pi xprnc

Roberto Lambooy
/ IO Magazine, Pages, No. 84, p.35,p.,
Vette Krent!
The project developed by this Venezuelan band is quite different from what we are used to hear from Latin American sympho. I must say that their style is absolutely Progressive, though this statement means no labeling at all. The music is done with a strong melodic emphasis, many technical aspects stand out in the compositions, and the musicians do an incredible performance work... Still, you won’t find any aspect out of balance that might make you feel uncomfortable. The plasticity in the voice of the lead singer allows her to move easily from the softest to the strongest passages. The percussionist is clearly not an amateur, he knows how to develop his rhythms in the subtlest way, which the bassist follows wonderfully. The guitarist expresses strongly, her lines flowing in and out from conventional harmonies, in perfect conversation with the music, as they follow each other. The changes in music are presented with great subtleness and good taste, captivating the listener; the structure creates tension, which unleashes powerfully, always developing towards a climax. Some reviews compare this band with King Crimson and Tool. I can understand why they do it; the way in which the themes are structured, some guitar lines, reflect, in fact, some affinity; there may be also other lines which remind us of Skunk Anansie; still, this band is not, in any single moment, a copy from no other. Possibly, if I had to compare them with someone, I would choose White Willow, for this band knows very well how to mix power with mysticism, dynamics and silence to achieve a very strong melody. But it’s worth to say that in White Willow’s production the strength is not held throughout the whole album, while πXPRNC, on the other side, maintain their level through the whole production. I think that all these comparisons fall short for π. The band has its very own, original style, firm as a rock. The combination of powerful compositions, style of their own, clean and impeccable performance and the great structure of the themes make Algenia a very strong album

Women always found a place in the Progressive rock world. RENAISSANCE with stunning vocalist Annie HASLAM probably was a major illustration of this. Nowadays, there is Japanese power-trio ARS NOVA, as an exception proving the rule. But even on stage, female musicians rarely called the tune. Until PI XPRNC... This young Venezuelan outfit is led by Karen GONZALEZ, whose voice is quite remarkable. It's even hard to believe that she is not a native English speaker. If you have a closer look at this point, you may realize that she is also a guitarist and a keyboards player ! And a skillful one, moreover... Besides, she is the sole composer of a band where men form the majority. What about their music then ? Imagine post-rock with heavy-metal and Crimsonian riffs, efficient drums parts, dynamic percussion and a wrapping bass sound. Melancholic or introspective at times, the atmospheres may evolve anytime into a release of energy with total control. Released on the Musea label, the debut album "Algenia" (2008) may sometimes remind of KING CRIMSON, TOOL or OXYGENE 8... The latter being another female-led outfit ! But anyway, may there be a woman or not, PI XPRNC is a true talent, a discovery that is bound to overcome indifference...

"Las mujeres han tenido siempre su lugar en el mundo del Rock Progresivo. RENAISSANCE y su emblemática vocalista ANNIE HASLAM son ciertamente la mejor ilustración. En nuestros días, bien podríamos citar el power-trio nippon ARS NOVA, la excepción que confirma la regla. Sin embargo, incluso al frente del escenario, el llamado sexo débil rara vez ha tenido la ocasión de llevar la batuta… Pero he aquí que aparece en escena PI XPRNC... Esta joven agrupación venezolana es conducida por KAREN GONZALEZ, que nos entrega un notable espectáculo vocal. Es difícil creer que el ingles no sea su lengua materna. Y una mirada más profunda nos devela que esta bella vocalista interpreta además la guitarra y los teclados. Dotada, definitivamente! Sin olvidar, además, que ella es la unica compositora de un grupo formado por tres cuartas partes de alter-egos masculinos! Y que decir de la musica? Imaginen un post-rock impregnado de riffs metálicos y crimsonianos, una excelente batería, dinámicos elementos percusivos y un bajo envolvente. Por momentos melancólicos e introspectivos, los temas evolucionan de repente hacia un desencadenamiento de intensa energía, perfectamente controlada. Publicado por el sello Musea, su opera prima "Algenia" (2008) puede perfectamente llevarnos hasta KING CRIMSON, TOOL, también OXYGENE8... (Como por azar, he aquí nuevamente una agrupación con liderazgo femenino!) Pero mucho más alla de la presencia femenina, PI XPRNC es un verdadero talento, un descubrimiento que promete con intensidad dejar una señal indeleble en nuestras almas…"
BERNARD GUEFFIER, Musea Records
View PiXPRNC's EPK