FANFARE DU CHAOS

This album has provided me with the nearest thing to classic MAGMA that I've ever experienced. There are also quite a few moments in which I am reminded of PRESENT and the other French and Belgian RIO artists. Heck, there are also a few moments that I swear I'm hearing the jazzy orchestral sounds of BURT BACHARACH and Hollywood movie soundtracks!

1. 'Toz' (9:24) opens with the power and sound just like MAGMA (except for the piccolo). The crazed saxophone and electric guitar soli and the movie soundtrack interlude at 3:45- 4:15 are a little beyond anything I've heard from Magma, but otherwise this is an awesome song right out of Neb'hr Gudahtt's iPod playlist! (9/10)

2. 'Intermud' (2:59) is an interlude instrumental purely from the realm of classical chamber music. Here brass and woodwinds exchange and intermingle minor and dissonant chord structures. It is quite interesting and not as distant or depressing as the usual modern chromatic chamber stuff. (8/10)

3. 'Dunb' (8:54) opens with a bang as multi-level and multi-layered vocals chant over the throb of a full band of bass, military drumming, horns and woodwinds. The delicate flute-led interlude at the 1:40 mark provide quite a contrast to the power and insistence of the opening 100 seconds. Kind of like yang and yin, masculine and feminine. A return to power and drive is introduced by electric guitar before a male baritone voice takes off running-- everybody else trying to keep up, fuzzy, chunky bass and soprano chorale the most persistent. The 4:45 mark is where I'm hearing the distinct orchestral sounds of Burt Bacharach--followed by a kind of Michel Legrand/Debussey theme. The warrior chorus takes up their march again at 6:10 but find themselves intermittently distracted or slowed by the soprano sirens, woodwinds, and piccolos. Interesting song! (8/10)

4. 'Bumlo' (5:32) sets into motion with a rolling bass line supported by a much more jazz- oriented ensemble, sounding like until at the 1:30 mark the music falls away and a more chaotic, cacophonic free-form jazz--complete with Ornette Coleman-like sax solo--takes over. By the fourth minute the song has evolved into a more structured Zeuhl song, but this finds itself intruded upon by an interloper from the California surfin' music of the Fifties and Sixties! Dude can sing like Bill Haley or Buddy Holly! (8/10)

5. 'Mlues' (6:15) opens with a sustained chord straight from some Miles Davis song from the Sixties. The evolution from there is definitely shaped by 1970s jazz fusion. I'm especially reminded of the music of the film music for the Balck 'sexplotation' films of the 70s as well as some of Freddy Hubbard's experimental stuff (until the male vocals enter). The high speed frenzy after the 5:30 mark to end is more reminiscent of some of the early hard rockers--those who later earned the title of Heavy Metal artists. (7/10)

6. 'Ih' (8:15) opens with a psych-jazz sound, a very cool, very sophisticated sound and feel as if from a very intense scene of a 1970s murder crime film. At 2:30, as the female vocalist and new bass, guitar, and woodwind riffs take over, the soundtrack feel continues--as if the stealthy chase of the protagonist intensifies, gets closer to the criminal danger. The tension only thickens with dynamic shifts from 4:45 to 5:15. Then a chaotic loud period ensues--as if confrontation is at hand--followed by another bizarre chase scene (capture, unconsciousness, drugged, delusional awakening, and death??) Awesome song. Awesome mood setter. (9/10)

Definitely an awesome album of top notch Zeuhl. Papa Vander must be proud! Solid four star effort--highly recommended for the adventurous prog lover and a real prize for the Zeuhl lover.

