Iceberg were easily one of *the* best Progressive bands
to come from Spain, or anywhere else for that matter. Their music is a
shifting, complex mixture of fusion guitar and symphonic keyboards. "Coses Nostres" is most similar to Return to Forever's "Hymn of
the Seventh Galaxy". Anyone who like's that RTF album will flip
over Iceberg. Guaranteed! The scorching guitar dueling it out with the
sizzling synthesizer will make you drop your jaw. The rhythm section
are mind-blowing, riffing non-stop and enjoining battle with the guitar
and keyboards. Vocals are too scared to get hear this hotbed so it's
instrumental all the way. The subsequent albums reveal a more unique
voice for Iceberg though still a very fusionesque form of symphonic
progressive. Well worth searching out but the LPs are apt to set you
back several dollars. I've seen "Coses Nostres" go for $50-60. It's
worth it. An absolute must if you can find any of the albums. Try for
"Coses Nostres" or "Sentiments" as they're a bit better than
"En Directe" or "Arc En Ciel" though any of these are
fantastic. I haven't heard "Tutankhamon".
(Mike Taylor)
Spanish prog has a reputation of being jazzy. This is with good
reason - most of the bands from Spain that I've heard, such as
Om, Cai,
Guadalquivir, and
Azahar, have a strong fusion or jazz
element. But Iceberg stands out among them as being a top notch
fusion album not only of Spain, but of all time! With a lineup that rivals
those of Return To Forever in terms of skill, "Coses Nostres" is a
fusion-lovers wet dream wi it's masterful drumming and bass playing,
wildly brilliant guitar, and complementing keyboards. Anyone who has
been impressed by the guitar styles of Di Meola or McLaughlin should
hear Iceberg's Max Suñer play. His searing leads travel
the entire neck of the guitar with remarkable fluidity. He avoids the
Rabin-esque playing fast for the sake of playing fast, and instead
combines a traditional Spanish style with the modern rock guitar style
of the seventies. The drummer plays on the level that you might expect
from Lenny White or Billy Cobham. And lets not take anything away
from the keyboardist and bassist, both of whom are excellent. The
music is a complex, time-shifting combination of riffs and leads, with
an all around aura of musicianship that reminds me of Area (only
missing are the vocals and the wild experimentation). Iceberg's themes
are upbeat and bouncy most of the time, but don't let the jazziness turn
you off. If you're into well written and played progressive fusion like
"Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy" era RTF, or "Visions of the
Emerald Beyond" by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Iceberg is a must.
"Coses Nostres" easily makes my top ten fusion favorites.
(Mike Borella).
"Tutankhamon" is their only record with vocals, but fortunately they get
rid of the singer. His sung was pretencious and he used to sing in
English, Spanish and Catalan. (Manuel De Pinedo Garcia).
I must say that all stated above is just true, without a tip of exaggeration.
Nevertheless I miss some commentaries on "Tutankamon".
That was the first Iceberg album, but if one have everyone but this it
can be thought that it is an album of a different band. There is no trace
of fusion in it, but just symphonic rock, in the vein of the stars of that
moment (1975), very brilliant in some occasions that leads to think that
it is an important album, but then it falls in dull stages. In this album
the voice is an element in equal conditions to the rest of instruments
(then, a quintet). "Tutankamon" is a nice record but taking a look
to the latter ones it pales terribly.
(José Manuel Iñesta)
Review of the record "Tutankhamon"
Review of the record "Sentiments" (in spanish)
Review of the record "Coses Nostres" (in spanish)
Review of the record "Arc-en-Ciel" (in spanish)
The Spanish Progressive Rock Encyclopedia![[sorry]](/img/ar12.jpg)
dlsi.ua.es
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