Artist: Magma
Label: Seventh Records
Release: 2004
Rating: 4.9/5
Magma went more than two decades without releasing a studio album, then in 2004 they announced a new record. Kohntarkosz Anteria was composed three decades ago, but Christian Vander simply never found the time to release it. Since it took so long for the album to come out, and so long to record it, the question spontaneously pops up: was the wait worth it?
I can say right away that I have no doubts about the answer. The album was worth every bit of the effort, and it may even be better that they waited so long before recording it. With this one, Magma came back at full steam. Vander surprises his fans yet again, because the album once more doesn’t sound like its predecessors. This time the wonder drummer went for an approach that gives more weight to the vocals. This innovative composer gathered a completely new crew around him, and of the old guard only his wife remains. A familiar surname also turns up in the form of the Paganotti siblings, the kids of Magma’s legendary bassist Bernard Paganotti. Vander again chose to use two keyboard players. He also called in a new bassist and guitarist plus another female singer, but decided not to use any woodwinds this time. So instrument-wise this is a fairly slimmed-down version of Magma, but five singers forming a sort of mini choir more than make up for any shortfall you might notice.
From the very first seconds of the first part, this album hints at the bliss it’s about to bless us with. It’s surprising how gorgeously melodic and accessible it sounds right from the start. Structurally it’s almost closer to symphonic works, with fewer long chants and less repetition. Before I heard KA, I knew all their studio albums pretty well, but I wasn’t prepared for anything like this. The album grabs you from the start and never lets go. The combinations of melodies and organized structures (especially in the vocal parts) give me goosebumps non-stop. It doesn’t matter whether you get hypnotized by Stella with her gentle, sensual, almost siren-like voice, or by Antoine Paganotti, whose style is more aggressive, or whether the whole choir just snatches you away. There’s no letting up at all, something is always happening. This first part is probably the most consistent of the three.
The second part kicks off by reprising the opening theme from the album Kohntarkosz. But that only lasts a short while. Then a completely new beast is born. The piece goes through several stages: from aggressive, to beautiful and hypnotic. Most of this part is built around a ritual chant: “wiwi wowo sehndo.” My only complaint about this part is that the chant repeats a few times too many. But that’s what you expect from Magma. This is a band that puts a lot of emphasis on repetitive chants and hypnotizing the listener. Still, their chants are always about various variations that might not be noticeable at all the first time, but the more often you hear them, the clearer it becomes that it’s not all as simple and monotonous as it seems. The twists are subtle and not so obvious, but they’re undeniably there. The melodies in this part are maybe a shade better than in the first (if that’s even possible), but too much repetition still ranks the first part higher.
And finally, the conclusion of this long journey through the world of Kobaia. The third part is the only one on the album with a longer instrumental passage. First we have the honor of hearing a long intro on the Fender Rhodes electric piano, which maybe drags on a little. After the first vocal section comes another shorter piano interlude, which suddenly flips into the real start of the piece. What follows is perhaps eight minutes of the best music I’ve ever heard. It has everything: from Antoine’s excellent solo parts to Stella’s emotional responses. Later Christian joins in too, delivering his best vocal melody. The last few minutes get more repetitive again, with assorted variations on the word “Alleluyah”. But you can’t possibly get bored, since the whole thing is pretty hypnotic. A short snippet from Theusz Hamtaahka (Retrospektiw I-II) can be heard in the third part, and at the end of the album everyone sings the parting line from the album Kobaia: “Hoi Hamtai, Sim Rim Hamtai”.
The album is simply superb, and fifty minutes fly by in the blink of an eye. The vocal arrangements are so incredible that at times it feels like you’re listening to fifty singers instead of five. Sometimes the vocalists sing three or even four different melodies at the same time, yet the whole thing doesn’t sound cacophonous or confusing at all. Everything clicks together so beautifully and the music flows effortlessly. I could go on praising the great vocal arrangements and the performance of those melodies forever, but the other members deserve a mention too. Of course the most recognizable is the boss, Christian Vander, with his lightning-fast drumming. But with him it’s not just about speed. When needed, he can play quiet, slow parts, sometimes he doesn’t even have to play, and at certain moments he explodes with wild jazzy fills. He also knows how to step up to the mic and sing with his distinctive voice. Plenty of people will probably be overjoyed that this time he doesn’t experiment with his vocal technique one bit, and focuses entirely on aesthetics instead. No screaming, no shrieking, and no extremely high falsetto either. None of that ever bothered me, but I don’t miss it one bit. His voice has long been among the best ever for me. Over the years it hasn’t gotten worse at all, if anything it’s only gotten better. The lineup has two keyboard players who do their job very precisely. They may not be the most prominent, but their role is crucial when it comes to backing the vocals. The bass is again very dynamic. Maybe it’s not as mighty as Top’s or Paganotti’s, but it suits this album. James MacGaw on guitar is an important addition too. He mostly accompanies the choir, but a few times he gets a chance at solos and gladly takes it.
Even though this album doesn’t sound like any other release from this band, it still keeps the typical ingredients that make up Magma. The die-hard devotees will devour every second, and the record would be just as suitable for anyone who doesn’t know the band but wants to. The music is far more accessible than ever, yet also more varied. Sure, some themes from earlier records come back, but those moments are very short and practically unnoticeable. The production is very modern and polished, but that’s fine. Magma use the new techniques to their advantage and only enrich an already wonderful sound. I’m not exactly a huge fan of new production approaches, but this time it’s an unsurpassed success. The music is divine and I can barely find any flaws in it. Kohntarkosz Anteria is one of those albums that holds me in ecstasy for all fifty minutes and doesn’t let up for a single moment. It’s probably even the best album in my collection.
Lineup
Stella Vander – vocals, percussion
Isabelle Feuillebois – vocals
Himiko Paganotti – vocals
Antoine Paganotti – vocals
James Mac Gaw – guitar
Emmanuel Borghi – piano, Fender Rhodes
Frédéric d’Oelsnitz – Fender Rhodes
Philippe Bussonnet – bass
Christian Vander – drums, vocals, percussion
Production
Magma
Track list
1. K.A I 11:12
2. K.A II 15:53
3. K.A III 21:43
Album length: 48:49