Your free ticket to the world of Zehul

A new Zehul album from a brand new band in my opinion is a lot more intriguing than most of the albums coming from prog metal, it's always an exciting news, there are not enough albums coming out today which you can consider to be pure Zehulic, well this one is and it brings a lot of respect too. I think Rhun have done a fantastic job making this genre to be a little more accessible, and can slide a few non Zehul fans through the back door. Although it's impossible not to be influenced by Magma when playing Zehul, this time the music is not so demanding or hard to digest like Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh for example. There are few more influences that makes this album quite different than other releases, one thing that is most evident is that this album is heavier and more hard rocking, there are clear King Crimson (Wetton years) influences all over the place, that's one of the elements that makes the Zehulic chanting to flow freely. Another band that comes to mind here when talking about heavy rocking Zehul is Bondage Fruit, yes this is very much reminicent of the band's early Zehulic style, only Rhun are less repetative and more progressive. Rhun's instrumentation aside from the standard including saxes, flutes, bassoon and clarinet, from here the road is short from diving into some Chamber ala Univers Zero, although those instruments are present most of the time, there's one part dedicated to Chamber played only by them. I can proudly say that this is one of the best albums to come from this genre in the past decade.

The album was issued by altRock and is comprised of two recording sessions, the first half (3 tracks) was recorded in 2012 and was issued as a download only EP on the band's bandcamp titled "ih". The altRock edition released in 2013, adds 3 more tracks from earlier sessions recorded in 2008, the whole thing was mastered by Udi Koomran. As I understand the album's title is also "ih" and not "Fanfare Du Chaos" like is listed here, which is only a tag name to go with the band's name, and a right one too.

There are two things that makes this album different and by this more accessible from other hardcore releases, although the music is very much well played and quite complex in some places, it's not complexity that makes you lose yourself in a big chaos, it's the kind that keeps the listener on his toes. Secondly, although Zehul tends to be quite repetative, Rhun seems to be jumping from one idea to the next while still maintaining of the typical repetative mantra chanting kind of singing, so the outcome is an album that first tries to be pure progressive rock and then injects his Zehul and chamber influences.

Although this is the band's first album it's easy to see they have been around for a while, the songwriting is very mature, the music is crafted so well where every line, every drum roll is thought out, as opposed to the approach where everyone plays a solo until he feels like he needs a cigarette break. Rhun's influences are not just scattered across the album, they are bind together like a tight package and creates one style which is their own. The music has a heavy feel to it, delivered with a heavy distorted bass, which is always a delight, and noisy distorted guitars which every now and then breaks into a manic guitar solo which would even cause the grumpy old Mr. Fripp to almost smile. But for me it's the wind instruments that takes this album to a different level, they are cleverly weaved together with the rest and goes where ever the wind blows, creating a dazzling sound with an impeccable performance. They go from caressing to aggressive and to screeching outbursts that pierces your ears in delight. While they do have Magma like chanting, the band still makes a lot of room for playing especially in the second half of the album, where the Zehulic chanting is more subtle. The instrumental parts are simply superb with an excellent interplay between guitars and wind instruments on top of a raging drums and bass, I especially love the parts where they go crazy, fanfare du chaos indeed!

So although Rhun haven't invented the wheel...yet, they do have a lot to offer to anyone who already likes this genre or the ones that would like to get more acquainted with it. I loved what they were trying to do and I love the way they did it, I sure do hope this is a band we will see more from in the future. Their EP (which is the first half of this album) is available for listening and downloading on their bandcamp page, so at least do your self a favour and check it out. Well deserved 5 stars.

Rejoice Magma fans, you're not orphans anymore! Rhùn, a new French band, is the continuation (even though Magma is not dead) of the classic 70's band.

There's very little info about the band in the internet and all we know is that the sextet is formed by Captain Flapattak (vocals and drums), Damoon (bass and vocals), Thybo (guitars and vocals), Sam (saxophones, flutes and vocals), Fabien De Kerbalek (guitars and vocals) and Brunöh (saxophones, bassoon and vocals).

Fanfare Du Chaos (2013) is in fact a collection of songs recorded by the band between 2008 and 2012. This album consists of their demo from 2008 and their EP Ïh (2012). Both of these releases were independent ones, so as soon as the band signed with AltrOck the label did the right thing, joined both together and now we have their proper first album.

