AU-DELÀ DU DÉLIRE

An absolute Stunner from start to finish...ANGE really get the ol KING CRIMSON feel here in this release and in many ways forms an allusion to "The Court Of The Crimson King" and Islands. The lyrics are all in French, but this should not in any way stand in your enjoyment of this concept-masterpiece. Great flowing guitars with excellent keyboard and vocal support. The songs are very well constructed and this recording too reaches a large range of emotions leaving the listener with a feeling of completion. In my humble opinion this is the best complete work of ANGE to date.

ANGE play a style of progressive rock called "French theatrical". They seem to have been influenced by Peter GABRIEL-era GENESIS and KING CRIMSON. However, their sound is more French than British. If you can imagine walking by a university theater during rehearsals, somewhere in Paris, then you pretty much have an idea of their sound. Think theatrical music that comes off a bit rough, yet is absolutely charming. The French vocals are emotional, dynamic, and similar in style to Peter GABRIEL. They are easy to enjoy and, if you understand some French, the lyrics are also humorous. Their guitarist is impressive in a subtle sort of way. His style, which isn't technical at all, lies somewhere between Robert FRIPP and blues-rock. Anyway, this is one of the top albums from the French prog scene.

Well it's such a "French Romantic Progressive" reply to the best albums by the early GENESIS, The Enid and BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO, whose theatrical efforts are very similar from the point of view of the music approach!! This album is the peak of maturity for this band, whose works are often discontinuous!!

Recommended!!

ANGE....the french prog/folk outfit.....are really supreme...mind you i dont understand one word of french...but the sheer vision of their(ANGE) music...make´s me believe that i understand french...and indeed ANGE´s music...they´are a sort of French kind of Grobschnit....or may´be a French kind of Fairport Convention...ahem...anyhow..these guys mean business! Its a question of wheter you like folk music or you like french music!! Or both!! Some say, that this music is the best music...they´ve ever heard!! There are some beautiful sequences with keyboards and guitars!! Mellotron a plenty......but still im a bit bored........i dont think that anyone in its right mind could call this the best prog ever!! Its kinda....sofprog music. There are hints of folk music...and a bit of rock....but other than that..i do not see (Hear) the supreme music,that we are supposed to experience!! I for one are really disappointed...as i expected... sure there are some really nice theme´s ...guitars an key´s!! Still.....each to his own.....ANGE`s is something to remember!! So..conclusion is: ANGE an OK french outfit....but.....So.....What?????? Another prog experience...along the way!! Sorry you...french prog freaks...i really dont see( hear) the point?? Why the 3 stars? Well, as i do not know ANGE that well....i feel i have to give em´ 3 for musicianship...and ill give em ´a few more spins...maybe they´ll grow on me. 3 stars is it!!

Nice album, if there were more instrumental passages. This is an instrumentally impared band, and it shows on this release. Song writing is not great either, especially on the longer traks, they do not hang together well, and do not seem to go anywhere. This is not to say that there aren't any good songs on the album. Godevin Le Villain, Ballade Pour Une Orgie and Exode are superbly crafted melodic songs, if somewhat repetitious. The rest of the songs I cannot remember no matter how many times I listen to this album. Overall, it's a disappointment, especially because many people say that this is Ange's masterpiece. I personally prefer the Cimetiere Des Arlequins as a favorite.

My French friends recommended this as THE masterpiece of French prog rock. Frankly, I'm not impressed. As a curiosum it has its merits in a prog rock collection, but it is far inferior to most contemporary prog rock work from the UK, The Netherlands and Italy. Singer Eric Bibonne has considerable limitations (sample Si j'etais le messie to know what I mean) and the group's prog aspirations hardly ever come through in the instrumental sections either. It's all in all not bad, but in the end quite forgettable.

3.5 stars really!!!

Third album of the now well-established group, Au-Delà Du Délire is the album where Ange sets free from their influences and become a band with their own sound. With a textbook example of fantasy artwork, the music has become so theatrical that playing the album alone seems like something is missing. If this album had come out in the new millennium, we'd expect this to be a DVD with videos and concert footage to soothe the thirst for illustration. Considered by Ange fans as their apex, I personally think it is heavily flawed, because the vocals have taken over advantage over the music, sometimes at the disservice of the music. To appreciate this album in its full, it does help to have a good mastery of the French language and culture though, otherwise you'll miss the small tidbits, much like most non-British might miss the full finesse of Battle Of Epping Forest. Otherwise, the classic quintet is in full form and delivers what is considered their best album.

The first side is made of short tracks where Ange shows their theatrics and tightness, but not leaving much space for musical extrapolation or meanderings. The opening track descending chord Godevin (with an extra violin in the intro and outro) and the following Longues Nuits are indeed pushing the French lyrics in a very literary way, taking an overall importance to the expense of the music, sometimes buried. Sometimes it seems that the music is little more than keyboard layers (the two Descamps brothers are on organ, but mellotron and synths as well), and despite the occasional outburst of Brezo's guitar and the discreet excellence of Hass and Jelsch on bass and drums respectively, but it's all about the Bros. Messie is mostly a recitation against organized religion where the text is most important, but the repeated listening make it average. The lyrics were so overpowering on this album, that I remember the vinyl came with a two-page fill of lyrics slid inside the sleeve. Ballade Pour Une Orgie is probably the only place where you can still feel the genesis influence (with the acoustic guitar arpeggios. Closing up is the 5-mins Exode that starts slightly Yes-ish, but once the first verse arrived, they sound like full-blown Ange with finally the group escaping Christian's stranglehold.

The flipside only has three tracks and you would easily find it more enjoyable, with much more space for the instruments. Well almost, because La Bataille Du Sucre despite its 6:30 duration is again dominated by Christian's theatrical vocals and include a subsection. Actually more interesting is the shorter Fils De Lumière starts out like Exode did, with a large instrumental intro ala Yes, before jumping in the heart of the song, but the musicians are breaking through the Christian's layers of vocals. The track is the most instrumental one so far and slowly segues into the 9-mins title track, which sort of returns to Godevin's descending chord with a slight twist and having a certain medieval feel (present throughout most of the album, though), Christian's vocals start out more relaxed, but gradually get excited as the music sort dies out midway through the track, only to be reborn in a grandiose triumphant symphonic manner, with Brezo's most thrilling guitar solo dying out in the farm court among the birds. That superb ending does not resemble the rest of the album, though, as if Ange wanted to re-equilibrate the balance in-extremis before the needle lifted off from the wax.

I can't think of an album that would typifies what was called theater rock or theatre prog more than this one. This album sent a whole bunch of Ange imitators on orbit (the most famous one would be Mona Lisa with "le Violon de Mr. Gregoire") but it is very much irrelevant to most of us nowadays and this was very original back then.

I agree with all those who claim this album as the artistic pinnacle in Ange's long career. Following in the same path of theatrical emotion and somber ambience that had established the overall musical essence of their previous album, "Au-Dela du Delire" sees the band expanding their sonic pallet with a more abundant display of keyboard orchestrations (mostly mellotron layers and organ harmonics) and a tighter interplay shared fluidly by all musicians. Brezovar's guitar parts are stronger and more exulting than ever, and so is the solid foundation laid down by the rhythm section. Meanwhile, Christian Decamps displays his singing with the usual varied level of dramatic flavours - his first lines for the opening track are simply unforgettable. Speaking of which, 'Godevin le Vilain' makes a very attractive entry, something like a brief tale of old that warms the listener's ears up before the emergence of all the heavier stuff that's to come afterwards. 'Les Longues Nuits d'Isaac' is an amazing rocker, where the guitar fills and the mellotron layers get linked together in a marriage of eerie magic and electric energy; later, this same ambience is properly enhanced with supreme inventiveness in 'Exode' - whose concluding climax is reinforced by a most amazing guitar solo -, and the catchy 'Fils de Lumiere' (one definite classic in Ange's history). On the bleakest side of things, 'Si J'etais le Messie' consists of an anti-clerical recitation accompanied by a somber deconstructive instrumentation - clearly, a reminder of the oppressive grandeur of the most accomplished passages of "Le Cimitiere des Arlequins". 'La Bataile du Sucre' combines the best of both worlds, that is, the sinister vibration of "Cimitiere" and the multicolored spectrum that functions as a main focus for this album. Showing that they own a lucid sense of drama, after the delirious explosion of track 3, there comes a beautiful acoustic ballad titled 'Ballade pour une Orgie': despite the lustful implications of its title, it is actually a delicate mix of folkish sensibility and baroque elegance, portraying an air of gentle intimacy. It is the title track which closes down the album. Its first section is an exercise in troubadour-like acoustic prowess, with some subtle exotic twists conveyed on the organ chord progressions, while the final section is pure symphonic brightness, very much in the vein of early King Crimson and "Nursery Cryme" Genesis - once again, Brezovar's guitar shines like a sun in the apex of summer. I've got nothing else to say about this excellent album, except that it sure deserves a featured place in any good prog collection.

