LA CLEF DES SONGES

I never heard about Pentacle before joining PA and I'm glad I found it. This one off french band really did release a very interesting prog gem in its short lifespan. The first two tracks are nice but not very outstanding: they seemed somehow rushed or half finished. That may be by the fact the band had such little time to record their sole LP. The live version of the first track, included here as a bonus, is actually superior to the studio offering, which seems corroborate this theory. Neverntheless, the third track onwards are all winners.

The group plays a synphonic kind of prog, much in the vein of early King Crimson and some of ELP's first works. So there are lots of Hammond and mellotron waves together with very fine electric and acoustic guitars. Guitarrist Gerald Reuz also handles the vocals, in a style that reminds a lot of a young Greg Lake. All lyrics are in french, which suits the band's sound very well. the rhythm section is very good and creative too. The production (done by Christian Descamp, of Ange) could be better, but considering their rush and the low budget, it was a good job anyway.

My favorite track is Le Raconteur, a ten minute epic with fantastic, tasteful guitar and keyboards interplay. L'âme Du Guerrier is another highlight, with the acoustic guitars and singing giving it a french folk flavor that was part of Pentacle's charm. The live tracks are ok, not so very well recorded, but a nice touch (plus the aforementioned better than the studio version of the title track).

I'm realy happy to find this gem. One every prog lover should listen to (especially early King Crimson fans). Four stars.