Imperio: Abismos En El Cielo Reissue 2025 | 25 Years Is Nothing
(2025 – Cuervo Records)
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of its original release, Cuervo Records has decided to release a new reissue of this Argentine power metal classic, with a special format and several interesting features that we will explore in this review.
Let’s take a look back at history. Imperio was one of the pioneering Argentine bands to venture into the European-style Power Metal genre, with a style reminiscent of Helloween, Angra, Stratovarious, etc. The band made a name for itself thanks to its two excellent first albums, and in this case, it was actually just an EP with five songs and two demo tracks from 1996 (“Presagio Final” and “El Tiempo Dirá”).
Later, in 2007, the Blackstar3 label reissued it with the addition of two English versions, a demo, and a video clip, which are not included in this new edition.
However, it can be said that this edition, which also celebrates the 25th anniversary of the original release, is perhaps the best and most complete version of “Abismos En El Cielo” and a must-have for fans of the band and those nostalgic for those times. In this case, it logically contains the seven tracks from the EP, but adds no less than seven bonus tracks, although it loses the English versions (“Glory From My Loss” and “The Immortal”).
We won’t add much more than what we already know about the original album. Imperio had a compendium of classics on this EP, including the title track, “En Tiempos de Estío” and “Para Mi Gloria O Mi Fracaso,” and in just a handful of songs, the band knew how to make its way onto the scene.
As for the bonus tracks, this edition features Rata Blanca’s cover of “El Sueño De La Gitana,” a version that sounds much more powerful than the original. Then we have some live excerpts from 1999 at a concert in Gualeguay, Province of Entre Ríos (“Presagio Final,” “Presagio Final,” and “En Tiempos De Estío”) with a remarkable sound, without any studio embellishment. It’s a kind of sample of how Imperio sounded in those years.
Then we have three demos recorded in 1997 that had never seen the light of day, at least not in an original edition. These are the songs “No Serás Derrotado,” “Prisionero,” and “Renacer,” a completely unreleased song, which Christian Bertoncelli may have used to name his next band after the dissolution of Imperio and which is also the best excuse to get this reissue. The sound achieved on these bonus tracks is remarkable, especially considering that this is archive material.
In terms of graphics, the album is excellently presented with a cardboard sleeve surrounding the acrylic case containing the CD, respecting the original design of the cover and back cover. The inner sleeve not only includes the lyrics to the songs but also adds archive photos and complete technical data on each demo and live recording. Really excellent.
Imperio is still going strong as a band, although none of the original members remain. Remembering the release of their first album is no bad thing, especially given the unreleased material that comes with this edition, in a release that truly honors their importance and legacy within the Argentine metal scene.
To get your hands on this great album, we recommend contacting the label at https://www.facebook.com/CuervoRecords.