Fans of symphonic French Prog generally regard this as the best album by that country's most quintessential band, and I'm not about to argue the matter. In less than forty minutes it manages to sum up just about the entire Progressive Rock tradition in the 1970s, from gentle 12-string ballads to heavy electric riffing, and from oddball spoken word narratives to ultra-tight instrumental workouts, all with a Gallic whimsy and fatalism easily translated across any language barrier.

Although often compared to early (pre- "Trick of the Tail") GENESIS, in my opinion that's only a lazy point of reference for Anglophile listeners unfamiliar with the wide spectrum of Continental music. ANGE had its own identity, built around the theatrical exuberance of singer Christian Decamps (making Peter Gabriel sound like the inhibited middle-class choirboy he once was) and his brother Francis' trademark mellotron sound. There weren't too many bands from the period who didn't employ the ubiquitous orchestral-sampling keyboard, but none with such distinctive style, combining a deft classical touch with enough reverb to rattle a battleship.

Picking out highlights is pointless. My own favorite moment is the endlessly rising crescendo of "Fils de Lumiere", and it's gradual transition to the mock-medieval pomp of the two-part title track, which after its raconteur-troubadour intro switches gears dramatically, working toward an ecstatic climax.

My only complaint is about the packaging: my CD reissue (on the Philip Records label) has no track information beyond the titles, no production details, no clues about the personnel and instrumentation, and reduces the beautiful book-of-hours cover art to a shadow of its original glory.

Thankfully the music itself survives, after more than thirty years sounding even better than ever.

Theatrical seventies prog that is unique in its own way. At first, the vocals are tough to get into. Despite the leanings to vintage Genesis, this band sounds far more French than English. Their sense of surrealistic humour is to be admired.

Certainly the group of progressive the most known in France with Magma (in another register). The Ange's music is considered as theatrical, I shall consider it simply as symphonic. A lot of force in the lyric (I am French so I am sensitive to the words), a lot of energy in the voice of Christian Descamps. A very beautiful album which aged well. One of two or three masterpieces of the group. Songs as "Si j'étais le messie" and "Au delà du délire" and especially "Fils de lumière " are real small pearls : powerful, energetic, "orgasmique" as we would say in French. But as it was already indicated : "to appreciate this album, it does help to have a good mastering of the French language and culture though" .

I read somewhere that this album should be a kind of "medieval rock concept album" and this is also what the album cover suggests. Nevertheless the music of "Au-delà du délire" is very far from prog folk with medieval influences. Here the main influences seem to be Genesis and King Crimson blended with a slightly touch of "varieté française". Sometimes the music seems to be built up around the weird theatrical vocals of Christian Décamps and it's a pity that in the booklet you can't find the lyrics.

The first two tracks "Godevin le vilain" and "Les longues nuits d'Isaac" are quite good and have an interesting structure with aggressive drums and electric guitar alternating with more quiet acoustic moments. Lyrics here do not seem to tell a story but just to draw suggestive and oneiric images beyond the limits of delirium. "One by one the thoughts take off carried away by the rain".

In "Si j'étais le messie" the singing is almost recitative and reminds to Ange's version of Jacques Brel's "Ces-gens là" appeared on "Le cimitière des arlequins". "If I was the messiah I would tell everything that comes up in my mind / Everywhere, in every way / And people would believe me / They haven't got anything else to do. If I was the messiah I would become a thief / I would steal from everyone, in every way / And people would say nothing / Because they haven't got anything else to do. Once upon a time there was a messiah / He came from another galaxy / People killed him / They believed they were right.". Quite interesting lyrics: satiric and cynical, almost wicked in their criticism against religious accepted customs.

"Ballade pour une orgie" is a kind of irreverent attack against power, in which vocals, upon a delicate acoustic guitar arpeggio, draw a picture of the joyful anarchy that rules in a castle after the death of the king. "Come people, let's drink, let's sing, the king died this morning".

"Exode" and "La bataille du sucre" are hermetic and weird but the music is never boring with symphonic moments and changes of rhythm while the delirious lyrics seem to describe strange efforts "to catch up the time" or "people licking sweet children's tears because of lack of sugar".

"Burn my body with your eternity... Son of light"... "Fils de lumière" is a kind of anthem of the band and one of their best known songs, with a good keyboards and drums work. It melts in the frenzy title track, a complex long song with a not completely convincing first part and a great instrumental finale.

Although "Au-delà du délire" is "a little bit foggy" as a concept, in the whole I think that this album could be an excellent addition to any prog collection.

The third work released in 1974 "Au-dela du delire". Feature sublime vocal of Christian Decamps, and dark, symphonic rock. It is a work to which initial ANGE a style is established. The ensemble with a profound, doubtful keyboard and guitar is dark, and wonderful. Especially, there is overwhelming power. Poor tone quality might be intentional. Moreover, I felt deep artistry that seemed to be France in classical play of wind and stringed instruments, a cembalo, and an acoustic guitar. Work that equals JETHRO TULL in entertainment. The melody is more wonderful. The melody of "Les longues nuits d'isaac" and "Ballade pour une orgie" is indeed unforgettable. It is advanced, symphonic rock that equals initial GENESIS and KING CRIMSON. It is a fairy tale rather than the concept album. It is a picture book for adults written in French. It is a masterpiece.

Highly recommended.

My favorite album from this French band (along with Par les Fils de Mandrin). Theatricality, intensity, originality, creativity, this album has it all. At times reminiscent of early King Crimson, Genesis, Pink Floyd yet with a French folk touch to it all. Every song is a pure delight. Christian Descamps' lyrics are so amazing (I find) that they are worthy of translation (if you don't speak French, ma langue maternelle) and probably are among the best to have been written in that period, all bands and countries included.

Rightfully deserves it's place next to the other great albums of that era. Also check out Par Les Fils de Mandrin, Émile Jacotey and Le Cimetière des Arlequins.

A solid five stars masterpiece !

Oh the atmosphere!

This is my favourite album by any french band, well maybe except Ocean' debut, but still this is great 70's symphnic prog. Music is theatrical and rocky with very passionate vocals, makes you really want to know what is he talking about, it's never straight forward but always have that big disturbing like atmosphere. Of course king Crimson come to mind because of that easily created atmosphere and the inclusion of violins, flutes, keys and acoustic guitars. what an amazing fuse of all instruments, just the perfect amount of every one of them. The music immediately paints a very colourful picture, few are the bands who can do it so easily!

This is essential progressive stuff, the band creates beautiful melodies but can also kick your ass, in metal like kind of attack, only it's in the 70's. Another thing I like is that the keys are played but you have a slight feeling that they are changing their speed and pitch which makes them sound slightly out of tune, I love that, Ange is doing it a lot, in other albums too. and it's the only band I heard do that.

It is hard to pick a favourite track but 'Si j'étais le Messie' is killing me with that atmosphere and that monologue and all of those sounds around, this really shows their diversity in music. You can't do wrong with this one if you like your prog with a big atmosphere, sensitivity and creativity. It's not a masterpiece but i will not give it less than 5 stars, the rating is 4.5 rounded up for this exceptional piece of music , only 38 minutes long but contain so much!!

HIGHLY RECOMENDED STUFF!

The record company had put Ange in the conditions for this recording. The best studio possible in France, the band was hosted in a first class hotel ight across the street. They really had "carte blanche" for this album. And they will produce a brilliant one.

It opens on a magnificent and scary song "Godevin Le Vilain". A short and absolutely weird number. Ange's atmosphere is there. The same scary and Crimsonesque mood prevails during "Les Longues Nuits d'Isaac". It is almost hard during the introduction. It will then be all subtle and acoustic. Wonderful.

"Si J'Etais le Messie" sounds again as a gentle and light song. It features demoniac lyrics. Their anti-clericalism has never been so hard. Attempt of a translation :

"If I were the Messiah, I would be a homosexual, having sex with anybody no matter how and people would follow me, sniffing my ass. If I were the Messiah, I would be a thief, with anybody, any time. And people would shut their mouth, having nothing else to do. If I were the Messiah, I would be a drunkard, I would drink anything no matter how and people would imitate me, thinking that they are doing alright.