Of course Rhùn is not, but they pretty much could be a continuation of their compatriots from Magma. A drummer singer, lyrics in Kobayan (language invented by Christian Vander, Magma's leader), many vocals all around and a sound that doesn't fit anywhere. That's what we have right in the first track of Fanfare Du Chaos (2013) 'Toz'.

After a radical change in the last bit of the first track, the second one 'Intermud' starts attached to the previous but this time only with wind instruments. That's Zehul for you, weird and indecipherable. Third track 'Dunb' brings the band back to their best abilities. There are frantic riffs, a pulsating bass, saxophones all around, many vocals and a confusion of sounds. Great track!

The next three tracks were recorded in 2008 and I thought that they would suffer a bit with lack of quality, but it's completely not the case here. Fanfare Du Chaos (2013) has a unity besides not being recorded altogether and it really seems as if it was.

'Bùmlo' is full of great ideas and crazy parts, everything packed very well with saxophones and intricate patterns all along. 'Mlùez' is a bit more melodic, more Jazz Rock oriented perhaps, which makes the track very interesting. A bit of a change in the overall pace of the album. Another great track!

Last track 'Ïh' starts slowly, a bit like 'Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun' from Pink Floyd, in fact, I think that the band had exactly that in mind! The song pretty much follows this pattern through a bit more than half of it and then alternates with female vocals, saxophones and the Space Rock kind of mood but with a bit more of Rock And Roll.

My honest opinion is that if you like Magma and the bands that follow the Avant Prog/Zehul path in general (like Rhùn compatriots Jack Dupon, read the review progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=1021275), you should go for Fanfare Du Chaos (2013) without even thinking about it, because Rhùn is everything you would want!

Highly recommended!

(Originally posted on progshine.net)

There's been a few interesting Zeuhl related albums this year, and there's no denying there are several bands offering some interesting and exciting variations on the genre that was founded by the wonderful Magma (who themsleves also issued a sublime album `Felicite Thosz' not too long ago). I've yet to hear the latest Unit Wail album, although they're not purely Zeuhl, but in addition to Setna's latest `Guerison', which was more joyful, melodic and even incorporated other genres such as Canterbury jazz, we;ve now got Rhun and their stunning debut `Fanfare du Chaos'. Essentially comprised of two recording sessions, more or less an EP each, both have quite a different sound, but are equally as exciting as each-other. Like Italy's Universal Totem Orchestra, Rhun's work is also supremely dark and frequently gothic influenced, with thick distored bass and repetitive maddening chanted vocals that bring a definite sense of tension and unease for a manic, schizophrenic assault on the senses. Add in saxophone, flute, bassoon, clarinet and horns and you've got a mess of instruments to soundtrack any coming apocalypse. Even the cold cover artwork reinforces the shadowy, very sinister nature of much of the music.

`Toz' is comprised of a storm of male/female crooned scat vocals that dart from intimidating to frantic, urgent squawking sax, plucky distorted bass and wild electric guitar violation - every second totally unhinged and delirious. For the briefest moments the flute will turn more gentle, but it's all to be a beautiful lie, a sadistic and merely teased respite. Back and forth the band come crashing back in, extreme King Crimson senses-shattering guitar mangling, dirty bashing drumming and female wailing breaking you into submission. Oppressive hypnotic chanting bears down on top of you, the flute takes on a prancing darting ghostly glee. The final few minutes blend into `Intermud', making for an extended flute/oboe/clarinet interlude, sedate and sorrowful, creating just the right amount of unease and wicked playfulness, instantly reminding me of Univers Zero or Present. `Dunb' then stomps right down on you, the unholy choir completely overwhelming as the piece jumps back and forth in tempo. Sure, you'll get dreamier calm passages to let you catch your breath, but before long it's back to snapping, searing, spitting tension. This complex and careful mix of various instruments and crisp production means this ambitious 21 minute piece is frequently cinematic in scope, like the soundtrack to an intense horror movie. It shares the same stalking slashing terror of Dun's classic `Eros'.

