I have played a couple of Chilean bands on my show at Progzilla Radio now, so it was a very pleasant moment when Rodrigo González Mera, the drummer of Chercán reached out to notify me of their debut, self-titled album.
On first listen of La Culpa, I knew I was in for an artistic treat, and I scheduled that track immediately for airplay. The remainder of the album doesn’t disappoint, either. This is a mature and deeply satisfying work.
The band was formed in 2019, but, as with so much in the world, progress was delayed by the Covid pandemic, but the wait has been worthwhile. You can get this album by popping along to https://chercan.bandcamp.com/album/cherc-n
Joining Rodrigo in Chercán is guitarist Roberto Faúndez; vocalist Martín Peña; saxophonist Matías Bahamondes; and bass player Simón Catalán (who has been replaced by Pablo Barría since the recording of Chercán). Chercán, incidentally, is the name of a particular house wren that is common in Chile.
Nine tracks to discuss. Let’s weigh in with gusto.
La Culpa, The Guilt, and immediately the drums hit you between the ears, as good a performance I have heard since Collins regaled us on The Duke Suite, from where the influence here can be strongly heard. I really like Peña’s expressive vocals, and the sax of Bahamondes is so smoky and seductive whilst the guitar riffs of Faúndez and at times beautifully melodic bass of Catalán all add up to a piece of music that calls you, draws you in to a wonderful heady mix of classic progressive rock, smoky jazz fusion, experimental art rock, and some thunderingly heavy rock as the piece moves to its denouement. It is embedded below. Such a strong start to proceedings.
This delight is followed by Caen las Hojas Blancas (The White Leaves Fall). The introductory riffs are very heavy, the bassline throbbing, with the sax leading the charge, the voice beguiling. Some of the music is positively industrial at times, with, I think, Crimson & VDGG as primary influences, wrapped up in a soundscape the likes of which you get in a cathedral with voices and instruments at full pelt, some growling present as well moving us into Opeth territory. Fascinating music which really does engage you.
Kalimba follows, and the band references the southern African musical instrument, with Carlo Barros responsible for mastering the sound you hear. It is one of those tracks which fills the room with sound. There is the most delightful interaction between bass, guitar, orchestration, with the sax again at the forefront of the jazz infused riffs.
Desolacion (Desolation) is up next and it is a short interlude, gorgeous chamber music from guest musicians Benjamín Ruz-Arreglos strings & violin, Javiera González, viola, and Ariadna Kordovero on cello, and this leads directly into Tiempos Paralelos (Parallel Times), the strings combining perfectly with the spartan guitar, a beautiful bass melody, the lightest of percussion work from Mera, the voice ghostly, the sax adding to that ethereal sense before we get a distinctly antipodean change of direction, didgeridoo meandering before the whole piece takes on a superb post-rock sensibility, the sound swirling around you. What a spectrum of sounds, moods, influences, and emotions this band are capable of, the denouement so sparing and yet so powerful.
Las Mentiras del Muro (The Lies of the Wall) starts with a sunny burst of reggae rock, an intoxicating beat bursting with a mix of the local culture, some gorgeous Canterbury-influenced sounds, amongst some very heavy riffs, so continuing the overall theme I take from this album, that of a band bringing us a deliciously heady eclectic mix of music, quite unique in my experience. The interplay between Mera on drums and Catalán on bass is as good a rhythm combination you are likely to hear, and the sax when it enters is so dreamy and subtle, before once again the whole thing explodes into a metal symphony of noise. This track surely must be considered a contender for an award on this website at the end of the year, perhaps “eclectic track of 2025”. Incredible modern art rock.
This is followed by a two-part piece, Relato de Una Obsesion (Story of an Obsession), the first part being Quimera (Chimera, the fire-breathing creature of Greek mythology). The opening notes initially remind one of classic Rush before taking on a near east hue commensurate with the subject matter, the percussion work especially driving this, and the interplay between the gorgeous vocals, sax, and orchestration is very strong, with Faúndez giving us a lovely, but all too brief, guitar lead burst, the remainder a must for those of you who admire that fusion of classic rock with the type of “world” music Gabriel brought to us on Passion.
Part Two is El Orate (The Madman), which takes its cue from the vibes which closed part one, full of eastern mystery, the sax at the forefront of this, the drum riffs then accelerating the piece into a heavy burst of sound with some thundering riffs, the core near east still there, but now fused with western heavy prog rock, the duo of the sax and lead guitar exemplifying this, an intense passage of music, the strings joining in, a crescendo of modern rock to close. Stunning.
We close with 7 Colores (7 Colours). There is a distinctly pastoral jazz mood here, the voices, strings, sax, and collective inviting you to sit back over a drink to admire the beauty of our planet. I have embedded this lovely piece of music below.
Chercán are a very talented collective. They have provided us with an album which is a distinct grower, to my ears achieving that prog rock nirvana of producing a work which surprises and delights the listener hearing something new on each spin, such is the diverse richness of what is on offer.
A very good album.