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Vainica Doble (Spain/Holland): Vainica Doble (Opalo OPL-1, Spain, 1970)

Folk/Rock

Mari Carmen Santoja, Gloria van Aerssen

The opening ‘Caramelo De Limón’ kicks off with almost proggy guitar and organ work, but this duo’s stock-in-trade was dreamy hippie folk/rock. This is a varied album, from some quaint ballads to the pop-ish ‘Quién Le Pone El Cascabel Al Gato’ (complete with garage guitar riffs and huge, spacious drums) to hints of traditional Spanish music (the trumpet on ‘El Duende’) and even a number with an out-of-tune children’s choir. Altogether, this is a strange LP: simultaneously very commercial and quite middle-of-the-road, but also quite otherworldly and trippy at the same time. For the most part, it’s a very good album, although some of their best early work was issued on non-LP singles and their B-sides. GRADE: B–.

Vainica Doble (Spain/Holland): Heliotropo (Ariola 82.186-I, 1973)

Folk/Rock

Mari Carmen Santoja, Gloria van Aerssen

Their second album is in a very similar vein to their first, and once again has a summery, beatific sound. At times it’s too whimsical for its own good – the closing double whammy of ‘A La Sombra De Un Banano’ and ‘Coplas Del Iconoclasta Enamorado’ clearly reveals their influences from novelty songs and music-hall – but for the most part it’s a fine LP, peaking on the darker, psychedelic ‘La Máquina Infernal’. GRADE: B–.

Vainica Doble (Spain/Holland): Contracorriente (Movieplay LP-32777/17.07770, 1976)

Rock/Progressive

Mari Carmen Santoja, Gloria van Aerssen

As usual, a couple of music hall-styled numbers – in this case, it’s ‘El Oso Poderoso’ and ‘Déjame Vivir Col Alegria’ – slightly spoil the fun, but otherwise this is their best. The arrangements are more rocking and robust than normal, the guitars crunchier, the psychedelic edges more prominent, adding up to an impressive album full of rich melodies and absorbing textures. GRADE: B–.

Vainica Doble (Spain/Holland): El Eslabón Perdido (Guimbarda GS-11086, with booklet, Spain, 1980)
Singer/Songwriter
Mari Carmen Santoja (joint lead vocals, guitar), Gloria van Aerssen (joint lead vocals)
Whilst not completely dissimilar from their earlier work, this is both slightly more acoustic and decidedly more downbeat. The results are pleasant and atmospheric, but the distinctiveness – and more importantly the joie de vivre – of previous albums is notably lacking. So are any psychedelic edges, which may matter more to some readers. GRADE: C+.
Vainica Doble (Spain/Holland): El Tigre Del Guadarrama (Guimbarda GS-11138, Spain, 1981)
Folk/Rock/Psychedelic
Mari Carmen Santoja, Gloria van Aerssen
Whilst retaining the introspective feel of its slightly underwhelming predecessor, this is a vastly better album all round – dark, eerie, atmospheric and – equally importantly – psychedelic. The occasional fuzz guitar outbursts may be the highlights for some listeners, but this is a beautiful, haunting, intriguing album all through, representing an impressive return to form. GRADE: B–.

Vainica Doble (Spain/Holland): Taquicardia (Cara Cuarta 1600, double, with insert, Spain, 1984)
Singer/Songwriter
Mari Carmen Santonja, Gloria van Aerssen
The band’s magnum opus is an ambitious double album covering a wide range of territory, though mostly focusing on orchestrated singer/songwriter fare. It’s all extremely pleasant and occasionally truly excellent, placing it at the upper end of the C+ range, but it doesn’t have enough unforgettable melodies or musical surprises to cross over into B–. GRADE: C+.