The remainder of the disc is comprised of three jazzier styled demo recordings dating from 2008, very different in tone to the preceding tracks. Unlike the first few pieces that essentially form a complete multi-suite piece, the remaining three here all stand as separate entitites from each-other, all with a very unique and different sound. `Bumlo' initially favours the jazzier sounds more along the lines of Magma's `1001 Degrees Centigrade'-era, even the male chanted vocals especially sound like Christian Vander, not counting the shrieking deranged escaped asylum patient howls in the second half! Slithering lurking bass, military drumming and dying animal saxophones help the piece spiral ever downards into the darkest dungeons in the finale. `Mluez' begins with the same upbeat breeze of Setna's recent album, very flightly uptempo jazz and cooed female harmonies, but soon it's all honking confident saxes, darting flute and supremly dirty groovy bass - certainly the most foot-tapping piece on the album! `Ih' enters spacerock territory, with a nice ambient opening full of phasing mantra-like feedback-driven electric guitar, almost sounding like late 60's David Gilmour/Pink Floyd, gothic chanteusse female vocals, deeply purred taunting male call-and- response passages and more noisy debauchered bass grooving and murky sax.

Do yourself a favour and check out the Bandcamp site for the band to give the album a spin, or better yet, just buy the CD! I bought it without hearing a second of it, just the recommendation of fellow Archives reviewer and my friend Sagicham was enough, and I certainly wasn't let down by it. The album offers two recording sessions from the band that sound quite different from each-other, but both are full of thrilling and adventurous Zeuhl flavours. I think of the two I actually favour the more 70's influenced second half, but it's all first-rate. The debut Rhun disc is for lovers of the seedier, more intense side of Zeuhl, and even gothic music fans would be wise to look into this. It's an exceptional and fascinating dark release, and is one of the finest modern Zeuhl releases.

Four stars.

"Playful" isn't a word which is often applied to zeuhl - though away from their more serious epics Magma did have their moments - but on Fanfare du Chaos Rhùn make a bid to change that. Here and there I catch mild influences from the Canterbury scene (not quite the unexpected mix you may think, since both the Canterbury sound and zeuhl are essentially both strange mutations of jazz-rock), and zeuhl purists may be shocked to hear vocals in English which can actually be understood by normal human beings, but if you want a spacier take on the Magma sound which retains a key awareness of the jazz roots of zeuhl, Rhùn deliver.

I'm not even sure where to start with this one. It's so great though to see new Zeuhl bands popping up over the last five years or so. RHUN are out of France and out of their minds as well. Just look at the pictures in the liner notes of these guys and you'll see what I mean. It's basically made up of two different recording with the first three tracks consisting of 11 members and the last three songs with seven people participating. The cover art is so well done, it suits the music I feel which is dark and out there to say the least. Udi Koomran mastered this beast, but as far as the music goes we get horns, fuzzed out bass and distorted guitar along with a multitude of vocals including female.

"Toz" is interesting the way the vocals and instrumental work seem to mimic each other. Love the fuzzed out bass. Multi- vocals arrive in a frantic way before a calm with a horn and fuzzed out bass takes over. The horn turns dissonant as the drums pound. Back to the vocals as this band really comes off as being unstable. Guitar follows then we get this excellent section 3 minutes in that is intense to say the least with some killer guitar. It turns pleasant surprisingly, beautiful in fact and contrasts will continue. We get flute only 8 minutes in to the end which is a nice touch. "Intermud" is the shortest track at almost 3 minutes and is different from the rest as we get a Chamber-music styled piece. "Dunb" opens with a MAGMA-like heavy rhythm with deep male vocals. Catchy stuff. A calm with flute and a horn 2 minutes in. It kicks back in heavily before 3 1/2 minutes. Female vocals and heavy fuzzed out bass with frantic guitar follows. Another calm after 5 minutes then here we go again. It starts to slow down like a train before 7 minutes with vocals leading then it starts to pick up again and we get some manic spoken words.

