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Progressive world 4 - October 2003 - USA
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There are two reviews of this epic release on this site already, and I find there isn't much that I can say about this varied release that hasn't already been said (tho' that hasn't stopped me before ;-) ). So, while this review is short on words (at least for me), have no doubt that I heartily throw myself into the camp of the impressed. Whatever your taste in progressive music, you will find a sample of it here in NiL's Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinai be it rock, ambient, metal, electronic, etc., even sections that might be called "neo-prog." You might think that a release with that many styles and flavors would be an inconsistent and uneven chaotic mess. Ah, but you'd be wrong in this case. There are but two "tracks" on this album, "Acte I" and "Acte II," though the CD has broken them down into 26 segments. But that latter bit is only what your eyes tell you if you look at your CD player. Look away from that and peruse the included booklet - the concept laid out by using various quotes and snippets of classic literature (and by classic, I mean going back to antiquity - Plutarch, Plato, etc.). Meanwhile, your ears will permit your mind to go on a journey, carried along by the shifting rhythms of each movement.
NiL are David Maurin on prepared guitars, flute, gong and bass clarinet; Samuel Maurin on bass, stick, voice and Aegyptian incantations; Benjamin Croizy on synths, Mellotron, church organ, Hammond organ, piano, MS 20 and timpani; and Frank Niebel on drums and percussion. But their sound is filled out by various guests: Roselyne Berthet on vocals and ethereal voices, Eric Verdovati on vocals, Samy Cyr on ethereal voices, Anne Cayrol on cello, Hervé Franconi on soprano sax, Francois Pernel on harp and narration from Audrey Casella. (Berthet has since become a full-time member of the band).
Short of detailing every moment of the album -- I mean, wonderful and terrific can get over used, you know -- just know that you will be treated to moments of shimmering guitar from David Maurin, and later clean, precise note playing that recalls Steve Howe for me (in style, tone is different), and even later, acidic, fusiony guitar leads… Berthet has warm, rich voice that at times made me think of Anneka van Giersbergen (The Gathering). Her vocals are made even richer by the addition of Verdovati singing in harmony. You find later he has got quite a deep and warm voice on his own. Both are terrific. This played over an actively, deep and throaty, but not intrusive, fretless bass from Samuel Maurin. The music is flowing, angular, harsh, soft, practically any positive adjective or adverb that comes to mind. NiL are like having the breadth of your prog collection summed up in one package… both classic prog and modern.
Oh, just take my word for it. You're going to love this album. I do. (Rating: 5/5)
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***
Progressive world 3 - October 2003 - USA
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A most remarkable release, this self-produced album conceived and recorded by a collective of French musicians.
Remarkable foremost because the album only contains two compositions. So in a way you could think this has something to
do with Magma, yet once you get to hear this album, it has little to do with Zeuhl or the likes. The guitar parts have more in
common with the repetitive patterns of Philharmonie, whilst from a compositional point of view, you could trace resemblances
with XII Alfonso. Especially the wide selection of collaborators is rather similar. Particularly the use of different vocalists is a
positive factor in order to diversify the various passages in both chapters. Based in Egypt, needless to say NIL uses Eastern
melodies to underline the atmosphere of the album. This ranges from dreamlike parts to powerful outbursts via jazzy paths.
These jazzy interventions amongst others include a short "battle" between drums and bass before eerie keyboards add to the
strangeness of the piece. Things become even stranger when ominous male voices come to the fore introducing once again
some repetitive guitars. In the softer parts the wonderful sound of fretless bass is heard. In most cases it's the vocals that
inject a new direction. Some parts are truly magnificent when long stretches of string sections are interspersed with fretless bass.
This is all disturbed in an abrupt way by means of heavy guitars and choral sounds. Also the harp is a most refreshing element
that suddenly pops up. Due to the long compositions plus the fact you don't get any extra information about subtitles or such,
it remains difficult to give an exact idea of what to expect, but trust me this is a unique concept written and recorded by a
bunch of outstanding musicians. If you like, you can compare this album with a pure classical work as it also contains all
the elements that are demanded in the domain of classical music. This is a superb realisation that will most certainly reveal
new elements time and time again, even when you're listening to it again for the fiftieth time. The album was written, arranged
and produced by David Maurin, Samuel Maurin, Benjamin Croizy and Frank Niebel. They were helped out by friends from the
Academy of Grenoble, whilst amongst others the organ was recorded at St. Pierre's Cathédral in Annecy, France. Right now
I can't find any names to compare this band to, so I just keep it with the word: "unique." I'm convinced you'll feel the same.
