GOES TO THE COLLÉGIALE

Like most CD-r demos ever made, Madelgaire's is a rather short and hastily-constructed demo Ep, containing four tracks, mostly sung in English. The group was then fronted by Lossignol, who played violin and acoustic guitars and sang (backing & choirs), but the main singer was drummer Rocteur, while Letertre's Hackettian guitars and Chalon's key are very Bank-ian. Their line-up would remain constant until Chalon would leave in the course of 2005, and be replaced by ex-Globalys Bertrand Vanvarembergh later in the year. They've remained together since.

Opening on the Vae Victis track, one of two that would find its way onto the debut album proper, albeit in a longer and improved version, this is an almost-instrumental track, if you except the grizzly growls of bassist Mennem recorded while he's becoming cute with his wife and the chipmunk squeaks of Pascal (or is it Chalon) being cute with his own wife (just kidding guys? it will probably get erased quickly if you are generous enough ;o))), VV is a cool neo-retro-prog piece that will be retained as the first movement of their three-parts suite Les Banquets de l'Equinoxe, the pinnacle on their first full-blown album. The following is a medieval Arabisation of a local hero's name (that became their own) in the crusades. Up next is the other track that survived until their first album, an impressive genesis-sounding track with absolutely un-Genesis-like lyrics, sung by Pascal's high-pitched voice. Indeed the track seems to be a piss-off and a "ras-le-bol" towards anti-smoking regulations. The then-11- mins+ track will be slightly extended on the official album. Closing up is a Belgian pun of Tintin's album Rackham Le Rouge (but in German) and might be my preferred of their early works. Don't expect too much from a demo (from any demo, really), I don't even know if they still have some around.

Formed in 2000 in the small city of Belgium Soignies and named after a local medieval hero, Madelgaire started as a four-piece band with singer/drummer Pascal Rocteur, keyboardist Patrice Chalon, bassist Christian Vanderwhale and guitarist Stephane Letertre.A few month later they were joined by a second guitarist, Dominique Lossignol, and this line-up led the band to the production of a demo entitled ''...Goes to the Collegiale'' in 2002.

Madelgaire's proposal is nothing less than rich and well-crafted Neo/Symphonic Progressive Rock in the vein of AMANDA, SEVEN REIZH or ARENA and the opening ''Vae Victis'' contains some good quality music.Bombastic atmospheres led by grandiose keyboards and dramatic guitar work and solos along with some softer Neo-Proggish grooves but always adventurous and intricate in a nice instrumental introduction.''Mad-el-Gher'', actually this is the band's name, could not have contained anything other than keyboard-based medieval tunes next to some prog good breaks and the overall sound is like listening to MINIMUM VITAL.''Gimme a Light'' is the epic of this demo, clocking at 11 minutes and opening with a light piano-driven jazzy section, before turning into a Neo-Prog manner with good keyboard/organ and guitar work along with the vocal lines of Pascal Rocteur, the result is close to the style of DEYSS.The short closer ''Rackham-das-Röte'' is another instrumental piece of dramatic slightly-symphonic Progressive Rock with great guitar work and some orchestral keyboards, quite nice.

This demo seems like a good sample of what Madelgaire were capable of.Slightly theatrical and always passionate, the performance is satisfying and if a copy ever come before your eyes, just grab it.Warmly recommended.