CONCERT 1976, OPÉRA DE REIMS

This is a triple live album recorded in France in 1976. We get the same lineup as was on the "Live / Hhai" live album except that Patrick Gauthier is here instead of Jean-Paul Asseline on keyboards. Great lineup though with Benoit Widemann also on keys, Didier Lockwood on violin and Bernard Paganotti on bass besides the usual suspects.Three discs but only five tracks on this recording.

All these songs are Vander compositions except for the opening "De Futura" which is a Jannick Top creation. Paganotti is killer on this one in place of Top. It opens with slowly beaten drums and tension.You can hear the crowd in the background cheering. A change at 3 minutes as the guitar and growly bass takes over. Violin and vocals follow. It's fuller 5 1/2 minutes in. Stella joins in.The guitar and bass are so good before 7 minutes.The tension is rising then we get that familiar rhythm with chants. A calm 9 1/2 minutes in then that rhythm returns as these contrasts continue. I like when it sppeds up and the electric piano joins in after 14 1/2 minutes. Great tune.

"Sons Et Chorus de Batterie" opens with feedback and different sounds coming and going including drums and electric piano.The drums start to be prominant around 8 minutes as we get a drum solo from here to the end on this 26 1/2 minute song. Not a fan of this one. A lot of sparse drumming here and noodling by Vander.

"Kohntarkosz" kicks in after a minute then it settles into that familiar groove with vocals after 3 1/2 minutes. Female vocals and violin a minute later. Guitar 6 minutes in and check out the drumming ! Blasquis after 12 minutes as the piano, drums and bass support. It all stops before 15 minutes then it slowly builds.The song continues to be played out until it's 33 1/2 minutes are over.

"Theusz Hamtaahk" opens with outbursts of drums, bass and vocals followed by a calm.The music kicks in after 6 1/2 minutes.This is incredible ! Check it out after 19 minutes. A change 22 minutes in as the vocals stop and guitar,bass and drums lead.Vocals are back and we get some killer drumming before 25 minutes. A calm a minute later then these trance-like vocals come in before it kicks back in with chants. Amazing tune.

"Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh" is much better than the studio version in my opinion.This is such a trip. It kicks in at a minute and check out the drumming and bass ! Vocals join in and the tempo will continue to shift. Nice guitar before 11 minutes. It turns frenzied as the male and female vocals continue to lead. Check out the bass after 20 1/2 minutes.The electric piano comes and goes. Insanity 26 1/2 minutes in as the guitar? gets experimental. Atmosphere 29 1/2 minutes in then the bass and guitar create havoc once again. I can picture the audience at this point with their mouths hanging open.Violin to the fore 34 1/2 minutes in.The tension is building as everything gets more powerful.The tension is released before 42 1/2 minutes as the piano and violin continue.

If they had left out the drum solo track and kept the rest giving us a double album i'd seriously be considering 5 stars. Still a solid 4 stars and a recording that is a must for MAGMA fans.