"Bumlo" has a determined rhythm with horns over top and more. A calm after a minute with strange vocal sounds. Dissonant horns, guitar and more all start to build then the vocals join in. Insanity 5 minutes in especially with the horns and drums. I like the way "Mluez" begins with the drums and flute. Distorted guitar replaces the the flute then it settles with those zeuhlish vocals. Blasting horns and huge bass lines follow contrasted with the vocals. So much is going on 4 1/2 minutes in with the flute playing over top, then it turns heavy as demented vocals join in. "Ih" opens with sparse sounds but then it starts to turn intense especially the guitar before it settles right down with female vocals and horns as the drums continue. Male vocals and distorted guitar 3 1/2 minutes in as female vocals and horns continue. It picks up in pace and intensity around 5 1/2 minutes before settling right down with dissonant horns and female vocals to the end.

The future sure looks bright for this band. This is an adventerous Zeuhl album that pushes all the right buttons for me.

Led by the one and only Captain Flapattak who drums and sings in a similar style to his main idol of worship, Christian Vander, this zeuhl lover did what many others have and created a musical act that emulates the magical mojo of Magma and then takes it places Magma would never even consider. Created in the city of Coutances, France, Flapattak started his band RHÙN in the 2000s and in 2009 released "Demo" and then three years later in 2012 an EP titled "Ïh." Finding no outlet for these earliest recordings, in 2013 he re-released them as a single package which would become the debut album FANFARE DU CHAOS.

While all bands owe their allegiance to the progenitors of the entire zeuhl musical style, they differ by exaggerating characteristics of Magma's large canon of variations and one of the most liberal in doing so is the great Captain and his team of zeuhl noisemakers which in this case features different musicians and singers due to the fact this release is really two separate ones rolled into one. The first three tracks "Toz," "Interlude II" and "Dunb" are from the "Ïh EP" and the other three "Bùmlo," "Mlùez" and "Ïh" (believe it or not!) are from the "Demo."

RHÙN is a wild and unhinged sort of band and takes zeuhl to the most frenetic levels possible. While primarily focused on the Magma style of "Mëkanïk Destruktïw Kömmandöh" as far as the zeuhl parts are concerned, the band rocks the guitar and bass much more than Magma ever did as well as the over-the-top choral effects where some of the singers sound like they're possessed! While the guitar, bass and drum are ratcheting up a true racket usually leading to chaotic crescendoes, the rich interplay of woodwinds offer excessively beautiful counterpoints that often take the overall sound into the world of prog folk or even moments of Canterbury jazz.

The overall flow of the album is more scattered the average Magma release as well and the album is actually closer to the band's first two albums "Kobaia" or "1001° Centigrade" except that RHÙN pretty much has moments where any phase of Magma is fair game but despite all the Magma worship going on, RHÙN like any great zeuhl band makes it clear and obvious that this is NOT Magma! With the skilled precision and energetic drive of the best prog metal band, RHÙN delivers a highly caustic version of the zeuhl universe that is part heavy rock, part avant-jazz and 100% crazed! While the tracks are from different periods of the band's origins, all meld together quite nicely and the average listener wouldn't even guess the duel nature of this debut.

Bands like RHÙN will please the lovers of the more frenetic styles of Japanese zeuhl. The Ruins chaotic noise rock aspects are written all over this one yet the Magma-isms are dominant and of course moments that are unlike any other zeuhl band. It's sort of a trading off process between the traditional French variety of zeuhl and the anything goes and then burn down the neighborhood Japanese approach. Despite the dominance of frenetic outbursts, there are also plenty of quieter contemplative psychedelic moments that simply just get a groove on pacifying your soul into a less defensive state before the band goes spastically bonkers once again. Personally i find RHÙN's approach to be right up my alley and scratches all my extremophile itches. Unfortunately it would take an entire decade for the Captain to follow up with a sophomore release but in 2023 "Tozïh" proved this wasn't a one off.