1994 release ** "Zao should need no introduction for progressive fusion fans, as they were one of France's best groups of the 70s, releasing five albums, four of them essential listens. While Zao has reformed occasionally since 1977 for the occasional live show, they haven't released an album with Yochk'o Seffer (sax, ex-Magma, Perception, Speed Limit, Neffesh Music) and Francois "Faton" Cahen (keys, ex- Magma) together since the classic Kawana. Due to good sales of their reissued CDs (Kawana, Shekina, Z=7L — and Osiris is due for reissue soon), Seffer and Cahen have reformed the group back with drummer Jean-My Truong and two new (but not unknown) members: Patrick Tilleman (violin, ex-Terpandre) and Dominique Bertram (bass, ex-Magma, Neffesh Music). Cahen has traded in the 70s sound for the Wersi sampled piano immediately giving the album a more modern texture. Seffer's sax talents have improved over the last 18 years, going from an excellent player to virtual mastery over the instrument. Some of the sax solos here are simply dazzling. The overall effect is best described as the old Zao with a modern jazz feel to it. The themes and melodies are very similar to what Seffer and Cahen have done for the last twenty years, yet the production and style are more updated and less 70s progressive sounding. Dominique Bertam is the real stand out here, his bass playing is impeccable and some of his bass riffs are straight-out gems. The album starts out a bit slow, but once track 3 and 4 kick in, you're in for a treat, especially when the instrumentalists trade off — first Tilleman's distorted guitar-like violin playing followed by Cahen's sampled piano runs and more breathtaking sax soloing by Seffer. It doesn’t let up to the last track, which is a melancholy ending to the album's tremendous fire. Its amazing what the pioneering 70s groups can do when they stick to what they do best. This Zao reunion took me by surprise — I hope this isn't the last we hear from this quintet as Akhenaton is the surprise of the year. Highly recommended to progressive fusion fans."