Corima
CORIMA is a progressive rock band based in Los Angeles, known for their explosive live energy and bold, genre-defying sound. Formed in 2005, their music draws deeply from the zeuhl, fusion, and rock-in-opposition movements of progressive rock, as well as 20th-century classical, avant-garde spiritual jazz, and the raw urgency of punk. Over the course of more than 15 years, they have released three critically acclaimed full-length albums, toured extensively across the U.S., and performed at some of the most important progressive music festivals in North America—sharing stages with renowned acts from around the world.
CORIMA began in El Paso, Texas, when high school friends Francisco Casanova (keyboards), Gopala Bhakta (drums), Juan Tarin (bass), Erik Martinez (guitar), and Jaime Silva (guitar) came together to channel their love of eclectic progressive icons like King Crimson, Gong, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Soft Machine, and The Mars Volta. After a lineup change, the group continued as a power trio—Francisco, Gopala, and Juan—and recorded their self-titled debut in 2007 in the basement where they rehearsed. They soon embarked on their first East Coast tour, performing in cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., and sharing bills with prominent underground acts.
In 2009, seeking to evolve their sound and expand their reach, Francisco and Gopala relocated to Los Angeles. There they met bassist Ryan Kamiyamazaki and saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi, whose virtuosity and creative vision aligned with the band’s direction. Violinist Andrea Calderón, a longtime friend of Francisco’s, joined shortly after—completing a powerful new quintet. In 2012, CORIMA released Quetzalcoatl through the French label Soleil Zeuhl. The album garnered international praise, cementing the band’s place within the global progressive rock community. A West Coast tour followed, along with appearances at festivals such as ProgDay (North Carolina), Prog Fest (Seattle), and Festivalternativo (Mexico).
In 2016, CORIMA released their third album, Amaterasu, again on Soleil Zeuhl. This ambitious work marked a new creative peak, refining their signature sound into an even more expansive, emotionally charged force—fierce, ecstatic, and deeply layered. They are set to release their fourth album in 2026, more TBA!
Unconventional and uncompromising, CORIMA continues to push the boundaries of progressive music. Their compositions are a visceral, genre-bending experience that reaches for the ecstatic, tapping into a well of deep emotional resonance and musical risk that defies easy categorization.
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GOPALA BHAKTA
(Drums, Vocals)
PACO CASANOVA
(Keyboards, Vocals)
RYAN KAMIVAMAZAKI
(Bass)
ANDREA CALDERON
(Violin, Ceramic Flutes, Vocals)
"Corima are a stunning amalgamation of musicians, bridging the past foundations of Magma’s sub genre of prog rock Zeuhl and the modern musings of experimental fusion music."
- JERIK OTIS, SOUND COLOUR VIBRATION
"This album is forty-nine minutes long and this great album serves to confirm that Corima is one of the best progressive rock bands around right now. It also proves that there is life in zeuhl too."
- THE SOUND OF FIGHTING CATS
"After a band produces an album as outstanding as Corima did with Quetzalcoatl, there’s always a risk that they won’t be able to match it next time round. The good news is that Amaterasu more than matches its predecessor; the bad news is that with the bar raised even higher, Corima has set themselves an even more difficult task next time they enter a studio."
- JON DAVIS, EXPOSE MAGAZINE