KÖHNTARKÖSZ

The previous Magma album MDK is the final part of the Theusz Hamtaahk trilogy. The Vander solo/Magma album Wurdah Itah/Tristan et Yseult is its prequel but released a year after, with the live track Theusz Hamtaahk beginning the trilogy but not released on record until 1980.

Köhntarkösz retrospectively became part of a trilogy, once later albums appeared - K.A. (a prequel) and Ëmëhntëhtt-Rê (a sequel fusing tracks from their 1975 live album, and later albums Udu Wudu and Attahk). Although released 30 years before those two albums, Köhntarkösz is effectively the second album in the trilogy.

Star Wars, eat your heart out.

To set the scene for this album it makes sense to consider it occurring in a time before the Theusz Hamtaahk trilogy. Ëmëhntëhtt-Rê was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who devoted his life to understanding the workings of the universe and achieving immortality. He died just before he could do so. Modern day archaeologist Köhntarkösz discovers his tomb.

This album begins as he enters the tomb, in Part 1 slowly working his way to the burial chamber. This is why it is a much slower, suspenseful track compared to previous Magma albums. Much more minimal but still melancholy (and explains why the likes of Yochk'o Seffer decited to move on. The whole of part 1 retains this slow pace.

Part 2 begins with a celestial sounding piano score, and a solo male vocalist exactly the opposite of everything heard on MDK - soothing and heavenly. Köhntarkösz has visions of Ëmëhntëhtt-Rê's life upon entering the chamber. From the five minute mark, the tone gets slightly darker and the suspense is built by Christian Vander's controlled drumming, minutely increasing the tempo continuously over the next seven minutes and building to a choral crescendo, where Köhntarkösz touches the tomb and has a sudden "flash of understanding of the work of the ancient pharaoh" as a different voice enters, for the first time in a language that appears to be Kobaian (perhaps the voice of the spirit of Ëmëhntëhtt-Rê). The full detail of that understanding is lost to Köhntarkösz as he's back to consciousness, but he then devotes his life to regaining them, perhaps ultimately leading to the teachings of the Theusz Hamtaahk trilogy where a group flees Earth and finds Kobaia.

Two standalone tracks are also on this album but also seem a bit out of place - Ork Alarm, composed by Jannick Top is exactly what it sounds like, a raising of an alarm at an attack of Orks, in which Top plays the cello to great effect. "Coltrane Sundia" is also nearly self explanatory - a guitar/piano tribute to John Coltrane, very much an idol of Christian Vander.

Personally I can take or leave Ork Alarm but Coltrane Sundia is very good. I'd also say that the 30 minutes of Köhntarkösz are among the best of Magma, matching the plot brilliantly as you imagine the suspense of slowly approaching the pharaoh's tomb, your heart rate rising, and expecting drama - almost Indiana Jones style.