TEMPUS FUGIT

Metabolisme was a French progrock quartet that has its roots in the late Sixties. They attended numerous festivals and shared the bill with French progrock legend Ange. But it lasted until 1977 when they finally released their debut album entitled "Tempus fugit". This album has a running time of hardly 37 minutes but it sounds very warm and melodic. The first composition "Apotre et martyrs" (15 minutes) features twanging guitars, a lush organ sound, senstitive piano work, good French vocals and many vocal harmonies. In general the atmosphere is mellow but at some moments it delivers accellarations with strong organ waves (like Cressida). The other four songs are similar but sound more powerful due to the fiery electric guitar play. THIS IS AN ALBUM TO CHECK OUT FOR ORGAN AFICIONADOS!

I was a little disappointed with this album at first, only because it was recommended to me by my brother- in-law who is very much into experimental music. That and the dark themed cover art made me think this was going to be one of those dark, sinister organ driven albums. No, this is Symphonic music just like it says in the bio.The organ and drums lead the way for the most part with lots of harmonies and vocal melodies that give it a sixties flavour as Eric has mentioned.

"Apotres Et Martyrs" is the longest song at over 15 minutes. It opens with tasteful guitar as organ and vocals come in. Drums 1 1/2 minutes in as the song gets fuller. The tempo changes so often throughout this song it's incredible. Spoken words before 5 minutes, then vocal harmonies as the tempo continues to shift. Vocals are back before 8 minutes. The drums and organ really stand out 10 1/2 minutes in as vocal melodies come and go. Banks-like keys a minute later. "Tempus" opens with heavy drums and organ runs. A flury of sounds before 2 minutes. "Khoros" opens with gentle guitar then flute comes in. It kicks into gear after a minute before calming down quickly with organ. Nice drum and vocal melody section after 2 minutes. I like the guitar that follows. Tempo picks up 3 1/2 minutes in with vocal melodies a minute later. More excellent guitar as vocals soar.

"Nadia" goes from mellow to busy and uptempo before a minute. Nice guitar and organ work. Contrast continues. Love the sound 5 1/2 minutes in as we hear vocal melodies, bass, drums, organ and keys to the end of the song. "La Danse Des Automates" opens with acoustic guitar as flute and drums join in. Organ then takes the lead with bass. Some distorted guitar before vocals arrive after 1 1/2 minutes that are 60's sounding. Vocal melodies come and go. Vocals back 4 minutes in.

This may have been released in 1977 but it has the spirit of the late sixties and early seventies in it. Tough not to give this 4 stars because i know there are people out there who will love this album. For me 3.5 stars.

Sometimes you come across an album that you like, that you want to write a review about ... but that you avoid doing so because you believe you might damn it due to faint praise.

Metablisme's Tempus Fugit is such an album. As others have noted, it's quite pleasant. And it doesn't diminish in appeal for me to note the similarities with early 70s Ange. Though the organ plays a much more prominent part of Metabolisme's sound.

So why the possibility of faint praise ? Well, I walk away after listening to it without really having the songs stick in my head. Yet, when I play it, I don't reach for the remote to skip a song.

So is this an album for you to pick up ? Well, absent any mp3 samples that I can find on the web, I point to the influences that I noted in this album's songs - Ange, early Genesis and Moody Blues; along with the prominent place that the organ plays that to my ears make it attractive to those who seek that first wave prog scene sound of the early 70s.

So , not a necessity, but a nicety if you will ...

With "Tempus Fugit" we get a fine example of late seventies' symphonic rock in France. Released as late as in 1977 the album didn't stand a chance of making it to a larger audience in a time in which punk rock started its devastating heyday. The music offered on the album was far to fine- drawn for the period in which it was released.

Most compositions on the album are constructed around the beautifully conceived 12 string acoustic guitar chord progressions, composed and played by Robert Durantet. Important in most of the Metabolisme compositions is the combination acoustic/electric guitar and melodically strong bass parts provided by Jackie Poillot. Most of the keyboard parts are mainly served as a spatial colouring of the songs. The sounds derived from the present Mini-Moog aren't spectacular. The organ sound is as so often with French groups of this periods very "chorused" and misses the aggressiveness of the Anglo-Saxon Hammond B3 sound. When Thierry Scaduto delivers his otherwise excellent solos, they have a more jazzy sound. The overall sound of the album can be compared a bit to the earlier Genesis albums, although I have to add that Metabolisme certainly have an attractive and original approach of symphonic rock.

Main attraction on the album is the more than 15 minutes lasting "Apôtres et Martyrs" a very beautiful and melodic composition in which all trump chards are laid on the table. The well played and well conceived 12 string guitar parts are a lust for the ear. The song moves through all sorts of tempo and character changes, all excellently executed by the rhythm section, consisting of drummer Carmine Versace and the already mentioned bass player Jackie Poillot.

The remaining songs on the album are all in the same vein as "Apôtres et Martyrs", although they are not all on the same level. "La Danse Des Automates" which is a bit more experimental and has a tad bit of flute added, is without any doubt one of the strongest other compositions. All songs on the album have a sombre, but all the same beautiful undertone, resulting in a very homogeneous produced album. The vocals and in particular the harmony vocals strongly contribute to the dark and somewhat brooding atmosphere on the album. Not all songs are sung equally strong, but in most parts the lead vocals, provided by guitar player Robert Durantet are well up to the job.

With "Tempus Fugit" Metabolisme have created a great album that can be considered a small monument of French progressive rock music of the seventies. Time flies when you are listening to this album, but then it lasts only thirty seven and a half minute. Sadly "Tempus Fugit" has remained the only album released by Metabolisme. For lovers of late seventies' French prog this album is an absolute must and the four stars are all well deserved !

Erik de Beer.

A one off French band.

The excellent French vocals and the long songs would always make a comparisson with Ange a certainty. But that is not a just comparrison. I would rather compare them to Harmonium from the Quebec scene from across the water. The emphasis is one symphonic folk rock with a lot of hippie and space rock elements. The sound is very good and the album very much survives the test of time.

The music here is not brilliant. The opening track Apotres et Martyrs is very haunting hymn like with emphasis on keyboards and vocals. That is the best track of this album. The rest of the album is rather good too. But this is by no means an album worth two wives and a caravan on the second hand market. But it is still an enjoyable experience.

3 stars

Metabolisme is one of those forgotten french prog rock bands that from my point of view needed much more exposure to the public. With one album released in 1977 named Tempus Fugit, re issued by Musea in 2005, Metabolisme did what they know better, compose quite complicate symphonic prog with many excellent moments. Similar in places with Atoll or even Ange comes in mind but with thir own twists. Only 5 pieces, but each one is damn fine and intresting. The album opens with the longest track , nearly 16 min of pure delight, from mellow parts two lush keybords passages and great guitar chops. One instrumental track - Tempus show that they were capable to creat great prog, with captivating guitsr meets keybords parts, but somehow they gone into oblivion, disbanded in 1979. To me was a great surprise, having the album for years, I only now remembered that I have it and write a quick review, to show that they need attention. No weak moments here, all is well performed and well done, the sound aswell of the re issue is cristal clear. 4 stars for sure.