Winter Soulstice

With their ffifth album, Sonus Umbra, roughly “Shadow of Sound”, has started yet another chapter in the band's long tortured history. Originally named Radio Silence and hailing from Mexico City, the trio of Andrés Aullet (vocals, guitar, and keys), Ricardo Gómez (guitar), and and Luis Nasser (bass) shone brightly in the early 90s, gaining a large cult following but broke up due to internal stress. They eventually drifted back together a few years later, later, recording four albums from 1998 to 2005 while based in Baltimore, with Jeff Laramee on the drum stool and John Grant engineering and co-producing. In 2006, Nasser relocated to Chicago where he's a professor of physics. Since that time, Nasser has had been involved in a two main musical projects. Originally formed in College Park Maryland, the acoustic quartet of Might Could brought Nasser together with guitarists Andy Tillotson, Aaron Geller and Tim McCaskey. Surviving the move, the band recorded four albums and continues to play live regularly (enough). Nasser's other work has been in a few prog tribute bands, all based in Chicago and covering music as diverse as Jethro Tull (with Silver Pipe), Kevin Gilbert (Champions of Nothing), and Emerson Lake and Palmer (Fanfare). It is from this stew of musicians that the rebirth of Sonus Umbra began. Working with Andy Tillotson, Nasser began composing Winter Soulstice back in 2008. Eventually a band was formed, featuring some of Chicago' best musicians, including Roey Ben-Yoseph on vocals, Rich Poston on electric guitar, the mighty keyboards of Brian Harris, Steve Royce on flute and vocals, along with the Might Could of trio of McCaskey, Tillotson (the band's drummer) and of course, Nasser on bass. Consider it “70's inspired progressive rock”, but with the added benefit of the magical guitar machinations of Might Could and the inspired virtuosity of Messrs Poston (check out his solo in “It's Only Fear”) and Harris (particularly his piano work). Ben-Yoseph's vocals are slightly under-mixed, drawing a parallel to those of Happy The Man. Certainly, some influence from all those man-hours spent in tribute band's leaks out, and specifically more than a little Jethro Tull in “Let It Rain” or “Rebuke The Sea”, but what's most astonishing about the album is that that's secondary. Masterfully arranged and impeccably performed, the album flows effortlessly from track to track, presenting a modern take on the progressive. Whether fierce instrumental as in “Palestinian Black” or the reprising the theme of the epic “Wounded Animal”, the album is a testament to musicians and their art. Sonus Umbra's new album is only eclipsed by the bands' return the live stage. Out from years in the shadows, their star is ready step out front and center and into the spotlight of the best of today's progressive rock.