STUDIO ZÜND

Just so readers know, this is a review of the box set only, not of the individual albums.

For anyone who can get their hands on this one for a reasonable price, it's an absolutely amazing opportunity to get all of Magma's studio albums except Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré. Everything from the debut up through K.A. The box set also includes two discs of unreleased material, including the band's first demo, a soundtrack they composed for the film "24 heures seulement", the "stripped down" version of Mëkanïk Dëstruktïw Kömmandöh (piano, bass, drums and minimal vocals provided by Klaus Blasquiz only) and an alternate version of the track "Elephas Levi". The material on these bonus discs is of varying recording quality, but some of the material is incredible. The stripped down version of MDK is especially interesting.

Another great addition is the new liner notes, presented in French and English, and the photos of the band. Unfortunately we don't get the lyrics for the albums, but it's a small sacrifice if you can manage to find this for a good price. In my opinion, this collection is essential to prog collections if you don't already own all the albums separately. Plus if you find it for something near the original price it's a great way to save some money as the original albums are often quite pricey.

Five stars from me, as almost everything here (except Merci) is essential to a prog collection in my opinion. It's a wonderful way to start off a Zeuhl collection for the adventurous listener.

Box sets comprised of a groups entire studio output are quite a nice thing to behold, especially if the box is as magnificent as this one. If there is one of my precious boxes I will keep to my dying days and probably use as pillow in the coffin, it's this one. I adore it. It is pornography for the music lover and when it comes to this edition I can proudly proclaim myself to be a pornographer of the highest level. I can look at this box and marvel for what seems to be forever and ever. And yet that is only the visual part of it all. The musical content is unmatched in so many ways. Individual to the T and furthermore displays a groups hard core vision of music as medium. Lovely.

Zeuhl needs to be approached with care, especially when we are talking Magma. No other group sounds like this. It is aggressive, harsh and dark. I think it is rawer than any black metal group, harder than any metal band and more inventive than many a prog band. With Studio Zünd you get all their studio albums up to K.A., which is one hell of great selection of prog.

As with other boxes like this, the Modry Efekt box is one example, not all albums are five star discs. Maybe it is even so that there's only one certified five star album, as far as I am concerned, but the package is of such importance and grandeur that no other rating is possible. This is a glorious way of getting all albums. While the zeuhl found within can be a bit hard to digest and swallow, it'll come to you. No need to wait for postal deliveries or racing through record stores (however enjoyable that may be). You simply pick out the next album and put in your player and there you go.

There are no live cuts in here but a full two disc collection of rarities, which is very nice. There is for instance tracks from Univeria Zekts only album and that I find thrilling, alongside very early recordings of Kobaïa. Great stuff!

Now, I managed to get the last copy of this box available at the HMV website (in the UK) and maybe it is hard to get a hold of but if you ever get the chance i command you to buy it immediately. This is a five star box if ever there was one. It just do not get any better than this, musically or package wise*. Extraordinary.

*Well, maybe package wise. Still, it is a wonderful piece of package.