MEKANÏK DESTRUKTÏW KOMMANDÖH

Yes, I know the majority of music I listen to is on the more...aggressive side of progressive rock. Although, to say that this isn't fairly aggressive music wouldn't be very truthful. I normally don't listen to a good deal of avant-garde music, but there's something about Magma that makes me keep coming back for more. Maybe the zaniness is part of it. Maybe it's the fact that the vocals are all over the place, from chanting, yelling, shouting, and even sometimes creepy whispering. Or maybe it's the fact that this is one of the most original-sounding bands I've ever heard. Yes, I will admit; I am a huge Magma fan. I will listen to this album and chant along to it, even though I still don't know what half the words mean. Magma is a band that takes a long attention span and being really, really patient. This might be the ultimate definition of "acquired taste". But when they grab you, they grab you hard and never let go.

This was the first Magma album I ever heard, and by the end of it I was craving more from the band. Since then I've acquired all of their studio albums and a healthy collection of their live albums. Yet this is the one that I find myself coming back to most often. This is very catchy music in a good way and almost begs you to chant along to it. Vander's drumming is obviously very jazz-oriented, and is quite complex, but more in the subtle things he does. Piano and bass are also very prominent in this music, as it's very rhythm-driven. There are many touches of minimalism and repeated riffs, often accompanied by very excellent drum build-ups. Vander's creativity practically oozes out of this record, as well as the rest of the band's discography (well, except maybe Merci, but us crazed Kobaians like to pretend it doesn't exist).

I'd like to do a track-by-track review, but I don't think I could honestly do the songs any justice. Instead I'll end with this. If you like jazz, avant-garde, minimalism, or just want to hear something very original, check this out. It will take most people repeated listens before they can start to even begin to digest what is going on, but it's more than worth it. With this being one of my top 5 albums (it's THAT good), as well as Magma's best work, I'm giving it 5 chanting choirs out of 5.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to working on my Christian Vander shrine.

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