The Agony And The Ecstasy

Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 742630044336
EAN: 0742630044336
ASIN: B00006IR6N

Release Date: 2002-09-01

The Agony And The Ecstasy

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General

| Rock | Styles | Music

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| Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Tracks:

Twisted Mind
Bonfire
Just In A Second
Gigante
Pieta
Timeless Time
Attimo Infinito
Intermezzo
La Porta De Santo Spirito
Giudizio Universale
Il Duomo
Final Agony
All Ages Tears
Imaginary Sky
Conspiracion

Similar Items:

Childhood's End - El Fin De La Infancia
Atabal-Yemal
Second Life Syndrome
A Place in the Queue

Album Description

The first Venezuelan symphonic rock group, TEMPANO has a very personal sound in which superb melodies, complex breaks and very well-written themes reinforce the originality. In this context, "Atabal-Yemal" is a real gem ! Instrumental for the most part (Sung in Spanish for the rest), this CD includes refined melodies evoking RETURN TO FOREVER or CAMEL, the unusual sounds and breaks of HAPPY THE MAN, complex writing ala KING CRIMSON and the creativity of TANTRA ; the whole is touched with a typically warm, South American color. The CD also includes three magnificent, previously unreleased pieces, re-recorded in 1998 by the 1979 lineup (Which recorded "Atabal-Yemal"). This rebirth was surprising but pleasurable, all the more so as it resulted in a new album, "Childhood's End - El Fin De La Infancia", at the end of the following year. This opus benefits from the presence of Peter PETSJIK, the cellist for the Hungarian group AFTER CRYING, and this isn't the only impressive thing about the album. The unparalleled freshness of this music, the brilliance of the arrangements and the perfect interpretation will no doubt make this a landmark album of the year 2000 !... And what to say, about "The Agony And The Ecstasy" (2002), apart that this is the best of TEMPANO filled with maturity ?!? This piece of art is magnified by splendid paintings from the Italian Renaissance, beautifully illustrating the lyrics (Now in English) printed in the booklet. Another must-have…

Customer Reviews:

Venezuelan Oil.......2007-02-10

Even with the advent of the enigmatic Hugo Chavez, not everything coming out of Venezuela is bad. At least on this one occasion, some very interesting progressive rock music is emanating from the formerly friendly confines of Venezuela

There's a reason that Tempano's, Agony and the Ecstasy, has tended to garner solid five star reviews. It is a solid five star album.

I bought The Agony and the Ecstasy on a lark. I had never heard a note by Tempano but the reviews sounded good, so I put them on my wish list, where it must have sat for a good year or so. It finally made it from my wish list to my cart, when after the last Xmas I received a large gift certificate from my daughter. When placing my order, I ran out of items I wanted but I didn't want to leave a credit balance.

When I received The Agony and the Ecstasy I played it on my computer while I was doing some typing upon it. I didn't expect much, but it didn't take long before I was paying more attention to Tempano's music then my typing. Within an hour I had pulled up Tempano on Amazon and ordered their other two available releases.

What kind of music does Tempano play? Though, they are from Venezuela, there seems to be very little Latin influences. I noticed a little in only one song, Il Duomo and it is fabulous. The Agony and the Ecstasy contains fifteen highly varied songs running from 56 seconds to ten minutes. Overall the album is sixty-five plus minutes. There are some vocals but the album is more instrumental. The songs range from symphonic prog rock, to movie score sounding contemporary music, to something just short of jazz, while the tempos run the gamut from easy going to medium fast, yet everything they play is smooth ... smooth as Venezuelan Oil.

Fabulous Prog Rock.......2006-09-22

This is a brilliant album.

It is prog rock throughout, and mostly symphonic prog rock at that, but it is amazingly diverse and rich.

These guys have more musical ideas in each song (and there are 15 songs here) than most proggers have in an album, and than most neo-proggers have had in their whole career.

At one point they even use a BANJO! And yet it flows in seamlessly and adds a wonderful atmosphere.

It is mostly instrumental, but the vocals are moving and tasteful and add subtle emotional overtones.

This is great stuff. If you like symphonic prog, please get it.

Trailblazing and yet familiar as a dream.

Completely original, they sound like no other band! I know.......2004-04-11

Another pleasant surprise from these Venezuelan guys. True to what has been their standard fare, they manage to produce a unique, original style that defies comparisons: I cannot think of any other band that sounds like them. This time there are some sonic innovations: the slap-bass sound is something... well, uncommon in progressive rock; however I really like how it matches their music. There are also more acoustic guitar passages as well as some Latin percussion, giving it a very distinctive flavor. You can even find some hip-hop style drumming in the midst of "Just in a Second", a very funky sounding piece. I personally dig the incorporation of elements traditionally associated with more commercial forms to the language of prog. "Timeless Time" is just beautiful: a swaying acoustic guitar background accompanied by lush keyboards and topped off with Mr. Castillo's vocals. Keyboardist Della Noce does an excellent job through the album offering a wide variety of sounds both acoustic and electronic. Lots of references to Italian culture through the album: my late friend and fellow prog connoisseur Ludovico would have loved that. "Imaginary Sky" is another gem with soaring vocals and more acoustic guitar and piano. Overall, I enjoyed this album just as I have also enjoyed their previous releases; however, this is a different, unique animal!

MONSTER RELEASE ! !.......2002-11-06

If any influences come to mind, which there are (which band is free of them?) I would not name
them because it would not help to accurately describe their sound at all , it includes nice melodies,
great instrumentation, great vocals, great guitars, what a bass player ! & Keyboards!
The music is remarkable and very varied it blends many stiles into a unique and distinctive sound
that gives them an edge over other contemporary bands.

This band is rooted firmly in the present and is not interested in digging up old bones.

I hope the media would stop using the term Progressive so commonly, it is becoming synonymous
with Pink Floyd and Genesis wannabes , bands that lack originality and creativity , Tempano are
NOT part of the modern prog . movement in any form they are an animal of their own and are exceptional.

Just buy it .

One of the best releases of the year ........2002-10-28

This new CD from Tempano is one of the best releases of this year so far , the music is perfectly crafted , any music lover must enhance their CD collection by owning this major work.

The Music is sublime , perfectly played by gifted musiciens that are bringing out the best of their instruments , I urge to own this CD , it really is special , one day may become hard to find so buy it before it is too late .

I am impresed very much by the lyrics as well , this is not the norm , short and meaninfull , beautifully sung , the album is 85 % instrumental and the singing is remarcable.

I hope to hear more in the future from this band that has become a favorite of mine , congratulations to the band .

Please forgive my english.

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