TRISKAÏDÉKAPHOBIE

4.5 stars. Quite appropriate that PRESENT's first album would be called "Triskaidekaphobie" (fear of the number 13). As Sean Trane points out it's sort of a nod to UNIVERS ZERO who's debut was called "1313". Three of the four members of PRESENT are from UNIVERS ZERO including UNIVERS ZERO's leader, drummer and percussionist Daniel Denis. While Daniel and bass player Christian Genet would go back to UNIVERS ZERO after this recording to create "Ceux Du Hors", Roger Trigaux wouldn't, their former guitarist would continue with PRESENT as it's leader. In fact this project was his vehicle all along as a way to express his musical dreams or should I say nightmares. The music here is similar in style to UNIVERS ZERO without the classical instruments and with more of a focus on the guitar and piano. By the way Daniel Denis would return to play on PRESENT's second album after UNIVERS ZERO recorded "Uzed".

We begin with my favourite song on the album "Promenade Au Fond D'Un Canal" a 19 minute classic. It opens with piano and percussion and is dark and reserved. It kicks in at the 2 minute mark with piano, drums, guitar, bass and percussion. It sounds great ! So much intensity ! It slows back down 4 minutes in but still has that incredible sound. Scorching guitar 7 minutes in, and the bass that comes and goes is prominant. It all stops before 10 minutes except for the piano. Percussion and guitar join in before a heavy beat arrives.The piano becomes very prominant again. 15 minutes in the guitar starts to slowly rip it up until that's all you hear right to the end of the song. Nice.

"Quatre-Vingt Douze" is another long track at over 15 minutes. A fairly energetic intro is replaced by gentle piano. It becomes uptempo again 2 1/2 minutes in with percussion and piano leadng the way. It calms down again 6 1/2 minutes in with gentle piano as this theme is repeated. The song stops 10 1/2 minutes in and returns slower and darker with eerie piano melodies. The pace picks up 14 minutes with some great bass as the mood brightens. "Repulsion" is the final track and is very repetitive with a piano note being methodically pressed every 3 seconds while percussion is used in the same way. The sound slowly increases.

Like with the music of UNIVERS ZERO this album is not for everyone. If you like that style though you have to check this one out.