A COMPLEX NATURE

Following the disbandment of Philharmonie, Frédéric L'Épée had a small accident that allowed him to rest for a period before hitting the road again on some solo concerts.However he soon returned to the recording projects, forming Yang along with Philharmonie's last drummer and original member o the Prog Metal act Lord of Mushrooms Volodia Brice.The crew was completed with another guitarist, Julian Vecchie, and bassist Stephane Bertrand.They recorded their debut ''A complex nature'' at Studio 26 in Antibes, which was released on Cuneiform Records, a label that has been supporting L'Epee since his early Philharmonie days.

Yang continue from where the music of Philharmonie stopped, playing an emphatic and powerful instrumental Heavy Prog, obviously guitar-oriented, with a jamming attitude, even more supported by the fact this work was captured in just three days at the studio.First and last reference point of the group seem to be KING CRIMSON and their post-73' complicated works with L'Epee and bandmate Julian Vecchie offering dual, technical guitar exercises, split in tapping grooves, jazzy solos, low-tempo melodies and frenetic leads.The album is far from boring, despite its limited instrumental diversity, as the duo delivers plenty of varied textures, flirting with Fusion and Post Rock quite frequently, while the solid rhythm section provides the appropriate background.Soundwise there are also a couple of more atmospheric tracks included, which lean towards the more laid-back and psychedelic instrumental Rock side with hypnotic guitar scratches in evidence.Some of the virtuosic passages of the album are simply excellent with somekind of furious jazzy plays and complicated structures, blending rhythmic lines with sudden, atonal breaks.

Another work, where L'Epee's composing talent can be praised, as he is the main contrubutor on Yang's debut.Really succesful title as well, this work walks dangerously on the thin line between dissonant complexity and atmospheric virtuosity.Recommended.