Vainica Doble (Spain/Holland): Carbono 14 (Mercury 536 399-2, CD, Spain, 1997)
Singer/Songwriter
Mari Carmen Santonja, Gloria van Aerssen
Vainica Doble’s first album in 13 years mixes new and old songs and has a much slicker, smoother style than their seventies and eighties work. It’s all likeable enough, and extremely well arranged and produced, but despite some strong material signally lacks the eccentricity that elevated their first few LPs. GRADE: C+.
Vainica Doble (Spain/Holland): En Familia (Elefant ER-1081, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2000)
Singer/Songwriter
Mari Carmen Santonja, Gloria van Aerssen
The duo’s final album is a definite step up and partially recaptures their seventies sound, with everything from psychedelic-edged rock to a cut with a children’s choir. Nonetheless, most of this is fairly straight singer/songwriter fare, though there are some lovely songs and it’s definitely at the upper end of the C+ range. GRADE: C+.

Vainica Doble (Spain): A La Manera De Vainica Doble (Lemuria Music MU-056, CD, with digipak, 2017)
Folk/Rock/Psychedelic
Mari Carmen Santonja, Gloria van Aerssen
This odd little (if that’s the right word for a 75-minute set) album combines demos, outtakes and non-LP tracks by the duo (which appear to stretch across their 30-year career) with collaborations with other artists and covers of their material by artists they inspired. The result is something of an unholy mess – particularly with 31 songs, including many lasting for 90 seconds or less – blending acoustic folk, high-tech pop, acapella stuff, indie rock, children’s music, instrumentals and more, all with wildly varying recording styles. However, the oddest thing is how good it is, which is either testament to the quality of Vainica Doble’s songwriting or the genius of the compilers who somehow sequenced the set to make it work. GRADE: B–.

VAK (France): VAK (No label, CD, 2011)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Aurélie Saintecroix (lead vocals), Juliette Drigny (flute)
This long EP (or short album, if you prefer) offers energetic old-school Zeuhl: think Eider Stellaire on the first album or maybe Musique Noise. As such, it isn’t about to win any prizes for originality, and it certainly doesn’t bring anything new to the genre, but it wins through on sheer heft and intensity. GRADE: B–.
VAK (France): Aedividea (No label, CD, 2015)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Aurélie Saintecroix (lead vocals), Juliette Drigny (flute)
The band’s second release (again on the borderline between an EP and an album) is in the same basic style but is considerably more mature. In contrast to the all-out assault of their debut, the songs here are varied, dynamic and well-crafted with lots of atmosphere and plenty of twists and turns. Both their private releases were compiled into an album, also called Aedividea (Soleil Zeuhl 49, CD, France, 2015) minus ‘Reeht’ from their debut. GRADE: B–.
VAK (France): Budo (Soleil Zeuhl 55, CD, 2018)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Aurélie Saintecroix (lead vocals)
This is considerably more ambitious than their first two releases, comprising two huge suites totalling 50 minutes, plus the eight-minute ‘Au Fond Des Creuses’. Whilst notably jazzier than their first two, it’s once again a grab-bag of Magma styles: a fair bit of ‘De Futura’, touches of MDK and some eighties and modern references too. As such, whilst this is remarkably good, it doesn’t really contain anything you won’t have heard before. GRADE: B–.

Anneke van Giersbergen & Danny Cavanagh (Holland): In Parallel (Angelic Recordings, CD, 2009)
Folk/Singer/Songwriter
Quite different from van Giersbergen’s other work, this sees her teaming up with a fellow singer/songwriter for a delicate acoustic performance. The setlist mixes material by both composers, as well as a number of covers (including Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ and two Fleetwood Mac songs). With some delicate and haunting material, it’s a fine although very assuming album. GRADE: C+.
Anneke van Giersbergen (Holland): Everything Is Changing (PIAS Recordings 944.A069.020, CD, 2011)
Pop/Rock
Anneke van Giersbergen (lead vocals)
Different yet again, this is a polished pop/rock album with a wistful feel to the melodies – not what you’d call ambitious or adventurous, but nice enough as a commercial twist on her later work with the Gathering. GRADE: C+.
Anneke van Giersbergen & Martijn Bosman (Holland): De Beer Die Geen Beer Was (ONusual, with hardback book, 2011)
Folk/Pop/Rock
Anneke van Giersbergen (joint lead vocals, guitar, piano)
With an increasingly unpredictable career, van Giersbergen tried her hand at a children’s album, some copies of which were sold with an accompanying book. With a mixture of narration of songs, this ranges from folk to jazzy pop and industrial-tinged rock, and is possibly her most interesting and creative solo LP. GRADE: C+.
Anneke van Giersbergen (Holland): Drive (PIAS Recordings 944.A131.020, CD, 2013)
Pop/Rock
Anneke van Giersbergen (principal vocals)
As with Everything Is Changing, this is slick pop/rock – catchy, well-crafted, rather old-fashioned and ultimately rather inconsequential. GRADE: C+.