Apparently this is the band's third release having released both Nil and Nocturnes in 1999, two albums that in the meantime
have sold out completely! (Rating: 5/5)
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Background magazine - September 2003 - Holland
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Never heard of this band before, but they come around with quite an ambitious project. The album, instrumental for the greater part, 'tells' a story which is situated in the ancient culture of Egypt. The extensive liner notes dig very deep and are larded with quotes from the Bible, philosophers and various authors. Four French musicians form Nil and they have worked two years on recording the disc. The final result is a very wayward production with music that may appeal to the experienced prog lover. "Quarante Jours…" (Forty days in the Sinaï) is divided in two acts (36 and 26 minutes) and knows no less that 29 (!) chapters on your CD player. It all starts almost modest, calm and floating while suddenly some King Crimson-esque eruptions awake the listener. The addition of the angelic voice of Roselyne Berthet further on is a real treat. And back and forth we go from soft to wild, even manic, progrock. Fripp-ian guitars by mr. David Maurin are twanging most of the time in the first act; no real riffs or melodic licks here. Mellotron and church organ take some leads while the rhythm section enjoy themselves in an alternating pace. Even now and then fusion and avant-garde pieces shine through in the 'songs'. During the second act variation is slightly diminished while this is more atmospheric 'Seventies symphonic prog' with a dark undertone. Although I'm not completely carried away by the cd, it has a certain captivating and intruiging edge that easily invites you to press the play button again. Certainly a production that challenges the listener.
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***
Audion - September 2003 - England
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Nothing to do with the old French band Nil (aka Nyl) from the 1970's, this much younger new French band play a distinctly modern brand of prog-rock, but with an attempted complexity and invention more known in the days of yore.
As an album divided into two large suites, it's an ambitious affair and one that pushes the musicians to their creative limits (sometimes beyond them, i.e. the drummer can't quite cope with all the complex changes) and they all try their best to pull it off. I'm often reminded of early Halloween or Tiemko, yet this seems to be Nil's third release. Of course, they may not be improving and their past work could be better than this. However, they contacted Audion because they thought they'd become progressive enough. The female vocals (in French) are delivered with a vaguely Magma (Stella Vander) feel, given a folky Renaissance touch. It all feels like a band finding their feet to me, getting there, but not quite ready as yet. I look forward to their next one if they do so !
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Tone Clusters Magazine - August 2003 - USA
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So whatever DID happen to prog rock, anyway? We have heard a lot of opinions over the years, some of them quite fanciful. But I wonder if the answer isn't much more straightforward. We all know what prog rock is but I'll describe it to give a baseline. Lots of time signatures, florid playing, 20-minute songs, heavy classical influence, mostly from the impressionists like Stravinsky, Debussy, Ravel, etc. That's a thumbnail sketch. Given what we hear when we turn the radio on now, as opposed to how it sounded before the proggers landed in the late 1960s, we will have to admit that prog was an aberration much as 'psychedelia' was. The two forms shared some traits, and though one didn't grow directly out of another, 'psych' certainly opened peoples' ears to experimental structures -- compared to what was out there before -- and outside influences, two major similarities it shares with prog.
But these two forms were only pushed in the 'pop' market for as long as they made money for the record companies. When the Sex Pistols' NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS outsold the next Emerson, Lake & Palmer LP,
Never mind the musical fashion police -- here's NiL to jog you gently from your 21st-century distaste for progressive rock... because it actually is!
progressive rock became last year's man. That door won't open again quite as wide as it did thirty years ago, but the brickbats that many progressive bands new and old have been beaten by in the intervening years are all very much unfair. Many prog fans may have made the same mistake the Second Viennese School did about the 12-tone scale in assuming that prog rock would sweep all away before it but listening to the fifth-generation folk rockers, the newest teen scream, and the latest coterie of Bad Boys would half make me wonder if everything old has become recyclable again. With prog I heard something I never did before, with, yes I admit, some glaring exceptions I'll skip this time. But there's always available hope for an advance of the form, and recently in the mail came a CD from a band called NiL (QUARANTE JOURS SUR LE SINAI) which was that exactly. Incidentally, that's the French spelling for "Nile"; a good name since this release (their third) is a meditation on the bygone philosophies and tenets of ancient Egyptian mythology.
