Aether - Visions

Year of Release: 2000
Label: self-released
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 50:14:00

Strange as it may seem but Visions took twenty years in the making! Musicians came and went all leaving behind a little seed which now blooms as Aether.

This Brazilian foursome mainly tries to create an atmosphere. This is mainly reserved to the lush, bombastic keyboards of Alberto Curi. Once the guitar is introduced it almost takes the drums in it's slipstream. "Whales" almost sounds like a classical fanfare yet the drums sound very synthetic which is a shame as it's a real drummer here and not a drum machine. I also don't like the fact the guitar is so distorted. That distortion seems like a trademark for Vincinius Brazil because it's also over the vocal track "A New Bright Day." All of the other material is strictly instrumental except for the poor narration in "Kings & Knights," a laidback song with Solution references. "November" sounds like Richard Clayderman on guitar; in other words: pure muzak. The following six songs are grouped as "Altenburg Suite" a very atmospheric piece and certainly the highlight on this album. The piece sports some nice arrangements as in "The Sun On The Tower," a wonderful violin solo in "The Lake" and some nice church organ and piano in "Essence Of Freedom."

There are some nice touches on Vision yet it is totally unacceptable that a band with a real drummer records its drums as if they were coming out of the cheapest drum machine. As a follow-up they certainly should be more daring. MUCH more daring !

Tracklisting:
Millennium (3:39) / Autumn (4:15) / Whales (5:30) / A New Bright Day (5:11) / Trindade Island (3:37) / Kings & Knights (4:47) / November (3:02) / Altenburg Suite : The Arrival At The Castle (1:24) / Voices From The Past (1:29) / The Birth Of A Morning (0:59) / The Sun On The Tower (2:54) / The Lake (4:55) / Essence Of Freedom (5:40) / The Woods (3:45) / The Ocean (2:27)

Musicians:
Alberto Curi - keyboards, vocals
Vinicius Brazil - acoustic, electric & synth guitars
Fernando Carvalho - electric and synth bass
Brandon Ramos - drums

Discography:
Visions (2000)
Inner Voyages Between Our Shadows (2002)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin BR

Added: September 1st 2000
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.geocities.com/aetherband
Hits: 3208
Language: english