Anneke van Giersbergen & Árstídir (Holland/Iceland): Verloren Verleden (Butler BUR2026012, CD, Holland, 2016)
Folk/Classical
Anneke van Giersbergen (principal vocals)
One can’t fault the breadth of Anneke van Giersbergen’s musical career since leaving the Gathering: metal with Vuur, acoustic folk with Danny Cavanagh, children’s music with Martijn Bosman, progressive with the Devin Townsend Project, and now this beautiful, haunting chamber music with Icelandic colleagues. With material ranging from ‘Danny Boy’ to Elgar and Grieg, it’s beautiful stuff, demonstrating her fine voice to excellent effect. However, she still hasn’t produced anything as a soloist that has reflected the potential she showed with her former band. GRADE: C+.

Anneke van Giersbergen with Residentie Orkest The Hague (Holland): Symphonized (InsideOut IOMSECD 520, CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2018)
Rock
Anneke van Giersbergen (lead vocals)
It’s now more than a decade since Anneke van Giersbergen has left the Gathering, and she still has to release anything that equals her best work with the band. This live album, recorded with a symphony orchestra, is probably the best thing she’s done as a soloist, but it’s still not the unequivocal return to form she needs. GRADE: C+.

Anneke van Giersbergen (Holland): The Darkest Skies Are The Brightest (InsideOut 1943836481, LP plus CD, with insert, 2021)
Singer/Songwriter
Anneke van Giersbergen (lead vocals, guitar, bass, percussion)
I’ve dutifully bought everything Anneke van Giersbergen has released since leaving the Gathering, expecting that eventually she would release something of excellence – and I’ve been consistently disappointed. So does The Darkest Skies Are The Brightest break the mould? Yes and no. This sort of mellow semi-acoustic singer/songwriter fare isn’t likely to rank among my favourite unless packed with classic songs, and these aren’t classics. But they’re nonetheless very good and beautifully arranged and produced to boot, so this is probably her best work since leaving her former band. GRADE: C+.
See also Agua de Annique, Gathering

Laurence Vanay (France): Laurence Vanay (SFP 34.024, 1974)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards)
The debut album by Laurence Vanay (real name Jacqueline Thibault) mixes dreamy keyboard-led instrumentals with typically sensual French songs showcasing folky and jazzy influences. In some ways, the instrumentals represent more delicate and impressionistic side-steps from Pink Floyd at their softest (‘Le Coeur Lourd’, for example, sounds like a pastiche of ‘The Great Gig In The Sky’) whilst the songs recall Catherine Lara and similar French seventies singer/songwriters. Overall, the album feels beautiful, refined, understated and somewhat inconsequential. For some reason, the disc is usually known as Galaxiesdespite clearly being self-titled. GRADE: C+.
Gate Way (France): Evening Colours (Galloway 600 572, 1975)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault (lead vocals, keyboards)
For marketing purposes, Thibault/Vanay’s second album was issued under the band name of Gate Way, though the collapse of her record label means that this is even rarer than her debut. Like her first, this features short instrumentals with a dreamy and impressionistic feel; this time round, there are no actual songs, though both Thibault and guitarist Serge Derrien contribute occasional wordless vocals. The album got a second issue in 1977 as a library music release (CAM CmL 121, Italy, with inner); even this version is quite hard to find today. GRADE: C+.
Maire-Mennesson (France): Magic Slows (SFP 55.009, 1975)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault
Oddly, Thibault/Vanay released her third album under another pseudonym, this time Maire Mennesson (or ‘Maire-Mennesson’ as the cover and label put it). She opted for a pseudonym as Magic Slowsoffers more commercial instrumental music, including a few cover versions. Whilst there are definite MOR and cabaret edges here and there, this is still immediately recognisable as her work, with the same delicate, spacy moods as her first two; I assume the same musicians were used, but there are no credits. This is the rarest of her albums, with only three or four copies having resurfaced. GRADE: C+.

