(Eclectic Prog / Progressive Rock) Kharmina Buranna - 2CD: El Arte de Seguir Vivos (2008) / Seres Humanos (2012) - APE (image+.cue), lossless

Founded in Lima in 1996, Peruvian band KHARMINA BURANNA started as a blues-rock band that took influences from both American and British acts in the 60s and 70s, which led them to include covers of material by HENDRIX, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, DEEP PURPLE and STEVIE RAY VAUGHN among their own songs. The band's technical proficiency was immediately recognizable, which explains how they managed to win a number of rock contests. This really proved a nearly interest for that classic era of rock, with the blues essence being consistent until 2000. That was when the band took an 8-month break. Back on the road in early 2001, KHARMINA BURANNA reactivated itself as a progressive rock band, convincingly assuming influences from GENESIS, JETHRO TULL, YES, KING CRIMSON, FOCUS, SERU GIRAN and GENTLE GIANT. All in all, the blues and hard rock elements were not lost, still finding room in part of the band's renovated repertoire: infact, they have become crucial for the band's heavy approach to the complexities of prog rock. Also, the archetypical harmonica remains an important instrumental input (the vocalist is in charge of it). This new found musical faith led to an instrumental expansion of some band members: keyboardist Daniel LOPEZ added tuned percussion into his duties, while bassist Mauricio HOOKER doubled played flute and recorder. No doubt that the band was ready to infuse augmented colors to the ensemble's full sound After a long time spent in pre-production, recording and post-production sessions, KHARMINA BURANNA's debut album "El Arte de Seguir Vivos" was released in August 1st of 2008, on Mylodon Records. Among the guest musicians is the illustrious FRAGIL multi-instrumentalist from Octavio CASTILLO, as well as Japanese violinist Pauchi SASAKI. That same August 1st the band gave a concert for the official presentation of "El Arte de Seguir Vivos", which served both as a farewell by lead vocalist Angelo PEREZ-PALMA (set to pursue personal interests outside Peru) and an introduction to new vocalist Federico MESINAS. Anyway, this association didn't last too long although the new singer proved to be capable and charismatic. The band was cut down to a quartet through the entire year 2009,with bass player Mauricio HOOKER sparsely assuming lead vocal duties.All in all, through the following years, KHARMINA BURANNA decided to focus on the instrumental side of things, even performing instrumental versions of tracks from the debut album while creating