PRESENT

Present ended as a band with sad passing of their leader Roger Trigaux in 2021. They had been at the forefront of avant rock and the Rock In Opposition movement from their inception in 1979 when Roger Trigaux left Univers Zero to form a band with a more electric sound. While their previous studio album dates back to 2009 they had still been active as a live and recording unit in the interim. The line up for this latest album retains key elements from that 2009 band, Pierre Chevalier (keys), Dave Kerman (percussion & drums), Keith Macksoud (bass) and Udi Koomran (sound). New members were also added who had been performing with the live band as late as the 2019 Rock In Opposition Festival in 2019, (they were in fact the the last band on stage for the final performance of the final festival), François Mignot (ni & PinioL) guitar, Kurt Budé (Univers Zero) saxophone, clarinet, Liesbeth Lambrecht (Aranis) violin. Following Rogers death the band, primarily lead by Pierre, decided to continue the work to release the material they had been working on. What an album this is, three pieces that a a fitting tribute the the life's work that Present has been for Roger, a dark brooding album full of foreboding and depth. Highly recommended.

I haven't felt motivated to try my hand at another review for a few years until I watched the dvd of my recent purchase of Present's cd/dvd recordings of Barbaro (Mon Non Troppo). As well as I like and appreciate the album proper, if you will, it was the dvd that did me in! Because of it's scarcity I ended up paying quite a bit more than what I would have liked, but after having had watched it, I am very glad that I bit the bullet! I know that I am not going to do it justice! I always seem to start out with my heart in the right place and with the absolute best of intentions, but I always seem to end up in inarticulationland. They've even got a chair with my name on it there now.

I have been a true fan of Progarchives since I discovered it out of the blue back in about 2007. In my time spent discovering new music and artists that are new to me, I've come to respect many reviewers opinions as many of them seem to agree with mine. At the top of that list would be Mellotron Storm. Except for his love of Jazz Rock/Fusion, which is not very highly prized in my favorite catagories, we have similar tastes. Even though I do have a few classic Jazz Rock/Fusion discs. It's nice to find a prolific reviewer with very similar tastes and I've leaned upon his judgement with good outcomes fairly frequently. So I thank you for that, Mellotron Storm. Also there are a number of reviewers whose tastes I have also come to rely upon as well from their fine critiques and I would like to name and thank a few of them here: Easy Livin begat Sean Trane who begat Cesar Inca who begat Gatot, well you get the general idea. Everyone who has given a review is appreciated by this PA member. The other standouts that I've found especially helpful to me are: Atavachron, Guldbamsen, Silly Puppy, BrufordFreak, Sean Trane, Zowie Ziggy, Matti, Connor Fynes, Kenethlevine, Erik Neuteboom, Tsziramy, Finnforest, Aussie-Byrd-Brother, memowakeman, ClemofNazareth, Andrea Cortese, kev rowland, Rivertree, Windhawk, UMUR, Epignosis, AtomicCrimsonRush, rdtprog, Snobb, Bonnek, Progshine, Warthur, b olariu, admireArt, conor Fynes, Tarcisio Moura, Second Life Syndrome,loserboy,VianaProghead, Guillermo, Neu!man, progrules, Friso, richardh, lord68, andrea, Prog Leviathan, Dobermensch, lazland, FragileKings, Tom Ozric, DapperBlueberries, Evolver, Rivertree, Queen-By-Tor, octopus-4, apps79, DamoXt7942, Marty Mcfly, seventhsojourn, TCat, Andy Webb, Richardw, Prog-jester, and the late febus. So I thank you all for your fine critiques as well as those fine critiques from those that didn't influence me as greatly and I didn't add to my short list, but I'm sure influenced some music lovers in this world of ours including myself. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN PROMOTING GREAT MUSIC!!!

