The post-apocalyptic Netflix series, Snowpiercer, was not the only work of art to observe human life as if it were a train journey. Hailing from Brazil, a novel prog-metal act MAESTRICK is about to release the second chapter in the conceptual affair, “Espresso Della Vita,” of which the first installment under the sub-heading, “Solare,” was met with a lot of praise in the blogosphere and metal press in 2018. Whereas the songs on that album represented the 12 hours of the day, this new selection also has 12 songs representing the hours of the night, hence the new sub-heading, “Lunare.” Entitled, in full, “Espresso Della Vita: Lunare,” the new album will be released on May 2nd, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl. The music is a highly cinematic amalgamation of symphonic prog and vintage heavy-metal flourishes – and the execution is of such high caliber throughout the album that it is rather puzzling why we haven’t heard from these Brazilian proggers before, at least not in this neck of the woods! MAESTRICK was founded in 2006 in São Paulo, and their debut full-length “Unpuzzle” was released worldwide in 2011. Well, now is the perfect time to catch up; the new album features a few top-tier guests whose contributions will give the album a well-deserved push to the top.
A brief cinematic intro leads into the groovy riffs of “Upside Down,” a song that quickly unfolds as a high-octane quantum-progger, resonating with the air of HAKEN. The mind-bending riffs are layered with a thick cinematic frosting, here and there, giving off the impression of a prog-metal squad having a stab at, say, a Harry Potter soundtrack. The GENTLE GIANT-like “Hakenisms” in the vocal department further pronounce this impression, nice!
Among the bands these Brazilian metal rogues cited as their influence on their website, I spotted bands that are not very often brought up by die-hard prog aficionados, such as METALLICA and PANTERA. Their influence is way more subtle than that of the pedigree prog dinosaurs, YES, DREAM THEATER, and RUSH, but if there is one song on the new album where the riffs take a somewhat PANTERA-like trajectory, it is “Boo.” Of course, that sort of feeling is soon bulldozed over with a ton of cinematic flourishes but it is quite a tell-tale sign that these proggers are one of those acts that will leave no stone unturned.
That said, “Ghost Casino” rolls out a swinging number of cabaret prog, almost recalling DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA. Then, “Cursed Witches” gears up on symphonic power-balladeering in the vein of NIGHTWISH, with a few circus-music breaks added for spice. And speaking of ballads, “Sunflower Eyes” continues on that footing even further, evolving into an arena-sized power ballad with strings and all. I would have never guessed that I needed to bring up Elton John in a prog review but, yes, good old Sir Binky Poodleclip would have been proud of this song. To give credit where it is due, the electronic elements and soaring guitar legatos elevate the song from being mere album fodder.
So, halfway into the album, you might think you’ve seen it all when it comes to MAESTRICK‘s bag of tricks. Well, think again. The latter half of the selection begins with a 12-minute prog epic “The Root” that does not pale in comparison with the revered prog monoliths in, say, DREAM THEATER‘s back catalog – except that MAESTRICK vocalist Fábio Caldeira is a tad more impressive than James LaBrie, in terms of range and emotion. Plus, he plays the keyboard parts, so there’s that, too! The solos in this epic are no easy feat.
Then, it’s time for another ballad type of thing. These Brazilian ruffians are certainly testing my limit, here. You see, I’m not exactly a fan of ballads but, so far, the band has steered clear from sounding syrupy. “Dance of Hadassa” does it by immersing me in slow-crushing melancholy of a highly cinematic flavor. Okay, what’s next?
How about some Brazilian rhythms? Why the hell not? “Agbara” kicks off with a nod toward samba rhythms. The song also features Jim Grey of CALIGULA’S HORSE as a guest vocalist. The riffs and vocals bounce to and fro in a somewhat HAKEN-like manner, like in “Upside Down,” but with an extra layer of cinematics. Then, the samba vocals add a nice “Mas Que Nada” vibe to the song, courtesy of the all-female Maracatu group, MOVIMENTO BAQUE MULHER. Now, THAT is something I didn’t see coming.
Another world-class guest appears on “Lunar Vortex” as Rhoy Khan (CONCEPTION, ex-KAMELOT) lends his signature metal crooning to the song, alternating with the harsh vocals, courtesy of bassist Renato Montanha. This uptempo banger is by far the absolute highlight of the album, a punchy and catchy little beast recalling the “Black Halo”-era KAMELOT when Khan was still the lead vocalist in the band.
Before the gargantuan 18-minute epic, “Last Station,” wraps things up, “Ethereal” takes things to a more pop-tinted hard-rock terrain, almost as if to further drive the point home that these prog ruffians aren’t afraid to try anything as long as it serves the album flow. Speaking of which, the music flows quite naturally from one song to the next, with a thick cinematic flair, so that you might not even recognize how fantastically diverse the songs are, at first. To paraphrase the train ride metaphor, this album is truly like a scenic trip – with each new journey you spot new nuances and details in the music, so it’s well worth coming back to now and then. It almost seems as though cinematic prog were on the rise in 2025 and MAESTRICK‘s new album is one of the strongest efforts in that genre, so far. It is a sonic journey of a highly immersive caliber.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Intro
- Upside Down
- Boo
- Ghost Casino
- Cursed Witches
- Sunflower Eyes
- The Root
- Dance of Hadassa
- Agbara
- Lunar Vortex
- Ethereal
- Last Station (I Am Leaving)
Lineup
Fábio Caldeira – lead vocals, piano, keyboards
Renato Montanha – bass, guttural vocals
Heitor Matos – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Guilherme Henrique – guitars
Label
Frontiers Music Srl
