Sunday 21 September 2014

Mestre (Petrus Castrus, 1973)

I think it wasn't so easy to be a prog band during the '70s in Portugal, under a dictatorship restricting most of international relations and informations. Nonetheless, a few bands like Petrus Castrus (Pedro Castro was one their founder members) did produce excellent prog, perfectly in line with the contemporary trends. This "Mestre" (that's "Master" in English) also proves how original and eclectic the band's sound was, with its cultivated influences and its rather dark, arcane mood.

The original version of "Mestre". A 2-CD reissue also exists,
featuring an entire previously unreleased album.

These musicians had a strong melodic approach to prog rock, but also liked long, free instrumental sections, ranging over heavy prog, fusion and folk. This is what you'll find here, in the leading song of their debut album, a very good specimen of Petrus Castrus' music, a pleasant, coherent but diversified excursion through the band's land of sound. 

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