Now enough of the pandering and back to the task at hand. The last year or two, where I had been a great RPI fan and still am, I have really begun to appreciate and indulge in purchases of the RIO/Avant Prog varieties and some recordings that fit that sub-genre but aren't actually labelled as such, like Jack O' the Clock. Two recordings of Simon Steensland which are highly recommended from your's truly (I guess I've just read too many critiques lately) are his albums entitled 'Fat' and 'Brain'. Both are great recordings IMHO (pardon me if you don't like that expression, personally I do and this is my review anyway) I would recommend both. Also, and this had probably helped be in my flavor for and consumption of the RIO/Avant Prog music, I was already a fan of the Zeuhl genre. But as far as the RIO/Avant Prog groups that I have come to appreciate and comprehend I will list (sorry, it's really not that long of a list!) directly. But first I use the expression 'comprehend' since I believe that you actually have to comprehend much of this type of music, you can't just let it wash over you and make you feel good. It is the kind of music that takes some real effort in my (not necessarily humble this time) opinion to find something to connect within it. Although I've had a number of cd's earlier by Hatfield and the North*, Art Bears, Art Zoyd*,Magma, Cardiacs, Frank Zappa*+ and the Mothers, News From Babel, Thinking Plaque, Samla (sorry, the list has reproduced within the time it took to get down to here) Mammas Manna*, Henry Cow*, U Totem, Universal Totem Orchestra, 5UU's, Universe Zero* and I even got a copy of With A Litle Hell From My Friends! (the groups with the *, are groups I hadn't gotten into upon the original purchase of my innitial cd's of their's). Now in the last year or so, I've purshased cd's by these groups and enjoyed them immensely, (especially after the consumption of edibles)-(that's another story for me an my solicitor), if enjoyment is the proper term to use with this type of music. I find it that way, so it shall be-as in the eye of the beholder. Art Zoyd, Univers Zero, Present, Simon Steensland and Jack O' The Clock (I would recommend any of JO'TC's albums, save Rare Weather and Leaving California but starting with the great album the warm, dark circus). I'm still deciphering Art Zoyd, Present and a few other bands yet, but it is intriguing-or should I say inTrigauxing. Present is presently leading the pack!

So that gets us to the cd/dvd from Present in question again. I, in my present-no pun intended, state of musical mind, or was it psychotic mind, would give this cd a very solid 5 star rating, but would highly recommend the dc/dvd set if at all possible for purchase. As I stated a tome ago, the dvd is in my opinion (forget it!), the icing on the cake of this album! I was completely blown away buy it! WOW!!! I've never seen any videos of Present performing prior to this, and it was quite amazing! The dvd ran a total of very nearly three hours and kept me up until one o'clock this morning, but it never once seemed to drag much. Maybe ever so little on the 20 or so minutes of older recordings. But the newer stuff was awesome! Although I can understand that Present historians would find those recordings of the older stuff impressive for the sake of them having Daniel Denis playing in them (the older videos), thus making them worthwhile additions to the dvd collection! (Please, be honest, was that last sentence as difficult for you to complete as it was for me to conceive?). For me personally, while watching the newer recordings, Chevalier on piano, Macksoud on bass and Kerman on drums were well worth the slightly higher entrance fee than the normal, usual expenditure range on my part. What a show! If anyone else has ever seen videos of them, do any of you come away with the opinion that there is a distinct similarity between the late Roger Trigaux for Present and Robert Fripp for King Crimson? I wonder if they had ever met? Anyway if I were just giving the dvd a rating, I would grade that seperately at 5 stars also with a cherry on top! While the cd would also get a 5 star rating, save the cherry on top! If you like RIO/Avant Prog music, I hope you get the opportunity to see these performances at some time. They are outstanding!

Enjoy God's gift of music everyone. Take care.