Somehow this quartet has managed to avoid all the pitfalls prog has been known for and even appended some fresh ideas; for example, as if in acknowledgment of the recent resurgence of interest in the Celtic and Northern European folk revival in Europe and America, Nil (David Maurin: guitars, flute, gong, bass clarinet; Samuel Maurin: bass, 'stick', voice, Egyptian incantations; Frank Niebel: percussion; Benjamin Croizy: synths, mellotron, church organ, MS20, timpani, Hammond organ, piano) stir in some very folky portions to these two lengthy suites (one 25, the other 35). And there is none of that fin-de-siecle wallowing we have heard from some others historically; yes, there are darkly threatrening moments, but I also hear a fresh sense of wonder, that one might expect from traversing new lands and new situations. Yes and Genesis were often quite good at engendering those emotions in us, and NiL is equally adept. Section 8 of Suite 1 does have a minor variation on the middle synthesizer bit of "Fountain of Salmacis" but the prog template is so strong for the most part in the form we all know how hard it is to break out of it. Not everybody can
Many prog fans may have made the same mistake the Second Viennese School did... assuming prog would sweep all away before it...
build a vocabulary that is entirely thir own. Vocalist Roselyne Berthet, a wispy soprano, is displayed here much in the same way that National Health used to employ Amanda Parsons; according to the band's Web site http://www.chez.com/nil (click on the Monty Python monster icon for the English version; merci beaucoup!) Ms. Berthet has joined the band so that will make their next CD even more of a treat.
Much of the music here is compositionally and motivically based on the amplified acoustic guitar. (though David M. can certainly flourish the electric axe with a sinuous invention akin to PFM's Franco Mussida.back in, as they call it, the day; note traks 27 and 28). This is appropriate since most of the 'movement' here, and I hope I am using the correct terms, is triggered with a measured, deliberate pace (nobody tries to break your neck with rapidly altering structures a la Osanna or van der Graaf Generator), accelerating and decelerating with a calm stateliness even in the more apoplectic moments. Other musicans used to evocative ends are Herve Franconi (soprano saxophone), Francois Pernel (harp), and Anne Cayrol (cello); the entire affair has a mature, assured aspect, no showing off anywhere, a bit like a walk through a garden of spectacles. Just before David Maurin's out-statement at the end Eric Vedovati sings a dour recitative to a foreboding synth, and again we're reminded of the old-school French prog bands likie Carpe Diem, Pulsar and Ange, all very fine but a bit overwrought for my taste. Sorry messieurs, human existence is simply not as bad as all that. But even this is rendered with taste and a lack of hysteria, and Maurin's glorious guitar starburst only makes one want to put the CD on again. So I'll do that, and those of you who don't want to follow the newest avants over the edge into chaos or get lost in piles of sheet music with the structuralists are invited to join me.
Now if only we as a human society could do something about actually 'progressing' again...
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Concert report - July 2003 - Portugal
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All I knew of NIL were the samples from their Web site, and I was expecting a delicate, sweet kind of half-acoustic show (with maybe a lightly-clad mummy making an appearance at some or other point). I wasn't expecting great craftsmanship really, more a sort of ambience show. And on top of that I am prejudiced against French music (the blame for that Joe Dassin goes fully to Joe Dassin, I'm afraid): I belong to the brainless progger segment who want juicy English lyrics and strong guitars. But as a poetic intervention, I expected Nil to be ok and possibly charming.
And then came Nil. I immediately loved the way they looked in the stage: modest, serious, playful, and the fantastic contrast between the female singer's (Roselyne) contained and ethereal presence, and Samuel's very French intellectual (exactly as one imagines them) barefooted, smiling and yet modest dance across the stage with this various bass guitars, leading the band in a mild and calm manner. The guitarist treated his instrument with the reverence with which a hacker treats his computer. I could write about the keyboard man more if I had been able to hear more of his performance, and only now that I have the CD can I say that I love his skills. On the stage, all that I really noticed - and it probably wasn't intentional (or was it?) - that Samuel was dressed all in black, and Benjamin was dressed all white.