If I were the Messiah, I would be crucified, not by anybody but on purpose and people would cry, not really knowing what to do. But I am not Messiah, fortunately for my mother who could not sell her virginity any longer because people would buy it, always believing they are doing alright. A very long time ago, there was once a Messiah, he came from elsewhere, from another galaxy and people killed him. They thought they were doing right".

I have hardly heard such lyrics. Going that far is extremely rare. Are we going to go to hell ?

I do not know if Ange was trying to fool non-French speaking persons by producing such childish songs in appearance but featuring the weirdest lyrics you can imagine. "Ballade Pour une Orgie" is a sexual oriented song. Again very much against the church and its servants. It is completely their trademark as far as lyrics are concerned. Absolutely irreverent. There are basically no taboo for Ange. And this is exactly why I praised this band so much.

"Exode" features a wonderful and symphonic introduction, full of keyboards. A light and acoustic part will follow while the vocals make their entry. For the very first time, almost normal words. No attacks whatsoever. This track is 100% symphonic, very much reminiscent of Genesis in the early days ("The Musical Box" during the guitar solo and the crazy rhythm). One of the highlights (but there a lot here).

"La Bataille du Sucre" is a sad story telling us how the world would be when there will be no sugar at all on earth. Ange dated this event in 2015... This problem also leading to a lack of ... salt. A nightmare ! The very dark mood renders the sadness of the lyrics superbly. "Children would have made war to suck a candy. The children were dying one by one, crying. They were breathing for the last time, turning out as beautiful as before. Indifferent and neglecting the drama, their parents, thirsting, were licking the tears of their frustrated children. Because they were ... sweet" !

The instrumental finale will again be absolutely scary. Do not listen to this number while alone and in the dark. Believe me. Another highlight. As would be "Fils De Lumière". Another very symphonic song with aerial keys and wild guitar during the end.

It flows sweetly into the title track and the longest number of this great album. Medieval mood (another of their inspiration). It sounds very Genesis-esque of course. Not only by the music I must say. These intricated lyrics also remind the ones of the master. Christian Décamps is absolutely on par I must say. The second part of this song is just FABULOUS. An incredible melody, a keyboard orgy, a strong rhythm, an incredible guitar break. This is really symphonic prog at its best. A great, great moment.

If not with the lyrics, it will be with their fantastic music that Ange will blow out their hords of fans. This is great symphonic music with devastating lyrics. This album definitely deserves for stars for its music only. It is far much more interesting than their previous album "Le Cimetière Des Arlequins". As usual (and till ange will keep on with this level) I will add one star for the incredible work of Christian in his lyrics. UN CHEF D'OEUVRE. A MASTERPIECE.

Five stars of course.

This was supposedly the one to get by Ange, but I could not get past the melodrama of the lyrics and the vocals, not to mention how truly irritating this sounds. This is music that screams for attention with all the musicality of a jilted toddler, albeit a very literary one.

I cannot give only one star simply because of its originality and genuine emotion, but I cannot give it more than two, because of aforementioned issues which permeate almost every moment. The quality of the poetic phrasings in Si j'étais le Messie and the title track allow me to recommend the disc to those who want to see how French prog became more overwrought than that which emanated from their neighbours. But from my perspective this was not a happy circumstance.

A French symphonic treat

Ange is one of the premier French progressive rock bands and this may be their finest album. Too many people seem put off by the marvelous Decamps vocals. Sure he's a drama-boy but if you'll stick with this album over time you will get used to his style. Like some of the theatrical Italian vocals they just take some time to grow. If you quickly write off such vocals you're going to miss out on some great music!

This is a beautiful and well written symphonic album that gives the listener a bit of everything from quiet acoustic to hard rock, from Decamps theatrics to rather odd sound effects, from heavy drama to humor. The material here is so good with elements of French folk balladry finding their way in. The only downside I can find is that the sound quality is not great, this album really needs a new remastering! The booklet contains no information, hardly worthy of this great album. What was Philips thinking with this bare bones release?

While Ange may not be the greatest virtuosos in the world they play every track with spellbinding emotion. The 9-minute title track that closes this album is a perfect example of why I love them: acoustic guitars, mellotron, great progression of music and narration. At 4 minutes everything stops and we hear birds and other environmental sounds. And then a grand finale it is! Jubilant and soaring electric solos that will have you air-guitaring in your car for the final 4 minutes before the creatures of the countryside come back to close out this masterpiece.

Even with all the great French bands out there like Pentacle, Carpe Diem, and Eclat, this album is at or near the top of the essential French list. A true joy for lovers of music!

Dateline: December 1975. Place: Fort de France, Martinique. Soldiers and riot police everywhere as US President Ford and French President Giscard meet for some silly world leader summit. The heat-nauseated CRS coppers are in full leather outfits, literally melting under the swelteringly leaden Caribbean sun, with huge perspiration puddles around their shining boots ("C'est dur d'etre flic!"). I, the innocent long-haired strolling student-tourist, am busy hunting down some LPs and lo and behold, my clammy hands land on this superb recording, at the time very hard to find in Canada. Its overtly childish, medieval cover is oddly reminiscent of famed artist Breughel's Flemish peasant themes, where simple peasants till the harsh land, preparing the grain for winter bread, under the watchful protection of the castle walls. 32 years later, this delightful prog bedtime story still evokes fond memories of a bygone youth, where fantasy had a greater bearing than any "mature" routine. The original vinyl LP had a two full-page lyric sheet with extensive drawings in spidery reddish-brown ink, giving a visual context to such character fables as the nasty opener "Godevain le Villain", the outrageously anti-clerical "Si j'etais le Messie", the stirring "Exode" and the not so sweet Sugar battle "La Bataille du Sucre", all coated in a Middle Ages veneer that was obviously quite prevalent in those minstrel-led days of Genesis, Tull and Giant. Unfortunately unknown to non-French listeners, Christian Decamps' pen was furiously creative, injecting harsh words laced with innuendo, sarcasm, irony and a touch of anger: "Blood of thy fathers, adultery, take me with you, rip away the land from the grips of the false king". Brezovar deftly alternated 6 and 12 string acoustic delicacies with some high-powered lead guitar that winked more towards a Martin Barre tone, both harsh and dirty. Francis Decamps' organ had a similarly moody groveling sound with no hint of any polish which, in retrospect, provides the unique gritty charm this record possesses in abundance. The bass and drums are arch-typical of the French progressive school, very "a propos", without any overt attempts at glorified showmanship or wasted posing. But the real magic bathes in the spotlight of a brilliant vocal exhibition put on by Christian, whose eruptive swagger, manic persona & somewhat over-the-top delivery will confuse the more placid, conservative Saxon listener into believing this to be hysteria (Not too many British operas out there!). He growls, pants, burps, howls like a combination Peter Gabriel-Jerry Lee Lewis, expressing without restraint the inner turmoil that exasperates his soul. In "Si j'etais le Messie", his voice imitates a drunk (with hiccup), a pederast ("sniffing my behind"), the Virgin Mary ("doubting her virginity"), diabolically swerving between fury and blasphemy. His open mockery of the church and its rather frail human element was highly criticized by certain conservative segments of French society but the hoopla only made Ange as famous as the notorious Serge Gainsbourg , for the same "stretching the accepted boundaries" philosophy. It's precisely the juxtaposition of the puerile setting and adult explicit content that makes this a defining artistic monument. Everyone knows that the French are a hopelessly melodramatic lot and few finer examples exist than this brilliant album, which currently sits at my top 9 all-time progressive masterpiece. I implore you to "take a little trip back." and Ange-oy this musical feast. 5 exodes

"Please use five star ratings very sparingly..." Yes, yes, for sure... but as a native french progfan I can't give less than 5 stars to "Au delà du délire".

To say the truth very few french rock bands created in times really good music equal to english or american greatest. If France have a strong tradition of "folk song", most musicians and singers couldn't really put together rock beats and french language : a problem of rythm, words too long, etc...

So when "Au delà du délire" was released in 1974 every french progfan thank : oh, my god!!!! It's possible!!! We can do it!!!

Ange, in the seventies, became really popular in France because of this third LP.

Lyrics are absolutely wonderful, provocative and full of humour... Music is just amazing...Under Genesis and King Crimson influence? I don't think so. Of course it's pure symphonic prog, but with a very distinctive mood.

