Here's one of those unbelievably powerful Magma concerts that's been circulating on cassette for years, finally cleaned up and transferred to CD. Hallelujah! This is one of the best live shows around, recorded March 2, 1976 at the Opera, Reims. Other portions of the same show were released as 'Theusz Hamtaahk', also on Kisses Deluxe, a couple years ago.
In addition to Zebëhn Straïn dë Geustaah and Tauhd Zaïa, the line-up at that point in time included Klötsz on vocals, Didier Lockwood on violin, the dual keyboards of Benoît Widemann and Patrick Gauthier, Gabriel Federow on guitar, and bass-monster Bernard Paganotti who stole the show on almost every track that night. This is a 2CD set, the first disc containing a 42-minute (and unfortunately prematurely truncated) version of 'Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh'.
This is perhaps one of the most gripping versions of this track I've heard, at least equal to the version on 'Retrospektïw 1 & II'; Wurd begins showing off his chops about halfway through in an apocalyptic duel with Federow, gradually increasing the speed and tension in a fight to the finish that ends in pure chaotic madness. The track fades at 42:00, a couple minutes short of the applause, presumably because the tape ran out. Still, this one's a stunner. Those who enjoyed 'De Futura' on 'Üdü Wüdü', but wished for more - well, here's the more: Disc two opens with 'De Futura Hiroshima', a full twenty-five minutes of it, this time with Paganotti instead of Janik Top. Needless to say this one is a smoker as well, as one might well imagine - more of the Paganotti-Vander-Federow rave-ups, and plenty of support from the others. Disc two closes with 'Ëmëhntëht-Ptäh', which after the short intro, turns into a lengthy 20-minute plus drum solo by Zebëhn himself, and I believe the first time the whole thing has been captured on record or CD. If you enjoy a great drum solo you're bound to enjoy this; if not, consider it a bonus track, as the other two alone are certainly worth the cost of this set. A must have for all Magma fans.