Static and the sound of a doorbell ringing mark the bizarre opening of Paracelse, an off-kilter, jarring and melody-free experimental rock album by five French veteran musicians known as Nnecra Packe. Some of the eight instrumental pieces on this record - ranging in length from 1:15 to 22:49 - recall King Crimson, while others sound even more avant-garde. Nnecra Packe use distorted and saturated guitars, sound effects, electronic programming, and whispered and spoken words to create anguished atmospheres.
Only two of the song titles are in English -- the curiously named "You Cannot Kill Your Mothergate" and "Lost in Space (Because My Ship Has Gone Away)" - but that hardly matters on an album like this. Very little of what transpires over the course of 68 minutes can be properly described in any language. Is it progressive? Maybe, depending on your definition of the genre. Proceed at your own risk…
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
