INFERNAL MACHINA

This album starts out sounding nothing like zeuhl. I was left wondering has this album been miscategorized? It begins as a spacey piano and cello piece that is dripping with melancholy probably an influence from Jannick's electronic band Space maybe? The album continues with the sounds of traditional Slavic folk divas like those heard in Les Mystere Des Voixes aka The Bulgarian Women's Choir with their unique and eccentric yet traditional style of a capella Slavic folk. In fact it doesn't really start sounding anything like zeuhl until track 4, when that unmistakable sound of the Mekanik Destruktiw period of MAGMA begins. With several members from that group on board here it is surprising that this sounds as unique and un-MAGMA-like as it does for most of the album.

I have to admit that upon first listen I fell in love with this, not only because it is a MAGMA-related curiosity but because it simply flows like a smooth babbling brook meandering from its source to the end point. The biggest surprise is that all of these rhythms, harmonies and the musical construction are actually based on a concept. The whole idea of INFERNAL MACHINA is recounted in the liner notes. Jannick is going for the deeply philosophical when asking if there are vibrating energy forms that are higher entities than we humans and how we relate to them. As stated by Jannick himself, "Infernal Machina thrives on the roots and energy of rock music reaching out to the contemplative lithurgic sounds from the Slavic east." He also states that he borrows symbolic elements from Pythagoreas, alchemy icons from the Middle Ages, from Bach and so on. Whoah! This is some deep stuff here.

With the proper rationing of sounds that lend to the perfect amount of time for each track and the crystal clear production I end up feeling totally satisfied after it ends. You know you have a masterpiece on your hands when you hear so many influences sewn together in an album that is basically an hour long continuous track that leaves you thoroughly entertained and mesmerized and looking forward to hearing it again. A very worthy addition to your collection from the extended MAGMA family.