I can't judge this one with moderation, because when I listened "Au delà du délire" for the first time, my life really changed.

So, 5 stars : a masterpiece (especially if you understand french - maybe 4 if you don't- I don't really know - Just try it...)

The selling numbers indicated that Ange was a band on the rise.From the 60,000 copies of their debut the numbers went to no. 75,000 for their second album.But the biggest proof of their talent was their stunning performance during August 73' at the Reading Festival in UK next to Genesis and in front of 30,000 people and the standing ovation that followed their performance.The next year Ange recorded their third studio album, ''Au-dela du delire''.For this work they recruited guest singers Eric Bibonne and Michel Lefloch along with violin player Henry Loustau.This was another product of the Phillips label.

With ''Au-dela du delire'' eventually the poetic Progressive Rock of Ange comes in full shape.This is a fascinating combination of mellow, folky textures with dramatic, dark Symphonic Rock with the music being surrounded by the theatrical and powerful vocals of Christian Decamps.The discreet psychedelic influences of the early years have left their place to deep, keyboard themes with grandiose organ and Mellotron interludes, lush and inventive orchestrations mixing Medieval flavors with orchestral musicianship and poetic, story-telling narrations.The acoustic parts do have an evident GENESIS vibe, but the overall mood is along the lines of French Rock, while the sound is quite original due to the unique use of dusty keyboards, creating genuine and haunting instrumental soundscapes.The general atmosphere, especially on the more electrified moments, recalls GENESIS' from the ''Trespass'' days, where the rockin' moods were nicely lifted with symphonic and acoustic mannerisms.The title-track of the album is simply outstanding, a milestone of French Progressive Rock with its dramatic, lyrical first part and the melodious second movement with the impressive guitar work of Jean-Michel Brezovar.

An album, that defines the sound of French Progressive Rock and has been a guide for many French bands in the near and far future.It was voted as the 73rd greatest French Rock album by ''Rolling stone'', no surprise.This is essential, melodramatic and rich Prog music, the way it should be played.Highly recommended.

Time for the counterbalance once again. Some months ago Keneth Levine tried to put this album a bit more into perspective but he was replied with 3 more 5 star ratings by prog reviewers. Nothing wrong with that, each his/her taste and opinion but I feel I have to do this because any random reader could get the impression we are dealing with an undisputed masterpiece here. And I can tell you, we are not ! As far as I'm concerned we are dealing with one of the most overrated albums on progarchives. There is no doubt this album will have it's significance, where would all the 5 star ratings come from otherwise ? But it's probably beyond me, I can't see it, no matter how hard I try. I wanted to check this out because of the high ranking in the 100 most valued albums of all time, so it was sheer curiosity and certainly not the dreadful streamtrack on progarchives that made me long for this. But I thought: maybe Longue nuits D'Isaac is the worst track of the album and the rest could be ok. I can't say it's the case here. The rest is of the same questionable quality. The only positiv thing I can say about it is that it's original. No other band sounds like Ange so if you want something unique, take this band/album !

But I'm looking for wonderful music and great melodies and they are not to be found here. It's almost as if this band wants to sound as ugly as possible. It goes both for vocals as for instrumentals in my opinion. After first listening I thought the title track was something of my liking because of the extended guitar solo at the end but if you listen more carefully you have to say that even this highlight sounds ugly really.

It's probably my lack of intellectual profundity that make me say things like above but it's really my opinion and we have to conclude this is obviously not my cup of tea. In the end it's only the pigeon on the title track I really like but that will be my love for nature rising to the surface.

First things first: like them or not, and no matter how are you look, there is nothing else out there quite like Ange. They are one of those bands who are popular, prolific, an inspiration to others, and yet their sound has never been successfully emulated - in a word, Ange are unique. And that is the only thing they have in common with other (few) prog bands. Uniqueness.

Now, Ange's third album is a real treat. From the artwork recalling "Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry" to some of the lyrics straight out of medieval imagination, Au-delà du Délire apears to be a trip into the collective subconscious of the Middle Ages french commoner - from his mundane worries to his thoughts and relationship with power, religion and human interaction, from his questioning of the world around him to his visions of the uncertain future. I am usually not one to be swept away by lyrics - I often say that if one wants to find a good read, he should look for it in books, not music albums. Yet even I can't remain indifferent to the lyrics delivered in this album.

Make no mistake: despite their name, there is nothing angelical about this music. It is highly profane, anti-religious, one might even say diabolical - for lead singer Christian Decamps is truly a man possessed. Knowing your French will be a great bonus when listening to Au-delà du Délire, but even if you don't, the words Decamps sings will still have an impact - his voice is an instrument, and a very powerful one (along with Hammill and Di Giacomo, it is the best voice in Progressive Rock combining power and grace - perhaps even slightly better than those two); but it is an instrument that delivers remarkable texts. Musically this album ranges from sombre to whimsical, from delicate to violent. Ange's distinct keyboard sound (which I previously thought resembled a mellotron but wasn't quite so; I recently read it is a Viscount organ through a modded Hammond reverb - whatever that is) provides an eerie atmosphere to the music, while the great electric guitar playing gives it a rough edge. These three instruments (if we count Decamps voice as one) are the backbone of every Ange album I've heard. And what a mighty backbone it is! The sound often feels rough and unclean, courtesy of the heavy and impressive sound of the organ, and the sometimes distorted guitar riffs and solos.

Godevin le Vilain opens the album with a delicate violin intro soon accompanied by the eerie keyboard, vocals and some power chords. It also opens the surrealist lyrical journey the album will convey. Descamps vocals are only mildly showcased in this first track, which features the first great guitar/keyboard interaction in the album. The opening violin intro provides the ending to the song, which is soon followed by Les Longues Nuits d'Isaac. An emulation of wind and a good guitar riff open this one, just before the song tones down and Christian Descamps begins his vocal tour-de- force, backed by the atmospheric keyboard. He is then accompanied by the acoustic guitar in a more delicate passage, still with the ever omnipresent organ. A slow vocal build-up then begins after which the band deliver the goods with a powerful performance, with loads of heavy chords and very emotional singing. Si J'étais le Messie is mostly a vocal track, with Christian Descamps speaking, only slightly accompanied by occasional bursts of instruments. The backing music itself begins to take form after the first minute. Towards the middle, an instrumental passage dominated by the organ takes shape, only to fade and return to Decamps increasingly fierce declamation, both in tone and lyrics content. Ballade Pour Une Orgie is a more gentle ballad, quite medieval sounding, musically consisting of the acoustic guitar and harpsichord-sounding electric piano interplay. The vocals are delicate and soothing on this track, which features more than just Christian singing. A couple of keyboard-created orchestral backing develops in the background, as Christian leads the song to its end, which almost segues into the next track. Exode is a piece of symphonic prog bliss, with a grand opening by the keyboards. Au-delà du Délire has their most hermetic lyrics in this song, which are also delivered quite delicately by Descamps, but not without a good dose of theatricality. Dominated by keyboards and acoustic guitar, it gives way to a grand finale with the famous organ/electric guitar interplay, here marvellously played in a great cavalcading rhythm, featuring what is probably the best guitar solo in the album. The following track, La Bataille du Sucre, is a bit the sombre piece in both theme and music. Beginning like a carnival carrousel, it is followed by multi-character vocalization, as the story of a shortage of sugar turned into war unfolds. The aftermath of the war is conveyed by the ghostly second half of the track, La Colére des Dieux, so marked by that typical Ange sonority, that you will simply have to hear in order to understand what I am unsuccessfully trying to describe. Fils de Lumière is the closest you will find in this album to a traditionally-build-up/chorus-structured rock song. It still features the trademark interplay between organ and guitar in a great middle-section instrumental crescendo. This is repeated after the second build-up, this time with more intensity and bursting into an instrumental finale where the electric guitar and organ are present with some more great soloing. The track segues into the acoustic guitar intro of the final track,Au-delà du Délire, which begins like a medieval- sounding dance, if it weren't for the electric keyboards. It does convey a very strong medieval fair feeling, though, which is quite a feat using mostly 20th century electric instruments. This first half is filled with all kinds of different vocals showcasing different characters, before it fades away into a small section filled by sounds of the wild. They are abruptly interrupted by the heavy sound of the organ, which opens the way for the final guitar solo, in this beautiful instrumental finale. The sounds of the woods then bring the album to a complete, bucolic close.

