LIVE/HHAÏ (KÖHNTARK)

Perfect touch and body/instrument link by Christian Vander - only listen and you will understand that he is the mind behind Magma. The singers are also exceptional, especially mr. Blasquiz. Paganotti adds a really nice tone, not to mention that he takes the bass to places where it has rarely been.

The real quality of this album is the sound and harmony: The sound is excellent, crystal clear, unlike most of Magma's live efforts, and all of the band is acting EXACTLY like Vander's vision - as one entity - especially in what I think is their best composition - Kohntarkosz, in some parts the music just flows like a calm river and is resolved by the spastic rhythm. In other parts the result is simply spellbinding: for example the crescendo which starts to boost at around 4:50, the violin and keyboard are simply crushing, Paganotti's bass sounds like an angry gas pedal of a low-profile race car (although sometimes he lets his madness burst), Blasquiz and Stella's "Doweri" could go on forever and still sound more and more ominous at any stage they advance but above all stands Vander with a drum-work so precise and to- the-point...

Some parts are better than others (the live version of Da Zeuhl Wortz Mekanik didn't really impresse me to be honest and the introduction of members in Ementeht-Re (in kobaian) was probably nice in Paris 1975 but they shouldn't have put it on the CD if you ask me) - but for the tour-de-force of the magnificent Kohntarkosz (spelled Kohntark for non-musical or conceptual reaons) and the other compositions, Kobah (actually Kobaia), Lihns and the others where they show they really play the music the way it IS - I give it the perfect mark. They really deserve it.

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