The Latest Releases of the Spanish Prog

Track list:

1. Sephiroth (4:17)
2. Hermits (10:46)
   1. Initiation
   2. Song of the ascet
   3. Transit
   4. The last of the lasts
   5. John Roundeau's jig
3. Xiöngmao I (the cat-bear) (1:13)
4. Wendigo (7:11)
5. Duet for hang and bass (2:09)
6. Mama Todorka (2:02)
7. Ishak the fisherman (12:04)
   1. The rebel genius
   2. Half man half stone
   3. The castle of the one hundred maidens
   4. The great secret
   5. Ishak returns home
8. Eight touts (3:03)
9. Midnight sun (13:34)
   1. Colourless world
   2. The dance of the automatons
   3. Far away
   4. The great deceit
   5. Taiga
   6. Midday shade
10. Xiöngmao II (0:41)
11. Abaddon's bolero (8:06)

Line-up:

• Robert Santamaria: keyboards, accordion, saz, 12-string guitar, santur, kanun, dulcimer, autoharp, xilophone, glockenspiel, hang, percussions)
• Manel Mayol: flute, didgeridoo, cbacking vocals,
• Mireia Sisquella: saxes,
• Marta Segura: vocals,
• Alan Chehab: bass,
• Renato DiPrinzio: drums
  +
• Pablo Tato: guitar in 8, 9,
• Andrés Olaegui: guitar in 3,
• Víctor Estrada: spanish guitar in 9,
• Branislav Grbic: violin in 3, 6, 7, 8, 11,
• Pepe Andreu: winds in 4, 7, 8, 9, 11,
• Marta Riba: backing vocals in 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11,
• Nuri Sabate and Marie Weckkesser: backing vocals in 6,
• Moi Perez: tibetan chant in 4, harmonics in 1, 7,
• Luis Blanco: vibraslap

Tras su album Quentadharkën de 2004 aquí está el nuevo CD de la formación de folk-rock progresivo Amarok. En el nuevo disco, Robert está asistido por otros cinco miembros en la banda y una serie de músicos invitados, en instrumentos como las guitarras eléctrica y española, violín, trompeta, etc. El sonido de Amarok hunde sus raíces en la música folk/étnica pero está en el borde del jazz, fusión y el rock sinfónico. Los clímax son a menudo orientales, debido a las buenas voces de Marta Segura (potente y expresiva), que te lleva a Arabia, Turquía o Irán.

(Escrito por Erik Neutboom)

After their album Quentadharkën from 2004 here is the new CD by Spanish progressive folk formation Amarok (which means wolf in Eskimo language). On the new album, Robert is assisted by five other band memebers and a serie of guest musicians on instruments like electric and Spanish guitar, violin, trumpet, Tibetan chant and cymbals. The sound of Amarok is firmly rooted in folk/ethnic music but it scouts the border with jazz, fusion and symphonic prog. The climates are often Eastern sounding, due to the great vocals by Marta Segura (powerful and expressive), she carries you away to Arabia, Turkey and Iran!

(Written by Erik Neuteboom)

• web site
  
• Contact: manelpm@eresmas.net  (Manel Mayol)
  
• Entry for Amarok in the spanish progressive encyclopedia.
  
• Review of this album.