ATTAHK

Attahk continues in a furious marriage of jazz and Zeuhl that began with Üdü Wüdü two years prior. The famed Mr. Top has left, and is replaced by Guy Delacroix who is not without skill and the Zeuhl-touch. Vander's fearsome drumming is more prominent than ever. In fact, Vander is more prominent than ever. Attahk is where he becomes a bit of a musical dictator, and even steals the lead vocal role from fellow Kobaïan singer Klaus Blasquiz. The conceptual aspect is, again, extremely unclear, but I've had suspicions it may have something to with the People of ORK - whoever they are - namely two sirs called Ourgon and Gorgo and their attack on Kobaïa.

Attahk ranges from the irate dances to the serene Kobaïan gospels. It introduces synthesizers and moogs to Magma's sound, and re-introduces horns, which hadn't appeared on a studio album since '73's triumph Mëkanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh. Together with more instantly tangible compositions, and a new and very potent bassist, Attahk is one of the most accessible studio releases in Magma's discography, and certainly the funkiest by a very wide margin. The choir is at its most seductive and sharp, and Vander's squealing vocals are a fine fit.

Though still avant-garde and complex, Attahk is much jazzier, and much more conventional. The compositions are in a really different style than earlier albums. For a jazz fan, this may make the most fitting starting place. For a fan of the earlier, grandiose, neo-classical style of Zeuhl, this will be a bit of a let-down, but after a while, you'll warm up to it. It's essential for a Magma fan, but definitely not a masterpiece.