XAAL – On The Way (En Chemin)

In the lenghty French prog tradition of heavily Crimson inspired bands (such Carpe Diem, Shylock and recently Nebelnest), came out in the early 90’s Xaal, a guitar-lead trio that gets some help either from a keyboardist on some tracks and some brass section in other (and both on the second last track). Clearly this instrumental trio was at the top of their game and from these years, there were not many new generation groups that were able to top them.

Starting out on three very familiar APP notes, the album is a conceptual piece about a Child’s way to his destiny and the tricks, traps and other obstacles of life on his road to fulfilment. Yes, these guys have clearly heard some King Crimson, but they are jazzier than the Fripp boys, but there are ever-so subtle hints of Magma also.

Not everything is perfect on the album, most notably the weak KB on the closing moments of the title track but on the whole, the album holds its own without ever being really brilliant either. The climax of the album comes with the second-last 11-min Byblos (and its incredible middle section where the brass section is contributing to the madness that Alamaailman Vasarat would make theirs a decade later, and the incredibly violent Final.

Not an easy listen for casual progheads, partly due to the instrumental nature of their music, Xaal’s first album is certainly worth a spin, but nothing absolutely essential either.

Discography

On The Way (91, aka En Chemin) Seconde Ere (93)

French instrumental fusion band with a strong link to the Magma sound, but occasionally reminding of Shylock, Crimson, and other bands on the euro- fusion-funk axis. They are a three piece (4 Piece on the first album) of guitars, bass and drums, with some guesting by Magma's recent horn section. The first album has five long tracks that tend to ramble in self indulgence a little (hey, what's wrong with that?), while the second has a much more assertive sound, with very strong rhythms, ripping guitar, mid-length tracks, and a more directed melodic approach. Outstanding.

Sort of mild progressive fusion in the style of Crimson's Red or Lark's Tongues. On the Way is all instrumental and I usually wished they would open up a little more and lose control. Their sound has a kind of sameness that wears thin after 60 minutes.

Xaal are a French band who play a brand of progressive rock verging on fusion, that compares well with contemporaries Minimum Vital, Edhels, and the like. The music on On the Way is all-instrumental, and, perhaps a bit more guitar-dominant than the two bands named. The core line-up does not include a keyboardist, but a guest player is listed, along with a couple of others who make occasional trumpet and sax contributions. The performance is pretty good and energetic, and, if you enjoy the "French instrumental progressive' sound, this should be a worthwhile disc.

Excellent French fusion trio consisting of drums, bass, and guitar/guitar synth. On the Way in a conceptual instrumental album that brings to mind French fusion bands such as Zao and Weidorje, and perhaps a bit of Brand X. Songs range from four to eleven minutes in length and serve as showcases for some tight interplay between these guys. I've had the CD only a short time but I have grown to like it a great deal. Excellent and recommended progressive fusion from the current progressive scene.

On the Way forges ahead into the French "zeuhl" music. Based largely on pioneers such as Magma and Univers Zero, Xaal's music has the rhythmic proficiency of both the aforementioned bands, and even some horn guest spots from former Magma-ites. But rather than re-live old glories, Xaal takes the sound into new directions. Their melodies are based around a heavy, riffing guitar and occasional keyboard backdrops. Occasionally they remind me of Voivod! Led by busy drumming and an active bass, the music contains the weirdness, inconsistencies, and drive that early Magma had, without the repetition that turns many people off that band. The creative level here is something right out of the seventies and hopefully this will inspire other nineties prog bands to become more self-indulgent. This was, IMHO, one of the strongest new releases in 1992. Highly recommended.

For the first ten listenings I couldn't decide how much I liked On the Way, but after another ten, it promised to become one of my favourites. This album has more of a spark of creative originality than Änglagård, although it's less immediately impressive. It's all instrumental (except for one mad groan), and fairly sparse-sounding because there are few keyboards. It has more variation than Änglagård, and has that certain quality which I can't really describe, which makes an album suitable for continual repeated listening without getting boring.

French band whose debut was more than welcome for exhausted classic prog sound after Time finally overcame senseless, vacuous and no doubt submissive Eighties. Ambitious mix of classic French prog, zeuhl and fusion has proven solid and substantial despite not the best sound-cloth. Esp. guitar was constantly wheezing. Melodies and arrangements are effective and are able to echo in one's mind for quite a time. Interesting enough, I traced some atmospheres which was to find in 1997, on Voivod's Phobos, with only slightly different effect. I also traced a riff similar of Ozzy era Black Sabbath, too well-known to me (after having chance to hear plenty of their copycats) to please me. Anyhow, sufficiently efficient and much better than Änglagård whose debut provided me another disappointing revelation. Seconde Ere is tighter. Production is far better than on debut. Guitar of Jad Ayache is powerful and loud, bass is throbbing somewhere near while drums push altogether in a very decisive way. Band managed to maintain all their characteristics. One is to hear instrumentally full-grown mix of Present, Magma, King Crimson, VDGG and bands' unusual talent for making haunting melodies and rich themes which summon reminiscences of ancient times (era Aries and beyond), but which can not abandon tense atmospheres. As on En Chemin, a trumpet and two saxes are beside. Trumpet and alto sax can be heard on excellent "Rah", while soprano sax veawes additional melodies on strongly middle-Eastern inspired 10+' "Al Abad". Overall, while quite Present-ish, they remind me of Tiemko's L'Ocean a bit. Musea had cut prices on both mentioned releases (from the previous sentence), and if you're interested, don't dither to grab 'em both. Quite good and quite recommended. -- Nenad Kobal