Artist: Shub Niggurath
Label: Musea
Release: 1986
Rating: 4.5/5
It was 1986, and nothing much was happening in progressive rock, neo aside. At least that’s how plenty of people saw it, watching prog sink further and further into oblivion. True, a lot of folks forgot about it, but it never actually went away. It just got a bit more obscure. In the eighties, bands like Present, Univers Zero, Pseu, Dun and many others were making the best work of their careers. Shub Niggurath belong in that company too, making their name in avant-garde/zeuhl with the album “Les Morts Vont Vite”. Sure, they may not have become household names like Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer or Genesis, and they never went popular, but those who gave them a chance were richly rewarded all the same. For progressive rock, fame was a kind of curse and ultimately spelled its downfall (at least as far as the symphonic side goes), which is why, once it slipped into obscurity, it started to regain credibility. The bands that got too popular stopped thinking about innovation, they wrung out all their ideas, and being so recognizable, they couldn’t maneuver anymore or make what they actually wanted to. That’s exactly why prog’s plunge into oblivion (neo excepted, of course) was a blessing in disguise.
Lots of people compare Shub Niggurath to Magma, but I don’t think the comparison holds up. True, both bands feature a female operatic vocal, but the melodies in Shub Niggurath are completely different. There’s more dissonance, the music is far darker, at times downright creepy. The music on “Les Morts Vont Vite” has more in common with King Crimson (the Wetton era, 1973 – 1974), Univers Zero and Present than with Magma. The operatic vocal and booming bass do land them in zeuhl territory, but they’re just as much avant-garde. Even though there are some similarities with those bands, Shub Niggurath by and large don’t copy anyone. They’re trying to find their own voice, trying to express themselves their own way, and I think they found it. They made music that could soundtrack the worst nightmare, and for me it’s pure catharsis. It constantly flips between quiet, melancholic passages and sheer, raw pounding. Just like in a nightmare, you never know when the next attack is coming.
Every single element in Shub Niggurath is incredibly strong. You could say the drummer borrows a few ideas from Bill Bruford in his King Crimson days (1973 – 1974). His cymbal work is especially spectacular. The bassist plays a similar role to the bassists in Present and Univers Zero, building extremely complex lines that seem simple on the surface. As is tradition in rock in opposition, this band has its own odd wind instrument too. The trombone helps create an even more archaic and eerie effect. The guitarist plays a lot like Robert Fripp did on “Red”. There’s plenty of distortion and long sustained notes, but also enough complexity and tightness with the other instruments. The keyboards are varied, as befits an avant-garde/zeuhl band – from harmonium to piano and organ. It was 1986, and Shub Niggurath had no synthesizer. Personally, I’m perfectly happy with that. Using no effects at all only underlines the archaic feel, and the whole thing sometimes sounds (when there’s no electric guitar) like some strange relic from ancient times. Last but not least, there’s the vocalist. She’ll definitely get on plenty of people’s nerves, but for me she’s a key element of the music. With her dissonant, atonal melodies she adds to the tension. Her voice sometimes sounds like it’s coming from beyond, or like a vampire luring us in with her siren song. I don’t know if it’s a weird coincidence or not, but the guitar rarely plays at the same time as the keyboards. When the guitar solos, the keyboards seem to vanish, and when the piano solos, the guitar disappears. That’s not always true, since on “Cabine” the two instruments back each other up, but on the other tracks it happens a lot. Surprisingly, though, the album doesn’t suffer much for it. The sound is always powerful enough, the music bombastic and terrifying enough, that a lack of guitar or piano only heightens the sense of dread Shub Niggurath are capable of creating. Besides, the drums, bass and trombone are more than enough backing for whichever instrument is soloing. Alongside the four long tracks, the album has two shorter bonus pieces, which fit the album perfectly in terms of dynamics, motifs and atmosphere.
If you decide to give this album a listen, I recommend getting yourself ready. I won’t spout nonsense like some other reviewers and say this music can drive you to suicide if you’re mentally fragile. That’s ridiculous. If you don’t like it, it can bore you to tears at worst. But if it reaches those hidden corners of the psyche you’re afraid to look into, this album can offer real deliverance.
Lineup
– Alain Ballaud: bass
– Franck Coulaud: drums
– Franck W. Fromy: guitar
– Jean-Luc Herve: piano, organ and harmonium
– Ann Stewart: vocals
– Véronique Verdier: trombone
– Michel Kervinio: drums and percussion (5 and 6)
Production
Pierre Benazeth, Shub Niggurath
Tracklist
1. Incipit Tragaedia (15:46)
2. Cabine 67 (5:55)
3. Yog Sothoth (12:27)
4. La Ballade De Lénore (8:58)
5. Delear Prius (4:03)
6. J’ai Vu Naguère En Peinture Les Harpies Ravissant Le Repas De Phynée (4:19)
Running time: 51:28
