HECENIA

HECENIA area band out of France who released 2 studio albums including the debut in 1989 which I was playing a lot recently and was really disappointed with it mainly because of the drum machine. Well here's the second record from 1994 and we're down to a trio here of bass, drums and keyboards. There is some guest harp too. So a real drummer? Apparently although I swear that long 24 minute closer has a drum machine on it throughout. Keyboards rule the day and night here with piano, organ and synth sounds, often two of those together. I have to admit this was a tough listen each time I put it on. That closer especially would try most people's patience I swear. The three short tracks are all solo performances by the keyboardist. A low 3 stars, I mean really low.

A late comer to the "classic" prog scene, I have decided to include this French band on this list as it could be construed as one of the early Neo Prog bands due to their sound being so clearly imitative of GENESIS. Leader/keyboardist Thierry Brandet's sound and style is pure TONY BANKS while the bass, acoustic guitars, and drumming are quite reminiscent of the palette of the other Genesis corps (though I also hear elements sounding like BABYLON, ELOY, NEUSCHWANSTEIN, and even NEKTAR--the former three of which I would include in the initial "club" of Neo Proggers). The sound here is wonderful--sure to engage any lovers of TONY BANKS/GENESIS music; where I have issues are with the development choices, length, and ability to keep me engaged.

1. Hecenia (10:44) (17.5/20)

2. Le Passage (12:46) (20.75/25)

3. Le Grimoire (10:00) (17.75/20)

4. La Vieille Femme Et La Chandelle (12:43) (23/25)

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.

HECENIA "Legends", in my opinion one underestimated and unknown album, at least is my impression when I saw the small reviews number (only 5 until now) and 38 ratings for an album released 26 years ago ! I recognize how are infinite the progressive rock "world", but I think due the 80's are called for a countless prog rock fans "The Lost Decade" with a very few detached albuns, this one deserves more attention. In fact this is a exceptional album and in spite the use of drum programing this feature don't diminish the quality of arrangements ( curiously I can't perceive this drum programming until I learn the set list of the album)... The music is a sumptuous symphonic prog in the vein of 70's masters like YES, GENESIS, EL&P with great keyboards and guitar parts and a strong rhythmic section. The track 1 "Hecenia" breaks the silence in glorious overture moment with 3 min 42 sec and the music take a more calm "landscape" with pedal-volume guitar follow by one bucolic theme in Genesis or Mike Oldfield's mood and returns to initial sumptuous overture peak . The track 2 "Le Passage" shows with his trade mark the proeminence of keyboards (a clearly Wakeman's influence), although the other instruments performance are great just as the vocals parts and the same I can say about track 3 "Le Grimoire". The track 4 ' La Vieille Femme Et La Chandelle" have their great point starting about the middle of track and break out in a great climax with acoustic/ electric guitars melodies and a magistral final keyboards passage with a "smell" of a happy conclusion !!! My rate is 5 stars !!! Without a trace of doubt !!!

This highly competent four-piece takes a page right out of the symph playbook and centers around keyboardist/drum programmer Thierry Brandet, though frankly the standout here is guitar player Daniel Trutet who bleeds a sweet string. Thoroughly French in character and with an inescapable but, in this case, welcome Genesism, Legendes is a good-sounding set of very high quality material without that overproduced late '80s flash.

The instrumental title is killer heavy symph with plenty of everything; Trutet's pointed lines, Brandet's almost Wakeman-like juggling of Korgs, Moogs and Mirages and some pretty handy electronic drumming; bassist Pierre-Yves Chiron right in the pocket. 'Le Passage' meanders a bit at over twelve minutes but this band does the majestic thing so well that we'll wait-- and it pays off with clever arranging, changes, and a spiffy carousel ride at the end. These guys worked hard on this thing and it shows. 'Le Grimoire' picks up where cut two left off and is packed with marvelous altered textures and tempos, 'La Vieille Femme et la Chandelle' slower but works up nicely.

At first glance, Hecenia is merely another latecomer to the prog party with nothing new to say and an annoying preoccupation with Tony Banks, and perhaps they are. But unlike the typical Gallophile's reissue from Musea, this is one kick-ass band.

My exploration of the prog rock world sometimes leads me to superb albums like this one. This one had been hidden away in a book case for far too long before I gave it some spins. I got hooked.

This is Hecenia's debut album. Their first out of in total two albums. Which is a great shame because this French band had something going for them.

The music here is best described as majestic symphonic prog, the French way. Yes, I know the French people got rid of their monarchy back in 1789. But the music here is truly majestic. OK, what do I mean by that ? The music is based on the early Genesis albums and with a great hint of Keith Emerson too into the mix. In other words; it is keyboards orientated symphonic prog. But there is also plenty of some good, but too short guitar solos too. Then you get the French connection too...... In this case, some strong Harmonium influences. Mostly because of the excellent vocals, I have to say. A bit of Ange is also added and I would also say that this album is also pretty much influenced by Gentle Giant. So, now you understand what I mean.

The vocals is excellent and so is the songs too. Most of the songs, I have to add. Their main themes is great, but the songs tends to loose their way after a while. It is difficult to write ten minutes long songs, I understand. But that is the only downfall of this album. A not too big downfall, I hasten to add. The best song here is Le Grimoire. This on a remarkable strong album which should appeal to most of you.

4 stars

This French band released two confidential albums of which their debut was quite promising.

An orgy of keyboards fill your ears while listening to this album. Almost instrumental, it shows some great technical skills and some god chunk of passion as well. A complex and long opener ("Hecenia") sets the stage: multi layered and dominant keys, serious beat and even wild guitar at times.

