Zeuhl: Magma and others

[notallwhowander]

Hardly ever mentioned but Thierry Zaboitzeff work is special....

Finally got the vid to work for me. That was creepy as all hell. But you you have to hand it to the dude that he was able to create such an air of menace all on his own on stage.

[aplodon]

It sounds like its from another planet.

Kobaia!

[Poisoned Youth]

I recently heard that short EP from the '86 band Altais. That's quite a tasty little piece of Zeuhl. Reminds me of a mix of Magma and Shub Niggurath.

[Bake 1]

Looks like the main non Vander bands in that neighborhood have already been listed... you might also dig Jean Paul Prat / Masal.

[The Czar]

Always a good topic!

[rottersclub]

Another on Soleil Zeuhl that you might like is Neom - Arkana Temporis.

"First CD of this French band that has recently opened for Magma at Bourg les Valence. A superb recording, heavily influenced by Magma (sound, compositions & spirit). Very much recommended to all Zeuhl fans!"

[Trane]

I wouldn't count Univers Zero or Present as Zeuhl as I think they are more Dark Chamber Rock or Avant Progressive, they do have some Zeuhlish elements.

If you want to explore another couple of good dark Zeuhl bands check out Shub Niggurath - Les Mort Vonts Vite, and Archaia - s/t.

Likewise my dear Ian, I never found Shub-Niggurath any Zeuhl, certainly less so than say... UZ and Present

I've been getting big into early Ruins - the Ruins III/Stonehenge/Burning Stone era. Stonehenge is so much better when you just lop off the bonus tracks and listen to Infect instead (from which they all come) because 70 minutes of them can be tough to take at once! But they are as Zuehl as it gets!

I never understood how Ruins can get lumped in Zeuhl.... Avant-Noise-Math Rock, yes... but Zeuhl???

[Trane]

Finally got the vid to work for me. That was creepy as all hell. But you you have to hand it to the dude that he was able to create such an air of menace all on his own on stage.

Well Zaboitzeff's solo performance in RIO Fest 2010 was definitely my fave performance of that edition ... but again, Zeuhl?? RIO/Avant, yes... ZEeuhl, not in my book

[Steve F.]

I never understood how Ruins can get lumped in Zeuhl.... Avant-Noise-Math Rock, yes... but Zeuhl???

It's very obvious that their main inspiration is Magma.

They aren't copy-cats, but if you distill Ruins down to "what's their MAIN inspiration", it's definitely Magma.

Listen to "Burning Stone" for example. I don't see how that can be missed.

[Zeuhlmate]

It's very obvious that their main inspiration is Magma.

Even more so if you listen to the drummers other band Koenji Hyakkei, my favorite of his bands.

[dukecobman]

My recommendations for zeuhl (but not the hard fast Japanese style) if you like the Magma 74-84 period: Jannick Top "Infernal Machine" Corima "Quetzacoatl" (nothing heavy and hard like the debut) Rene Garber "Heart Music" (could be Magma demos? has very similar version of "Elephas Levi" from "Merci") Ga'an "Black Equus" Neom "Arkana Temporis" Patrick Gauthier "Sure Les Flots Verticaux" (I ignored this one for years because I figured by 1993 all the zeuhl would be beat out of him, but was I wrong ... fantastic and beautiful.) Setna "Cycle 1" plus anything by Eskaton or Eider Stellaire. And one of my all time faves Vox Nostra "Anima" (ex Magma and Eider Stellaire), and finally anything you can find by Xalph and Magister Dixit. And just for fun, any Jannick Top fans who enjoy jazz rock fusion might like Philip Catherine "Babel" from 1980. I've left the most controversial pick until the end - absolutely anything by Michel Altmayer / Troll. I don't care if he "borrows heavily and often" from actual Magma music.... that's what I like... if you love Magma but have everything, this is the next logical step. Whether its official releases, demos, live bootlegs, whatever.. it's all great. I can't remember the exact song title but there is a Troll song where it gets going on a perfect zeuhl groove taken directly from Zess and punched up melody and horns and driving guitar solo until it explodes! I'm not sure there's a better zeuhl moment in music (not played by Magma).

