IN EXTREMIS

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this album a lot. Even the album cover is extremely well done. The music reminded me of both PRESENT and UNIVERS ZERO mostly, with other references popping up here and there. The female vocals are sweet and child-like, yet seem to fit the dark, dissonant music perfectly.I was surprised mind you when I first heard her sing. Bob Drake does sing on one track as well. Actually there are a host of guest musicians and instruments used on this album. This is a real treat.

"Dead Silence" is a melodic song that has nothing to do with the Avant-garde actually. Synths, accordian and those innocent vocals lead the way. "Behold The Man" is an uptempo and melodic tune. It opens with guitar and female vocals before it becomes awash in different sounds. This is amazing. "This Weird Wind" is like the Bob Drake show. He sings and plays bass and violin on this one. It starts slowly and sadly before kicking in with some great bass. The tempo continues to change. Some acoustic guitar from Mike Johnson on this YES sounding tune. "Les Etudes D'Organism" has Bob back on bass and violin. It opens with heavy, dissonant sounds. Different sounds come and go. It picks up speed 3 1/2 minutes in as we get a carnival-like atmosphere. It turns dark and heavy again before 8 minutes with what sounds like mellotron. Angular guitar 10 minutes in with piano melodies to follow.

"Maelstrom" features reserved female vocals with acoustic guitar melodies. The sound increases as electric guitar and violin arrive 1 1/2 minutes in. "The Aesthete" has a heavy sound of bass and double bass with female vocals. I really like the passage 3 1/2 minutes in, and check out the great guitar that follows it up. "Kingdom Come" features mellotron on and off throughout the song. More female vocals and angular guitar. This begins dark and melancholic. This is great ! Mellotron 6 minutes in with more angular guitar after 7 minutes. Vocals are back. There is a dramatic and tense passage 9 1/2 minutes in followed by a calm atmosphere with faint dissonant sax to the end of the song and album.

This would be the perfect record to check out the Rio / Avant genre with. A dark and melodic beauty.