Laurence Vanay (France): Les Soleils De La Vie (Lion Productions LION 688, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2016, recorded 1977)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault (joint lead vocals, guitar, keyboards)
Thibault’s fourth album was slated for release on Decca, but the label was unhappy with the mix; their requested remix did not happen until 1985, by which time the market for pastoral instrumental prog was tiny. Similar in style to her first three albums but better recorded and more dynamic, this is another lovely, delicate set. The CD version adds half-a-dozen bonus tracks, mostly actual songs, from the eighties and nineties. GRADE: C+.
Laurence Vanay (France): La Petite Fenêtre (Lion Productions LION 687, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2016, recorded 1980)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault
Like its predecessor, this album was left unreleased for several decades due to problems with the recording and mix; also like its predecessor, it’s a pleasant and lively collection of instrumental music, ranging from classical solo piano to softer sidesteps from Pink Floyd. Alternative versions of two tracks are added as bonuses, along with her score to Pierre Zanone’s film ‘Glaciers Interdits’. GRADE: C+.
Jacqueline Thibault (France): Passagers d’Univers (Diem CDMA 1111, CD, 1991)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault (joint lead vocals, keyboards)
Whilst recognisably in the vein of her albums as Laurence Vanay, this adds a slight new age edge and focuses more on neoclassical solo piano. Haunting, delicate and atmospheric, it’s another lovely addition to her discography. GRADE: C+.
Jacqueline Thibault (France): Mandala (Amrita CDF22MA, CD, 1994)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault (keyboards)
The new age slant is slightly more obvious here, as the title suggests, though this has no Eastern or meditative elements. Instead it’s beautiful, minimalist neoclassical music, demonstrating Thibault’s piano skills to great effect. GRADE: C+.
Jacqueline Thibault (France): To Love (Assaf 216, CD, 1995?)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault (keyboards)
Once again, this is delicate, haunting and beautiful – not quite progressive, not quite new edge, not quite classical, but blending all those elements into a beguiling tapestry of music. GRADE: C+.

Jacqueline Thibault (France): Le Pied Dans La Main (Assyel Productions AP1, CD, 1996?)
Progressive
Whether this is titled Le Pied Dans La Main or Rivages is debatable – from the cover, Le Pied Dans La Main is a reiki and reflexology organisation that commissioned this album. Having never tried either discipline, I can’t really say whether this captures their essence; what I can say is that is another delicate and haunting album of keyboard-based music. GRADE: C+.
Jacqueline Thibault (France): Concerto Pour Bébé (Cristal Musique A001, CDR, 1996)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault (keyboards)
As the title suggests, this album was intended for listening by infants and their parents. What babies would make of it, I have no idea, but to my ears it’s another enjoyable instalment in Thibault’s catalogue of gentle, uplifting instrumental music. GRADE: C+.
Jacqueline Thibault (France): Le Chant De L’Eau (Energie Nature Production ENP 019, CD, 1997)
Progressive/New Age
This is Thibault’s most overtly new age-oriented album, with the gentle, uplifting music presented against a backdrop of rushing water and twittering birds. As the sleeve notes put it, “Listen to the water voice – its inner song, which reminds us forever of the source of life… listen to the song of harmony.’GRADE: C+.
Jacqueline Thibault (France): Rafaël (Mots et Musique A008, CDR, 2003)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault (joint lead vocals, keyboards), Marine Thibault (joint lead vocals), Virginie Naudillon (joint lead vocals)
As the subtitle ‘Conte Musical’ makes clear, this is quite different from most of Thibault’s albums, with narration added to her usual tranquil keyboard soundscapes. This addition lifts the album considerably, adding another dimension, making this one of her most enjoyable works. GRADE: C+.