What a fantastic and emotional journey! There are two ways of facing this album (and this band in general): you either love them or hate them. But you will never, NEVER feel indiference towards the music of Ange. I do not know every album by this french combo; I don't even know every Ange album from the 70's, having only heard their albums up to Guet-Apens, minus Le Cemitière des Arlequins (I do intend to keep exploring). But from the few I know, I can definitely state that I find Au-delà du Délire their most ambitious and musically accomplished album. It is also some of the finest music I've heard from any genre, nearing on perfection. There is no away I can rate this album with less than 5 stars. MANDATORY for anyone who considers himself a classical prog fan.

Au-delà du délire is a masterpiece of progressive music in a world ... This is absolutely essential, beacause this music is a rock progressif theatral, with the guitar solo is very great. The first thing(matter) which striking(typing) it is that the production is always so good, emphasizing well each of the instruments, but that moreover, this time, the vocal were not sub-mixed, and that the voice(vote) of Christian Decamps is perfectly audible without having to tighten(to stretch out) the ear or to go(take) up the volume in three quarter of its possibilities to understand(include) the words. Musical level, we attend a light evolution, fragments are more att

There I was passing this secondhand shop back in the early 80's (81?) when I spotted this cassette (remember them!) with a cover that grabbed my attention...in I went and bought it for a whole £1.00, nothing to lose I thought if it was crap. Within weeks I had seeked the other available albums and was a fully certified Ange fan. The music is not disimilar to Genesis, it never gets too heavy although there are some nice guitar riffs (as there are on many of the earlier Ange albums) but the keyboards are aways at the forefront. I cant speak a word of French yet it has never bothered me that the lyrics are all in French as its as if the feeling put into the words tell the story. Side 2 is the strongest with Fils de Lumière being my favourite track overall. I still have the cassette to this day.

Au-delà du Délire is French symphonic prog rock band Ange´s third album and what an album. Their last album Le Cimetière des Arlequins swept my feet away and this one continues to do so. Now my french isn´t very advanced, so I must say that the meaning of the lyrics elude me most of the time which is a real shame of course, as I´m sure Ange tells some great stories. That extra dimension could have meant that I treasured this album even more, but don´t worry you can easily listen to Au-delà du Délire without knowing any french as this is beautiful atmospheric music.

The music is very influenced by Genesis and a bit by the mellotron sweeps from early King Crimson. So if you´re having a bad time with Genesis imitators don´t go for this album. Of course the french lyrics and general approach to the music gives this some originality but many of the musical ideas have been used by Genesis before. I don´t mind when it´s done like it´s done here though. The music is of so high quality, that you can´t deny the beauty of the songs. Christian Decamps vocal style will always be an aquired taste as it is very theatrical and it resembles storytelling at times which is best heard in songs like Si j'étais le Messie and La bataille du Sucre. He is a great diverse singer with many great ideas though.

The music is pretty dark and even heavy at times. After listening to the two first songs Godevin le Vilain and Les longues nuits d'Isaac I thought that this was gonna be a very sombre album, but it´s like things loosen up a bit with the third and the fourth track Si j'étais le Messie and the beautiful acoustic Balade pour une Orgie.

The music alternates between heavier darker parts and acoustic beautiful ones on most songs and it´s the same trick as most other symphonic rock bands used at the time but here it´s done with style. Everything seems to fit together.

The musicianship is great. The arrangement of the songs does not leave much room for soloing but there are a couple of good guitar solos in songs like Exode and in the epic title track. The vintage keyboard sounds dominate the soundscape most of the time and if you´re a fan of vintage synth and keyboards you´ll love this album. The drums and the bass are very tight and keeps the music on track.

The production is very good. It´s definitely a step forward from Le Cimetière des Arlequins which had a very rough sound. The sound is more polished on Au-delà du Délire.

My conclusion is that Au-delà du Délire is an excellent symphonic prog rock album. It´s close to being essential but lacks originality. I´ll rate it 4 stars and recommend it to everyone into early seventies symphonic prog rock and especially to those of you who likes the moods created by Genesis. If you can get over the french language obstical and get used to Christian Decamps theatrical approach I´m sure you´ll enjoy this album as much as me.

Well if nothing else this has been a very interesting listen the past couple of weeks. Personally the vocals that everyone seems to be occupied with are not an issue at all for me. Decamps is really a performer though, as he can sing softly one minute and then be very theatrical the next. He's a pleasure to listen to. The music really impressed me, especially the darker sections as well as the aggressive guitar passages. Lots of atmosphere as well, which I like.

"Godevin Le Vilain" is a great opening track, with the violin and reserved vocals leading off, followed by a full sound (with stronger vocals). Guitar after 1 1/2 minutes is raw as mellotron comes in. Some nice bass after 2 minutes. It ends as it began. "Les Longues Nuits D'Isaac" is surprisingly heavy once it gets going. The guitar really lights it up. Synths and vocals as it setles. The vocals get passionate. It calms down again as the contrast continues. Mellotron 2 minutes in. Love the effort he puts into singing 3 1/2 minutes in. Great tune. "Si J'Etais Le Messie" features spoken words with light background sounds. It kicks in around 1 1/2 minutes with mellotron. Spoken words are back a minute later and they become emotional as a dark, haunting soundscape builds. "Ballade Pour Une Orgie" features acoustic guitars and soft vocals. I like it. "Exode" is the first song that i'm not really fond of, at least not until the tempo picks up with 2 minutes to go. Heavy drums to open with keyboard sounds. Strummed guitar arrives before 1 1/2 minutes,then vocals. The tempo picks up after 3 minutes with some terrific guitar leading the way.

"La Bataille Du Sucre" like the previous track does nothing for me until the last 2 1/2 minutes when it turns spacey with some prominant guitar. Nice. "Fils De Lumiere" is a fabulous song. I like everything about it, the vocals and guitar especially. A spacey atmosphere a minute in with some great drumming. Tasteful guitar 3 minutes in. "Au- Dela Du Delire" begins slowly with acoustic guitar as drums come in lightly then vocals. Mellotron and pulsating synths after 1 1/2 minutes. Vocals get a little excited as the same melody continues until 4 minutes in. Then we hear this calm as crickets, frogs and owls can be heard. The song kicks back in and then the guitar starts to take the lead. His guitar solo continues until 8 minutes in when the sounds of nature from earlier return to end the song.

For me this is definitely something every Prog fan should own. It's not a masterpiece in my opinion, but this really is an amazing recording.

I can remember how disappointed I got when listened "Au-delà." as it was regarded as Ange masterpiece. In fact it sounded to me only a try to be Genesis French reply. I don´t remind a memorable moment on the album, but I can understand it to please "standard-Genesis-chords" fans.

I really like side one of Ange previous " Le Cemitiére." as it´s pretty original "French wine" music, it shows great expression and inventiveness, they should had keep that spirit, but probably producers pression to get the era fashion trend, made them take the "I know what I like" path.

In the 70´s French scene I indeed love the style and French singing of Atoll, Pulsar, Mémoriance for example. On the so called theatrical French School I prefer much more Mona Lisa "Le petit violon." for example than "Au delà."otherwise I could not be in a good mood the times (more than 5) I tried to like it.

Never Criticize Farmers with Your Mouth Full

Note to Self:

1 - No cheap French gags 2 - No mock translation of the lyrics 3 - Pretend that concept albums are for grownups

Easily the strongest and perhaps most even collection from the so-called 'classic' Ange lineup.

Godevin le Vilain - Solitary violin supported by gentle piano in a classic 'smokescreen' intro which might lull the unwary listener into thinking they are about to enter wistful French chanson territory. However, once Ange are satisfied we are sufficiently off guard, they thrillingly and unnervingly tear down this fake scenery to reveal a lurching and dislocated groove from bass and synth strings. The vocals are something of an acquired taste in the Ange oeuvre and hearing for the first time Mr Decamps anguished and neurotic tonsilry as I did on this number, is something that lives long in the memory. I guess some folks find his delivery a tad too theatrical and affected, but over time I have grown to love and cherish his audible sulks, niggles and agitated rants. Stick with it, he is the true Godfather of Grump and makes Morrissey and Robert Smith sound comparatively jaunty. There is an inconsolable torment in his declamations that suits the claustrophobic character of this music perfectly. Notice how he takes up the violin melody unaltered when he enters, but his own inimitable delivery wedded to some bristling harmonic choices from the band serve to contradict the relative prettiness of these phrases. This is quite a favourite trick of this band and there are numerous other examples throughout their work that exploit this technique to memorable effect.