When an album is released after the death of the artist it is not unusual for people to say marvellous things about it, even if it is not worthy, just because there is a sense of loss and a knowledge that there will be no more, but that is not the case here. Yes, many reviewers and critics are saying wonderful things about this release, but that is because it is truly remarkable in so many ways. Roger Trigaux released some incredibly important albums with Univers Zero before forming Present in 1979 since when his significance within the RIO scene has been rightfully recognised, even though he never had a massive output. Indeed, this album was the first new album since 2009's 'Barbaro', and it was only through the exhortations of Michel Besset that Roger pulled together a band to record his compositions. It took five years, with Roger passing away during the process, which was then completed by Pierre Chevalier (piano, keyboards, vocals) and sound engineer Udi Koomran. The rest of the band are François Mignot (guitar), Dave Kerman (percussion), Keith Macksoud (bass), Kurt Budé (saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet) and Liesbeth Lambrecht (violin). Many of these were involved with the last album, answering Roger's call one last time, although I am not sure why Réginald Trigaux was not involved, although I do believe he is more of an illustrator than a musician these days.

This is RIO being taken into quite new directions, with strong comparisons to both classic Present and Art Zoyd while also bringing on board modern classical. In many ways this is music which is transcending what many people think of as progressive rock, instead shifting into a different artform altogether. The title in the album has 'NOT' in capitals while the rest is in lower case, and one can only hope that this means there is yet more to come from the sessions, which have only provided us with three tracks. I must confess to loving the way we get "This Is Not the End, Part 2" before "This Is Not the End, Part 1", and we gradually build up in length from 7:58 to 12:15 before finish on 26:30. This is compelling, powerful, beguiling, intriguing, passionate and absolutely full of life, making it very hard indeed to understand what Roger must have been going through during its recording, by which time he was in a wheelchair.

I have been fortunate enough to hear quite a lot of Roger's work over the years, although by no means all, and there is no doubt in my mind that this is his most essential work and one which any lover of music which refuses to conform needs to investigate immediately. It is jagged, it is broken, RIO, eclectic, orchestral, modern and ageless, all brought together in an arrangement which is totally unlike anything else around. Roger may be gone, but his legacy is secured with what is possibly his finest achievement.

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/

I have not been this excited about a piece of music since the release of "A Drop of Light" by "All Traps on Earth" at 2018. A new Present record is also unexpected since the passing of Roger Trigaux at the age of 70 in 2021. Apparently, the music was recorded during his illness, and he passed away in the middle of the recording sessions. All of this might lead one to think that the music would perhaps be a little reflective, lacking new ideas and orientation. Well, nothing can be further from truth.

This record sinks its roots into their previous album Barbaro (Ma Non Troppo) and then takes off from there in a true progressive spirit.

Music is their usual mixture of chamber rock, avant rock, RIO and zehul, incorporating sharp, urgent guitars, ever present bass which are well supported by myriad of other instruments ranging from woodwinds, violins and acoustic piano etc. From the perspective of rhythm changes, the compositions are very well balanced. We are not hit with a relentless wall of sound; instead, bombastic elements are interrupted with softer sounds of woodwinds and quieter sections.

The musicianship is absolutely top-notch. Although the compositions are complex, everyone plays with accuracy and complete coherence. I especially like the Pierre Chevalier's acoustic piano. His touch on the keyboard reminds me of Glen Gould; such crystal clear, distinct notes from every single key. Incredible!

The two longest tracks in the album "This is Not the End, Parts 1 & 2" are where we notice the advancements in the composition technique they utilized to date. These two tracks use circular structure with instruments exchanging not only the melody lines but also interrupting each other with jagged uncomfortable bursts. To some, the music might seem repetitive, but this is because of the circular structure of the compositions; circularity and repetitiveness should never be confused. Philip Glass's symphonies are circular, not repetitive. This style of composition is expertly implemented by the group where tension, sustainment and release phases are perfectly positioned. Absolute delight!

The progressive element in their music become apparent when this album's compositions are compared to their first two albums which I also love ("Triskaïdékaphobie" and "Le poison qui rend fou"). In comparison this record has clearly laid out musical ideas that are implemented perfectly without the wandering melodies and rhythms as if one is lost in a city but enjoying the experience, which seems to be the case in the first two Present records.