Jacqueline Thibault (France): Bad Rêveur (Assyel Productions 005, CD, 2001)
Progressive
This is one of the most interesting additions to Thibault’s discography: the weird, tripped-out Bad Rêveur was created to inspire young people to avoid drugs, but in fact gained a cult following as a psychedelic album. Much weirder and more spacious than her other work, it hints towards Aguirre-era Popol Vuh with its shimmering synthesiser walls and spacy cosmic feel, resulting in one of her best works. GRADE: C+.
Jacqueline Thibault (France): Contes Musicaux Pour Enfants (Cristal Musique A010, CD, with minisleeve, 2001, recorded 1985 to 1990)
Progressive
Jacqueline Thibault (principal vocals, keyboards)
Recorded between 1985 and 1990 but not released until 2001, this is an album of stories for children with musical accompaniment. As such, it represents a straighter and less tripped-out sidestep from Mother Gong’s Fairy Tales, and is pleasant enough (though I could have done without the occasional children’s voices). GRADE: C+.
Jacqueline Thibault (France): Alchimie (Cristal Musique A012, CD, 2005?)
Progressive/Classical
Jacqueline Thibault (piano)
Thibault’s music moves even closer to modern classical here – this largely consists of solo piano plus occasional flute and (male) voice. The results are beautiful, delicate and haunting. GRADE: C+.
Jacqueline Thibault (France): Piano Mélodies Volume 1 (Cristal Musique A020, CD, 2012?)
Classical
Jacqueline Thibault (piano)
As the title suggests, this consists entirely of piano solos – 30 in all: all self-penned, delicate and gentle, making for lovely background music. GRADE: C+.

Jacqueline Thibault (France): Un Ange Passe (Cristal Musique A 022, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, 2014)
Classical
Jacqueline Thibault (piano)
This is another delicate, haunting album of piano solos; once again, despite its lack of variety, the quality of the playing ensures that it retains one’s attention. GRADE: C+.

See also B612

Christian Vander (France): Tristan Et Iseult (Barclay 80.528, 1974)
Progressive/Avant-Garde
Stella Vander (occasional vocals)
This film soundtrack by the leader of Magma actually contains ‘Wurdah Ïtah’, the second part of the ‘Theusz Hamtaahk’ trilogy (although the original album credits twelve separate tracks). The line-up is basically a stripped-down Magma, comprising Christian and Stella Vander, Klaus Blasquiz and Jannick Top, so essentially this is a Magma LP in all but name. It’s also an excellent suite of music, midway in mood between Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh and Kohntarkösz. GRADE: B.
Christian Vander (France): À Tous Les Enfants (Seventh A XIV, CD, with book sleeve, 1994)
Folk/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Stella Vander (joint lead vocals, keyboards, programming), Isabelle Feuillebois (joint lead vocals), Julie Vander (joint lead vocals)
As the title suggests, this is an album of Christian Vander’s children’s songs, but it’s hardly suitable for kids: if the grinning witch on the cover didn’t give them nightmares, the rather eerie avant-garde songs would certainly do so. Taking a step forward from Magma at their most meditative, the music sets mournful multi-layered vocals against gentle piano backing, creating something of a neoclassical feel. There are also a few brief interludes with sound effects and a children’s choir, but these don’t detract significantly from the LP. As a footnote, this shares one cut (‘Ronde De Nuit’) with Stella Vander’s solo set D’Épreuves D’Amour. GRADE: B–.
Christian Vander (France): Les Cygnes Et Les Corbeaux (Seventh A XXXIII, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2002)
Progressive/Avant-Garde
Stella Vander (joint lead vocals, programming), Isabelle Feuillebois (occasional vocals), Julie Vander (occasional vocals), Bénédicte Ragu (occasional vocals)
Based around sweeping sampled orchestration, this is a large-scale concept work involving multiple vocalists. With a high level of dissonance, it’s both ambitious and creative but very short on memorable tunes and riffs, making it one of Vander’s least listenable albums. GRADE: C+.
See also Lydia Domancich, Magma, Offering, Prince, Stella, Utopic Sporadic Orchestra

