YOG SOTHOTH

I must admit that my focus during my first two spins of this album were in comparing their sound to SHUB NIGGURATH. After the comparisons I just listened to the music and my appreciation grew with each subsequent spin. These guys weren't nearly as dark or classical as SHUB NIGGURATH but I do hear similarities. This has more of a jazzy side, even Free Jazz at times, with some brief Classical moments but above all this is Avant music without a doubt. They were a five piece band out of France including violin, flute and sax with some guest trombone and female vocal expressions. The best thing is that this was released in 1984 a rather bleak time for Prog.

We get just three tracks starting with the 18 minute opener called "Nekrosis". The wind is blowing as an ominous atmosphere takes over then we get some solemn sax and trombone drones. it turns upbeat with keyboards, drums, bass, sax and violin. Things get jazzy after 2 minutes especially the bass as piano, cymbals and horns help out. That jazzy section lasts until we get a drum solo 4 minutes in then a minute later it turns Classical with lots of wind instruments. We get some solo mournful violin expressions before 7 1/2 minutes and it stops after 8 1/2 minutes as a new soundscape takes over of horns, bass and cymbals. The jazzy bass is back 10 minutes in as it walks with electric piano, sax and drums helping out. The horns are dissonant at times then a new section takes over after 11 1/2 minutes with synths leading. Very cool. Honking horns arrive 13 minutes in with cymbals and bass as the synths continue. The violin is back 14 minutes in with growly bass and a beat as the horns and synths stop. The horns are back before 15 1/2 minutes then it settles with a melancholic vibe with violin, horns and drums standing out to the end.

"Maint Reve Vesperal Blule Par Le Phenix" is the closing track on side one and the shortest tune by far at 5 minutes. Faint sounds build, it's fuzzy sounding. The violin comes to the fore then honking sax before bass and clashing cymbals help out. It's dark with vocal expressions as well. Discordant piano follows before her vocals get crazy and creepy. Such an Avant piece.

"Fou: L'art Noir" fills side two at over 22 minutes. Piano melodies to start as drums join in along with bass as the piano continues. Sax after 2 minutes then violin as well. It turns insane, very avant before 3 minutes. Pretty much a silent calm takes over 5 1/2 minutes in then it turns dark with sparse sounds and female vocal melodies. Creepy stuff, then it kicks back in around 10 minutes in with violin over top of the jazzy soundscape. He starts to rip it up on the violin then we get some screams and insanity before 12 minutes. Man this is experimental until around 13 minutes when it turns dark and haunting. Sax 15 minutes in signal a change along with more creepy vocal melodies. Vocals to the fore before 16 1/2 minutes then she stops as the violin kicks in a minute later. Dissonant horns and piano follow a minute later with random drum patterns. Bass too until before 18 1/2 minutes when we can hear people talking and yelling. Piano, sax and a beat take over along with violin to the end.

This is such an innovative album that ticks many of the boxes that makes adventerous music so important to me. A must!