A total contrast is reached with the pastoral and very much "Trespass" oriented "Le Passage". A super delicate opening reminds us of the good old early seventies. No more, no less. And you might know that I quite liked this period?But who wouldn't? " La Vieille Femme et la Chandelle" is made of the same mould and is quite OK as well.

Each song is over ten minutes of length which allows for good development of ideas. Some short vocal parts during "Le Passage" are welcome and bring some distinct French flavour to the whole. It is true though to admit that these keys are frankly "Genesis" oriented and that some more personality would have been welcome.

If you are nostalgic of a certain era, get this album: you will be transported into the heydays of prog music. There is also a deep "Ange" smell in here. Not in terms of lyrics, but soundscapes ("Le Grimoire"). Even if vocal are on the soft side.

Keyboards lovers will be delighted as well. But the similarities with Banks are a bit too much IMO. This is a good album which I rate with three stars.

2.5 stars really!!

At the darkest age for prog (the late 80's), came one French group that pulled a symphonic album (Légendes) that sounded completely caught in a weird time warp. Their second (and last) La Couleur Du Feu (The colour of fire) came out some 5 years later and symphonic prog was on the upswing, due to the Swedish trilogy AglaDotenBerk and other parts of the world picking up on the ashes that had been cooling away for well over a decade. Built upon the previous French group's ashes Elohim (even if the Trutet brothers would leave between the two albums), Hecenia represent a bit the phoenix rising from the ashes of the fire whose colours might just be the subject here. All of the tracks come with a subtitle, but there does not seem to be a concept behind this fully instrumental symphonic prog that borrows heavily in the classical music with some new age moments, such as La Roue Du Temps.

The first part of the album (that we could almost name side 1) is made of fairly short tracks (three of them around the 2-min limit) surrounding two longer ones. None of those short tracks are of much interest (often sounding like new age interludes) and even the 7-mins Empreinte D' Uranus (your anus's footprint ;-) is rather tame and aimless, while Dialogue H2O (also plagued with the era's keyboards sounds) is rather unappealing until Delphine's Harp comes in the track. But the harp's appearance actually takes away any kind of rock influences until the "church organ" comes back, bringing along the bass and drums. While the second part of the track is better, unfortunately I fail to really catch on.

The second part of the album is the 24-minJardin Ethernels (Ethernal Gardens) and unfortunately does not bring much more than the previous tracks had. Actually I sense that there is a strong pretension that sorts of reduces the enormous amount of labour of love invested in such a project to a bit of futile and pompous new age mental masturbation, without ever reaching the orgasm. Between Rondo Veniziano, Rieu and Vollenweider.

A valiant try, close but no cigar, this is the type of second-rate album that does not really bring much to the prog realm: ultra-symphonic new-agey prog that actually gives dredit to prog detractors, feeding their arguments. Not as bad as I make it out to be, but pointless and filled with irritating early-90's twists that makes it sound so dated (drums sound not excepted either). Unless you really have time and money for this, better stay away. I can only picture those that discovered this album upon the time of release liking this album, most of the other progheads probably having thousands of better albums before finally scraping such bottom of the barrel.

A bit of a disappointment after "Légendes" (what isn't?) although at least it's blessed with better cover art (what isn't?). The template is similar, but the overwhelming comin'-atcha intensity of the debut pales a little here, despite the introduction of a very effective live drummer. There's too much concentration on those twiddly Emersonian triplets for comfort, notably on the shapeless, overlong 24-minute Jardins Ethernels which, I am afraid to say, just goes on and on and on and on. But there's lots to enjoy - it's head and shoulders above the likes of almost all other Musea 90s stuff, and what really stamps it as a class act is the INSPIRED use - no other term will do - of Delphine Douillard's delightful harp. I can't think of another rock album on which this wonderful instrument is so tastefully deployed - barring Andreas Vollenweider's output, natch. It lends a dreamy, nostalgic flavour and gives the textures their own peculiar hue which I've yet to hear anywhere else. H20 is a pretty good classical-rock workout, but the interpolation of fluttery little mini-solos, written and performed with expertise and feeling, between blasting pipe organ broadsides turns a fine track into a real winner. But Douillard's finest moment is her rendering of the closing minutes of the suite so wistful and meltingly delicate it almost redeems the superfluous sound and fury of the rest (there's an almost direct quote from the "Légendes" opener at one point- yawn). Given the preponderance of synths and those Vollenweiderisms, it's tempting to file this under Electronic Progressive but the symphomaniacs might have something to say about that. So OK, symphonic it is. But there'll be no complaints from them when they get round to hearing this flawed but ultimately very rewarding collection.

Have to put my fourpennyworth in here. One of my alltime favourite albums, in any genre. A lot of classical cliches - lots of triplet runs etc a la Wakeman and Emerson, but a splendid sense of harmony and chord changes, relentless, almost corny builld-ups and releases of tension. The 80s keys grate a bit, as does the drum programming (although I understand Musea released a rerecorded version with real drums on FCGD7001, one of their very rare cassette releases, in 1991. Have never seen it but would love to hear it). But the tunes are so brilliant, and the breakneck dynamism, as well as the unabashed Rachmaninovian Romanticism (yes, the Enid get a look-in here, too, as do numerous Japanese bands). The final track, La vieille femme et la chandelle, is a suitably towering conclusion. Absolute magic. This guy (Brandet) is a yoga teacher now. Someone snap him out of it. We need more records like this.

Magnificent blend of keyboards and blazing guitars- the quiet keyboard passages in-between the more rock oriented segments are sublime with great melodies. Romantic classical tendencies. Highly recommended.