I highly recommend this record.

With Roger Trigeaux's passing so too his band will also pass on. Despite what the album's title says. Roger passed in 2021 during the recording process but the sessions were done. Pierre Chevalier has taken the reigns and done a fabulous job admitting there were decisions that had to be made about certain things and they tried to do what Roger would have wanted. I'm not sure where Roger's son Reginald is being a long time member but they brought in guitarist Francois Mignot from NI and PINOIL to take his place.

A seven piece although they include Udi Koomran as the eighth member and for good reason. AHVAK did the same many years earlier and yes drummer Dave Kerman was on that record and on here of course. What a professional this guy is, blows me away. It's actually interesting all the musical connections on here with all of these guys playing together it seems at some point.

In fact ARANIS, 5UU'S and UNIVERS ZERO are well represented here. The chemistry is something. I don't remember ever having this feeling of standing in the middle of a band performing and getting dizzy from the counterpoint, the tempo changes and the interplay all done as one.

So of course Roger is on here playing keyboards and adding spoken words which are gruff and kind of creepy especially the laughing parts. I haven't mentioned Keith Macksoud on bass or Kurt Bude on sax, clarinet and bass clarinet, and finally Liesbeth Lambrecht on violin and she is from ARANIS. Songs are built on rhythm and repetition and are a combo of heavy rock and classical. Read that on the press release I think on the Wayside site.

The opener "Contre" at 8 minutes has some of those spoken words from Roger and laugher. The piano is stark and full of suspense from Chevalier and that will come and go. There is so much going on before that calm after 5 minutes. Kerman is impressive here and we will get hit hard again. "This Is Not The End Part 2" is over 12 minutes and features some killer violin and I love the bass clarinet. Some good contrasts on this one and man it gets almost stifling, suffocating with all that is going on when it gets intense.

The final track is "Part 1" of the title track and is a monster at 26 1/2 minutes. The atmosphere to start makes me nervous. And yes Roger does return speaking and laughing around 3 minutes in. The voice continues for a while the bass clarinet leads then some nasty outbursts before it get dense 9 minutes in, maybe crazy is a better word. Kerman is on fire but then just a quick a calm that lasts a while broken by the violin 12 minutes in. It starts to move after 16 1/2 minutes then a couple of minutes later the tempo speeds up. How long can they keep this up? Violin and drums are nuts late. What a composition!

A top three PRESENT album but I need to have a PRESENT marathon and come up with some kind of an order. They never disappoint. Without question a contender for album of the year for 2024. Beat this!

I was overall disappointed with this release. I've listened to this album three times, and even as a Present fan I don't like this. I've found that with this band the best thing about their songwriting is how it progresses. You really feel like you get a lot out of a Present song, which typically clock out at a little less than 10 minutes at minimum. With this song, aside from the first track, it really feels like Repulsion from their first album if they stretched it out 15-20 minutes and tried to break things up here and there. While I am saddened by their final breakup and the passing of Roger Trigaux, I am even more saddened that their final album disappointed me. Although, speaking of Rodger, I really enjoyed his gutair work. It helped make the album not as monotonous and boring. While sure, it's asking a lot to top their previous album, repeating the same two melodys for almost the entire album bores me to sleep.

One of the major players in the world of avant-prog and the movement called Rock In Opposition, PRESENT formed in 1980 after the legendary Roger Trigaux left Univers Zero after that band released two of the earliest chamber prog albums that have become two of the top angular prog classics. The future of the band seemed to be nonexistent after the sad passing of Trigaux in 2021 who died in the middle of recording the band's eighth album but with the help of band members Pierre Chevalier and Kurt Budé along with sound engineer Udi Koomran, PRESENT has returned with its final chapter at least with Roger Trigaux along for the ride.

