Ruben Zahra's 'Crimson Sunrise', live performance by Batera Duo (Philip Attard - saxophone; Christine Zerafa - piano) in the Emerging Artists Series of the Malta Arts Festival (8th July 2012) http://www.bateraduo.com The music pitches jagged rhythmic patterns against simple melodic phrases. These basic raw materials collide against one another and develop through a process of fragmentation rather than variation. The pounding figure in 7/8 meter is reminiscent of a heavy metal riff (or motive). Zahra often captures patterns and sequences derived from rock music within the tapestry of his contemporary works. In 'Crimson Sunrise' the music gives the impression of aggressive shifts in tempo, speeding up and slowing down. This is actually achieved through notation rather than tempo change.