Opera Multi Steel
Opera Multi Steel Éternelle Tourmente
No one is a prophet in his country, and the members of Opera Multi Steel won't deny this proverb. Following the album " Stella Obscura " released in 1992, the group decided to put a term to its career, suppressed by problems of personal order and also by the lack of interest of France and its record labels. This is hallucinating to notice that OMS owes its resurrection to the enthusiasm of the Brazilian audience and labels !!
Shame to the French speaking countries that have let escape such a jewel! Opera Multi Steel built its cathedral of sounds through a perfect and unique discography, as they've already been existing since 1984, with the same artistic and pure philosophy that guided their inspiration.. Their music is very difficult to classify, since they are the only masters of their so particular style , what is very respectable. Although the roots of the group are strongly anchored in the post - punk, cold-wave era, the compositions are strongly impregnated of their passion for the Middle Ages. And I don't think at all that I'm exagerating while affirming that their new album " Eternelle Tourmente " represents their most accomplished and succeeded work to date. The sometimes minimalist arrangements of the past let the place to a strong and precise orchestration, whose clarity is equal to its beauty.
Maximin and Mélanie, two children having virginal apparitions, act as thread drivers along the 11 present tracks, introducing a refreshing and naive and instinctive note as well as a well hidden irony. The few people being still refractory to the splendors of OMS should find here their happiness, and those already acquired to the medieval songs of the band are going to reach the heaven. And I weigh my wordsb !! This album is a pure splendor, in the same vein as all these records we'll still love for an incalculable number of years, such as Closer of Joy Division, Aion of Dead Can Dance, Tendercide of Shock Headed Peters or 100 Lives of Resistance. " Laudatum Te " and its lyrics in Latin, full of religiosity, " Pauvre Sens et Pauvre Mémoire ", certainly one of the best track of this album, with lyricst taken from the medieval poet Rutebeuf. The voice of Carine Grieg (Collection dArnell-Andrea) beautifies the music and the arrangements with parsimony and gentleness. Patrick's lyrics, hopelessly beautiful, oscillate between lived melancholy and disillusioned sourness. The songs tug themselves between electro - pop, folk, darkwave, the leaded bass contrasting marvellously with the volatile grace of a rich instrumentation, with this indelible medieval spirit in the background . And still these subtle and recognizable tics - strong echoes in the voice, luminous keyboards, inimitable phrasing... this is really brilliant !!! And last but not least, a superb canvas of the Finnish painter Hugo Simberg (1873-1917) as the sleeve picture, which makes us believe that it has especially been made for them...
This record comes of course highly recommended, and indispensable!!!!!!!!!!
Stéphane Fivaz
June 2000
Contacts and orders :
Opera Multi Steel
La Gare 2, route des Sauges
18390 Savigny en Septaine
France
Tél. / fax : (++33) (0)2.48.25.90.71
e-mail : OPERA.MULTI.STEEL@wanadoo.fr
Web : http://perso.wanadoo.fr/opera.multi.steel/
Label and Distribution: Triton, Kronprinzstrasse
106, D-40217 Düsseldorf
e-mail: TRITON.REC@t-online.de
Discography :
« OPERA MULTI STEEL » Eponymous 45 EP (1984)
ORC 841
Including : Rien, Fêtes Komité, Jardin Botanique,
Massabielle.
ORCADIA MACHINA
The tracks of these two records are now available as one
cd:
« CATHEDRALE »(1997) ORCDC 9719
ORCADIA MACHINA / CRI DU CHAT Disques
« Eleanor Rigby » tribute to the Beatles, Released On « Black Sundays Vol. II » (Gothic Compilation, Brazil - 1995)
These two CD's are Available in Brazil at Lullaby