Review Summary: A dark album from France. A quite dissonant and experimental work.
“Arachnoid” is the eponymous debut and only album of Arachnoid that was released in 1979. The line up on the album is Marc Meryl, Nicolas Popowski, Pierre Kuti, François Faugiers, Patrick Woindrich and Bernard Mini. The album had also the participation of Christine Mariey, Yves Javault, Martine Rateau and Philippe Honore.
As we know, progressive rock music was born in the end of the 60’s. During the 70’s it was essentially a phenomenon that occurred in the UK. Despite of that, it also appeared in many other countries all over the world. But, it had an important expression in some European countries, especially in Italy, Sweden, The Netherlands and France. Some of the best and most representative French bands of those days were, for instance, Magma, Atoll, Ange, Mona Lisa, Pulsar, Weidorge, Pentacle, Clearlight, Heldon and Asia Minor, some with only one work. It’s the case of Arachnoid too.
So, Arachnoid was a French major progressive rock band that was formed in Gournay sur Marne, France in 1970. It was a short lived band that represents an excellent example of the French dark progressive rock. The band’s name refers to a membrane that surrounds the brain, thus representing the cerebral and psychedelic aspect of their music and also designates the spider family. Their music has traces of other French symphonic progressive rock bands, mainly Pulsar and Ange, and the influence of the British prog rock, mainly King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generation and with less from Genesis and Yes. Simultaneously, the avant-garde slant of bands like Magma and Univers Zero can also be felt.
The case of Arachnoid’s album is very unique in the panorams of the French progressive rock and in the progressive rock in general. It became known as one of the best French progressive works, one of the best examples of the French dark progressive rock with the works made by Pulsar. It’s considered one of the darkest albums in the history of the symphonic progressive rock. The album may not be perfect, both sonically and composition-wise, but its atmosphere and peculiarity place it with among many other releases that belong of what we can call the second division of the history of the progressive rock. Due to a lack of management, the band grew weary and ended up split up in June 1978.
The music of Archnoid is a dark and mysterious progressive rock. Their compositions and the overall style were very original with a slight nod to King Crimson in some of the instrumental sections, and Genesis in others, but overall their sound is unique. This work shines both vocally and instrumentally. Here we have a highly complex and rather heavy classic symphonic progressive rock. The band created a distinctly original and unique sound, making of it one of the best classic progressive rock albums of the second half of the 70’s, one of the most complicated and intriguing works.
About the tracks, “Le Chamadère” can be considered a typical French track with its variety of keyboard performances. It exudes an image that looks like a combination of Ange and King Crimson. The use of a Melotron in the second half adds seriousness to the track. “Piano Caveau”, as its name indicates, is leaded with the main melody of an electric piano. I think it’s a reminiscent of the Italian progressive band Opus Avantra. It also features some free jazz elements. “In The Screen Of Your Eyes”, a track added in the reissues, is a bit difficult to develop due to the use of many percussion beats, but the flute sound on it sounds very beautiful and friendly. “Toutes Ces Images” starts quietly and its atmosphere is like we are listening to, a soft song followed by the flurry of the keyboard playing and some really sophisticated guitar skills. It’s a dark, heavy and mysterious track but it’s also melodious and rhythmic too. “La Guêpe” can be considered a track that requires some endurance from the listener. It’s performed with a chord in the style of improvisation of the free jazz that gradually changes to a cold image in an idyllic atmosphere. It has plenty of changes in time and mood. “L’Adieu Au Pierrot” is very short. It’s a transition piece that reintroduce moments of some beauty. “Final” is a very frantic and breathtaking intensive piece with all elements that defined the album. This is a great closer.
Conclusion: Arachnoid is quite difficult to categorise on their sole eponymous 1979 release, to be honest. It has a bit of Genesis, a lot of King Crimson, definitely some Ange (mainly the vocals), many things of Pulsar and maybe a bit of jazz. With French vocals, but less harsh than Ange and with two keyboard players, all the material here is great. But, above all, I think the final result is somehow a true original work. This album can be seen as one of the French greatest progressive rock albums that served as a great bridge with the sound of the new prog generation while digesting the progressive music of the 70’s very well. This is an album that has many enthusiasts with the addition of a powerful and thrilling keyboard that combines the guitar performance of Robert Fripp with a rhythmic team and a nice vocal style. All in all, this is a thoroughly decent effort. If you’re a fan of exciting music, it’s an album you should try at least once.
Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)