Les longues nuits d'Isaac - Atmospheric wind effects cut short by an urgent overdriven guitar riff that retreats to reveal an ethereal synth motif over which Decamps intones a haunting and yearning melody. I suspect that many of the modulating string textures that permeate so much of this album are sourced from either a synth or Tron put through a flanger or phaser effect? There is real snarling bile in Decamps delivery in the heavier section that follows, accentuated appropriately by Brezovar's staccato distorted guitar and the latter displays what a fine 'team' and 'solo' player he is. Economy and discipline are all too rare in many forms of prog, but Ange seldom outstay their welcome on any track and are perhaps one of the few European originators who might even be guilty of failing to develop or exploit more fully their musical materials i.e the tracks are very often too short and leave us dangling and begging for more ? The acoustic guitar arpeggios in the calmer section do betray an echo of Cinema Show by Genesis but I must admit that this is one of the few instances where a trace of the English band can be heard. It always puzzles me that people cite Gabriel and Co as such a discernible influence on Ange ?

Si j'étais le Messie - Another claustrophobic and eerie intro with a narrative that becomes ever more agitated joined by timpani and some truly neurotic chamber ensemble writing. Ange at their most avant sounding which culminates in a glorious string pad sound over which some fondant flute cleverly contradicts the restless harmonic progression underneath. When the instrumentation is suddenly and without warning muted to leave only the naked vocal, the effect is startling. Ange have always had a firm and sure grasp of how to utilize dynamic contrasts to achieve maximum impact.

Balade pour une Orgie - Some relative relief from the foregoing psychodramas in the shape of this beautiful song which will enter your waking hours unbidden at any given moment of the day. Addictively memorable tune and perhaps one of Ange's most brilliant 'conventional' compositions.

Exode - Mock triumphant fanfare writing with a whiff of the medieval era and you just suspect by now that Ange are setting us up deliberately to undermine this jolly period music with another pungent slice of the naysayer Decamps but wait, we enter into an infectious and beguiling waltz that is very European and has a childlike 'folk' undertone. Yet more great use of the 'all stop' technique before the pace and intensity increases dramatically on a guitar solo with perhaps a slight nod in the direction of Genesis. Fades out rather incongruously with a few bars of solo drums laying down a simple rock groove.

La bataille du Sucre (Inclus: La colère des Dieux) - Punch and Judy on the psychiatric couch attempting a reconciliation anyone ? The spoken 'on pitch' narrative is truly spooky and once again, the delivery and atmosphere created are at delightful odds with the cool and unhurried nature of the underlying music. After 4 minutes (ish) we are regaled with an unwavering and unadorned 4 note ostinato on crepuscular synth over which a vaguely Frippian guitar winds an ever tauter sinew of distress. Very intense and beautifully paced transition.

Fils de Lumiere - No keyboard players I have heard circa '74 employ the types of textures and timbres that the Decamps brothers do here, and both should be credited with great originality and daring. After all, the habitual arsenal of Hammond, Moog, Rhodes and Clavinet do start to sound a tad samey on much of the prog material at around this time. The individual sections on the track are all very strong but the overall architecture creaks a little, with it perhaps betraying the pitfalls of an unwavering linear arrangement of rather unrelated parts.

Au delà du Délire - Rippling acoustic guitar fingerpicking over which Decamps dreamily and almost as if preoccupied, weaves his melancholy melody with a resigned air. Nice mood building via some parched and nasal organ which imbues the atmosphere with a trace of liturgy. We don't have to hang around long though before Decamps becomes increasingly angsty as the piece develops (is he imitating waking from sleep ?) Strummed guitar now over a kit beat utilising tom toms in the manner of a stately mediaeval dance with sounds of the rural countryside spliced into the mix (this might be a concept album about the feudal system and one really, really pissed off French serf) We end with some instrumental writing with string pads under a very plaintive and lyrical guitar solo from the excellent Brezovar which does however drag a bit in places until the melodic rejoinder parts are reached. A quick word about Gerald Jelsch's drumming, which is always understated and although not a technician in the Palmer, Hiseman, Bruford class, he sensibly never overreaches himself and plays thoughtfully and supportingly throughout. Some more musique concrete via some farmyard animal noises brings us to a conclusion and given the sheer brazen perversity of this band, I cannot help but think this is not meant to have an unwitting comedic effect.

I really feel that given the theatrical bent of so much of Ange's work, there is probably good cause to conclude that seeing this band in the flesh would cast their music in a completely different light. Many of their perceived shortcomings and excesses would make perfect sense in the live environment where we could see them 'act out a performance' of this music as opposed to just 'hear the notes' from our speakers.

Ange are truly original and there is no other band from prog's golden years of '69 to '75 that sounds anything remotely like them.

This review is dedicated with apologies to Debrewguy.

Obscured landmark of symphonic prog music

Au-delà du Délire is the first Ange's album I've heard and I was stunned. This album is personification of symphonic rock, without being Genesis', Yes' or Camel's one. Besides typical themes of this sub-genre, which are composed and performed perfectly, it's full of some artistic fibres in terms of vocals, tempo and intensity of the sound as well as some harder guitar sound, solos, dramatic, psychedelic and speechy parts. All these things are combined in astonishing manner full of excitement for all listeners. The vocals made by a couple of different members are brilliant; especially some of the extraordinary vocals in speech art manner. I think the overall rating of this album is the lowest possible here on PA. So I'll help the things to be changed towards better!

Au-delà du Délire is Ange's most popular and most critically acclaimed album so who am I to disagree?

I'll give it a try anyway, well at least a bit.

The first reason is highly subjective, or should I say circumstantial. I had been a huge fan of Ange since the second half of the 80-ties and I had devoured all their 70's albums in no time. Except for this Au-delà du Délire album. The library didn't have it nor was it available for purchase at the time. It wasn't till ten years later that my eyes fell on it in the 'unsaleable old garbage' section of my record store. Hearing it so long after all my other albums, the element of surprise was a bit missing.

The sound sits exactly inbetween the dark, almost gothic early works and the more glossy ensuing albums. So in terms of sound, diversity and maturity this is indeed their best accomplishment. My (small) quibble is with the song writing though. Not that it is not good here. It's even excellent at times. With Godevin, Fils de Lumière and the incredible Les Longues Nuits d'Isaac it even contains some of Ange's best songs ever. However the 9 minute closing track has never worked for me. It's not bad but fails to captivate me like the epics on the previous albums did. Half of it is a quirky ballad, the second half trademark Ange on mellotron storm. The playing is intense, the production is perfect but somehow it feels too predictable. At the end of it I always feel like I missed a finishing touch, something exceptional and eye-catching to make it stand out above anything else they had created till then.

I would doubt very much that you are in the same position as me so as a first introduction to Ange this should sure do the trick. Just don't forget to acquire the first two albums if you love this. 3.5 stars.

I haven't the foggiest idea what' this guy's singing at me but it sounds pretty good. I love the fact that it's sung in French and not English. That was always the problem with Krautrock albums . It sounded so corny when Europeans sang in English.

The enigmatic vocalist named Eric Bibonne gives it everything he can muster. Lifting this record to heights which otherwise would be left floundering. That, coupled with perfectly suited keyboards and a wide variety of instruments and good tunes, make this a decent album.

If you want prog, then this is one of the proggiest albums I've heard on this website. 'Au delà du Délire' sounds like a more adventurous French Genesis / Marillion cover band. The three stars are due to the impressively strong vocals and bombastic nature of this recording

Although my French isn't quite up to following what Ange singing about, there's no denying that the vocals are absolutely key to this album . With the band deploying a wide range of background instrumentation, with a style ranging from near-classical to spacey interludes to acoustic ballads to brooding rock, the singing and narration is what ties it all together. Even if you aren't a French speaker, you can't resist being moved by the emotional crescendos delivered in tracks such as Les Longues Nuits d'Isaac.

This album is often compared to Genesis - usually because of the theatricality involved, but musically speaking there's more than a few connections, not least in the keyboard work of the Decamps and in particular the juxtaposing of acoustic guitar and mellotron, a combination which perhaps finds its peak on Exode (which also sees a switch to engaging electric guitar towards the end of the track).

