THIS IS NOT THE END

Though not a member of the eight "official" RIO bands, Present appeared not long after. It was founded in 1979 by Roger Trigaux, a founding member of Univers Zero, which is a band I respect more than I enjoy (and that sentiment can largely be applied to the original RIO movement as a whole). They're often minimal and moody and influenced by chamber music. I can appreciate it on a certain artistic level, but I don't really like it that much.

This Is NOT the End was my first exposure to Present, and I like it a lot. It has a lot less of the chamber music-influenced stuff I associate with Univers Zero, but it has plenty of exciting, experimental, and overall-weird passages. This release is the band's first since 2009, but it is, despite its title, the band's final release. Trigaux, the band's driving force, passed away in March of 2021, in the midst of recording.

"Contre" opens with jittery, nervous energy. Crunchy, syncopated guitars and whirring synths make for an anxious, disorienting atmosphere. Trigaux's vocals are slurred and demented, and the verses have the tense feeling of something you'd hear in the background of a spy thriller. Strings squeal, guitars twist, and the indefatigable rhythm marches onward. The lead and rhythm elements feel like they're pulling in opposite directions, but it's deeply satisfying.

Coming next is "This Is Not the End, Part 2". It shares some thematic and tonal throughlines with "Contre", but it's darker and more subdued, at least at first. Piano, violin, and clarinet lend a mournful character to the piece. There is a lot of repetition here, but it's utilized effectively. It builds tension, and the gradual changes are satisfying. (At least for the first ten minutes or so; the last couple minutes do feel a hair dragged-out.)

This Is NOT the End ends on the 26-minute first part of the title track. The various elements?guitar, piano, and clarinet, mainly?circle about each other nervously, as if they're pushing the limits of their own sonic territory. There's a sense of some impending storm being held back. The start-stop rhythm and occasional louder burst of noise add to that feeling of foreboding. Parts of this composition can linger for longer than entirely necessary, but the mood it cultivates is still enjoyable.

About two-thirds of the way through its runtime, this cut veers off into a wild, wiry riff. Stabs of Mellotron, piano, and reeds lend gravity to this passage. After the long buildup which preceded it, this is an especially impactful moment. Part 1's climax is powerful and enthralling. Though Roger Trigaux didn't live to hear its completion, this feels like a fitting end for the band he helmed for over 40 years.

Present's final album is a dark, stormy opus. Avant-garde influences abound here. Unusual keys, chords, and instrumentation swirl over zeuhl-inspired marching rhythms. Parts can perhaps linger longer than they should, but the overall effect of the album is potent.

Review originally published here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/05/20/album-review-present-this-is-not-the-end/