quarante jours sur le sinai
| Format | CD |
| Country | France |
| Recorded | 1999-2001 |
| Issued | 2002 |
| Label | NIL |
| Cat no. | NIL03 |
| Playing time | 65:03 |
| Reviewer | Sven Eriksen |
| NIL quarante jours sur le sinai |
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Here is a French band who apparently have set out to interpret a chapter from the Bible – more accurately Moses’ 40 days in the desert. It is not without fear we put such a record into the player, we know all to well where these concepts may take us.
But our fears shall soon prove groundless. This four-piece produces a fresh – mainly instrumental - prog rock full of contrasts, which actually could be about anything (and may well be so). We notice that the music has a certain Egyptian feel now and then, which makes for an original and exciting result when these influences are mixed with more traditional progressive elements. We can hear similarities with 90s Crimson, jazz-rock, metal and space-rock as well as other French bands like Minimum Vital and Halloween.
They have written a music full of transitions and varying atmospheres. It is music which requires a couple of plays before it grabs you. In the center of the band’s sound we find David Maurin with his many guitars. Samuel Maurin is a joy to hear on bass, and is the main reason these often complex rhythms figures flow smoothly. Benjamin Croizy plays an arsenal of keyboards without being tempted to show off in conflict with the compositional intentions, and drummer Frank Niebels contributes to the tightness of the band resulting in many different shades in their musical expression.
Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinai is a record I don’t hesitate recommending to anyone who likes their progressive rock to be fresh and unconventional without being too experimental.
© 2003 Tarkus Magazine