KÖHNTARKÖSZ

Kohntarkosz ? 1974 (3.4/5) 11 ? Best Song: Parts of the title track, if I was forced at gunpoint to choose. And gone once again are the overbearing yet flustering opera swells. Can't these French candied yams remain stable for one minute without jumping to whichever side is winning? I'm Steve Doosey with Fox News and we're detailing the progress made with WWK (World War Kobaia), and it seems to be that the Kommandoh is boarding one of Earth's arbiter jettison crew-ships, the project Gemini, named as such for holding our two interplanetary diplomatic ambassadors. After the initial volleys' shockwaves all but decimated Central America, the return assaults crippled the De Hunden wing patrol regiment. Here's Fox News, praying for a peaceful resolution to this massacre.

Meanwhile, in the tomb of Emehntett-Re, Indiana Jones, archaeologist extraordinaire, leads and expedition down to the depts. Of the tomb in hopes of uncovering secrets associated with his mystical rise to power and eventual demise. What did he achieve? We may never know. Yes, this is the fourth album from Magma so far, and I can say I'm still fairly impressed. I'd never have expected the group to have released this many albums that engage me so. As per the usual fare, there are distinct differences between Kohn and MDK. The former was a series of recessions and climaxes in the most Wagnerian and operatic, but Kohntarkosz is rather tame and quiescent in comparison. It's equal parts ambient, new age, and classic jazz fusion. Think Return to Forever a la Light as a feather, only utterly incomprehensible and devoid of clarity. The moods presented in the double-epic, mammoth title track, which is split into two parts encompassing more than half an hour in overall duration, are eerie, mysterious, explorative, and dust-covered. It's also rather dull. In all the thirty-one minutes only about five of them are hectic and explosive. The rest just sort of plods along, assuming you'll give a damn about what's (not) going on. I do somewhat, but it's a little too laid back for me this time.