GUET-APENS

The final classic album by this pioneering French band is also, not without coincidence, one of their best, representing the last flowering of Golden Age Progressive ideology before the Punk Rock revolution pushed it rudely off the musical map (in retrospect doing it an underhanded favor: Prog Rock should never have been a mainstream endeavor, but that's another essay altogether).

I was surprised to learn here at Progarchives that this was their first studio recording in two years, since releasing the popular "Par Les Fils de Mandrin" in 1976 (in between were two live albums and an ersatz "best of" package). Of the original band only the Decamps brothers are left, but since they were always the heart and soul of the group there's no discernable change to the music. The revamped rhythm section might be heavier (or at least were pushed more forward in the mix than usual), and new guitarist Claude Lemet brings an almost arena-rock sound to his playing, although he compensates elsewhere with lots of delicate 12-string guitar work and a little added flute on a few tracks.

But otherwise all the elements of the classic ANGE soundstage are intact, elevated here to new heights of symphonic refinement. Francis Decamps' patented, arctic mellotron sound is all over the album, and brother Christian's celebrated hyper-dramatic vocals are more eccentric than ever, careening in mock-drunken stumbles through "Capitaine Coeur de Miel" and reaching levels of hysteria in "Reveille-Toi" rarely heard outside of an asylum.

I don't have a clue what he's singing about, not speaking a word of French myself: part of the charm of listening to songs in a foreign language is that the vocals, divorced from the baggage of their lyrical meaning, become just another musical instrument in the overall mix. But I suspect there's a concept at work here, judging from the inclusion of what looks like a fold-out board game inside the sleeve of my original vinyl edition (was it somehow reproduced for the CD booklet?).

The instructions seem to follow some sort of narrative mirroring the tongue-in-cheek surrealism of the cover art, showing a neanderthal cave person in an urban back alley waylaying a corporate businessman juggling the Earth on the end of a string. The album title, by the way, translates into something like "ambush", a fact I discovered after a quarter century when I back-checked a French English dictionary just yesterday.

It would be another two years before the band released their next LP, "Vu d'un Chien", of which I recall little from the brief time I owned it except for a surplus of guitars and a lack of melody, a common complaint at the time (circa 1980). Further personnel changes, and even more radical shifts in the cultural barometer, would render the music almost unrecognizable to diehard fans.

A facsimile of the original line-up still tours the nostalgia circuit in Europe, having re- discovered their classic repertoire, better late than never I say. But this was ANGE when they were still fresh: an exciting snapshot of the band at their creative zenith.

A few years ago a progrock dream came true when I was able to witness an Ange concert, it was the second time that this French progrock legend visited The Netherlands and exact 25 years ago! My favorite Ange album is this one and my favorite track is the epic composition "Captain coeur de miel", almost 15 minutes. This long suite showcases the most captivating and exciting elements of their unique and influential music. It's an alternating piece, build upon the strong and emotional vocals from Christian Decamps and the ubiquitous Mellotron. The climates changes frequently from slow and moving till bombastic with very expressive French vocals, lots of great keyboards (organ, Mellotron and strings) and some fiery electric guitar solos. Halfway the music contains a wonderful interlude with floods of choir-Mellotron and when the vocals joins, the Mellotron starts to sound slightly psychedelic. Then it continues with strong vocals, powerful drums and swelling Mellotron. It's a splendid, very emotional build up with a biting electric guitar solo to a gradually bombastic final part with again a fiery electric guitar solo and beautiful waves of the 'Mighty Tron'. It's a pity that the French language and the emotional vocals sound rather unaccessible for many 'symphomaniacs' because this unique progrock is so moving and captivating, especially the albums from the early - and mid-Seventies. SUPERBE!!

For the very time of their career, Ange will wait for two years to produce this new studio release. Of course, in the meantime they have released their great "Tome VI", their first live album. Ange did produce some masterpieces already, and some less perfect (though very good) work as well.

The line-up has been rather stable throughout their early days. For the very first time, there will be some major line-up changes. Jean-Michel Brezovar (lead guitar), Daniel Haas (bass) and Gérald Jelsch (drums) who were within the band since "Caricatures" have left.

