FERMÁTA — Fermàta (review)

Album · 1975 · Fusion

4.5/5 · 2024-10-11
FunkFreak75

The debut album from this Slovakian proggy Jazz-Rock Fusion band from Bratislavsk´y kraj, Straight out of the gates they prove themselves to be not only extraordinary musicians but excellent composers as well.

1. "Rumunská rapsódia (Roumanian Rhapsody)" (5:52) opening the album with something that sounds very much like LED ZEPPELIN on prog rock steroids. Guitar noodling and organ virtuosity on full display as the two instruments wend and weave their way in and around one another for the first 1:45, then a quick change into a FOCUS-like motif allows everybody to show completely different skills: guitarist Frantisek Griglák sawing away on a lead while keyboard virtuoso Tomás Berka switches to Fender Rhodes electric piano in order to continue to impress. Another bridge at the end of the fourth minute leads into a URIAH HEEP-like motif with organ supporting some wild flurries from both Frantisek and himself while bass player Anton Jaro is on near-Percy Jones rapid speed. Impressive! (9.25/10)

2. "Perpetuum II" (10:27) a long and oddly television-like intro of effects and low-key instrumental play that feels quite portentous but not quite threatening. Drummer Peter Szapu's increasingly-aggressive cymbal play at the end of the second minute signals an emergence from the primordial soup into something more structured and formed as Tomás Berka's odd marimba-sounding keyboard steps into the lead while Frantisek Griglák's guitar chords start getting louder and more sinister. A prolonged drum bridge in the fifth minute leads into a DOORS-like motif in which Tomás' keyboard choice switches to something more Canterbury-like (though no Canterbury keyboard player ever played this sound with such demonic feeling). Then the motif comes to a head with some very aggressive guitar shredding before turning down a much quieter one-way street for some pleasant storefront window shopping. Tomás' keyboard choice turns to organ with some high, piccolo-like note playing while Anton Jaro's underwater bass gets a turn to shine. Then mid-eighth minute the band turns onto a different street: driving against the flow of traffic! Yes, Frantisek's searing guitar play tells us how hard the upstream swimming is while the rest of the band drudges along in a heavy SABBATH-like motif. The 30-second finale finds everybody joining together to play a complex melody in a THIN LIZZY-like Celtic weave. Wow! Goblin on steroids! (18.25/20)

3. "Postavím si vodu na čaj (I'll Put The Kettle On)" (4:20) opening with a rock weave before settling back into a bucolic or dream-like tuned-percussion-like motif, they eventually settle back into a nice CAMEL-like rhythm track while Frantisek impresses in a very Andy LATIMER way. At 3:15 the band turns down a more ELOY, STARCASTLE, or even ALLMAN BROTHERS path for the final minute. Interesting mix--impressive play but not the most fluid construct or melody making. (8.875/10)

4. "Valčík pre krstnú mamu (Waltz For Godmother)" (7:03) blending an R&B/funk vibe with an Allman Brothers type instrument palette is quite creative and fresh. There are many moments that could also be construed as Focus-like Prog as well as Mahavishnu-like power fusion (and even some "Gates of Delirium"-like Steve Howe chaos at the end). And it all works! Brilliant! (14/15)

5. "Perpetuum III" (11:47) poorly recorded beach and wave sounds with Frantisek Griglák's Mahavishnu Orchestra "Birds of Fire" imitation building within as the drums, bass, and keys slowly build beneath. By the third minute the band is continuing on its Birds of Fire tribute with a "Resolution"-like resolution berfore peaking and switching into a Allman Brothers'-like jazz and bluesed up "Sweet Georgia Brown"-like passage. At 5:48 Frantisek's searing guitar bursts forth seeming to lead the band into something new, but instead sticking with the blues-jazz mock up for another half minute before turning down a bit of a BILLY COBHAM-like trail of funk through the mountain woodlands. Again Frantisek is in the lead with some impressive rock and almost-Mahavishnu-level guitar shredding. The rhythm tracksters remain iunwaveringly faithful in their support of their guitar leader, but their portion of the music starts to get a little stale as Frantisek remains unstoppable in his lead capacity. Despite my kudos to the band for attempting such a challenging mountain, I do not think they give the Mahavishnu Orchestra any competition. (I do not think that guitarist Frantisek Griglák is [yet] in the same league as the Mahavishnu.) (21.875/25)

Total Time 39:29

I feel that this album expresses the band's appreciation for as well as mastery of its rock roots while only slightly verging into the Jazz-Rock Fusion and/or symphonic progressive rock lanes; this is a more a rock album by some very talented/skilled artists with Jazz-Rock Fusion aspirations. At this point in the band members' developments I feel that guitarist Frantisek Griglák is a bit behind that of his band mates--especially keyboard genius Tomás Berka. But just wait: he's coming along.

A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece or even a minor masterpiece of jazz-infused rock music.