(Progressive Metal) [CD] Entrance - En la Tierra - 2002, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Chilean band ENTRANCE was formed in 1997 as a hard rock band with artsy leanings, meaning, open to the introduction of symphonic prog elements into their musical ideas and arrangements; eventually, this said factor helped them to stand quite close to the standards of melodic prog metal (not unlike early DREAM THEATER and VANDEN PLAS). The band's original lineup was - Richard Pilnik (guitar), Alan Ávarez (bass), Jaime Rosas (keyboards), Alejandro de la Cuadra (drums), and Claudio Morice (vocals).

Their namesake debut album was originally released in 1999 [re-released in 2003]. The rhythm section's aggressive approach and Morice's ballsy tenor timber ensured that the band would stay firmly on the realms of moderately complex hard rock. Pilnik's guitar refined leads and sensitive riffs allowed ENTRANCE's music to explore its own progressive potential a bit further, but definitely, Rosas was the most genuinely prog-minded man in the band: his keyboards orchestrations, soloing and harmonic bases were closer to the legacy of WAKEMAN and EMERSON than to the common path of 90's prog metal keyboardists. The most progressive numbers are those in which ROSAS's keyboard input dominates the overall sound.

A few months after the debut's release, de la Cuadra left the group and was replaced by Alex Von Chrismar. The following year, both Alvarez and Morice also left the group: their replacements were Rodrigo Godoy and Jaime Scalpello, respectively. This refurbished lineup felt more sympathetic toward the progressive ideology that ENTRANCE was struggling to develop within its own musical core. The presence of three long compositions - one of them being 25 minute long - in their excellent second album, titled "En la Tierra", is an external proof of that. Regarding the music's structure, it evolved into something more decidedly complex, leaning toward the epic side of prog, in this way, laying a cohesive bridge between the drive of melodic metal prog and the heritage of early 70s YES, ELP and GENESIS. While Jaime Rosas was giving way to his own progressive vision in his first solo album, inner tensions began to gradually jeopardise the creative momentum that the band had already achieved. In early 2004, Rosas decided to depart (bassist Godoy and drummer Von Chrismar are also part of JAIME ROSAS CUARTETO). As of now (2005), Pilnik seems more focused on his side project AUSTRALIS while the band seems to be on ice. The DVD edition of their Baja Prog 2003 performance is in post-production process. ENTRANCE is highly recommended (especially, their second album) to lovers of prog metal, as well as to lovers of old fashioned prog rock's pomposity with a hard edge.

- Jaime Scalpello / vocals
- Jaime Rosas / keyboards
- Richard Pilnik / guitar
- Rodrigo Godoy / bass, vocals
- Alex Von Chrismar / drums