Reviews    Dragonauta - Luciferatu (Dias De Garage)
by Chris Barnes

Luciferatu finally sees the light of day! Both album and band have seen more bad luck than Coleridge's Ancient Mariner, so it's great to see that this has gotten a proper release.

The album Luciferatu is an exceptional melding of early 70's doom crush, progressive flourishes, jazz-like interludes and intros (really, the trademark of the Dragonauta sound) and the occasional traditional Latin touch. The result is a record that offers a tremendous amount of varied sound and exceedingly complex songs which reveal themselves in multiple time changes and dynamic shifts. All this is topped with extremely talented and emotive playing - It will take several listens to soak all this in. "Antologia de un Nombre Santos" will blow your mind.

Vocalist Federico "Dr.Doom" Wolman (and a Ph.D. in real life as well) has changed his vocal style dramatically from the days of their early, self-titled demo. It's now a roughhewn vocal blast which contrasts sharply from the more gentle passages and fits right in when the band sets to crush. The entire band are exceptional musicians and vintage rock aficionados from everything from early psych to krautrock. The diverse influences are felt here in spades. Of considerable note is the rhythm section of Martin Mendez and Ariel Solito. Amazing.

My judgment may be tempered with Dragonauta, as I have a special affinity for this release. I've heard the demo versions of these songs in their early versions and was lucky enough to spend a considerable amount of time with the band one week in the middle of the Argentine Winter (in mid-July) in their native Buenos Aires. The highlight was a live performance for my wife and I in their rehearsal space. Better hosts and better people you would be hard pressed to find.

Back to the heart of the matter - Luciferatu is a gargantuan and complex beast of a record, a true reflection of the musical passion and knowledge of these five "dumbetas". Impressive to say the least.


Purchase Luciferata at the Hellride Music Superstore

Download an MP3 a live version of The SuperChrist

Visit the Dragonauta website at www.dragonauta.com.ar

Copyright 2002-2003 HellrideMusic.com, LLC
Review by Chris Barnes 12/26/03