The band's music blew me away from the first few minutes on. Yes, ethereal, yes, delicate, but all of a sudden with a gorgeously hard edge that I don't find much on the CD. The abrupt rhythm changes slapped me in the face, twisted my head and bashed me from the chair. Throughout the whole show, I hardly had time to breathe. The music went from ethereal to hard rocking eclectic rock in a matter of split seconds. The whole show was as tight as the G string on a bass guitar, flowing at times, jumping wildly other times. No break for the audience. And never easy either. Challenging throughout, demanding from the listener to be fully there all the time. The only time where I had time to actually hum along a bit was in the last song in the set, causing me to shed tears of bliss for the second time in this fantastic show!
The only drawbacks of the show were foremost related with the sound that reached us, the audience: the keyboards drowned in the louder parts into nothingness, and so did Roselyn's voice in those parts, so that some of the louder parts became a drum&bass sessions with a mush of sound behind, at least from where I was sitting. I think David, the guitarist, could have varied his guitar sounds a little throughout - I heard a what I feel as a "typically French", thin, edge-less guitar sound throughout, with little sustain and presence. I have heard this sound before (from another French band called Taal), and I am sure that's only a preference of mine - I think a guitar needs to be clearly audible and defined.
From what I was told afterwards (and now discover as I hear their album "Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinaï"), the middle section of the show comprised mostly or only new, unreleased material, and that's where the band's hard-rocking edge was predominant. I'm dying to hear what'll come from it when we get their next studio release. I hate comparisons, and maybe I shouldn't do this, but to me it sounded like somewhere in-between Spock's Beard and Univers Zero, with a touch of mysticism. No Joe Dassin, alas ;-)
Despite any drawbacks, I must thank the band (once again) for giving me such a beautiful time: food for the soul, for the body, for the mind.
Forgot to mention what's so obvious: Roselyn's voice is the one element in the band's mix that brings it to such an unexpected level for me: hard-edge, intelligent prog with Roselyne's gorgeous, shivers-down-the-spine voice that makes it all so easily digestible.
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Exposé - June 2003 - USA
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Although we've never even heard of this French four-piece before, they apparently have two previous releases from '99; the band's name means "Nile" (as in the river) and the album (40 Days in the Sinai), which consists of two long multi-part suites, is built entirely around an ancient Egyptian theme, with lyrics in French. The band employs guitars, keyboards (mostly organ, synths and mellotron), bass, drums, percussion and woodwinds (flute, clarinet) to achieve a somewhat somber and typically French symphonic style, perhaps recalling classic bands like Carpe Diem, although the guitar tones are sometimes more reminiscent of Rain of Thought, closer to the recent present. Their sound ranges from energized progressive rock - at times even approaching metal, to more serene, delicate and explorative wanderings, shifting unpredictably and encompassing a great breadth of ideas. Supplementing the four musicians are guests on cello, soprano sax, harp and male/female vocals; vocal sections are infrequent in the overall scope of the work, but indeed are highlights, the female voices often recalling Geraldine LeCocq of Halloween or Marion Weldert of Rebekka, although often presented in a more ethereal context.
While on first listen the disc may seem a little impermeable and overly ambitious, through repeated listenings things will take on more clarity, and the listener will understand it for what it is -- a colorful and varied concept work that satisfies on many levels.
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***
Progressive rock & progressive metal - June 2003 - Brazil
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I am always happy when the new Progressive Rock bands emerge, especially when they present a true and original sound, and NIL is one of them, therefore it was very difficult to choose, among many other great bands, as my favourite from this month. The sounds from them are composed in the spirit of the Symphonic and Progressive Rock British movement of the early 1970's. The group balance electric guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, and voice, where the vocals are full of mystery, and the sounds structures are amazing with intricate moments, while in many parts we find an instrumental harmony that really captures the listeners attention with its musical beauty. If they keep this wonderful and delightful energy, of course they will be be noticed by the Progressive Rock communities as a new generation in this musical genre. "At first, you will be probably surprised by the number of themes they expose in the beginning of the album...
Excellent and indispensable work, highly recommendable.
