{"id":4724,"date":"2017-06-27T12:14:14","date_gmt":"2017-06-27T11:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.progradar.org\/?p=4724"},"modified":"2026-08-21T15:52:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T14:52:55","slug":"review-cast-power-and-outcome-by-james-r-turner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progradar.co.uk\/index.php\/2017\/06\/27\/review-cast-power-and-outcome-by-james-r-turner\/","title":{"rendered":"Review – Cast – Power And Outcome – by James R Turner"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Apparently there are two bands called Cast<\/strong>, I wasn\u2019t aware of this, and like so many bands that have the same namesake (think English Nirvana<\/strong> and American Nirvana<\/strong> \u2013 about as far removed as is possible to be) the Mexican progressive band Cast<\/strong> are both sonically and geographically removed from their jaunty Britpop counterparts.<\/p>\n

Formed in Mexico in the late 70\u2019s this is their first album since 2015\u2019s ‘Cast Vida’<\/em>, and whilst it is very much traditional prog rock, and well produced and performed, there is a slight feeling of having heard it all before, and in some instances done slightly better.<\/p>\n

The opening 11 minutes plus of Rules of the Desert<\/strong><\/em> features some great guitar and keyboard interplay from Alfonso Vidales<\/strong> and Claudio Cordero<\/strong>, however too many of the keyboard solo\u2019s are very Wakeman-lite, and with too much power and not enough outcome, there are large musical portions that veer too closely to pastiche rather than plausibility.<\/p>\n

The title track has some wonderful symphonic work, and a beautifully understated piano and guitar interlude, with fine violin work by Roberto Izzo<\/strong>, that builds into a great piece of music, whilst the lyrical performances are superb, and it\u2019s when they do something a little different on this piece that is where the album works, it is almost soundtrack like in it\u2019s scope and the vocal interplay between Bobby Vidales<\/b> and Lupita Acuna<\/strong> is great.<\/p>\n

However for every moments that soar like on Power and Outcome<\/em>, unfortunately there\u2019s also too many prog by numbers moments for my liking, there are plenty of bands out there who are doing exciting new things, and on this album Cast<\/strong> can play and perform with the best of them.<\/p>\n

Details<\/strong><\/em> is split into two parts with a) Circle Spins<\/strong><\/em> being a big power ballad that would fit nicely into a musical, with it\u2019s emphasis on the lyrics, while the musical accompaniment could have fallen from the West End, whilst it\u2019s counterpart b) Start Again<\/strong> <\/em>is all dramatic strings, mellotron, guitar and power and fury, however it\u2019s all be done before with Jon Lord’s classic\/rock crossovers in the 70\u2019s and the real stand out is the violin solo.<\/p>\n

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I do feel that at points on this album they show flashes of brilliance, however they are dragged down by the weight of their own history and the genres history.<\/p>\n

This viewpoint isn\u2019t helped by tracks like Through a Stained Glass<\/strong><\/em>, that mix Yes<\/strong>, with Genesis<\/strong>, and some very traditional prog sounds, that makes it very clich ridden unfortunately.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the problem I have with this album, it is well made, well produced and the band are undoubtedly talented but for every thing fresh they throw in the pot, they also regurgitate prog clich\u2019s as well.<\/p>\n

With tracks like Illusions and Tribulations<\/strong><\/em> clocking in at over 9 minutes, I do think that they could have trimmed some of these tracks down, as again there is guitar and keyboard interplay that brings Wakeman\/Howe<\/strong> to mind, as well as some of Ricks solo albums, and whilst it might have been original back in the 1970\u2019s, it\u2019s lots a lot of it\u2019s lustre, because if I want to hear Wakeman\/Howe<\/strong> soloing I will put Yes on.<\/p>\n

That is where I sit with this album sadly, I want to love it, as it has all the ingredients that make a great prog album, unfortunately all the ingredients make it a great prog album of the 1970\u2019s, and time has moved on.<\/p>\n

If I want 70\u2019s prog I will listen to Yes<\/strong>, Genesis<\/strong>, VdGG<\/strong> et al, and unfortunately as the prog bar has been raised so high by so many in such recent years, doing what you always did will not get you the same results as it may have done five or ten years ago.<\/p>\n

This will probably be fantastic live, however on record it\u2019s not something I will be returning to.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a prog fan who moans that they don\u2019t make them like they used to do, then this is your bag, for me it\u2019s nice enough to listen to once or twice but it won\u2019t be hitting the best of the year charts.<\/p>\n

(Featured image by Rey Acu a<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Released 7th March 2017<\/p>\n

Buy ‘Power and Outcome’ from Progressive Promotion Records<\/a><\/p>\n