When one looks at the tracklist, one thinks : great! Long tracks like on their debut album (at least it was my reaction). But will the music be on par ?

I have to say that the opener "A Colin-Maillard" is somewhat remiscent of that period. Very good instrumental parts, purely symphonic and definitely reminiscent of their debut album for my greatest joy. We'll remain in the same territory with "Dans les Poches du Berger". Lyrics are extremely poetic. On this side as well, we revert to the mysterious and intricate lyrics of their early days. Really a great surprise so far. The atmosphere of the song is very "Trespass" oriented, but it is not the first time that this appear in Ange's work.

The lyrics for "Un Trou dans la Case" will renew as well with their sexual and anti-clerical opinions. They are the major attraction of this rather hard song. The short "Virgule" might sound a very light song. But believe me, the lyrics are almost obscene. A lot of allusions again around the sexual aspect of our lives.

I can not think of one English band that went so far in their lyrics. Ange already produced such an innocent piece of music (in appearance) on their album "Le Cimetière Des Arlequins". The song to which I refer is "L'Espionne Lesbienne". It sounds innocent as long as you do not understand the text.

I think that the extreme will be reached in "Réveille-Toi" : "Wake Up! Wake Up! I want this coïtus to risen you from the dead and that it arouses velvet moments in you ! "Wake Up! Wake Up! Can you hear me ? I am penetrating you, bowling you over, I am breathing you, I am burying you !!! I love you, I love you, I love you !!!

The last and epic track "Capitaine Coeur De Miel" is probably the most theatrical piece of music that Ange has ever written. Christian playing several roles during these splendid forteen minutes. Full of lyricism, sex, alcohol. Beautiful and grandiose music, scary at times as well as poignant, vibrant, emotional, bizarre, dramatic etc. In one word, it is one of the best Ange songs.

The questions raised by the personnel changes are answered pretty easily. They have not affected Ange's music (at least for this album). This highlights only the extreme importance of the Descamps brothers on their work. This is their sixth very good album in a row; interrupted with a great live album. Who has done better ? Genesis of course, but who else ?

This band is little known outside the French speaking countries. It would have definitely deserved to have gained more popularity, but singing in French such complex lyrics (even difficult to understand for native French speakers) have cut them from a great international career. And it is a shame. Of course they have appeared in some major festival in the UK (Reading) opening for Genesis but in France, they are considered as a national glory.

This album has not the fame of " Le Cimetière Des Arlequins", "Au Delà Du Délire" and "Par Les fils De Mandrin". But so was "Caricatures" which is one of their greatest albums. As this one. You should really give it a try if you love symphonic music. If by any chance, you can grab some French, your joy will even greater.

Four stars and again, bravo !

Fiesty, French fun!

I remember seeing that Steven Wilson had taken the time to give this album 5 stars and was sufficiently intrigued to hear why (and interestingly he also give PoS's "Scarsick" 5 stars.) While I've yet to hear the controversial PoS album I have now heard this one and it is quite good, though I think it falls short of 5 stars myself. The sound is a bit different from past Ange albums due to a slightly different line-up. Gnosis2000's Mike McLatchey notes "Ange returned to the studio in 1978 as a changed line up again with the Decamps, Guichard and new members Claude Demet on guitar and Gerald Renard on bass. As a result, Guet Apens had a different feel, this time much more spacey with a soaring edge. Francis Decamps' mellotron sounds less reverbed than in the past, and the overall effect is like Pink Floyd, or much more closely, the Pulsar of Strands Of The Future. Excellent music with two long tracks to begin and end the album, the closer Le Captain Couer De Miel is worth the price of the album by itself."