Carlos Alberto Vaz Ferreira
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***
Prognosis - June 2003 - USA
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Nil's third self released album is a very ambitious one. Starting with the lyrics for this concept album, through the meadows of the complex music it unfolds and ending with the vast quantity of guest musicians and the huge collection of instruments used in the production, this album is truly an ambitious, yeah.
The story is based on Egypt, with its mysterious and fascinating ancient history, its bizarre architecture and mesmerizing landscapes. The music is based on originality, some middle-eastern motives (as obvious), interplay between the instruments, and complex composition tabs. With no similar artists at sight, this French band does ensure its listener with a really carefully constructed set of sounds, which impose him with a sequence of visions, sights, emotional experiences and dreamlike states.
The music swirls and turns from line to line, in a part Symphonic, part World, part Eerie/Heavy/Melodic and part Experimental core of ingenious Progressive album. If in one moment the music expresses some sense of loneliness and some contemplation, as different instruments seem to play apart, unaware of each other, playing for themselves but reaching a unorthodox harmony in common, in other moments the music explodes in heavy riffage and virtuoso acceleration, to be back to calm and introspective fixtures, mostly when the beautiful voice of Roselyne makes its entrance. But the greatest achievement here is the result of the album as a whole. In fact, the whole picture when laid before your hearing eyes, is the one that really makes sense: One album that experiences and allows experimentation. One album that offers unit dissonance and disharmony that results in odd harmony when whole. One album that explores, and urges to be explored. One album, finally, that with its difficult archetype can easily please the demanding proghead. In a final word, Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinai grants you the most fertile of Oasis omnipresent in the vast desert of Sinai.
Even if with the absence of some important instruments used in this album, and without the cozy production protection, I can't hide my excitement while waiting to see Nil playing live in Gouveia Art Rock 2003 (Portugal), next july!
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Progvisions - May 2003 - Holland
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"- Is that you Solon?
- It is Pschent, whoever else could it be?
- The Greek is right, few people care about the old man these days!
- And what's more, a blind man!
- I would not laugh if I were you, some symbols are easier to decipher with closed eyes than with open eyes … But have a seat and tell me what wise man Sonchis taught you today.
- Alas, I've sealed my lips so that what came into my ears will not drift away in the desert. I can't tell you anything about the teachings of the Temple.
- You have a noble heart …
- What were those notes you were playing on your harp shortly before I interrupted you?
- It is a long story Solon, but you might be pleased to hear it …"
[the story of Pschent, the Egyptian harpist]
The French band Nil was founded in the year 1994, and "Quarante jours sur le Sinaï" (forty days on the Sinaï) is their third album. The first album "Nil" was released in the year 1998 which was followed in 1999 by the mini album "Nocturnes". It included a cover of Claude Debussy's masterpiece "Nocturnes" (for the hundredth anniversary of its creation) and a more contemporary piece "Bagatelle no.4" of György Ligeti. After this the band worked three years on this amazing concept album "Quarante jours sur le Sinaï". The album is highly inspired by Egyptian culture and in the extra booklet you find excerpts from the works of Plato, Phylos, Dante Alighieri and others. Heavy but intriguiging stuff.
Musicians: David Maurin - prepared guitars, flute, gong, bass clarinet; Samuel Maurin - Bass, stick, voice, Egyptian incantations; Benjamin Croizy - synthesizers, Mellotron, church organ, Hammond organ, piano, MS 20, timpani; Frank Niebel - drums, percussion. Roselyne Berthet (became a full member of Nil in 2003) - vocals, ethereal voices; Anne Cayrol - Cello; Hervé Franconi - soprano sax; François Pernel - Harp; Audrey Casella - narrator.