Ange - Au-del' du D'lire (1974)

I bought a vinyl of this album because of it's good reputation. It is said to be one of the best French symphonic prog records. The style of Ange is that of a typical symphonic prog band of the seventies, but Ange is very focussed on Genesis/Gabriel-like theatrics. I also noticed some influences from the French chanson-style. The lyrics are sung in French.

Now first of all, my French ain't that good, but with a little help from a friend I could understand most of the lyrics in the end. The lyrics are quite simple and absurd. I think most people listening to this album imagine strong conceptual lyrics, but this really is child's play.

The music then. Ange clearly has some melodic skills, and many passages are quite catchy. There are some very strong heavy parts on the opening track, and all other tracks have good symphonic/melodic rock parts. The sound of the band is however amateurish; the symphonic key-equipment is out of pitch and sound ugly, as do the guitars. The vocals are strong and melodic. Very expressive, but that's part of the concept.

All songs have their catchy vocal parts and some symphonic chord progressions. The atmospheres go from dark to teasing and all the way to madness. Only the last songs stands out a failure: the song doesn't do anything to me and long guitar-solo in the ending section of the album is very amateurish.

Conclusion. For me this is a mixed bag; fine melodies and catchy prog-related songs, but also a mediocre recording and amateurish musicianship at times. I think the lyrics are overrated. Pushed the three star button. Recommended only to enduring fans of the symphonic prog genre and French prog-fans who want to hear some sympho in their own language.

Ange really carved out their own scene back in the 1970s. A scene and a universe very much their own.

The planet Au-delà du Délire is very much influenced by King Crimson aka their first three albums, Genesis aka their early period and the likes of Jaques Brel and French folk rock. The French vocals adds a lot of style and flavour to this music. A very theatrical music which is both melodic and very eclectic at the same time. The music comes across as an opera or even a musical with it's conceptual ebbs and flows. Large parts of the music here has almost a Zeuhl like feel with it's dark tones and themes. Christian Decamps vocals is very much the centre of attention in this music. But his own and his brother's keyboards is also central here. The same is the guitars, also well helped by flutes.

The quality of the music is great thoughout and it really draws the listeners to it like a spider draws it's dinner to it's fangs and jaw. This is another great album from a great band.

4 stars

I used to love it, but I seem to dislike it more as the months pass. But why ? My friend Felix (also known as The_Jester in progarchives) gave me this album for a couple of days along with Émile Jacotey by the same band. He said to me that this album and Émile were pretty good. I had the same reaction, but when I showed this band to my PARENTS, they disliked it. Maybe it's because I put more songs from Émile Jacotey than songs from ADDD, which isn't so bad. It's a good album that is sometimes ruined by the over try to sound like Peter Gabriel vocals by Christian Décamps, which are irritating to many listeners (sometimes including me). The music is a mix of Genesis, King Crimson and children's lullabies (which is true because sometimes, the music is so happy). Now a walkthrough of the songs: Godevin Le Vilain is a dark opener, which starts well the album. If only the lyrics were less childish, it would be a better song. Les Longues Nuits D'Isaac has an heavy opening section, but I think I heard this song before in some other songs. It is not their most original song. Si J'étais Le Messie is very original, and the lyrics are very controversial and funny. Some lyrics were never thought of. Ballade Pour Une Orgie is hummm, very sexual. It is pornography disguised as an inoffensive ballad. Exode is very joyful, not for my tastes. But the guitar solo saves the song. La Bataille De Sucre has idiotic lyrics and a dark soundscape that is great. Fils de Lumière is the closest thing to a pop song in this album. Not for my tastes. Au-Delà Du Délire is another children's lullaby that turns into the best Jean Michel Brézovar guitar solo. So the album is sometimes good, sometimes bad. But it is too french for my tastes.

Ange's third album is widely recognized as their finest contribution to prog and the logical starting place for people wishing to explore the french side of symphonic rock.

Actually this album is somehow inspired by Genesis and King Crimson but the band manages to craft a very personal, theatrical artistic statement thanks to the distinctive vocals of Christian Decamps who dominates nearly every track with brother Francis playing mellotron (or whatever kind of altered hammond organ) and harpischord.

The fantastic opener "Godevin le Vilain", coupled with the following heavy "Les Longues Nuits d'Isaac", describe perfectly the general mood of the record: intense, dramatic and unsteady between folky storytelling (as in the acoustic pastoral section "Ballade pur une Orgie"), muscular works ("Fils de Lumiere") and shady moments (as the creepy "La Bataille du Sucre").

Simply a must have.

There are things you may strongly dislike with the music of Ange, the leading French prog band, but there's one thing everyone seem to agree on: they were very original. For the theatrical, over-dramatic nature they are often said to be the French Genesis (Gabriel-era), and also soundwise they are comparable to Genesis, with some hints of King Crimson. Lots of keyboards including Mellotron! The sound is thick, colourful and dense. Instead of wind instruments that could lighten it up there's a violin.

The usual issue that may turn one off is the style of vocals. They are in French, naturally, but as if that wasn't enough for all non-speakers, they are quite over the top, approaching frenzy speech. One can hardly call it ordinary singing what Christian Decamps does. Unfortunately the music is very full of those vocals. I would surely enjoy Ange a whole lot more as an instrumentally oriented band. This (like several other 70's albums) is also a concept album. Too bad I can't figure out, with my rusty and never-been-good French, what's it all about.

But the music, very eclectic within its frames of symphonic prog, can indeed be a strong listening experience for an advanced proghead. Not for beginners, I presume. None of the tracks is unlistenable, nor without excitement. Perhaps the album is a landmark of continental prog; I personally enjoy it enough for four stars. However, if Ange's other classic albums are more or less similar (many are equally praised), it would probably be too hard a task trying to digest them all.

Ange is for sure one of the bands , at least for me. that in the beggining of my musical journey I really can't understand what they play and now I like'em a lot. The music offered and specially the voice of Christian Decamps is an aquire taste for many listners included me. Well Au-dela du delire released in 1974 is one of their most solid albums and aswell my fav Ange album together with their next one Emile Jacotey.. The music is symphonic prog but with a harder edge, very much like King Crimson meets Genesis. Also some acustical folky passages here and there interludes in the darker atmosphere of the album. From the excellent gatefold cover, to the last pieces of the album Ange manage to capture my attention for sure. Eve the vocal passages are in places overly dramatic and theatrical for my taste, I can easely say that Christian Decamps is one hell of a versatile singer, one minute he whispers softly and the next minute delivers dramatic over the top vocal parts. Anyway pieces like Les longues nuits d'isaac is truly awesome, the passion in his voice is without doubt outstanding, the best piece from this album. The title track is another highlit for sure. Even the album is sung in french I have no preblems listning to it. One of the better albums from prog movement in the '70s. 4 stars easy.

The best place to start for those who have yet to delve into the colourful world of Ange, 'Au-Dela Du Delire'(Beyond The Delirium) is both the French symphonic outfit's most accessible and impressive work. Often rather unfairly compared to Genesis, Ange were formed by the brothers Christian and Francis Decamps during the beginning of the 1970's, eventually issuing their patchy debut 'Caricatures' in 1972. There first big hit would follow a year later in the shape of a brooding cover of Jacques Brel's 'Ces Gens-la', a single culled from that years album 'Le Cimetiere Des Arlequins', the first essential Ange release. However, Decamps and company would truly find their feet here on 1974's 'Au-Dela Du Delire', the first album in which the group managed to find the right balance between Christian Decamps stream-of-conciousness monologues and the musicians instrumental ambitions. One criticism of Ange has always been their overly chatty style, a style which sees Christian Decamps dominate, sometimes to the detriment of the actual music. Here, though, we have some wonderful instrumental passages, as shown on the rousing opener 'Godevin Le Vilain' and the gently acoustic 'Ballade Pour Une Orgie', and the group even find time for a rare and blistering Francis Decamps guitar solo on the slow-burning 'Exode'. The album's highlight, however, has to be the final, nine-minute title-track, a sumptuous symphonic odyssey that closes 'Au-Dela Du Delire' on a rather grand note. Featuring delicately-shimmering keyboard twinkles and another frenzied vocal show from Christian Decamps, the album's final piece caps of a remarkable slice of French progressive rock. As we know, every great band has their great career moments, and for Ange it is this album that proves to be arguably the apex of their lengthy career. Alongside Christian Vander's zeuhl exponents Magma and the softly-cosmic Pulsar, Ange are one of the most important outfits from the French progressive scene of the 1970's, this excellent album showcasing their quirky style at both it's most adventurous and enjoyable. Later albums, particularly after 1978's 'Guet-apens', would fail to hit the same bright notes as found here, yet for a brief while Ange - who were one of the few non-English speaking rock groups to find success in both Britain and North America - really were one of the most vibrant progressive rock acts of the genre's golden age. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

This is Ange's third record and that one people seems to like most and sure it has it's moments of splendor. It was released in 1974 two years after the band's debut and on the peak of its career. Like Le Cimetière des Arlequins, Au-Delà Du Délire has an artistic and very beautiful cover work with a farmer trying to cultivate the desert. This album features more musicians than before. Here we have Jean Michel Brezovar (guitar, vocals), Christian Decamps(keyboards, vocals), Francis Decamps(keyboards, vocals), Daniel Haas(bass, guitar), Gerald Jelsch(drums), Eric Bibonne(vocals), Michel Lefloch(vocals) and Henry Loustau(violin).

