Zaar CD

ZAAR: Yan Hazera (guitar); Cosia (hurdy-gurdy); Pairbon (bass instrument, double bass); Michael Hazera (drums, percussion).
On its debut album, the French progressive rock band performs a series of intricately arranged, impeccably performed avant-garde instrumental compositions that interweave moods and time signatures with carefree abandon.
This French prog rock quartet, rising out of the ashes of Sotos, is built around brothers Yan Hazera and Michael Hazera on lead guitar and drums, respectively. The single-named Pairbon replaces Sotos' bassist, Bruno Camide; the cello and violin from the earlier group are replaced by a hurdy-gurdy played by Cosia (another single-named musician). Historically, the legacy of Magma has lain heavily on most French instrumental prog rock groups, but the Hazera brothers lighten up Magma's relentless, apocalyptic zeuhl sound with lots more space and some short acoustic pieces that demonstrate a refreshing willingness to move outside conventional prog rock boundaries. There are parallels here to Univers Zero's best work, especially on "Scherzo ...