The whole album is in fact one long piece of music which is divided into two acts, "Acte I" (36:16) and "Acte II" (26:42). To make it for the listener easier to follow the texts in the booklet, the two acts are indexed into almost thirty parts. But you will listen to one long track. Together with the Tantra album ("Terra") which I reviewed last month this album is one of the big surprises of this year so far. Both albums will find a place in my top 10, that's for sure! The album has often a kind of dark and intriguing atmosphere. And the instrumentation is very special, with church organ, harp, mellotron, cello and delicate female vocals. The opening of the album is amazing with the delicate sound of a harp solo against the darker sounds of the church organ, cello and the Mellotron. At a later point the guitar, which is played in a way Fripp sometimes does, replaces the harp. I really love this dark opening. And when you think the music is becoming more and more complex, the music slows down in rhythm and Roselyne Berthet's beautiful voice can be heard for the first time. The best thing is that Nil has developed an own style on this album. The only bands or musicians that crossed my mind while listening to this album were Robert Fripp and Andy Summers (because of the style of some guitar parts and the atmospheric soundscapes) and the also French bands like Halloween (because of the dark atmosphere with delicate female vocals) and Saens. The music has a lot of variation. Melodic parts with vocals are followed by dark keyboard layers, aggressive guitar work and complex rhythms played by drummer Frank Niebel and delicious stick work of Samuel Maurin. The prepared guitars of David Maurin and the keyboards of Benjamin Croizy have a big part in the music of Nil. Sometimes I also hear some jazz fusion influences, mainly in the guitar and keyboard parts. You will never get bored with this album. After the dark and complex parts, more melodic parts will follow. There are some very beautiful melodies on this album.
I would describe the music as dark symphonic/progressive rock. Personally I find this one of the best progressive albums I have heard in the last few years. The band has welcomed Roselyne Berthet as a full member of the band. She will also play some Mellotron in the up-coming gigs.
Some people in Portugal are working hard to organize a festival with Nil, Tantra and La Maschera di Cerra. I hope they will succeed in organizing this festival with an amazing "dream line-up".
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The Dutch Progressive Rock Page - May 2003 - Holland
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This hugely ambitious concept album from French symphonic proggers Nil is their third album and is on their own label. I sincerely hope this does not hinder its distribution and promotion, as this is surely a work that deserves a large audience.
The packaging is suitably lavish with an elaborate foldout booklet and extensive notes in both French and English, detailing the weighty concept, which utilises the Fall of Atlantis as the jumping off point for an in-depth rumination on Egyptian Magic, Legend and Religion.
The core band here are: David Maurin - guitars, flute, gong and clarinet; Samuel Maurin - Bass, Stick and Voice; Benjamin Croizy - Keyboards; and Frank Niebel - Drums and Percussion. All the players are adept on their chosen instruments with David Maurin particularly shining with Frippian intensity on the tortuously twisting guitar lines that run throughout the work.
There is a dark and mysterious feel to the piece as a whole, which blends elements of Symphonic Rock, RIO, Fusion and even Heavy Rock to create a mixture that, whilst reminiscent of Crimson and French legends Shylock, is uniquely their own. Though billed as two suites, and accessible as 29 distinct tracks, this really demands that you listen to the whole piece and give it your full attention. This might limit its appeal but will richly reward those willing and able to devote the necessary time to its full enjoyment.
There are various guests on Cello, Harp, Sax and vocals but special mention should go to Roselyne Berthet, whose vocals near the beginning of the work are enchanting to say the least. Indeed my main (only?) gripe with this album is that her vocals are criminally underused. I appreciate that the album is elaborately structured and more vocals may not have been appropriate for the concept, but I long to hear more of her heavenly tones. This may not appeal to those who only enjoy more song-based melodic fare, but is sure to please those who appreciate the darker, more adventurous (if not to say slightly Avant) sounds. Quarante Jours ... is a substantial and commendable work. Conclusion: 9 out of 10
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***
Kinesis - May 2003 - USA
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The third album from this French symphonic band, though few people have heard their first two. But "Forty Days in the Sinai", an Egyptian-themed concept album, is classic French progressive, largely instrumental, with some beautiful female vocals and strong male vocals (in French). Nil (French for Nile) mix the dark symphonics of Pulsar, Carpe Diem, or Halloween with an Allan Holdsworth-like harmonic vocabulary and some modern King Crimson influence. Serene, dreamy passages give way to complex prog with fusion overtones, interrupted by heavy passages that lead to majestic symphonic rock. Mellotron, organ and flute dominate one moment, fretless bass and searing guitar the next. Nil have created progressive rock with great complexity, yet it doesn't veer off into experimental territory and thus remains accessible. The CD comes with two booklets, with both French and English text. 65-minutes and highly recommended.