"A colin Maillard" launches big and bold with an "In the Flesh" like opening of guitar and drums. Following this is a soft synth section leading to the first fabulous vocals of Christian Decamps, one of prog's greatest singers for his voice and theatrical flair. The early verse is slow with nice acoustic and volume-pedaled electric behind, quite Floydian. It then speeds up into a more rocking section with great lead guitar and mellotron. Claude Demet's guitar work on this album is particularly raucous in places and I'm guessing it's one reason why Wilson was smitten with this work. Renard's bass is all over the place too with a nice fat presence. Nice opening track. "Dans les poches du berger" begins in a musically contemplative mid-gear with the musicians holding back, just creating a rather nice melodic space. There is much attention given to each part giving the feeling that this album was carefully written and arranged. Smooth synths and easy-on-the-ears guitar embellishments trading off with Christian's vocal. Very dreamy mood. "Un trou dans la case" is noticeably harder with groovy bass and guitar riffing, Decamp's vocals almost pleading. The guitar solo is full bore and jamming with dual layered electrics harmonizing in places. The synths are constant behind everything giving the tracks added lushness. Late in the track there is a typically strange Ange interlude with some vocal shenanigans before the close. The two-minute "Virgule" is a nice little acoustic morsel with vocal that almost reminds me of Harmonium. "Reveille-toi" has a very Pentacle-like synth sound in one channel with crisp, hard struck acoustic chords ringing from the other channel. Decamps is warmed up by this time, panting and pleading in places-I can only imagine what he's ranting about since I can't understand-but it's still great fun. This is an upbeat rocker with a great melody that gets majestic and then has this drop down at the end, all very punchy and increasingly crazy as the track progresses until Christian is maniacally caterwauling.classic Ange and my favorite track! "Capitaine Coeur de miel" at 14 minutes long is the big banana here. It starts with Christian speaking with a Johnny Rotten like sneer before the band fires up. Band stops for spoken narration which slowly morphs back into song. Then we get a brief blistering solo from Demet before another round of heavy verse followed by more raunchy bluesy lead guitar and this pattern continues. The middle section is quiet with a whispery background and some storytelling before an absolutely wailing solo leads the way into a dramatic ending.

Ange is a love or hate proposition. This band wears a slightly deviant heart and an in-your-face attitude right there on their collective sleeve, and their message seems to be you can like our approach or you can p*ss off almost as if they were the Oscar Wilde of prog. I say this because they seem to revel in this same mischievous approach album after album much to my personal delight. While I personally prefer their amazing "Au-dela du Delire" this is still a fine and accessible prog rock album that will please prog fans, many neo-prog fans, and one Porcupine Tree band member. 3 ½ stars easy but I can't quite round it to 4. Recommended for French prog fans for sure

When people ask me how good is French Theatric Symphonic (A term that I don't like, being that I don't believe in genres created in base of region or national reasons), I tell them to listen ANGE, probably the most representative French bands of the 70's.

But I also tell them to be careful, this band is so particular and unique that is hard to get used, it's more some kid of acquired taste than an instant love, but when it gets into your taste, you're doomed to be a fan.

Normally people identify ANGE as a GENESIS inspired band, but if we listen "Guet-Apens" opener "A Colin-Maillard" this is something hard to believe. This track is closer to KING CRIMSON than to any other band.

The complexity of the structure, the elaborate rhythm and the radical changes make me remember "Lark Tongues in Aspic", but when Rene Decamps starts to sing we can notice how unique they are, I don't know if it's the language or any vocal characteristic but this band is one in a class, a very solid song to start a very solid album.

"Dans les Poches du Berger" begins with a very strong PINK FLOYD resemblance but again when the narrative style of Decamps joins the acoustic guitar and the dreamy keyboards the impression changes, hardly can be compared with any other band.

This song flows gently from start to end but not without a strange form of simplistic complexity..Yes I know it's a paradox, but how else can I describe such an elaborate ballad?

"Un Trou dans la Case" has another calmed keyboard intro which radically changes after a percussion explosion, which leads to a weird guitar and vocals section that I can only describe as Operatic Psychedelic Prog. Again the extreme complexity makes me compare them with KING CRIMSON, but for some strange reason I like this track very much despite I'm not a fan of Fripp's boys.

"Virgule" at last a song that musically makes me remember GENESIS, but the four men era, more precisely "A Trick of the Tail", the combined use of organ and mellotron with then particular vocals are perfect for a song narrated in a style that seems like a story tale, don't ask me about the lyrics because my French is rusty, but it seems like a narration of a fairy tale. A bit too short but works as areliever in preparation for what's coming.

