Funérailles des Petits Enfants

We discovered O Quam Tristis last spring, with their démo which is now a full-length album. Besides the songs already heard before, there are many other tracks that are as good that what we expected from the band. If you can't remember our first review, O Quam Tristis is a Parisian quintet fascinated by medieval culture and taking their name out of the beginning of a verse of the Stabat Mater. The lyrics in Latin, chosen in the Gregorian Manual, relate to a chapter dedicated to the funeral of very young children, and that's also from there that comes the title of the album.
 
If Opera Multi Steel had to work hard to make themselves a name and a recognition, greatly deserved, they can be now reassured because the progeny presents itself under his most beautiful assets. Indeed the comparison to the mythical French group is not fortuitous, so much the sounds of O Quam Tristis are close to the synthetic and medieval textures, to the particular sounds and ambiances  of their eldests. " In Deo Salutari - Gloria Patri " announces itself like a sumptuous crossing of the Middle Ages, rich in colors and emotions. The voices of Katrina and Anna complete themselves marvelously. "Hic Accipiet" has got a combative temperament, with martial percussions forward, clearing with sharpness a delightfully devastating restraint. Music wants to be iridescent, rich and subtle, and the use of Latin as unique language ornaments these sensations back to their roots. The use of flutes, dulcimers contrasts marvelously with the harder sounds of electronics and drum machines, creating a timeless and jolly music thus. The acoustic guitar proves to be infinitely cordial on the superb " Ultima Confessio " and " E Lucis Ante ", bringing a new dimension to the dominant electro - medieval ambiances. The album itself ends authoritatively with " Dirigatur Domine ", brings us backon earth,with Latin declamations mixed with divine incantations, followed by  an hidden giving way to electro tendencies..
 
A superb album, which comes naturally highly recommended ! A star is born….
 

Stéphane Fivaz
August 2000

Contacts and informations :
O Quam Tristis
43 Rue du Préfet Dalphonse
36000 Châteauroux
France
e-mail : o.quam.tristis@wanadoo.fr

Label :
Palace of Worms Records
c/o Guido Borguetti
Via Bronzetti 19
23900 Lecco
Italie
e-mail : palaceofworms@usa.net
web : http://members.tripod.com/~palaceofworms/index.htm