Decadence & Renaissance

Decadence & Renaissance is the second album by Sotomonte, released in October 2024 and the first recorded with a full, stable band around bassist, singer and songwriter Jokin Salaverria. The foundations remain the same as on the debut, folk and progressive rock with touches of psychedelia and hard rock, but the sound is now more progressive and, at times, heavier. Organ and keyboards take a leading role across its nine tracks, drawing clear lines to early Genesis, while the guitars bring sharp solos and a powerful, driving energy. The record moves from the opening "The Nothing", a classic late-60s/early-70s rock statement against a homogenised, controlled society, through the full-force "Gambit", the pastoral "Montecristo/The Riddle" and the reflective "What a Game to Play", with "The Beauty of Tomorrow" and "Little Vilma" as its two ballads. It closes with "The Everything", a hummed bookend to the opening track: the lyrics criticise many aspects of modern life, but the message is ultimately a positive one. Produced by Iñigo Bregel (Los Estanques). Named Best Spanish Album of 2024 by La Habitación 235.