The Argentinian band Fughu made a big impression on me in 2013 with its two simultaneously released albums “Human – The Tales” and “Human – The Facts”. I predicted that this band from Buenos Aires would put Argentina on the prog map. Unfortunately I have not received much good progressive music from South America since then and Ariel Bellizio’s band also took seven years to release a successor.

The productivity from these parts could really be higher, because the music they bring is excellent. Fughu combines solid prog-metal and symphonic rock with complex passages, strange tunes, crazy twists and turns, lovely, accessible melodies and technical gadgets. In addition, multiple influences, including jazz and classic rock, are mixed in the music. Influences from Metallica, Pink Floyd, Tool and Pain Of Salvation are clearly present, but also from seventies bands like Soft Machine, Zappa and Supersister.

Was also reminded of another obscure band that I was allowed to review once, namely Fright Pig (click here for that review). The band itself denies that Fughu is a (poisonous) mixture of these styles. Fughu thus makes unique music that is a concoction of his own interpretations of different music styles. The album contains ten tracks, each of which tells a story about relationships between people.

Doctors who decide life or death, bullies who want to hit, a woman who makes you beg for her love and a TV psychotic maniac neighbor with a bomb. The single Peggy opens the album and is the most accessible song. The macabre track is beautifully framed with synthesizer melodies that add extra power to the theme. The guitar solos and bluesy influences also give a special feeling to the song.

The singer is a bit messy within the band. The previous singer Santiago Burgi has been replaced by Renzo Favaro and we also have three guest singers. On the albums of 2013 I was very pleased with Burgi’s singing qualities, Favaro is not a bad singer but does not reach the same level. However, the song Martian – dedicated to David Bowie – fits Favaro well. Favaro’s somewhat high-pitched voice gives the whole a “Major Tom” feel. Victoria Ponisio’s additional voice effects complete this feeling. I was very enthusiastic in my review of the two albums from 2013 and then I was looking forward to the sequel. Perhaps it took too long for this fourth album to be released and my expectations were too high. A good album, but in my eyes (ears) could have been more.

Prog Wereld