Univers Zero
Heresie

And Belgium also offers us a gem of "cultured" music. Menacing, occult, and grand-guignolesque, in 1977 Roger Trigaux and Daniel Denis delve into the most horrific depths of the progressive scene. Everything that Zappa had crafted with "Uncle Meat" and Magma and Henry Cow with their masterpieces, the Belgian combo elaborates and imbues with chiaroscuro. Indeed, the sounds are completely menacing, erratic, and the bassoon of Berckamns and the violin of Hanappier are the basic elements. Trigaux on keyboards and Denis on drums manage to climb into sounds that even the most deranged Fripp could not conceive. From them branch out haunting patterns, oppressive sensations, and the idea of making the ear traverse treacherous Dantean circles.

"Ronde" is the flagship of the debut and fully encapsulates the idea of Univers Zero. Improvisation is set aside, but they manage to dramatize melodies for minutes, without falling into stasis or cacophony, establishing a continuous persecution instead. Twilight landscapes unfold around us and we march, beaten down by the oppressive sounds.

In 1979, "Heresie" further intertwines the sound in the purest morbidity. The grim beginning of "La Faulx" imprisons us mercilessly for twenty-five minutes. The dark dialogues of the instruments are utterly superb and fit sublimely into a sound box. To make the situation more imaginative, background screams and the most disparate noises play their part.

Time stops in this dark forest that suddenly descends upon us. "Jack The Ripper" is the other pinnacle of the album. Blasphemous banquets dance in the air, and a greater movement of rhythm inaugurates their great jazz rock abilities. After this, we have the departure of Trigaux, and undoubtedly, the first two works remain even today for a selected few and in a mysterious aura.