Appearing as if the title is letting the fans know that the band will go on, PRESENT returns in 2024 with its newest full-length album THIS IS NOT THE END, the first since 2009's "Barbaro (Ma Non Troppo)" and although PRESENT has never been the most prolific musical act in the world of prog, Trigaux has always exercised restraint and favored quality over quantity. However 15 years is by far the longest time between albums and it doesn't appear that Trigaux was engaged in any other musical activity ever since so the emergence of this grand finale of his R.I.O. run is not only quite welcome but miraculous.

Also amazing is that so many of the band members from the previous album are back for more. THIS IS NOT THE END features the return of Pierre Chevalier (keyboards), Dave Kerman (percussion), Keith Macksoud (bass) and of course the godfather of chamber prog guitar, Roger Trigaux himself. The album features a beefier lineup than previous releases with guitarist François Mignot, sax and clarinet player Kurt Budé and violinist Liesbeth Lambrecht joining the team for another slab of knotty angularity and despite all the time that has elapsed since "Barbaro," PRESENT has lost none of its music mojo. Sounding like the logical next step after "Barbaro, THIS IS NOT THE END similarly features three sprawling tracks but in this case not all are created equal in terms of running time.

The opening "Contre" is the shortest track and runs about 8 minutes long. Seemingly a continuation of the previous "Barbaro," this album opens with a more bombastic guitar stomp approach and immediately generates a zeuhl inspired rhythmic drive while utilizing complex counterpoints with the violin and wind instruments. Soon following, Trigaux offers something rarely heard in a PRESENT album and that is a vocal tirade where he does his best French speaking version of Captain Beefheart reciting a spoken dialogue with some sort of madman manifesto that finds him laughing hysterically afterwards! The rhythmic drive keeps it pulsating along as it does throughout the entire album but like most knotty angular difficult music section avant-prog albums, it does drift into strange musical motifs that deviate from the incessant zeuhl driven consistency. The violin and guitar parts are much more energetic than on past endeavors with Lambrecht sounding like the avant-prog version of Jean Luc-Ponty while Trigaux unleashes a psychedelic fervor more akin to the antic freak show that Acid Mothers Temple guitarist Makoto Kawabata dishes out at his most frenetic.

Inverting the order of the two title tracks, next up is "This Is Not The End, Part 2" which at just over 12 minutes is the next longest track. The bass heavy intro finds a thumping bass guitar joined by the bass clarinet and piano tinkling that soon offers all the complexities of what makes avant-prog so deliciously dark and doomy. It occurs to me about this point how much Trigaux looked back to his earliest years when he contributed to the first two Univers Zero albums which delivered a similar melancholy dished out by an array of contrapuntal complexity. The track is noticeably less beholden to the stabilizing effects that the zeuhl rhythms offer and offers a more freeform approach with crazy time signatures changing with every cadence. Overall this is the most "restrained" track on the album with the two tracks that bookend it unleashing a wilder ride of frenetic crazy syncopation!

The creme de la creme (well hell, it's all creme this time around!) is saved for last with the sprawling 26 1/2 minute "This Is Not the End, Part 1" which delivers the darkest ride of the entire journey. Somewhat of a more extreme combo effect of the first two tracks and beyond, the track delivers sporadic zeuhl rhythms but also pure chaotic outbursts and made all the creepier by a buzzing droning sound in the backdrop. Madman Trigaux makes a reprise with more dialogue in French only adding heightened exaggerated enunciations and madcap guffaws. As expected the track wends and winds its way through a series of rhythmically syncopated runs with eruptions of heavier increased tempo segments as well as the more pacified chamber prog approach. The skilled musicians offer an impeccable instrumental interplay throughout with a seemingly endless array of variations on a theme that allow the track to ratchet up the tension much like a well-performed post-rock album. Once again Trigaux offers some of the finest guitar work of his career with knotty guitar licks and angry chord stomps. Intricately designed and the sounds that avant-prog dreams are made of, this massive masterwork delivers all the creeped out intensity you could possibly hope for. It all ends with a big bang and a perceived musical farewell to the great Trigaux as he offers his last cachinnation and then seemingly drifts off in an ambient haze to the great avant-prog paradise on the other side.

