ZAO

Z=7L (Musea FGBG 4081 .AR)

Dear readers, you will be aware from Ork Alarm! #12 how much I cherish this group, you will not be surprised therefore that I award 'Z=7L' with a ***** grade. Musea are obviously saving any further bonus material for the promised live Zao albums, which makes this CD a little short at only 36 minutes, but this was their first album and bearing in mind the poor quality of vinyl that was available to record companies in 1973 (due to the oil crisis) it was common in those days for albums to be kept short in order to avoid further degradation of the music. Surprisingly however, I thought that the re-mastering for this CD made it sound a little 'tinny' and it seems to lack some of the richness of the original Vertigo LP release. However, the music itself is always more important than the eternal CD vs. LP debate, and on this album the music does not merely shine - it devastates. From the initial blast of Mauricia Platon's vocals on 'Marochsek' through to Joël Dugrenot's superb bass work on 'Satanyia' all the most evocative qualities of Magma's first three albums are glorified in this, ZAO's first recording.

When Giorgio Gomelsky took over the management of Magma in 1972, he steered them away from a collective policy and this led to Vander taking control of their musical destiny. François Cahen and Yochk'o Seffer gradually became frustrated and Seffer left the band after the Chateauvallon festival in August 1972. Cahen stayed until November. Then Francois and Yochk'o recruited Jean-My Truong, Dugrenot, Ms Platon (from the French variety scene) and eventually violinist Jean-Yves Rigaud. The violin was crucial to Seffer's plans. After seven months rehearsals and development while working as backing musicians for some popular variety singers, the album was recorded in seven days in August 1973. The results are not a mere copy of Magma, rather a brilliant shooting star streaking far out into an alternate universe. If you don't buy this CD, I'll shoot you!