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Progressive world 2 - April 2003 - USA
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Sometimes I find myself listening to music that is so good that I can't seem to find the right words to express my appreciation. Such is the case with NiL's third album on their self-named label, Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinai. A massive concept piece, Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinai details the rise and fall of Atlantis and its progeny, ancient Egypt. I'm a sucker for concept works, and NiL's epic ranks among the best I've ever heard. Every bit of Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinai is flawlessly played and beautifully sung. Nearly all sub-categories of progressive rock are represented, from breathtaking symphonic rock to tricky RIO to jazz fusion to straight-up heavy metal, seamlessly meshed together to effectively evoke a sense of ancient civilization and catastrophic change. To make the experience multi-dimensional for listeners, NiL has included a beautifully crafted booklet that contains literary and historical word-of-mouth references for the events portrayed in the epic's many musical segments. And to make Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinai even more accessible, the booklet features translations in both the band's native French and English. A beautiful, mesmerizing work, Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinai may be progressive rock's greatest surprise entry this year, and NiL certainly deserves to be recognized for their marvelous achievement - buy this one in droves! As for those words I can't seem to find, one will have to do…. WOW!
Rating 5/5
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***
CD Services - April 2003 - Scotland
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New, largely instrumental, French prog band who sing in French, but don't let that put you off, for they have an exquisite female vocalist who really soars, a bit like the ladies out of Karnataka/Mostly Autumn, while the band themselves, deliver an accomplished and well-arranged set of music throughout this concept album that tells the tale of some ancient Egyptian guy. Quite a lot of the album is instrumental, but the vocals, harmonised and overdubbed to sound even better than the gorgeous lead vocal anyway, are so in keeping with the overall atmosphere of the album, it all works a treat. From rich layers of synths and mellotrons, through duelling guitars and synths, to more dynamic interactive passages, this is the sound of classic prog-rock as it should be, from one of the finest Euro-mainland prog bands I've heard in ages. The rhythm section is fluid and tight, playing the perfect undercurrent to the ocean of synths, guitars, keys and mellotron that ebb and flow on top, while the brief spells of vocals merely put the icing on the cake of a quite exotic and solid prog-rock album. Recommended.
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***
Wayside Music - April 2003 -USA
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An excellent release from this French symphonic rock band; while this is their 3rd release, this is the first that I have ever heard of them. Additionally, they have personnel ties to Thork (whose CD we also carry). This is a concept album about Ancient Egypt and the music has that wonderfully typical dark symphonic French sound, ala Pulsar, the Crypto label, etc. etc. It ranges from heavy symphonic to a more peaceful style and then back again. Lots of organ and mellotron and guitars up front and pounding, flute taking the melodies and a good rhythm section. There are both male and female vocals and both are good singers. Then there are the guests on additional instrumentation: cello, saxes, harp and more. The CD is completed by 2 booklets, one of which gives the story and lyrics and both English and French (note that all singing is in French; as it should be!) An excellent symphonic rock release.
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Tarkus n°24 - April 2003 - Norway
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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 Niebel 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.
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Laser CD - March 2003 - USA
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Quite stunning third effort from this French symphonic rock quartet with connections to the band Thork. "Forty Days On The Sinai" is a conceptual work dealing with Ancient Egypt and old gods....the music is a mesmerizing melange of Mellotron and organ laden dark prog enmeshed with flute, searing guitar runs, Chapman Stick, dreamy female vocals as well as dramatic commanding male vocals (all vocals are in French). There are lots of guest artists contributing a wide palette of musical colors - harp, soprano sax, cello and etherial vocals. At times the music is serene and dreamy and then it explodes with a blazing distortion laden guitar solo.This 66 minute work is a breathtaking experience that echoes classic bands like Carpe Diem and Ange. The CD comes with 2 booklets - with translations in French and English outlining the story. An overwhelming work and one of the best symphonic rock albums I've heard in quite some time.
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***
Progressive world - March 2003 - USA
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A blend of Jade Warrior and King Crimson with hints of Änglagård, this French group treads everywhere from soothing melodiousness to sudden attacks of metal. On this great disc, you never know where a song will ultimately end up. Specifically, Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinai is the kind of music that offers a new revelation with every listen. A concept album delving into Egyptian mythology, you can expect all the earmarks of classic prog, from mellotron washes to complex instrumental interplay, dynamic arrangements, and shifting meters. Some cool artwork, too. Highly recommended!
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