Mantra - Próximo. 2018 Brazil

Mantra are a band from Belo Horizonte that have been kicking around for some 20+ years, and released one EP way back in 2001, one that I've never heard. Now they return with Próximo, an album that has sailed way under the radar. The music here is definitely of a retro nature, though they don't really sound like they're from the 70s. In this way they are more like the 90s progressive renaissance bands emulating the past. Also the music is of an eclectic nature, borrowing on many themes, specifically around the progressive and hard rock genres. This is by no means a "kitchen sink" album, a type of making music that I'm not very fond of. It's put together very much like the bands from 1973 would, seamlessly mixing in harder rock passages with obvious progressive rock complexities. In many ways, Mantra sound more like a 70s band from North America - except they fortunately sing in their native Portuguese. I can't think of another band from Brazil that attempted to recreate music such as this. Hopefully this is not the last we'll hear from them

Ownership: CD: 2018 private. Comes in what is known as a digifile, something like a thin mini-LP. The booklet is a nice folder poster with plenty of info.

5/11/20 (new entry)