ARDEUR

ESKATON are famous in the zeuhl section of the progressive rock universe for having released its second recorded album ARDEUR before it released its classic first recorded "4 Visions" the following year. This band jumped on the zeuhl bandwagon immediately after Magma unleashed its debut album in 1970 but it would take an entire decade for ESKATON to finally release this second recording ARDEUR as its debut album in 1980. The band originally was formed as ESKATON KOMMANDKESTRA which also showed a clear and direct influence to Magma but the second part was dropped before any albums were released. ARDEUR is the French word for "ardor" which means intensity of emotion, especially a strong desire, enthusiasm or devotion and nobody can refute the claims that ESKATON was indeed an enthusiastic Magma worshipper.

Being the second recorded album, ARDEUR saw the band diminish from eight members to only six with two vocalists, two keyboardists a bassist and a drummer. What set ESKATON apart from the world of Magma was the use of electric guitars although they were clearly not a dominant feature however three guest musicians sat in on a few tracks raising the number up to nine. While the band would become more original as it went along through the 80s underground, in the beginning ESKATON were undeniable disciples of Magma with a nearly identical Jannick Top styled cyclical bass groove churning along at energetic tempos and accompanied by a series of keyboard stabs as well as a stentorian choral section in the classic Stella Vander ballpark with unfortunately little differentiating qualities.

"4 Visions" was recorded as far back as 1978 and the band preceded the release of ARDEUR with the single "Musique Post Atomique" in 1979 which wasn't released on any of the band's initial three albums. ESKATON originally released its early albums on cassette only and it wasn't re-released onto CD until 2003 despite the band having reached some international success as a zeuhl band. If you listen to the ESKATON canon in order of recording it's clear how ARDEUR was a bit of a step down not only in the richness of band members but also in the boldness displayed on "4 Visions" which is deemed a superior release and i won't argue with that at all. The problem with ARDEUR is that through its seven tracks is that they all end up sounding pretty much the same. You got a frenzied bass drive and the exact same template of the "Köhntarkösz" era Magma album which featured a more stripped down approach.

ESKATON seems to be second only to Magma in terms of popularity in the zeuhl world but i have to ask the question why? To my ears they are way too derivative and rarely distinguish themselves at all even on their most creative album "4 Visions." On ARDEUR the band pretty much skirts by with their Magma-by-the-books approach unlike many of the infinitely more creative zeuhl obscurities that existed simultaneously. Yeah ARDEUR is a pleasant journey into the Kobaian martial rhythms with a few guitar sounds as a supplement but when it comes down to it, ESKATON just sounds like a one-trick pony and not even performing a trick that hasn't already been fulfilled throughout the decade prior. Truly one of those albums i just can't get hot and bothered over, ARDEUR is the antithesis of enthusiasm, passion and devotion in my world.