On this record Ange has developed their style but in my opinion too much. I think I prefer the little more dirty and edgy "Cimetière" record or "Caricatures". The first track "Godevin Le Vilain" is one of my favourite Ange track, it's very dramatic and the vocals are som distinct and almost talking/screaming almost like the voice of Peter Hammill. The track alse contains great guitar. "Les Longues Nuits D'Isaac" has a hard and rocky introduction and becomes a dark organ tune, here we alse get this almost screaming theatrical voice. "Si J'Etais Le Messie" is calmer, almost like a poem but feels like an intermission. "Ballade Pour Une Orgie" is more acoustic but a beautiful melody and Ange here plays with the genres. "Exode" concludes the first side with a perverse tune that is great with distinct electric guitar and ends with a drum solo.

Had it just been for the second side, I could have ranked this album higher. "La Bataille de sucre/La Colére des dieux) begins with market organ and then starts the play including phrases and instrumentation with insterest. But it is the two last tracks that really knock me. "Fils de Lumiere" is wonderful with strong organs and song. It is just as dirty I want Ange to be. "Au Delà du Délire" is powerful and very experimental in a good way. That is really a theatre play that grows in the middle and ends up in shining splendor with great instrument work.

This remains a great prog rock album which also is special, nobody sounds like Ange and that is sure a good thing. Excellent addition to any prog rock collection but I prefer their first two records before this.

A very intelligent album, well crafted and interesting. Evocative vocals and strong songwriting permeate here and although instrumentally the album isn't overly proficient it is certainly sufficient.

Perhaps I am aided by the fact that I don't speak French because I know many have said that the lyrics aren't as intelligent as the vocals may suggest, which is a shame but yet my opinion of the album is unaffected by this. Another common complaint is of the vocals, that they are grating and annoying but I don't see this at all, the vocals are theatrical sure but it fits the music and doesn't feel overblown or out of place.

And talk about ingenuity, there is a strong Crimson influence no doubt, but nevertheless nothing quite sounds like this album, even Ange on other albums doesn't sound like they do here and, as a result, this album feels wholly unique.

I won't say that the album is perfect, the longer spoken word fragments do little for me but the music is interesting, evocative and despite what some reviewers would have you believe, beautiful.

4/5 stars, a strong addition to any music library.

One kick in the crotch!

Ouch and ouch again. What a blast! In terms of theatrics we all know Peter Gabriel, Ian Anderson, Fish, Matthew Parmenter or recently Gerrit Welmers of Future Islands. But the real McCoy, the supreme mogul of intensity is Christian Décamps. He is, period. The guy is simply a volcano, a massive erupting volcano of entertainment. Even pushing 60 years old, go see him on YouTube; it's uncanny.

That band is to me, the scariest I've listened of my whole life. The lyrics are out of this world, flirting with madness. And when I say madness, I'm evoking creepy imagery . Such a clever and graphic poetry has to be the work of a genius\ madman. And that atmosphere! It's like walking in a Lucio Fulci colorful fog, but scared out of your mind. Tough to find words, but the organ effects they use is chilling to the bone.

Incredible band to say the least: fantastic lyrical imagery, intense\ gripping atmosphere and the best frontman this side of the Universe. I'm simply baffled by their level of intensity and dramatics. They are clearly influenced by Genesis, but they appropriated themselves the formula and refined it a la Française giving themselves a true calling card.

When we think of France, we think more of fine foods than rock n' roll legends, but these guys are simply exceptional. The real deal.

The best known album by the band. Vocals are getting more theatrical, the music flows better than on the debut album but there is also less complexity and roughness.

The first short piece is more dramatic than it is good due to organ and vocals.

"Les Longues Nuits D'Isaac" is a decent dark-sounding piece balanced by melodic singing as well as unusually dramatic vocals.

The third song is marred by unbereable vocals in the main focus that overshadow instruments.

To rescue comes a subdued "Balade Pour Une Orgie" that hints at medieval influences.

"Exode" has a celebrational feeling. Acoustic guitar duo with organ in the background and normal singing voice are welcome change. The intensive part with propulsive drums and strong organ reminds of early Genesis.

"Fils Du Lumiere" is another dramatic but catchy number that is well arranged in its 4-minute length.

The tile song features unusual medieval time signatures in the first half. Then, suddenly and quickly, a relaxing outro theme with dominating guitar starts and lets listener enjoy repetitive but graduating loops of solemn progressive rock music.

This album is on par with the debut album and yet they are quite different in terms of composition, ambitions and style.

ANGE you have to talk about it because it's always French texts that you understand!

1 Godevin Le Vilain ooh there, we're in the 70s there, but hey, I don't really know anymore.... the time; a monster with a greasy organ and Jean-Michel's haunting guitar; the voice, the text that I listen to, yes after BREL's cover on the previous album, I had a sign, I managed to listen to the texts, good or bad ANGE in any case! A slap already 2 Les Longues Nuits D'isaac Gérard's drums are gentle, all to let Christian belch out, a sinister singer who will reign masterfully over this band like no other; bored you who force me to remember your words, to listen to this organ until then jealously guarded by the Anglican groups, yes we have our Angel. 3 If I were the Messiah Ouh there remember your 1st, these noises from behind, this flute, these drums, this text; if I was a drunk, but I never will be, I'll be satiated with this group; we wait for the organoleptic rise which associates divine organ; wow, speaking of the climb, this rapid crescendo that sends shivers down your spine, with your father telling you... less the chain! huge memory 4 Ballade Pour Une Orgie or the nursery rhyme as GENESIS did so well oh yes ANGE is a bit like them in French; bucolic like this acoustic guitar, banjo from the Haute Saône I think; there is medieval charm, the sound will go out of style too bad we will be prepared and the king died this morning anyway 5 Exodus or the sequel to Ballade, Francis' keyboard intro, one hell of a lascar, that one who dares to use familiar terms with the great Englishmen... and he's right and Gérard who types like a calmer Keith; yes it's old, but at the time when we listened hundreds of times, we can still dive back into it just... for the pleasure, and then poop; the shadow brings this dithyrambic solo with the sound stamped Brézovar, one of the most beautiful there is for the bucolic and phantasmatic derivation, yes ANGE is still not like the others; the outro before the hour on drums 6 La Bataille Du Sucre (Included: The Wrath of the Gods) the most jazzy, the most pop, the most avant-garde, the most progressive with this title cut in two and the spatial, bewitching, hypnotic variation that suddenly occurs ; this monolithic tapping, this sound which rises, which amplifies, which does not cease and brings you to a dreamlike state disconcerting; well the sugar fight will happen well 7 Sons Of Light speaking of oneiric entry here is another one; organ that sets fire, yes we feel the rise, yes that's it, let's go: you feel your legs moving, your head nodding like a real metalhead; the finale with Francis and Jean-Michel fighting a duel and giving a glimpse that prog es 'in France' is indeed possible; be careful because who says prog says linked title and so it's gone with 8 Au‐Dela Du Délire I said chained, its medieval or folkloric with Michel Lefloch as hermit or Bernard it's as you choose; an incredible, latent title, which says that something is going to happen beyond their delirium; a voice, a hilarious text, a bolero in fact with master Godevin who returns to the stage; the Indian drum, the toads, the pigs, the cuckoos and other doves put on their side until the explosion, the submerging wave where everything becomes bucolic; the solo what to say... it's beautiful, it makes you capsize, one of the most beautiful by its length, its intensity, it makes you want to prolong this trance-musical frame even more; well the doves are coming back, a peacock, a monkey, we know that we were dealing with a musical delirium.

Good how to have a good regressive moment!