Bloque

Spanish band Bloque's first album was quite a solid record in terms of guitar-dominated melodic rock but not to be compared with their second one for example exhibiting much more resemblance with 70's Italian progressive rock acts like PFM. First track "Undecimo poder" could be described more or less as plain energetic guitar-dominated hard rock though having as well some nice Hammond organ sound. "Albelardo y Eloisa" is mostly kept in a mellow and romantic vein with atmospheric keys and a blues-tinged guitar before it starts rocking off towards its end. One could think of some earlier, more blues-inspired Floyd work as a reference point. "Salvacion por la musica" is a rather short instrumental piece mainly dominated by keyboard playing reminiscent of some of Emerson's solo works…

The second album of this great Spanish progressive band was released on local Chapa Discos in 1979 although it sounded more like it came out 5 years earlier! Bloque’s powerful and very melodic record (sung in Spanish) was mostly inspired by awesome Italian progressive bands like P.F.M., Banco, Museo Rosenbach and Biglietto Per l'lnFerno, albeit mid-70’s Genesis, early Camel and even Black Sabbath influences were also evident. Sextet offered varied, imaginative and beautifully-arranged, short, but often connected songs characterized by excellent production, solid and quite heavy guitar parts, memorable and inventive keyboards phrases, fine drumming and strong, Italian-like vocals. This fantastic, but still relatively unknown record will delight most fans of creative, progressive music.