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Eskaton - Ardeur CD (album) cover

ARDEUR

Eskaton

 

Zeuhl

3.67 | 84 ratings

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apps79
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars Entering the new decade Eskaton would have the chance to record and move on to a proper release of an album.But no without any losses and changes.Alain Blesing and Eric Guillaume both left the band and the guitar was handed over to Gilles Rozenberg.Malicorne's Patrick Lemercier would join them on violin and Eskaton would record ''Ardeur'' at Studio Ramses in Paris during August 1980.The album was launched later in the year on the band's own Musique Post Atomique (named after the first single).

Very good and original Zeuhl/Fusion by Eskaton, actually with a very eclectic sound, not being afraid to face the period fashion, which wanted all remaining Prog bands adding even a touch of synths in their sound, but Eskaton never abandoned their love for intricate and adventurous arrangements, always propelled by their strong MAGMA influence.Elements of Jazz, Classical Music and Opera all ara combined in an excellent album, full of fascinating twists and turns, highlighted by the clever use of synthesizer in the process, placed next to the jazzy electric pianos, the Avant-Garde sounding acoustic ones and the mighty sound of organ.With Blesing out of the picture, Eskaton had moved to a more keyboard-centered sound, led by the changes on keyboards and piano and a superb rhythm section, as always with the Zeuhl groups the vocals are used at times like an additional instrument.''Ardeur'' is an album with tracks mostly delivered in fast-paced tunes and emphatic, jazzy-spiced orchestrations with the nervous synths and the great electric piano opening the way for challenging and complex music.Throbbing bass lines and powerful drumming are still in the menu, the electric guitars are not particularly apparent, but their addition makes up for an even more dense sound, while some of the keyboard solos and rhythms, executed at the same time, are simply fantastic.I think the French language couldn't be more suitable for such a musical background and the female choir offers a combination of wordless lines and operatic lyrics in another great contribution to the album.

Zeuhl/Fusion towards its best quality.With intelligent display of synths, with awesome electric and acoustic piano, with intense and passionate vocals and, above all, rich and convincing progressive music.Highly recommended.

apps79 | 4/5 |

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