In "R veille-toi" without any introduction, the band hit us with everything they have, a strong keyboard and drum explosion, soon followed by guitar and the vocals that seem to be sung in a different speed than all the instruments, energetic and operatic, I you're not used to such a display of drama, probably will have a hard time with the incredibly expressive and theatric vocals, my favorite track at this point of the album.

Now. To make it really complex, how else could they close the album than with an epic that has an "a capella" weird introduction? But don't expect a warm narration, it's hard, and aggressive as if they were insulting somebody, immediately after a very fluid and Symphonic passage reminiscent of Gabriel's GENESIS, that leads to another almost "a capella" section, and say almost because the keyboards and guitar play soiftly in the background, in a style that reminds me of French Chanssoniers, and now a very dramatic passage where I honestly can't say which is more dramatic, if the vocals or the instruments.

After this long section, comes an instrumental break in which Claude Demet delights with an impressive guitar solo and after a short time.let me see if you can guess.another narrative passage almost immediately interrupted by the guitar and again narration which this time leads to an incredibly haunting and beautiful organ and Mellotron solo, simply breathtaking.

The song continues until the end with amazing and radical changes that impress me more each time I listen them, 14 minutes of pure Progressive Rock.

Now comes the hard part...How in hell do I rate this album?

It's brilliant, intelligent, theatrical, dramatic, expressive, a complete masterpiece, but I'm sure it is not essential for everybody, because you need a very particular taste or at least be used to their crazy style in order to really enjoy it.

I wish there was a 4.5 stars option, but until then, I will have to go with 4 very solid stars.

As I was listening to this album for the second time tonight I couldn't help but be so thankful that i'm a Progressive Rock fan. What an incredibly talented band ANGE are. They're just so unique with those passionate and theatrical French vocals getting in your face one moment then singing calmly, almost speaking the next. The music is like that too, some good contrasts.I was surprised at the spacey, mellotron dominated passages on this one. In fact this would be the most mellotron drenched album of their careers.

"A Colin Maillard" is the 8 minute opener. I like when it kicks in with pounding drums. A calm with mellotron after 1 1/2 minutes, then reserved vocals come in almost a minute later. I like the guitar before 4 1/2 minutes, then it kicks in as the mellotron flows. Nice.The rest of this track is incredible. "Dans Les Poches Du Berger" opens in a pastoral way with the birds singing as acoustic guitar comes in followed by reserved vocals. Mellotron 2 minutes in. My least favourite tune, very laid back. "Un Trou Dans La Case" has some nasty guitar in it when it kicks in before a minute. Passionate vocals join in. Lots of amazing guitar in this one as the drums pound. Spoken words 4 1/2 minutes in as it settles. Big finish with mellotron. Fantastic tune ! "Virgule" is a short 2 minute song. Fragile vocals in a pastoral setting. Mellotron too.

"Reveille-Toi" is the only track with no mellotron on it. It kicks in right away. I love how this sounds as these urgent sounding vocals join in. Theatrical spoken words 2 minutes in. It kicks back in. What a great section this is. "Capitaine Coeur De Miel" is the 14 minute closer. Theatrical vocals to open. Organ takes over before guitar and drums join in. It then calms right down with spoken words, mellotron follows. The guitar before 4 1/2 minutes is lighting it up. He's at it again before 6 minutes. Some laughing as the mellotron returns in waves. Spoken words and drums before 8 1/2 minutes. More excellent guitar after 10 1/2 minutes then at 12 minutes that goes on and on to end it.

A great band and this is one of their best.

Look what I found while cleaning up the attic! My vinyl copy of the last great symphonic rock album till Marillion would pick up this sound again 5 years later.

Next to the debut, Guet-Apens might be the other overlooked item in the excellent series of albums that Ange released in the 70's. Even though it has had some kind of re-release in 2006, it is pretty hard to come by again. So luckily I had just the right age to buy stashes of second-hand albums when people started to get rid of their vinyl at the end of the 80's.

Well I hope that whoever sold this album to the store for 80 BEF (3.00$) replaced it by a CD because this is a very strong symphonic rock album. It has excellent compositions, a great sound, excellent musicianship and passion all over the place.

