1001° CENTIGRADES [AKA: 2]

Despite the atrociously boring cover (some issues of the vinyl version came with a much more colourful cover at the insistence of the record company), "1001° Centigrades" is an excellent album. This was the album where Magma had to show that they hadn't just blown it all off on the debut. And they sure hadn't!

The opening track, "Rïah Sahïltaahk" composed by Christian Vander himself, shows by itself just how much Magma have grown since the first album, even though there is only one year between the two. The sound of this epic is generally much closer to later-day Zeuhl - all of the elements from the first album are still there: driving basslines, ever-changing rhythms, jazzy woodwind arrangements and of course, the crazy vocals, but the crucial difference is that the melodies seem more refined, due to Vander drawing from his classical inspirations as well this time. It's still not "real" Zeuhl, but "Rïah Sahïltaahk" sounds like a logical prologue of MDK.

Teddy Lasry's "'Iss' Lanseï Doïa" is more in the vein of the first album, but also a highly experimental venture. A deep bassline (backed up by a Fender Rhodes) kicks off this piece while the brass section signals the arrival of the Kobaïan cavalry (there's really no other way of describing this!) and Blasquiz moans something in the invented language. The rest of the track is a tour-de-force of Zeuhl-Blues (believe it or not), atonal and yet melodic brass interludes and eerie deep vocals by Blasquiz. A compelling Kobaïan nightmare and one of my own absolute favourites.

The last track, "Kï Ïahl Ö Lïahk" composed by François Cahen (who left to form Zao shortly after), wraps it all up and concludes the story. Compared to the two other tracks, this is probably the lesser one, but it is by no means bad. There are some very nice motifs to be found in this Cahen-composition - oppressive marches, complete with Kobaïan shouting, as well as brief up-tempo jazz melodies that relieve the tension. The song generally sticks closer to "Rïah Sahïltaahk" and also reprises the lead-off track in it's final minutes.

All in all, "1001° Centigrades" is Magma's first real masterpiece. A much more mature and well-balanced album than "Magma" and also the one where the Zeuhl-genre got its real baptism.