Vårt Solsystem (Sweden): Our Solar System (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond BBIBR, USA, 2013)
Psychedelic
Billie Lindahl (joint lead vocals, percussion), Lisa Isaksson (joint lead vocals, percussion, flute), Karin Engqvist (organ, percussion, backing vocals), Maria Arnqist (percussion, saxophone, backing vocals), Johanna Hessel Slim (percussion, violin, backing vocals), Amanda Jonsson (percussion, backing vocals)
No prizes for guessing that this is space-rock, though this sprawling Swedish collective take their cues as much from Sun Ra as from Gong. Stitching together two live improvisations, the album ebbs and flows – as usual with this sort of thing, some passages are stunning in their intensity whilst others offer lukewarm noodling. Nonetheless, this is an impressive and unusual debut containing some fine moments. GRADE: B–.
Our Solar System (Sweden): En Månvandring (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond, CD, with minisleeve, USA, 2015)
Psychedelic/Jazz
Like their debut, this stitches together various live jams into a more-or-less continuous suite of music. Their free-jazz roots are more obvious this time round, and once again there are a few ponderous moments but also plenty of great – and very atmospheric – music. GRADE: B–.
Our Solar System (Sweden): In Time (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond BBIBR027, some on smoky black and white vinyl, with download card, 2015)
Psychedelic/Progressive
Lisa Isaksson, Karin Engqvist, Maria Arnqvist, Johanna Hessel Slim, Anna Juhlin, Anna Myrsten
Unlike their first two, this consists of two side-long numbers recorded in the studio. Whilst broadly similar to their earlier work, this is a little slicker and more polished, with a progressive edge creeping into their sound. Once again, it’s impressive stuff that at its best trips out to the ether. GRADE: B–.
Vårt Solsystem (Sweden): Värdsliga Bekymmer (Kommun 2/Svensk Psych Aften KOMMUN-2/SPA007, some on blue and red splatter vinyl, 2016)
Psychedelic
Lisa Isaksson, Karin Engvist, Maria Arnqvist, Johanna Hessel Slim, Anna Juhlin, Anna Myrsten
Whilst representing further variations on a theme, this is their best album overall – wilder, trippier, proggier, folkier and more experimental than its predecessors. In fact, improvised rock doesn’t get a great deal better than this. GRADE: B–.

Our Solar System (Sweden): Origins (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond BBIBR046, CD, with digipak, USA, 2018)

Psychedelic

Lisa Isaksson, Karin Engqvist, Maria Arnqvist, Johanna Hessel Slim, Anna Juhlin, Anna Myrsten

Reviewing a new Our Solar System album is a challenge: this isn’t a band concerned with songs or artistic development, instead concentrating on huge, tripped-out, cathedral-like cosmic jams. What sets them apart is their ability to avoid the boring clichés of improvised music (or perhaps their ability to select the very best segments), resulting in a series of genuinely impressive albums. GRADE: B–.
See also Hashish, Laike, Life On Earth!, Lisa o Piu, Lüüp, Me & My Kites, Promise & The Monster, Ştiu Nu Ştiu, Roger Wootton & Piu

Västkustteamet (Sweden): Tiden Är Inne (Hemmets Härold LP 335, 1969)
Folk/Rock/MOR
Christina Ekström (joint lead vocals, keyboards), Christina Sonesson (joint lead vocals, guitar)
This is odd MOR Christian soft beat and folk/rock, with a hymnal feel to the melodies but full band arrangements (including some quite heavy drums and occasional piercing lead guitar). The end results sometimes fringe the ‘real people’ genre and are rarely brilliant, but this has a certain naïve charm. Christina Sonesson later went on to Irene Christina Rut-Mari. GRADE: C–.
See also Irene Christina Rut-Mari

