Mago De Oz - Folkergeist

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Locomotive Records
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 101:00:00

There are some bands that will never let you down. Such is the case with Mago De Oz, my musical love story. Since I discovered this band, two years ago, I have never been. These guys amaze me! Their music, although it sounds a lot like Skyclad's, can be really difficult to describe, for, in a single album, they manage to blend in many different musical influences, ranging from folk and hard rock to touches of power metal. To make sure they have the most genuine sound, they don't fear to use real violins, flutes and other classical and folkloric instruments.

Two years after the launch of their more than acclaimed Finnestera album, I was eager to hear what they would release next. Would they be able to outshine their best work so far? It seems like I, and you, will have to wait until their next album, since this time around Mago de Oz decided to release a live album. I think, in their case, that it is fair enough, having already recorded four albums over the past ten years.

The question I often ask myself, when a band decides to release a live album is: "Will they be able to translate on stage what they record in the studio?" In Mago the Oz's case, the answer is, without a doubt, YES. What I like most when listening to live albums is having the impression that this is raw material and not overdubbed in a studio afterwards. And Folktergeist gives me just that! The band delivers as much energy to the live crowd as it usually does to the listeners on their studio albums. In the background, it is possible to hear the crowd going crazy and singing along to all the lyrics (hearing them sing in their mother tongue Spanish is quite impressive). Hearing them shout and sing when they are asked to (and even when they are not!) is a great aural sensation. After listening to this almost one-hour long album, I felt completely revived and full of energy.

The song selection covers, quite nicely I should say, all of their albums, which makes this live output an excellent "Best of" to start up with if you're still new to Mago de Oz's music. If you're already a solid fan, you will enjoy every single minute of this album.

Similar bands: Skyclad

[This review originally appeared January 2003 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
Disc One: Satania / Maritormes / El Que Quiera Entender Que Entienda / El Santo Grial / El Lago / Hasta Que El Cuerpo Aguante / El Cantar De La Luna Oscura / La Leyenda De La Mancha / Pensando En Ti

Disc Two: Jes?s De Chamberi / El Pacto / Requiem / La Santa Compa?a / Astaroth / La Danza Del Fuego / Fiesta Pagana / Hasta Que Tu Muerte Nos Separe / Molinos De Viento

Musicians:
Jos? - vocals
Frank - guitars, vocals
Carlitos - guitars, vocals
Sergio - bass
Fernando - flute, vocals
Mohamed - violin, vocals
Txus - drums, vocals
Kiskilla - 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: January 17th 2005
Reviewer: Mathieu Chamberland
Score:
Artist website: www.magodeoz.com
Hits: 1783
Language: english