| CD REVIEW Zarboth |
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Band : Zarboth Weird name? Well, it's a weird band, too! If I'm not mistaken, I remember Zarboth to be the name of a “God” creature in a post-apocalyptic movie with Sean Connery. Oh wait...that was Zardoz, wasn't it!? Ach well, this Paris (Europe, France, and nót one of the towns by that name in the US) duo formed in 2007 after a chance meeting between guitarist Phil Le Reptil (whom was playing in the long-serving La Theory Du Reptil at the time, a band which produced one 1998 album released on Pee Wee Records – throughout the past 15 years he also wrote and performed in a variety of projects ranging from electronic music to experimental, Pop, Rock and World Music...frequently in demand by other bands for his laptop skills in creating wacky sounds & samples) and singer/ drummer Etienne Gaillochet (since its formation the driving force of the City Of Light's own We Insist!, a band which in 2009, and trough Exile On Mainstream, issued its 6th album with music that is categorized as Math Rock and Jazz Rock, and includes the use of two saxophones which are often played in counterpoint) which led to an instant friendship. Getting to know a little better, the twosome realised they'd know about each other's band for ages but had never actually met. Then and there they decided to get together for a jam session, which led to he first gigs, and to a project that started to get a life of its own. Eventually the duo turns to Exile On Mainstream who, in collaboration with Discorporate Records, releases the duo's self-titled debut album in February of 2009. Now...finally...thanks to the people at Mandaï Distribution, the album's also available in Belgium! On top of the Jazzy and sometimes discordant rhythms performed by the drummer, you get the rather experimental sound of the guitar...actually a baritone guitar playing angular melodies with plenty of twists and turns and occasional Progressive passages, through a bass amplifier...giving birth to a real fat sound! On top come the vocals. Although of a “clean” variety for the most time (there's also occasional moments where a scream, a yelp, or an indescribable vocal uttering comes forth), you shouldn't expect any Bruce Dickinson type of voice! Vocals, as in plural, because Phil frequently supports Etienne's antics. Trying to put Zarboth into any given category seems an almost impossible task, but when you know that there's a certain amount of noise involved, that there's Metal-styled progressive passages, that there's Jazz undertones and that the guys probably go for a semi-improvisational style of songs, and that there's nevertheless a Rock afinity...you might call the outcome something like Free Noise Metal Jazz Rock! You might also just call it good...albeit somewhat wacky... music, providing you like this kind of experimental music as much as I do. To find out about that last possibility, check out the songs posted at myspace.com/zarboth! 90/100 Tony. |