Simply WOW!!! This is an outstanding final display of musical mojo from Trigaux and team. He really was one of the most gifted and talented alternative visionaries out there right to the very end. What could possibly be the FUTURE of PRESENT or it this band a thing of the PAST? If the title of the album and the two tracks offer any breadcrumbs then it seems that the band will continue since the musicians on this amazing album are clearly capable of keeping a top notch act like this afloat and go the way of Gong and Yes after losing their founding member. Whether or not PRESENT will continue on is anyone's guess but it's a certainty that the only original member who started the band 44 years ago won't be along for the ride. This album exceeded all expectations but then again PRESENT has been one of the most consistent acts in the truest sense in the most demanding corners of the avant-prog and world of Rock In Opposition. And while many newer acts aim for crossover appeal, Trigaux kept his avant-prog knotty and angular as ever. To my ears this album ranks right up there with the debut "Triskaidékaphobie" and the previous album "Barbaro (Ma Non Troppo)." A great t comeback album and excellent final offering from Trigaux. What a spectacular way to end his legacy. R.I.P., R.I.O royalty. You will be missed.

Hyper-Minimal Quasi-Psychedelic Avant-Prog Somewhat Satisfactory

At a 'quick and easy' three tracks, I knew I could get this one reviewed by the end of the beginning of the morning. I jest, of course. I suppose the biggest joke is that this was going to be, in all likelihood, some very dense Avant-prog... I guess it's hard to believe, generally speaking, to have an R.I.O. release with only guitar, vocals and percussion (this amounting to no more than light clicks and kickdrum), but here we are. Super minimalistic. But they certainly make it work.

"Love Scorn" starts off low and slow, comparable to the darkest that '60s Psychedelia had had to offer then. And dark indeed. And such a unique use of guitar itself! I assume (possibly only then) they tuned one of them down extremely low to accomplish this weird, alien 'cello'. It's in the latter half that guitar soloing jumps out of the minimal expanse of guitar and simple clicks (at times what sounds like just the simple hit of a closed hi-hat). It may remind of FRIPP. And following this first sketch of electric guitar is an intense battle, fierce and eerie.

The tracks get exponentially longer, from 9 and a half minutes to just under 15 all the way to 25 minutes. And with that, "Alone - Part One" heads off in beautiful, again not unlike KC (though latter days Crimson via the aid of BELEW), overlapping guitar melody. Around the midway point, this falls away to something heavier. The heaviest percussion they had introduced to us up to this point (as with said 'battle' on "Love Scorn") is merely intense, reverb'd out kickdrum. "Part One" was well performed, but so minimal, I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

"Alone - Part Two" kicks off with something a little more intriguing. The rhythm is slightly off-kilter and the guitar just goes. They once again, I assume, because it seems clearer here using octave pedal, have the dark, muddy 'bass guitar'. Like I suggest, much more satisfactory than the first part. Unsurprisingly still moody and gloomy. Minimal or not, actually quite a lot happens within the first 3 minutes! Vocals are finally introduced around minute 11. Sort of classical and creepy, reminiscent to me of Sophisti-Pop lounge lizards? Again falling away, minute 18 introduces a queer, creeping section. Worth a listen if you have the time.

Overall, well performed, at times genuinely very interesting, but not to appeal to even your average RIO fan half the time. I nearly gave it a 2.

One of the earliest examples of the unique hybrid of 20th century classical music, chamber music and avant-prog, Univers Zero stunned the world with its darkened delivery of these composites with its first two albums "1313 (originally released self-titled)" and "Heresie" which took the world of avant-prog into more sinister grounds and the basis of scary horror soundtrack music that wasn't from the Italian group Goblin for decades to come. Despite the eerie perfection that was laid out on those two classic epic album, composer/guitarist/pianist Roger Trigaux decided to jump ship and create a new band where he presumably had a bit more control. The result was the band PRESENT which signified a split between the world of Univers Zero and PRESENT where he stole bassist Christian Genet from the first UZ album as well as drummer Daniel Denis who would moonlight in both bands for many years.

