METATRON

4.5 stars. Well first of all i'd say that this double album from Richard Pinhas (HELDON) is one of the most adventerous Electronic recording i've heard. He gets lots of help from former HELDON bandmates including Didier Batard (bass), Partick Gauthier (Mini- Moog), Alan Renaud (guitar) and Antoine Paganotti (drums). Some know Antoine from MAGMA but he's just on vocals there, although Vander has let him drum during MAGMA concerts before. I was pleasantly surprised to also see that Chuck Oken from DJAM KARET was here helping out on synths. I'll be the first to admit that I have no idea much of the time at what i'm hearing when I listen to this double album. Richard was a huge fan of Robert Fripp's use of tape loops back in the day that is commonly refered to as Frippertronics. Well let's just say we get tons of that along with drones, sequencers and a lap top computer thrown into the mix. All I know this all sounds pretty incredible turned up loud.

"Tikkun (Part 1):The Unification Of The Name" features these electronic sounds that pulse along with guitar. Drums join in and start pounding away in a free manner. Deep bass sounds after 6 minutes.The drums stop before 14 minutes as it winds down. "Aleph Number 1" has these spacey sounds that build. Spoken English words come in as he tells a story starting a minute in. Drums join in and start to dominate.The spoken words stop and we get some mini-moog after 5 minutes.The guitar is ripping it up. Spoken words are back after 7 1/2 minutes repeating the earlier story. Spacey sounds end it. "Moumoune And Mietz In The Sky With Diamonds" opens with spacey sounds pulsing before the drums kick in.This is actually catchy and upbeat. "Shaddai Blues" is much darker with mechanical-like sounds that are repeated over and over with a spacey background.This changes 6 minutes in where it's simply spacey like the intro. "Metatron / Shaddai / Chabbatai" opens with very spacey sounds. Beautiful. English spoken words arrive before 3 minutes. Drums after 5 minutes. The spoken words return late.

Disc two opens with "Tikkun (Part 2):Tikkone Zohar". We get electronic sounds that build as other sounds join in. Abrasive noises also come in then voices.The atmosphere gets so thick at times. Amazing. Mechanical pulses later. It settles late. "The Fabulous Story Of Tigroo And Leloo" has a dark atmosphere with creepy sounds flowing through. A beat kicks in after a minute, guitar too. Great sound here. Pinhas is lighting it up. It starts to wind down late. "Metatron(ic) Rock" features mini-moog as intricate and spacey sounds pulse, twitter and build.The atmosphere starts to overwhelm the soundscape 5 1/2 minutes in. A calm comes in a minute later to end it. "Babylon Babies" opens with drums only then the guitar comes in making some noise. Great sound before 3 minutes with keyboards as drums pound. Some killer drumming here. A calm before 9 minutes to end it. "The Arsi : Isaac Louria Song" opens with electronic sounds that pulse. Drums before 2 1/2 minutes. Spoken words a minute later.The pulsating sounds from the beginning are back after 9 minutes then the drums. Nice. It turns spacey to end it. "Double Face Of Metatron" opens with what sounds like acoustic guitar and atmosphere.The atmosphere fades in and out slowly. Cool song. "Tikkun (Part3): En Penta Eddenai" has the same intro as Part 2 did. It's building. Lots of atmosphere. This sounds incredible. So powerful 6 minutes in. Loud percussion sounds after 8 1/2 minutes. Random drum patterns are pounded out with spacey synths.

I've been listening to this all of last week and this is my second time through this weekend paying close attention, and I can't get over how many things appear I didn't catch before. This is such a trip !