In the early nineties, I got in touch with Guillaume De La Piliere’s exciting guitar work for the first time while listening to Don Giovanni, the second studio album (1992) by his band Versailles. French prog rockers Versailles made four albums. Their latest effort Blaise Et Benjamin is from 1998. Guillaume joined in 1999 Mona Lisa, another French prog rock band and in 2007, he released his third solo album Requiem Apocalyptique after Contes Des Sous-Bois (1997) and Psychédéléidoscope (1999). The music on Requiem Apocalyptique is a blend of rock, psychedelia, symphonic rock and some avant-garde and experimental elements. It often sounds dynamic, adventurous but sometimes also a bit quirky. The album contains only one long epic composition of 45 minutes that delivers many breaks and shifting moods. We hear swinging rhythms that feature fiery electric guitar, fat synthesizer flights and theatrical vocals, but also dreamy parts with acoustic guitar and soaring keyboards, a beautiful interlude with mellotron and strings, a spacey atmosphere with compelling guitar work and a grand finale with majestic mellotron choirs. I’m glad that it is still possible to release this kind of daring progressive music. Therefore, a big hand for Guillaume’s captivating music and for the unique form of the CD shaped as a gothic window! ***+ Erik Neuteboom (edited by Peter Willemsen) Where to buy? |
