Maragda – Tyrants

 

 

Maragda – Tyrants
Spinda Records – 2024
Rock, Prog, Psych
Rated: *****

Their self-titled debut album was released in October 2021 and we were honored to premiere that very first Maragda album. It told the tale of a civilization named Maragda, which sought refuge below the earth after a catastrophe and forgot all about the surface after being there for many years. It told the tale of rebellion against oppression and the search for truth and light. That fight continues in some shape or form on their new album Tyrants. “In the new musical journey, the band immerses listeners in introspective themes ranging from self-imposed limitations to the fight for values, love, hope, and farewells.” Moments of krautrock, garage and space rock are still there to help tell their story, but you can also use the cliff notes and state this is one hell of a powerful prog rock album! Prog rock, with psychedelic touches of course, we wouldn’t want you to think we would forget mentioning that genre. But it’s prog first and prog last. And if you are still as in love with their debut album as I am, you know the Barcelona, Spanish three have this very transportive style, dotted with all kinds of other tidbits. The manner in which Marçal Itarte (bass/vocals), Guilem Tora (guitar/backing vocals) and Xavi Pasqual (drums) color in all their compositions make it easy for you to dream with your eyes open. There are these highly natural, world music, folk and flamenco missives scattered throughout the album, it makes their universe become this living and breathing entity. Immediately, during opening track Tyrants, you can feel the pulse of the album, the heartbeat, the propellent, the energy that is about to burst outwards. And then there are those more scorching and obliterating moments, which other bands usually implore to sear parts of the composition to such a degree it becomes difficult not to drown in all that sound. The Maragda three use that ability in such a way that it makes the song blossom and give it even more color. And instead of drowning, you feel like flying. Just listen to second track Skirmish to have a taste of that feeling. But there are almost forty-five minutes of this wonderful prog rock adventure to experience, and if you hear the delicate opening of Endless turning into that stop motion, riff heavy, darkened rocker you know that the Tyrants album will deliver everything and all to every heavy rock loving fiend. Tyrants is full bodied, exuberant and its complexity easy to enjoy and to get lost in. And I will be losing myself in this for months… Or years… Or the rest of my life…

(Written by JK)

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