OCTOHPERA is a Brazilian group that has a long history despite releasing their first album only some ten years after the group was founded. The band was born from the idea of Pablo Marques and Paulo Elizardo. The group consists of Pablo Marques (electric & acoustic guitars, vocals, violin), Robson Bertolossi (lead vocals), Paulo Elizardo (keyboards, vocals), Julian Quilodran (bass, flute) and Marcio Baltar (drums). Their music is symphonic progressive in the seventies tradition.

The debut album "Bons Amigos" ("Three Friends") was released in 2002. As it can be figured from the album title alone, GENTLE GIANT has heavily influenced the music of this album. The band does not even try to hide that they are a clone band of this seventies group and indeed the music is very similar albeit with a modern approach and with some Brazilian ethnicity. The band even uses similar multi-layered vocals. If you can ignore the fact that the band is like a modern day GENTLE GIANT, you will be rewarded, because the music is excellent.

OCTOHPERA is a refreshing new group that should at least please fans of GENTLE GIANT!

: : : Markus Mattsson, FINLAND : : :

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