The good man who owned this vinyl before me had even been friendly enough to put a small interview in the sleeve from a 1978 magazine. In it the band says they wanted to return to a more energetic and rocking sound after the more gentle albums that preceded it. Well you shouldn't expect a Rolling Stones rocking sound but nevertheless this is sure their most intense and dynamic album since the debut.

All songs are excellent examples of symphonic prog, a style and sound that has been rehashed by many neo-progressive bands in the 80's and 90's, but rarely with the amount of creativity and intensity that is going on here (Marillion excepted of course). 20 years ago I used to play this album a lot and the previous occasion must have been 5 years ago already. Well, even to this day, it hasn't aged a bit. So I sure must find out a way to connect my laptop to my old record player and rip this thing to a more manageable modern format!

3.75 stars really!!!

The last of the classic 70's, Guet Apens (best translated into Ambush) is also the first album where the original line-up is fading into oblivion, as both Haas and Brezovar are gone, but guitarist Claude Demet is an excellent replacement and even plays the flute like Brezovar did. I want for proof of Demet's immediate integration his co-writing credits on two tracks and was a local Belfort guy like the Descamps. On bass, was first recruited Piellard but he was gone during the recording process, so either Demet or Renard filled in to play the parts. Coming with a very "prog" artwork and an inner game artwork that relates to the outside artworks, the album was recorded in spring 77 and released early that fall, it's title referring to the constant difficulties encountered and the future critics for losing two long- time and essential members.

Opening with Colin Maillard, a mellotron-filled track that you'll find typically Ange-like filled with the usual dramatics, but maybe less wordy than in Delire , Jacotey or Mandrin. This first track sets the tone for the album and most of the tracks on the album follow more or less the same soundscapes with the exception of the 14-mins epic Capitaine Coeur De Miel that closes the album. Indeed Berger is also weighed down by trons of mello, underlined by Guichard's good drumming, while Trou Dans La Case is definitely brining out Demet's guitar, but in unison with the group. The short Virgule sounds like some early Genesis pieces with guitar arpeggios, while Reveille-Toi is straighter rock and is the weaker track here. As for the Capitaine epic, I already said it sounded different than the rest of the album, bur I find Christian over-doing it, a bit like in the previous albums.

For an album that was recorded during a stage of instability (change of management and musicians coming and going), GA is a rather excellent albums, given the difficult time. It (the album)'s major luck is that the tracks were not brand new anymore and well- rehearsed. I just wished that Musea would've released the Cd reissue with the extra track from those sessions Un Jésus Cloué that had not found space on the vinyl, due to time restrictions. It could've given another extra boost to GA.

The Decamps siblings had to rebuild the band lineup from scratch for this album, but the change seems to have done Ange some good - this album features a revitalised Ange sound, with a tension and energy missing from some of its more sedate predecessors. Christian Decamps' theatrical vocals take a frenzied, delirious turn to suit the new direction of the band's music, the siblings' keyboard skills are as tight as ever, and new guitarist Claude Demet proves to be a capable axeman in his own right. Not one of the more consistent bands out there, Ange nonetheless managed to pull together one of their best albums out of the adversity that preceded it.

How is this NOT a prog masterpiece? IMHO, Guet-Apens' theatricality and music rate right up there with Gabriel's GENESIS, Parmenter's DISCIPLINE, Hammill's VDGG, Anderson's TULL, Mercury's QUEEN, and little known BABYLON. Guet-Apens is a representative of the high art and theatricality of the greatest rock operas, art rock, theatric symphonic, operatic rock . . . "Capitaine Coeur de Miel" even has some of the dark macabre of Pete Hammill, Puccini, UNIVERS ZERO and PRESENT as well as the uplift of MAGMA and Zuehl. The musicianship behind the music may not have the virtuosity of Banks, Hackett or Collins or the complexity of Genesis or Yes, but it does provide excellent emotional support of the vocals and its messages. I am actually more impressed with the range and expressiveness of Ange's vocals than those of VDGG! (As I am with Matthew Parmenter and DIscipline.)

5 stars all the way!

