sound are all important to the band. There are only one or two weak tracks to this set. A few classic tunes from artists like Jethro Tull, Rainbow - and even the traditional melody used by Simon And Garfunkle in "Scarborough Fair" - are used, as well as the bulk of original material.

All singing is in Spanish but this is certainly not distracting in the least. MDO's version of Jethro Tull's "Kelpie" is a ballsy, chunky ride with an excellent rendition of the flute intro in the original. CD 2 is the better of the two (though CD 1 is great, too!) and the ambitious opus ends with the magnificent 16 minute title track, "Finisterra." This song utilizes complete choral orchestration and several movements to make it a progressive hard rock masterpiece.

Mago De Oz is not afraid to rock hard, but their many gentle ballads are exquisitely beautiful without becoming cheesy like the power ballads of so many others in this genre.

And with the use of violin, acoustic/classical guitar and flute throughout, the music has a folkish, medieval feel to it. At times the band almost sounds Celtic.

Mago De Oz is one of the best progressive hard rock bands around and their double CD, Finisterra, is jam packed with value. Not only from the point of view of the amount of good music, but also from the exquisite packaging. Check these Spanish boys out.


The complete artwork for Mago De Oz - Finisterra


Tracklisting:
Disc 1: Pr?logo / Satania / La Cruz De Santiago / La Danza Del Fuego / Hasta Que El Cuerpo Aguante / El Se?or De Los Gramillos / Polla Dura No Cree En Dios / Maite Zaitut / Duerme / Es Hora De Marchar

Disc 2: Fiesta Pagana / El Que Quiera Entender Que Entienda / Los Renglones Torcidos De Dios / Kelpie / Tres Tristes Tigres / A Costa Da Morte / La Santa Compa?a / Conxuro / Astaroth / Finisterra

Musicians:
Txus - drums
Mohamed - viol?n
Carlitos - lead guitar
Frank - guitar
Salva - bass
Jos? - voice and keyboards

Discography:
Mago De Oz (1994/1999)
Jesus De Chamberi (1996)
La Leyenda De La Mancha (1998)
Finisterra (2001)
Folkergeist (2002)
Gaia (CD+DVD) (2003)
Belfast (CD+DVD) (2004)
Gaia II (2005) Madrid Las Ventas (2005)

A Costa Da Rock (2003) (DVD)

Genre: Progressive Folk

Origin ES

Added: September 23rd 2002
Reviewer: RIPZ
Score:
Artist website: www.magodeoz.com
Hits: 2599
Language: english

  

[ Back to Reviews Index | Post Comment ]