Beto Vazquez Infinity (Argentina): Beto Vazquez Infinity (NEMS Enterprises NEMS 268, CD, 2001)
Metal/Progressive
Candice Night (joint lead vocals), Sabine Edelsbacher (joint lead vocals), Tarja Turunen (joint lead vocals), Liliah Bertolini (flute, whistle)
The choice of guest vocalists is no accident: this Argentine band offers epic music that at various times hints towards Edenbridge, Nightwish and Blackmore’s Night. It’s all richly crafted, beautifully played and sumptuously melodic, but like a lot of power metal it’s sometimes a little cheesy. GRADE: C+.
Beto Vazquez Infinity (Argentina): Flying Towards The New Horizon (Beto Vazquez Music BVM 001, CD, 2007)
Metal/Progressive
Vero Áiudi (joint lead vocals), Paula Margarittini (occasional vocals), Sonia Pineault (occasional vocals), Quinn Weng (occasional vocals)
The band’s much delayed second album saw them incorporating vocalists into the line-up, although there is a huge array of guest musicians and singers, including Forgotten Tales’ Sonia Pineault and Seraphim’s Quinn Weng. Musically it’s in the same vein as their first, however, and is again a solid set without any individually outstanding tracks. GRADE: C+.
Beto Vazquez Infinity (Argentina/Finland/Italy): Darkmind (Beto Vazquez Music BVM 002, CD, with digipak and booklet, Argentina, 2008)
Metal/Progressive
Jessica Lehto (joint lead vocals), Marcela Bovio (occasional vocals), Sandra Schleret (occasional vocals), Manda Ophuis (occasional vocals), Elisa Luna (occasional vocals), Sabrina Carrion (occasional vocals), Ivana Anic Lara (occasional vocals), Kiara (occasional vocals), Karina Varela

(backing vocals)
This isn’t actually inferior to their first two, but it is less listenable thanks to an unsympathetic production style that presents the music as a relentless wall of sound. The material itself is adequate, but it has to say something that by far the best number is a re-recording of ‘The Tunnel Of The Souls’ from their previous album. GRADE: C.
Beto Vazquez Infinity (Argentina/Finland/Italy): Existence (Beto Vazquez Music BVM 003, double CD, with digipak, booklet, poster and insert, 2010)
Metal/Progressive
Jessica Lehto (joint lead vocals), Sonya Scarlet (occasional vocals), Mikki Straatsma (occasional vocals), Slava Popova (occasional vocals), Lady Angellyca (occasional vocals), Chiara Malvestiti (occasional vocals), Melissa Ferlak (occasional vocals), Gaby Koss (occasional vocals), Simone Christinat (occasional vocals), Sascha Froma (occasional vocals)
The band’s magnum opus sees them sounding revitalised, though most of the music is in their familiar epic symphonic metal style. Though the album is accomplished throughout, the best cut is the simplest – the excellent folk- and blues-tinged ‘Arwen Song’, written for Vazquez’s daughter. GRADE: C+.

Beto Vazquez Infinity (Argentina/Finland/Italy): Beyond Space Without Limits (Beto Vazquez Music BVM-004, double CD, with slipcase, 2010)
Metal/Progressive
Jessica Lehto (occasional vocals), Anja Orthodox (occasional vocals), Ana Maria Barajas (occasional vocals), Chiara Malvestiti (occasional vocals), Magdalena Lee (occasional vocals)
Available either as a single or a double album – the latter including a bonus disc of cover versions entitled Tribute To The Music Vol 1 – Beyond Space Without Limits climaxes in the titular sympho-prog suite, which has some lovely folky edges. It’s completely dissimilar from the remainder of the album, and vastly superior, with some of the other numbers suffering from poor choices of guest vocalist. However, since the songs on the bonus disc are also superior, it’s clear that the singing isn’t the only issue. As a footnote, Jessica Lehto does very little here, despite being credited as a full band member, and does not appear on the bonus album at all. GRADE: C+.
Beto Vazquez Infinity (Argentina): Live In Buenos Aires (Beto Vazquez Music BVM 006, DVD, with digipak, booklet and slipcase, 2014)
Metal/Progressive
Carolina Guedes (joint lead vocals, keyboards), Canela Sol (joint lead vocals)
This well-filmed and recorded set demonstrates Beto Vazquez Infinity at their best: raw, dynamic, epic and unpretentious. If some of the power metal trappings remain a little cheesy, their energy and infectious enthusiasm carry them through, and it’s abundantly clear that they are a fantastic live act. GRADE: B–.

See also Aina, Ayreon, Blackmore's Night, Dreams Of Sanity, Edenbridge, Elfonía, Elis, Eyes Of Eden, Factory Of Dreams, Forgotten Tales, Gathering, Missa Mercuria, Nemesea, Candice Night, Nightwish, Noche Escandinavia II, Seraphim, Siegfried, Stream Of Passion, Tarja, Therion