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Album cover

October Equus - October Equus

Artist: October Equus
Title: October Equus
Label: MaRaCash Records
Length(s): 50 minutes
Year(s) of release: 2006
Month of review: [10/2007]

Line up

Victor Rodriguez - keyboards
Txema Fernandes - drums
Amanda Pazos - bass
Angel Ontalva - guitar

Tracks

1) Lupus In Fabula 5.22
2) Field Of Mars 2.54
3) Bigas 7.46
4) Sacrifice 4.45
5) Vestals 4.19
6) Head Of The Winner 7.17
7) End- On A Lance 4.54
8) Reliqua Tempora 3.43
9) Minus Nihilo 4.49

Summary

The music

October Equus take no prisoners, no gently gliding into the experience, the album rips from the start with soaring fuzz guitar and pounding bass. And you know what would have been really great? If they had thrown in some substance, too. Am I getting old here? Picky? Maybe. Still, some melody would've been nice. And the dessert of the opening track is a nice bit of amplifier hum (no, not mine).

Generally speaking, the music is characterized by long strands of guitar, often fuzz, at times melodic at times more strenuous and deliberate or near frippertronic, also often in an electronic guerilla range. But anyway, Pinhas is known to be heavily influenced by Fripp. These are accompanied by heavy, all pervasive organ and driving, rolling drums and bass. The organ has its moments of Jobson (late UK era), without being too obvious about it. These create something of a tantalizing sensation, which in an almost brutal way tends to envelop the listener (presuming their stereo is equipped to do so). In the fight for prevalence the guitar is favoured over the keys (aside from the organ, we also hear synths, once again heavy), with the leading role easily switching from one to the other. This throws freakensteins of jazzy persuasions out the window. Which doesn't mean they won't be knocking at the door from time to time. And then there's the combination of the constant onslaught and the whining fuzz guitar which still make for heavy listening.

As an alternative to jazzy freaking we do get some experimental bits that roughly drift in a Cuneiform type direction. Melodies that are a bit off, with strumming use of instruments. Some of the tracks are more avant prog, others more move in the direction of a jazzrocky area occupied by powertrios as well.

The band's style very much suggests an American (either North or South) heritage, but they are in fact Italian.

Conclusion

Octobor Equus bring in a bit of variation, which is pretty necessary if you consider the music's instrumental nature. Having said that: the band's music tires me for the same sort of reason jazzrock does. The incessant -and to me nagging- sound of the fuzzy guitar keeps returning. The tracks are more stylistic landscapes, than they are necessarily melodic compositions. This is fine for a couple of tracks, but it starts wearing thin, whilst getting thick after a bit. Also, the band failed to add in enough sections that give the listener a chance to catch their breath; I feel there is some kind of nag present almost constantly. The music interchanges pounding and pounding with experimenting, until I feel like shouting 'enough is enough'. The more easy going opening of track 9 is too little, too late in this respect.

© Roberto Lambooy