Band:	Mägo De Oz
Album:	Gaia
Style:	Folk metal, Heavy metal
Release date:	September 08, 2003
A review by:	Undercraft

01. Obertura MDXX
02. Gaia
03. La Conquista
04. Alma
05. La Costa Del Silencio
06. El Árbol De La Noche Triste
07. La Rosa De Los Vientos
08. La Leyenda De La Llorona
09. Van A Rodar Cabezas
10. El Atrapasueños
11. Si Te Vas
12. La Venganza De Gaia

Atlanta year 2003. An Hispanic American woman is condemned to die in the electric chair for a crime that she didn't commit. In the night, the state governor arrives to his mansion and found out that the woman has contacted him via his private email address.
After the initial disconcert, and intrigued by the content of the email, he starts to read it with curiosity.
In the email the woman tells a story that happened in 1520 when the Spaniards conquered Mexico?
That's the concept for the new offering of the Spaniards of Mago De Oz (translated: Wizard Of Oz)

I just love this band, these guys are the masters of Folk Metal, and for those of you that doesn't know what is Folk Metal, I'll explain it just one more time. When we talk about Folk Metal is basically Power/Heavy metal, with some folkloric elements, usually, violins, flutes, whistles, bagpipes etc the range of instruments is very wide and that's what makes Folk Metal so unique, there isn't a formula, and there's hardly 2 bands alike.

Mago de Oz of course, aren't newcomers here, this is their fifth studio album, and not counting their double live album.
Anyway, I was expecting this album for a while now and now is finally here, and I must say that I'm impressed, they did it again , they created a masterpiece, this time in 1 Cd (their latest studio album "Finisterra" was a 2 Cd album), and what a Cd my friends! Let's go in depth shall we?

After a rather long intro the album kicks off with "Gaia" a monumental epic and majestic song that starts very slow but builds up to become this incredible piece of music with it's 11 minutes of duration, I like when bands don't choose their fastest song to open the disc.
"La Conquista" (The Conquest), speed things up and includes a really great Hammond organ, giving the song a bluesy touch, the guitar solo reminded me of Iron Maiden.

Now is time to get real folky! (yes, folky, not funky) With "Alma" (Soul) things starts with the whole works, flutes, violins and all those folk elements, I must say that I love the voice of José, that Spanish accent gives the music a very special touch, and I can understand everything he says, that's got to be a bonus!

Those songs was just a little preview to THE song in the album, at least in my ranks "La Costa Del Silencio" (The Coast Of Silence) has to be the catchiest song I've heard in many many years, the chorus is just amazing, impossible not to sing along, now I'm just thankful that Spanish is my native language so I can sing along this beautiful chorus without the aid of any lyric sheet, superb song.

"La Rosa De Los Vientos" (The Rose Of the Winds) has one of the most beautiful lyrics I've heard in a long time, full of hope and kindness, just like a poem? "La Leyenda De La Llorona" (The Leyend Of The Weeper) is a instrumental song that shows us the truly potential of these guys and the whole magnitude of their instruments, here, the violin and the flute intertwine in a exquisite bouquet of harmony.

Of course the album cannot go without a good epic closer, just like the opener, the closer "La Venganza de Gaia" (The Revenge Of Gaia) is a 11minute piece, funny thing, both "Gaia" and "La Venganza De Gaia" are exactly 11:03 minutes long.

Anyway, this review has gone very long! Well, that's the way it is when you like an album and you want to express al you can about this, I'll just say this: buy this or die, you know, gotsa get folky!