Six Magics is not a new band, in fact, they have been around for over a decade, and the list of musicians who have played under that banner is considerable. The current lineup may well be the best; the principle vocalist certainly is although Six Magics utilizes a number of vocalists. But, with the addition of the truly lovely Senorita Elizabeth Vasquez, those vocals have taken a turn to the female fronted in a big way. And the results have been spectacular. Her sultry voice, and presence, gives an entirely new face and direction to what was already a strong metal sound. The release under review here also reflects the outstanding production work of David Prater, well known for his work with bands like Dream Theatre and Nightranger among others.

I had already begun to listen to the CD at the time that I became aware of the devastation that had struck Chile. In fact, I had already attempted to contact both the label and the band to gather information, the release here being relatively recent. After witnessing the effects of the quake, and having spoken to a close friend who was working in Santiago, I began to doubt I would hear much from the band anytime soon. However, I was also aware that Six Magics was touring in Europe, mainly Germany, so I thought there might be a possibility of contact from there. Several days later I received my first communication from Elizabeth, the band was in Santiago. These continued sporadically over the course of several weeks, Santiago was spared the worst of the quake but I doubt anyone was entirely sheltered from the event. And, with the continued massive aftershocks, times were tense. It seems that the band had returned just in time for the disaster, an ill-timed return if ever there was one. But, they made it through unscathed and we were finally able to exchange some information, enough to provide the review here. A follow-up interview is in the works and should provide an interesting tale that goes far beyond the music. You don’t get an 8.8 every day. Thank God.

Musically, there are some interesting points to discuss with Six Magics. The first is the overall quality of the music; we have some first rate musicians here and a truly lovely lead vocal. However, Six Magics utilizes several of the males as backup singers as well, and they actually have quite interesting voices. The guitar work is another notable component of the music and not to be overlooked. Erick Avila and Gabriel Hidalgo work the primary axes while Mauricio Nader handles the bass. Drums are assigned to Pablo Stagnaro. You’ll hear keys as well, and they’re quite noticeable on several tracks, that function is addressed through other means, the former keyboard player left to play the trumpet. You can view the band at work on YouTube, but many of the videos are from earlier versions of the band, back when vocals were strictly male. But, there are a few with Elizabeth and you do get to see her work, a task that is not particularly hard on the eyes. She has a stage presence to go with that voice and we always love that capability in our performers.

The ten-track recording starts with Run. It is a truly interesting song, to say the least. The first thing you realize is that, although it is an interesting musical presentation, there is a little different focus. A narrative that follows the introductory music lines delivered by Elizabeth defines that focus. She begins singing:

The narrative that follows addresses issues related to 9/11, placing Elizabeth’s previous comments in perspective. I haven’t heard a song like this, one that forced me to listen again and again, in a long time. Amazing that a Chilean band would go to such lengths to address an event the world sees as particularly American, and do it justice to this extent. Truly amazing.

Animal follows, and takes us to a more direct presentation of the Six Magics musical direction. There are interesting keyboard lines, but it is the guitars, the drums and the haunting Elizabeth vocals that drive the work. One thing became immediately clear to me the first day I started listening to this CD. You need a really good stereo. Utilizing the feeble speakers on a computer limits the enjoyment significantly. And Animal is one of the numbers that takes the biggest hit when utilizing a less than appropriate sound system.

The title track Behind the Sorrow follows. Elizabeth slows it down here; we hear the sultry side of her vocal. She doesn’t have the range of a Floor Jensen but her approach is different, and effective as this number demonstrates. There is some Western European sound here and it seems to remind me of several of the German bands. According to Elizabeth, Chile is a population heavily influenced by German and Spanish ancestry. The German part was a novel idea for me, but Six Magics does seem to spend time there and is well received. You hear that influence on this title track.

Six Magics music is influenced by a variety of styles. These find their way into their music. Elizabeth suggests an interest in R & B, jazz and various metal sounds. Other members confess to interests in topics ranging from classical to thrash. All are found on the CD at one time or another. All My Dreams is one of the numbers that captures some of these influences. There is a jazz feel to some of the vocals, and it is also captured in the alterations in pace that take place in the number. The guitars cover several different and distinct directions. And, on the following number, They, we move to a classical introduction that leads to an R&B sound from the vocalist, a truly beautiful song that is the highlight of the Elizabeth Vasquez contribution on this CD.

I generally like to get a little information from bands, when possible, to better help me understand them as musicians and people. It also helps me understand their music. The information provided by Elizabeth went way beyond anything I have received in the past. I am familiar with Chile through several other paths in my life, at least to some extent, however, her comments were some of the most direct and revealing I have ever received. And the music reflects that willingness to explore the soul, to deal with reality as it is presented. Elizabeth commented, "We want to share what we think about different topics, no matter if other people think or nor the same. We think human being can be so brutal with many things but also be so vulnerable about others. We have two or more faces, nobody is totally one way. We are really concern about the big damage we do to the planet, we are not activists or fanatic people. We believe in human race, but we think we need to stop, stop and see what we are, where we are and what we are doing..we are a generation who has realized how communication revolution has improved the lives of millions and how it’s became a useful tool too, but we also think we need to control it, we belong to the generation where simple things made you have great time and parents and grandparents we still loved and respected"

There’s just nothing I can add to that. It is the basis of one of the finest CDs I have heard in some time, the vocals being delivered by one of the most beautiful, in many ways, people it has been my pleasure to meet.

And the rest of the music, well, give it a shot, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

9.5 / 10