With the exit stage left of Trigaux, Univers Zero was shown to have lost the darkest member of the crew as the third UZ album sans Trigaux shifted gears completely in terms of darkness by offering a "lighter" approach to what had been established on the first two albums. On the other hand PRESENT took the dark side of avant-prog / chamber rock / modern classic music to even more extremes. For PRESENT's debut TRISKAÏDÉKAPHOBIE which is the French word for triskaidekaphobia and means fear of the number 13, the darkness was a more concentrated form which unleashed a more frenetic version of what UZ had done only with a stronger guitar presence and a knack for crafting a larger than life sound with as a mere quartet. TRISKAÏDÉKAPHOBIE could possibly qualify as the scariest and most forbidding album of the year 1980 unleashing sonic demons and forever making you wonder if the number 13 is really Satan in disguise!

TRISKAÏDÉKAPHOBIE originally featured a mere three tracks with two monstrously long nail-biters followed by a shorter come down piece. Considered one of the unabashed masterpieces of avant-prog, PRESENT admirably picked up the torch where the first two Univers Zero albums had suddenly left off. The opening "Promenade Au Fond D'un Canal" featured a claustrophobic 19 minute plus run beginning as eerily dark chamber rock before breaking into martial guitar and bass groove much like the world of zeuhl with Christian Genet's stellar bass gymnastics reminding of Jannick Top in Magma's classic Kobaian output. While the music retains the UZ darkened chamber rock vibe, the combo effect of the zeuhl rhythmic drive, frenetic keyboard runs and perpetual cyclical loops bringing Philip Glass's minimalistic approach to the table, all conspire to create a bizarre surreal soundscape that took the world of avant-prog to more energetic realms beyond anything Henry Cow or Univers Zero had explored thus far. The track slowly transmogrifies into a more rock induced hypnosis culminated in some wickedly wild guitar workouts before finally ceding to the next equally frenetic offering.

The second track "Quatre-Vingt Douze" misses the 16-minute mark but is every bit as effective at keeping the album's mood dialed to creepsville. Fortified with more melodic classical piano rolls, the alternation of sensual slow moving parts and fidgety angularities of the electric piano finger breakers offearas another startling taste of PRESENT's bleak musical palette. This track integrates more variations of styles, tones, timbres and motifs thus making it less hypnotic than track #1 but even more frightening. The original album closed with the 3 1/2 minute "Repulsion" which provided a creepy ambient come down period with a repetitive tone, gongs and a blackened atmospheric drone sounding more like the post-rock of Godspeed You! Black Emperor or other similar minded posties than what came before. The 2014 CD release on the Cuneiform label features an additional 20 minutes of live bonus tracks featuring the Univers Zero tracks "Dense" and "Vous Le Saurez En Temps Voulu" which was allowed since Denis was playing in both bands simultaneously.

PRESENT released a total of six studio albums before Trigaux's untimely passing in 2021 but of all the albums he crafted under the band name PRESENT, it's this debut TRISKAÏDÉKAPHOBIE that provides the most haunting musical experience you could ever hope for in the days before scary music started creeping into various musical genres. While a direct descendent of the first two UZ albums, PRESENT crafted a masterful mix of the most frenetic and hypnotic styles of music that existed at the time and in the process evoking the otherworldliness of Magma, the minimalism of modern 20th century classical artists as well as the angular jagged workouts afforded by the whacked out world of avant-prog. With tightly delivered instrumental workouts that featured four excellent musicians making stunning hairpin turns in unison, TRISKAÏDÉKAPHOBIE is an absolutely essential avant-prog album that remains timeless in its bizarro mondo freakery and a worthy continuation of what UZ had crafted with Trigaux. M-m-m-masterpiece of progressive rock!