We tend to be very excited when we hear of ‘western’ artists that tell stories about musical hit-successes and enthousiastic audiences in Asia, (Southern-)Africa or Southern-America. I think artists from non-Western-countries deserve the same amount of enthousiasm from us, when they surprise us with good music, even if we don’t know their language. ‘Canten La Tierra Y El Cielo’ of Codigo Eterno from Honduras is such album!
Codigo Eterno‘s story starts in 2004 as guitarist Jean Funes starts the band in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The melodic rock-approach seeks to bring the hearts of people to God through music. It’s founded in evangelistic purposes, but is also a ministry of praise and worship.
The band played university’s and colleges, won a band-battle in 2006 and the single and major-city-tour that followed made them known nationally in Central America. For their first album ‘Codigo Eterno‘ (2008) they got help from Swedish rockers Andreas Passmark (Narnia, Harmony) and Markus Sigfridsson (Harmony, 7 Days), among others.
The sophomore album ‘Canten La Tierra Y El Cielo‘ is my first introduction to the band, and I’m pleasantly surprised. Heavy rock with melodic rhythms, accompanied by female vocals. The arrangements are both tough and smooth, there is a good variety of guitar-driven parts and synthesizer-moments. A bunch of nice rock-ballads make the album listenable for a wider audience. It’s that you have to accept the fact that Spanish is in not your vocabulary (so you won’t understand it, although… there is an English version in the making), but if you like Fireflight, Eowyn, The Letter Black and BarlowGirl… give it a try, this album deserves more listeners.
Rating: 7,5/10
Written by Hans van Vuuren, February 2012
Tracklist:
1 Cambier El Mundo
2 Te Necesito
3 Canten La Tierra Y El Mundo
4 Mas Combo Tu
5 Siempre COrro A Ti
6 Enternamente
7 Universo
8 Yo Pertenezco A Ti
9 Alfa Y Omega
10 Santario
Current Bandmembers:
Beatriz Aranda – Vocals
Jean Funes – Guitar
Cesia Acosta – Vocals
Diana COto – Keyboard
Hector COntreras – Drums
Marco Coto – Bass
Record Label: Youngside Records, 2011
Weblinks: Myspace / Facebook / Reverbnation