Ange

With two studio recordings under their belt (the 1972 Caricatures and the 1973 Le Cimetière des Arlequins), Ange struck artistic gold with Au-Delà du Délire. All the elements came together this time, producing France's best symphonic progressive rock album of the 1970s. Christian Decamps' medieval imagery (echoed in the music by occasional minstrel-type folk song structures) is assisted this time around by Biblical themes, something noticeable in the song titles. His voice is not the only center of attention anymore, as instrumental passages take more room and arrangements become more intricate. "Exode" actually takes off when the verse is over and the guitar and Mellotron start working on an instrumental crescendo.

ANGE is, no doubt about it, the most popular of the French Progressive rock bands. Its music is based on Christian DECAMPS' unmistakable and melodramatic voice, his brother Francis' powerful organ sounds as well as on the development of energetic and intense medieval lines. The line-up invented its own style, both epic and delirious, and that blends madness, emotions and exacerbated feelings. Guet-apens is the sixth studio album by the French progressive rock band Ange and the first without Jean Michel Brezovar and Daniel Haas. It was released in 1978.

Par Les Fils De Mandrin constitutes perfect balance between the over-emphasized theatrics of Christian Decamp on Au-Delà Du Délire and the more rock/less lyrical approach of Émile Jacotay. The album is presented as a "musical tale for big children" and, therefore, leaves more room for narratives ("Atlantis"), folk settings ("Ainsi S'en Ira La Pluie"), and medieval atmospheres ("Saltimbanques"). The compositional approach is simpler, keeping the very progressive material for the epic "Hymne à la Vie" ("Hymn to Life"), a piece that allies Yes-like serenity to the typical bombastic sound.

With Le Cimetière des Arlequins, Ange got noticed in France (their home country), in the European progressive rock circles, and in Quebec. Not that this LP is particularly stronger than their debut Caricatures, but it's lead track, a completely rewritten and very theatrical rendition of Jacques Brel's "Ces Gens-Là," brought them immediate attention. Christian Decamps' exaggerated pronunciation and theatrical characterizations, backed by Francis Decamps' extended use of the Mellotron and a strong rhythm section, lifted the band to prog rock stardom, even though artistically speaking, Ange would record better albums in the few years to come.

ANGE is, no doubt about it, the most popular of the French Progressive rock bands. Its music is based on Christian DECAMPS' unmistakable and melodramatic voice, his brother Francis' powerful organ sounds as well as on the development of energetic and intense medieval lines. The line-up invented its own style, both epic and delirious, and that blends madness, emotions and exacerbated feelings. The excellent live album "Tome VI" (1977) gives the possibility to re-discover the best tracks of this era with the fantastic energy and exuberance showed on stage.

Was it because drummer Gérald Jelsch was replaced by the more muscular and adept Guénolé Biger? Or because artistic director Jean-Claude Poignant held the band firmly in his hand? Émile Jacotay takes an important departure from Le Cimetière des Arlequins and Au-Delà du Délire. Christian Decamps' theatrics are dimmed and the Mellotron is out – two things that suddenly allow for better arrangements and better balance (previously the sound was drenched by the Mellotron). The band's writing keeps on growing, but on this album complexity takes precedence over melody.

Formed in late 1969 by brothers Christian Descamps (vocals) and Francis Descamps (keyboards) and later joined by guitarist Jean-Michel Brézovar, bassist Daniel Haas and Gérard Jelsh on drums, this French symphonic progressive rock band, similar to contemporaries such as Genesis and King Crimson, is undoubtedly France's most important prog band…

Ange is, no doubt about it, the most popular of the French Progressive rock bands. Its music is based on Christian Décamps' unmistakable and melodramatic voice, his brother Francis Décamps' powerful organ sounds as well as on the development of energetic and intense medieval lines. The line-up invented its own style, both epic and delirious, and that blends madness, emotions and exacerbated feelings. This poetic and typically French rock was noticeable from the band's beginnings in 1969, and then got more formal on "Caricatures", their first album issued three years later.
The final classic album, "Guet-Apens" (1978), is also, not without coincidence, one of their best, representing the last flowering of Golden Age Progressive ideology before the Punk Rock revolution pushed it rudely off the musical map.