In Mutatio Tempora

MATZUMI: In Mutatio Tempora (2011)

"Tempora is a full hour of pleasure that I never expected"

1 A long journey-Intro 6:02
2 Step by Step 5:16
3 Heights and Depths 7:28
4 Die Kinder der Erde 5:03
5 Who we Are 6:04
6 Chapters of Life 6:54
7 In Mutatio Tempora 4:59 
8 Consolation and Oblivion 8:14 
9 Never Alone 8:27 
10 The Migration–Outro 5:14

A growl of gong opens "A Long journey-Intro" which slides immediately into the waltzing and clanic vapors of the thousand and one nights with Mellotron wings which wrap an immensely cinematographic intro. Second blow of gong; and drum rolls beat a pace of Egyptian slaves beneath even denser violined envelopes while the first sequences stammering click under a canvas of fat choirs which hum on an emblematic approach of a Persian hymn. After the 3rd blow of gongs, the rhythm of "A Long journey-Intro" hiccups of a spasmodic phase more electronic and the incisive guitar of F.D. Project spreads out 

its grating and twisted solos on a structure eroded by sequences and percussions which pound and stamp on a title more of a rock symphonic than electronic but as much intense as theatrical. Welcome into the astral journey of Matzumi. There where the Milky Way crosses lands soaked with poetries of the sand peoples and where the life stops and takes back its rights in the astral breezes of the Babylonians gods. In Mutatio Tempora, for the course of time, is an impressive work which goes out from nowhere. It‘s a very beautiful album where the soft poetry of Kathrin Manz sits astride on beautiful sequenced phases, cosmic and filmic ambiances on big symphonic progressive rock structures. It’s a full hour of pleasure which amazes each time that one puts this little flat disc in our driver!
Intense veils of violins encircle the intro of "Step by Step" of which gongs and ethereal mists adopt a little the cinematographic pattern of the opening track. The chirpings of synth, which stick to crackling and jerky sequences, draw a twirling structure which is similar to the one of Alan Parsons in I Robot from the album of the same name. A structure which oscillates curtly on the flying-wings of violins which lose altitude in the dreamlike vocalises, engendering a fascinating duality between this crushed rhythm and the poetic harmonies which exchange a structure where the progressive and symphonic rock is easily next to an EM heavily sequenced. Some delicate arpeggios glitter and chant with fine voices of Eden at the opening of "Heights and Depths". The oniric synth layers, which decorate this ethereal introduction, switch shapes finely beneath the jingles of cymbals for resonant waves while other synth layers burden the ambiance which undergoes the pulsations of a bass-drum. And quietly "Heights and Depths" takes off towards a more deafening rhythm where the percussions resound and pulsate around a slightly stroboscopic line which winds a bed of synth layers filled by Babylonian fragrances. Sequences fuse from everywhere. Oscillating and hopping of an unordered approach, they mould a heavy and resonant rhythm which moderates its ardor under the warm vocalizes of Matzumi, entailing the last phase of "Heights and Depths" in the dreamlike sweetnesses of a Pharaonic world. The saying about the strength of number applies to the stormy sequences which pound with a heavy and infernal rhythm on "Die Kinder der Erde". A reprise of a title that we find on the Nattefrost album, DyingSun/ScarletMoon, on which Matzumi played; it’s a title of an infernal heaviness that we don't get tired of listening to and which shows that EM can be downright furious. "Who we are" is a very moving title which begins by violins of which the strings draw tears which go astray into mist of violins. Piano notes and breaths of horns tear away sighs from souls snuggled up in the abandonment, while other violin strings feast in a contradictory joyful mood. It’s a very intense title endowed with a heavy dramatic style which embraces a more angelic portion with a delicate piano which makes dance its dreamy notes on a structure vacillating at the doors of termination.
"Chapters of Life" is a very good title of which the heavy and pulsatory rhythm gets excited on an evolutionary structure. Silky, the intro abounds of iridescent breezes and singings arpeggios which come out of the entrails of an indomitable beast. Superb spherical waves rise to undulate on a line finely bouncy while pulsations hammer a heavy rhythm. A rhythm where the stormy pounding progresses with a fine acceleration in its flow, while the synths divide its harmonies with waving lines and others with fragrances always filled with these old Arabic tales. This influence of dances and Arabian rhythms is in the core of the harmonies of In Mutatio Tempora. So, and after an ethereal intro layered by captivating synth wings, the title track offers a heavy structure where the rhythm gallops on a good mixture of sequences, percussions and pulsating bass notes. The rhythm throbs on the plains of the Persian deserts, encircled by a synth which swaps its cosmic tones for violin strings which fly with the voice of Matzumi. Violins with stratas at both bouncy and melodious which caress the curve of an increasing rhythm, fed that it is by riffs and slide-riffs which glide under more and more repeated knocks of bows, shaping a mesmerizing symphonic approach. The electronic and symphonic union which soaks into the scents of the sands’ peoples goes on with "Consolation and Oblivion", a long title where the lamentations of Kathrin Manz are moulding to the morphic synths’ layers. Latecomer, the tempo exhilarates a little after the 3rd minute with a mixture of percussions and sequences which pound beneath the jerky bows. The rhythmic pattern is latent and succinct, serving as pretext to divide the Arabian astral ambiances which throne above this title to the essences of poetic priestess stemming from Matzumi's vocalises and from her synths of Persians tones. "Never Alone" embraces a long angelic intro where the breaths of Orion caress the dusts of gleaming stars before that a curt and jumpy rhythm wakes up from the heavy reverberations. Like a gallop on astral plains the rhythm tergiversates regarding its pace before exploding under the strikings of the percussions which frame the synthesized harmonies and the vocalises chanted by Matzumi. "The Migration Outro" loops the loop of this fascinating musical journey in the heart of the ancient Arabian lands with a title as cinematographic and emblematic as its introductory title, the crescendo approach in less. A little as a long journey of life which arrives at its ultimate point; concluding a very beautiful album which ranked second best national album at the last Schallwelle Awards. Sylvain Lupari (2012)