THE BEAST

Aisles - Beyond Drama - Reviewed By heavymusichq ! Check it out here at this link: https://heavymusichq.com/the-progress-report-april-2023/

I’m not sure if we’ve ever had a Chilean band in the Progress Report, so it’s about time. Welcome, Aisles! The band has been around for almost twenty years now, honing their melodic, at times heavy, brand of prog rock. Beyond Drama is their fourth album, and first since 2016’s Hawaii. It is also the first to feature vocalist Israel Gil.

Beyond Drama is highlighted by crisp, modern production and intricate musical arrangements. Aisles click on all cylinders, with every song loaded with hooks and splendid arrangements. As for Gil, he’s a talented singer with a penchant for delivering in a very Tobias Forge-like manner. At times this is charismatic but equally as often the vocal arrangements are simplistic and too Ghost-like. Despite this misgiving, Beyond Drama is a very strong prog album that should bring new fans to the band.

Rating: 3.5 heavymusichq  

Release Date: April 5, 2023

Location: Chile 

About AISLES

Originally from Santiago, Chile and with four acclaimed studio albums under their belt, AISLES have become the most important South American progressive rock band of the last two decades. Known for their intricate melodies and expansive sound, the group has toured widely across the Americas and Europe. In their homeland of Chile they've opened for iconic international bands such as Marillion and Focus in addition to playing extensively around the country as headliners.

In 2005, AISLES released their debut album The Yearning in Chile and the U.S., recognized for its elegant and delicate melodic work on songs such as "The Wharf that Holds His Vessel" and "Gray." In 2009, their second album In Sudden Walks, inspired by existentialist literature and theater, was nominated for Best Foreign Album at the Prog Awards in Italy. The group also participated in the 11th version of the Progressif Crescendo Rock Festival in France. Their third record 4:45 AM which investigated human loneliness, received rave reviews and was ranked among the best albums of 2013 by numerous progressive rock media. 

Their most recent album, released in July 2016, is Hawaii, a conceptual work that narrates the life of humanity in space after the destruction of Earth. The double LP was chosen among the best albums of the year by several publications including Prog (England), NeoProg (France), Headbangers Latinos (Mexico), Aural Moon (USA) and Rockaxis (Chile). The success of the album allowed them to tour Europe, the U.S. and Mexico.

In 2018, as a way of concluding the Hawaii era, AISLES released the Live from Estudio del Sur EP along with four videos recorded live, which can be viewed on YouTube. After the departure of their original vocalist Sebastián Vergara at the end of 2018, the band returned in September 2020 with a new singer, Israel Gil, and reignited their artistic evolution by releasing a new version of their 2009 song “Smile of Tears”, from In Sudden Walks. Following the release of singles such as "Fast," "Megalomania" and "Thanks To Kafka" in 2021, AISLES will release their fifth album Beyond Drama in 2023. 

Follow them on Spotify and add to your playlists!

Also available on Bandcamp!

Discography
Beyond Drama (2023)
Live from Estudio del Sur EP (2018)
Hawaii (2016)
Live 2014 EP (2015)
4:45 AM (2013)
In Sudden Walks (2009)
The Yearning (2005)

Follow the band at these links:

https://www.aislesproject.com/
https://www.instagram.com/aislesproject/
https://www.facebook.com/Aislesproject/
https://www.youtube.com/aislesproject
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1aHj1tpKsDAUDDOMZXcjQg
https://aisles.bandcamp.com/