Equilibrio Vital
Kazmor El Prisionero
Equilibrio Vital spawned 2 remarkable albums of equal gravitas that are on top of prog collectors' lists. 1984's 'Kazmor El Prisionero' is a concept album that not only appeals to prog and psychedelia aficionados, but will also surprise fans of prog and folk metal. Although this is a concept album, each track is marked by its own character, with at least three dominant sub-genres harmoniously co-inhabiting its grooves, namely, hard-rock, progressive, and psychedelia. In fact, as soon as one enters Kazmor's enclave, it becomes readily apparent that Equilibrio Vital may be effortlessly cited as folk metal's grandparents, presaging the genre's emergence by 2 decades. In line with the band's philosophy that revolves around a constant quest for unleashing life's vital energy, the album delves gradually into EV's inner sanctum, encountered at the end of side A and the beginning of side B with 2 stunning spaced-out psychedelic jams, fronted by magnetizing vocals that are interspersed with electronics and a steady bass-line that palpitates like an irregular heart-beat. Sheltered in prognoisseur contours with Jethro-esque flute touches, 'Kazmor' is a sine-qua-non for the Big 4 of Prog Venezuela. File under (or nearby): Rennaissance, Tuatha de Danann, Hawkwind (Space Ritual), Jethro Tull, Aguaturbia. Limited to 300 copies.