[PROGMONSTER]

I just received 4 Visions in the mail. I'm ripping it in as I type...

So who did you order from? I'll do the same

[NogbadTheBad]

Laser has it

[PROGMONSTER]

Laser has it

Cool. I'll get it from there. They don't have any Potemkine though

[PROGMONSTER]

I got these 2 goodies not long ago

41A6RSw2soL._AA160_.jpg
51refFfzcML._AA160_.jpg

I really like the Francois Auger drumming on these. Klaus blasquiz does some vocals too

[NogbadTheBad]

Cool. I'll get it from there. They don't have any Potemkine though

I had to order my copy of Potemkine from a specialty dealer in France, I've next seen it in the USA.

[Progmatic]

Well Zaboitzeff's solo performance in RIO Fest 2010 was definitely my fave performance of that edition ... but again, Zeuhl?? RIO/Avant, yes... ZEeuhl, not in my book

I think you just splitting the hair here...it is true bulk of Thierry work could be put into Avantgarde bucket but he played lot of music that had lot of Zeuhlish feel to it...

[Progmatic]

Likewise my dear Ian, I never found Shub-Niggurath any Zeuhl, certainly less so than say... UZ and Present




I never understood how Ruins can get lumped in Zeuhl.... Avant-Noise-Math Rock, yes... but Zeuhl???

yet again splitting the hair...Ruins sounds as Zeuhlish as anyone up there...



We have to give Zeuhl more diversity...otherwise Zeuhl would be restricted just to Magma and its clones

[NogbadTheBad]

I tend to agree, I have a tough time separating much of Avant Progressive and Zeuhl so I tend to put them all together. Adele & Jose had Magma as one of the major elements of their RIO documentary and that's good enough for me.

[TheH]

[QUOTE=dukecobman;7221 Magister Dixit QUOTE]

A very cool band. You can download their debut for free from the band:

http://magisterdixitgroupe.free.fr/p..._crise_mp3.htm

[notallwhowander]

We have to give Zeuhl more diversity...otherwise Zeuhl would be restricted just to Magma and its clones

I have to agree. I was reading the interview with Setna on their site where a band member thought their first album was more akin to Canterbury than Zeuhl. In a way, I see their point. The musical palette is so much lighter than Magma, but I still get a distinctive Zeulhish vibe from the whole thing.

So we're back to labels not really meaning a thing, except a way of talking about affinities experienced by musicians and their audience.

[Udi Koomran]

ALTAÏS


http://youtu.be/irm2rbzaLsA

[notallwhowander]

So Eskaton's 4 Visions is really sinking in deeply. It's even helping Corima's music open up for me. (Corima were, in the end, just playing faster than I was digging when I gave them a try a month of so ago.) The complexity of the music means that it takes a few listens just to get a handle on it, for me anyway. After that, it takes a few listens more before it gets deep into my nervous system, and I can really open up to the aesthetic experience the music offers.

It's about time a buy another disc... My list says it's either Zao or Eider Stellaire.

[Progbear]

I was listening to Attahk today and I realized that I really, really do love this album. I’d put this up there aside MDK and Köhntarkösz but it’s a bit of a different flavour of Magma. Those other albums were more or less album-length works where this is definitely Magma in discrete song mode. You can really hear the fusion influence stronger here than any other release (except maybe Magma Live). The influence from soul and American black gospel music is also really on the surface here. It’s for sure an attempt at being more accessible while still retaining Magma’s distinct identity (and definitely more successful at courting a wider audience than Merci). There’s not a single song on this album I dislike or feel like skipping.

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

‘“What blow, Goblin?” said Corinius.’ --E. R. Eddison

N.P.:“Just a Smile”-Pilot/From the Album of the Same Name

[notallwhowander]

I finally put in an order for Eider Stellaire. I've got that Neom disc spinning right now. Man am I digging it. They hit just the right jazzy kind of grooves on this. I suppose the whole thing has a kind of introspective vibe to it, but it's really suiting me. Does anyone know if they're still a unit?