Edward Lafuentes - E Magic |self-released, 2013| 4/5
01. C the Sun, 02. Breath of God, 03. Anu, 04. God of War, 05. Mission
Ea, 06. On the Bar Rock Star, 07. Don't Wake the Dead, 08. King No Name,
09. Live For Ever, 10. Save Me, 11. N.Y.C.S, 12. Magic
Ed Lafuentes has been working as an engineer and producer at Demon Rose
Studio in the Bronx, NYC. During this time, he had a chance to
collaborate with a variety of artists such as Pantheon, The Cannibals,
Laz Pina (Ill Nino, Shang Hi Fye, Broom Hellda) and Dennis Bell (U2,
Lenny Kravitz). As a result, his debut album
E Magic shows a
heavy metal pedigree. Lafuentes' music has been inspired by Black
Sabbath, Slayer, Venom, S.O.D., Candlemass, Alice Cooper or Celtic Frost
albums. Still, there's additional sampling, better known to industrial
music, mixed into the solid rock sound.
The opening instrumental track "C the Sun" brings a light leitmotif
mixed with low tuned bass and slided guitar riffs both enriched with a
variety of electronic add-ons. The bass sounds neat and groovy, while
the guitars make for a nice contrast with both electronica and drums.
"Breath of God" brings vocals and catchy hooks interlaced with jagged,
vibrating guitar riffs. The wall of sound on this track is a result of a
skillful combining of guitars, bass and drums. The song is tight and
includes memorable arrangements.
The composition of "Anu" leaves space for rhythmic vocals and distorted
guitars. Groovy drum beats and bass solidify the track. Since it's quite
a long song, the sets of arrangements vary and thus, "Anu" doesn't
sound too monothematic. In fact, it sounds like there were at least
three musical themes included, each one becoming better developed and
more complex as the song progresses.
If you like the heavy and mechanical (yet melodic) vibe of Fear Factory
songs with the infamous sound of a drum machine, then "God of War" may
be your favourite. Memorable vocal parts and highly pitched, contrasty
guitar riffs make it a good track for airplay as well. The vocals seem
to be multiplied in a few spots. This technique gives the song an epic,
powerful and war-like anthem feel as if the lyrics were sung by a choir
of warriors.
"Mission Ea" easily embeds itself in your memory after the first
listening. Advancing, pitched guitar riffs with a slightly sentimental
vibe make the track sound lighter than it seems to be due to the low
tuned, digitally processed arrangements. It's a great track for an
action/racing video games since it's instrumental, groovy, hooky,
energetic and attractively repetitive.
However, if you need a melodic song which doesn't lack a heavy vibe,
then "On the Bar Rock Star" falls into this category. It begins with
typical heavy metal riffs, followed by catchy verses almost falling into
pop. Yet another wall of sound is supported by the recurring, noisy
'Rock star' vocal phrase. In addition, the truly rocking and fiery
mid-part should move everybody, regardless of individual music
preferences.
The longest song on the album, "Don't Wake the Dead", begins slowly with
a soloing bass and noisy, vibrating guitars. Its mood recalls a
lullaby, but not one you may want to sleep to, as the vibe is as
haunting as in many Ozzy Osbourne tracks. It's additionally enriched
with intriguing electronica and 'crying' guitar riffs.
"King No Name" brings a groovy vibe again, along with repeating,
rhythmically spoken verses and screamed choruses. There are a few
intriguing, very well composed moments appearing throughout, breaking
its seemingly monotone tempo. Then "Live For Ever" comes as another
potential hit thanks to the melodic, catchy choruses and tight
composition powered by heavy, guitar-driven arrangements. Additional
background vocals give it a pop-rock feel, making the song very
radio-friendly.
"Save Me" is loaded with very cool beats and techno or even acid house
dynamics, on par with the trademark sound of The Prodigy or The Young
Gods. The track gets a slightly more lyrical feel later on, eventually
returning to the initial dynamic rollercoaster. A hardcore vibe flows
out of "N.Y.C.S" thanks to the fast-paced, aggressive drum beats and
rapidly shouted lyrics. The bass simply vibrates in the background while
the pitched guitar riff gives the song a very cold feel.
The last track, "Magic" seems to be Ed's personal reflection on the
subject. It channels Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper's music through the
vocals and recurring themes, but also its heavy sound mix of bass, drums
and guitars. There are also haunting background samples, illustratively
weaving the magical atmosphere throughout the track.
Overall, all twelve songs on this release bring a positive, sensual and
nocturnal feel. Several instrumental arrangements (with bits of
background vocals sampled here and there) could be instantly deployed in
movie trailers, video games or advertisements.
Technically, the rhythm brought by a low tuned bass with noisy, wailing
guitars seems to be the most recognizable, key trait of Lafuentes' work
on the album. Ed definitely knows how to put his music ideas into
conceptual compositions. He keeps the vibe heavy yet mechanical, almost
like a Terminator or a tank rolling across the place. Monotony is
skillfully avoided through tempo and arrangement changes, but the main
theme remains solid in each of the songs. On the downside, a few songs
sound too similar to each other. Breaking out of the scheme could bring a
slightly fresher feel. Nevertheless, if you like heavy metal music
coupled with a modern approach,
E Magic will undoubtedly hit the spot for you.
(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, August 30th, 2013. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)
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Reviewed by
Fabryka Music Magazine