3.5 star for sure

Guet-apens from 1978 is considered with good reason the last classic Ange album, after that they gone in some diffrent direction with only sporadicaly prog elements in their music. Anyway this release show that they are still in bussines, delivering some best of their moments on the opening track , the best from the album nd among the best pieces they ever compose, at least in my opinion. A colin maillard is a killer track so very much in Ange tradition with captivating instrumental parts, where the keyboards and overall atmosphere is great. I can't say that I feel attached by the rest of the pieces of the album, for sure are good but I'm not so well convinced that are among the best they ever done, still enjoyble. This is a classic prog album as previous 3-4 releases, that needs attention from prog listners.3 stars maybe 3.5 in places, but I prefere Delire and Emile their most captivating and complete albums they ever done so far.

The final triumphant blast of the gloriously creative period Ange enjoyed during the 1970's, 'Guet-Apens' found the French symphonic outfit producing one of most impressive efforts of their career thus far, and at a key juncture too. Issued on the French arm of Phillips during 1978, this would prove to be the rockiest Ange album so far, featuring a smoother, harder sound and a streamlined production but still firmly rooted firmly in the group's highly-progressive symphonic style. The winning formula sees both Decamps brothers given much more space to stretch out - vocalist Christian employs a mellotron for the first time on an Ange album whilst brother Francis lets rip on lead guitar - the group hitting the perfect moment between their progressive inclinations and mainstream aspirations. This powerful new sound is best heard on the two lengthy tracks that bookend 'Guet-Apens', with the atmospheric opener 'A Colin Maillard' exuding a misty rock vibe over it's slow- burning eight-minutes and the extraordinary fourteen-minute epic 'Capitane Couer De Miel' building up a heavy head of steam through some red hot guitar heroics courtesy of Francis Decamps, all the while thrusting Ange ever deeper into into darker realms of heavy rock. This final track provides a glorious explosion of a finale, with Christian Decamps grizzly vocals adding a sense of urgent menace to the song's heady atmospheric trip. Elsewhere, a quartet of impressive shorter pieces fill out the space between 'A Colin Maillard' and 'Capitane Couer De Miel', each one anything but filler. The fragile acoustic ballad 'Dans Les Poches Du Berger' harks back to the more careful, art-rock style of 'Les Cimetiere Des Arlequins', providing gentle relief after the album's opening histrionics, whilst both 'Un Trou Dans La Case' and 'Reveille-Toi' exhibit the Descamps brother more playful streak lightly embossed by yet more hard rock moments. Overall, 'Guet-Apens' proves a fine album, the new, confident, rocked-up approach adding an exciting edge to Ange's keyboard-heavy sound. It would prove to be the final Ange album of note, yet caps of the six successful years since their 1972 debut 'Caricatures' very aptly. Although very much for those who enjoy Ange's classic albums - both the daunting strains of 'Le Cimetiere Des Arlequins' and the inspired brilliance of 'Au-Dela Du Delire' - 'Guet-Apens' also makes for a great place to start for those looking to explore the colourful world of Ange. Simply put, this is highly-impressive stuff from one of the key group's of the French progressive scene, and a contender for one of the truly great French albums. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

I can believe that perhaps the best album Ange had ever did was released in 1978, but Guet-Apens is by far the best album I have ever heard from them. When other prog rock bands were falling by the wayside, Ange produced one last great album, much better than most albums I've heard from that year. They had a lineup change, but it didn't affect the music any. In fact it blows their previous album Par les Fins de Mandrin right out of the water. Everything you like about Ange is fully intact with no sign of them selling out! Those same dramatic and harsh vocals from Christian Decamps, and his brother Francis giving plenty of that trademark odd sounding Viscount organ, but surprisingly he lets his Mellotron loose this time, rather than burying it. This is without a doubt easily the most tron heavy Ange album, more tron on one cut along than all the other Ange albums put together. Tons of tron strings, and even some really cool use of tron choir. But all the dramatic elements of Ange are here. All this album does is solidify Ange's reputation as one of the French prog greats. Sadly it's also their last album worth getting, the 1980s were not exactly friendly times for them. I have to say all Ange fans need this album. If you don't know Ange, this is a great place to start, it's totally essential!