Paciente Cero "Viene EP"

Paciente Cero "Viene EP" (p)2015 self-released

My yearlong attraction to Paciente Cero began when I saw the band playing the tiny "Hangar Stage" at Sonorama 2014 with my initial intention to try to catch them for a song or so before Belako main stage set - the intention that had turned completely opposite when I was nailed down to the ground for the full set of Paciente Cero and was able to see Belako onstage only for the final couple of songs.
Their first demo "Dia 1" was a pleasurable set of songs stylistically close to neoprog-influenced alternative rock with Dredg as probably the best reference point. You know those 7-minute long songs with guitars galore and strong pop feel that have enough twists and turns to never appear on pop rock radio stations. Honestly speaking, I've expected "Viene" to be the logical proggression of "Dia 1" ideas - the expectation that has not actually come true.

"Viene" starts with "Llevame" - the track that was also present on demo album. So it is pretty easy to compare two versions of the same song and to make the preliminary conclusion on what was changed in terms of sound. For my ears the new version sounds definitely richer, the production is clean and stark. The vocals of the charismatic frontman Rafa Tunon are shifted to the forefront while the drums are pushed to the background of the final mix. This makes the song to sound relatively lighter as compared to the demo version.
The next track "G&M" sounds like the band invited Mike McCready and Stone Gossard to play in the studio so I can almost hear Eddie Vedder singing the verses.
"Mentiras" is probably the song with the most hit potential here - when Rafa starts to sing the first line of the chorus: "Con las manos vacias..." - my head goes banging spontaneously.
It seems like "Reverso", the track #4, lacks the fresh air around being trapped between two bright and powerful hit songs - the circumstances in which the most complicated track on this EP has no opportunity to blossom.
The final track "Solsticio" starts with Muse-influenced guitar solo (do you remember that one from "Plug In Baby"?) but the evolution of the song has nothing in common with Matt Bellamy-led prog-pop neo-Queen vehicle. This is the second track off "Dia 1" to appear here.

Overall, "Viene" as a whole is a good promise for the future and the good reason to wait for the moment when Paciente Cero are to record their first studio full lenght  - because it would be a killer. The only regret is that two of my favourite songs from "Dia 1" - "Signos Clandestinos" and "Llanto De Acuarela" - weren't chosen to appear on "Viene".

The best tracks: Llevame, Mentiras, Solsticio

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