Crépuscule - L'Hymne À La Vie

Year of Release: 2006
Label: self-released
Catalog Number: CRE0503
Format: CD
Total Time: 67:35:00

First of all don't let the packaging of this disc fool you. Housed in a DVD box this album is merely an audio CD yet placed in a DVD box in order to respect the size of the accompanying booklet. Apparently this album contains the second part from the "Créature Irréelle" story. Based on a heavy concept, needless to say this album is mainly based around the lyrical contents, although I have to be honest here and say that the vocals are the weakest point of the album. Of course you expect kind of a storytelling way of singing, a musical form of theatre, yet sadly it lacks all forms of expression. Musically however, things sound ever so well with ingenious compositions and wonderful interplay. The album contains five pieces of which the first three parts make up the word IR-RE-EL. The first part IR is made up out of five individual parts; the second part RE out of an equal amount of five parts and the final part EL is made up out of six parts.

After some brilliant guitar intervals during "Aprés Un Pas," all focus is placed on the saxophone during the instrumental "La Marée Du Coeur." To build up certain tensions or to create an ideal atmosphere, the vocal tracks alternate with lush instrumental parts that make listening to the entire album easier. Throughout the album, however, the music plays second fiddle to the vocal parts, which is a bit of a shame as one can clearly hear the potential of the musicians. They kinda stretch their passages too long as happens with "Prologue EL" for instance, where the music touches the surface of cosmic music. For the umpteenth time "Prisonnier" proves that singer Franco Rouvinet sings out of tune, enough to jeopardise the result of this otherwise fine album.

Concepts are always a tricky adventure as you tend to make the lyrics more important than the music and thus follow the meaning of the lyrics rather than write lyrics which fit into the musical mould. That's why I hardly hear great melodies or interesting hooks. Also what individual solos are concerned it all remains rather tame except for one or two passages. The church organ towards the end of "La Morte De L'irréel' does add an extra interesting theme to the whole before evolving into the Genesis-like title track.

The total concept is very well thought out and the final result is delivered in a very professional way, but I'm not convinced about the whole. I still can't put a label on what I've heard, which in progressive circles is excellent, though certain elements should filter through but are not recognizable enough. Adding French vocals to the whole already restricts the accessibility, so in order to keep the balance, some extra efforts from the instrumental section is required. Sadly it all drifts slowly further down the river without one single rapid and it's exactly those rapids which would keep my interest awake throughout the entire journey.

Tracklisting:
IR (16:36): Prologue IR / Aprés Un Pas / L'Arbre De L'arrêt / La Marée Due Coeur / Le Voyage // RE (18:38): Prologue RE / La Créture / Moeurs / L'Armada / Épilogue RE // EL (20:17): Prologue EL / La Tribunal / Aprés Un Dernier Pas / Jugement / Prisonnier / Je Revole // La Mort (3:05): La Mort De L'Irréel // Real'eau (6:16): L'hymne À La Vie / Lúmne À La Vie

Musicians:
Franco Rouvinet - vocals
Günter Kern - keyboards, accordion
Andreas Groß-Lany - drums
Thomas Geiger - bass, guitar
G^eacute;rald Rouvinez - guitar

Guests:
Alfred Kistner - guitar
Josef Held - tenor & soprano saxophone
Kai Dáring - guitar
Alexandra Hertler - voice

Discography:
Les Lunes Se L'vent (EP) (1996)
Signe De Vie ()
L'Hymne À La Vie (2006)
Vir (2014)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin DE

Added: August 14th 2006
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.crepuscule.de
Hits: 2870
Language: english