SEAMUS is a French band including five musicians coming from both sides of the Channel, helped by many guests on flute, voices, violin, etc. The Progressive rock is to be heard in the true meaning of the term: a musical fusion of the existing musical trends to create something new. Recorded in the year 2006 on the Musea label, “Zealotry Sterblichen Schizophrenia” (2006) is a concept-album dealing with deportation and the “final solution”, responsible for murdering millions of innocent people. The music may remind the “dark side” of Progressive rock music, like KING CRIMSON (Mostly), VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR or MAGMA, but also classical composers, contemporary and electronic music or jazz-rock. And the list goes on… This first album is an attempt to suggest the horror with music and sound effects, including human voice often used like an instrument. It’s original, often melodic, suggestive and intense. A musical and existential experience to live !

SEAMUS est un groupe franco-britannique composé de cinq musiciens, aidés de nombreux invités à la flûte, au violon, au chant, etc. Le rock Progressif développé ici est à prendre dans le vrai sens du terme, à savoir une fusion musicale des courants existants pour créer un style propre. Enregistré en l’an 2006 pour le compte du label Musea, “Zealotry Sterblichen Schizophrenia” se présente sous la forme d’un concept-album traitant de la déportation et de la “solution finale”, responsable du lâche assassinat de millions de personnes innocentes. La musique rappelle ici ou là KING CRIMSON (Surtout), VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR ou MAGMA, bref les groupes de la “face sombre” du rock Progressif, mais aussi les musiques des compositeurs du XXème Siècle, les musiques contemporaines et électroniques, ou encore le jazz-rock. Liste non-exhaustive ! Ce premier opus est une tentative de suggérer l’horreur de la déportation par la musique et les effets sonores, incluant une voix humaine souvent utilisée comme un instrument. C’est original, assez souvent mélodique, suggestif et intense. Une expérience musicale et existentielle à vivre !

Seamus: Zealotry Sterblichen Schizophrenia
(Musea Records FGBG 4519)

From Aural Innovations #36 (May 2007)

Seamus is a progressive French/English band with five members. This album also features many guests on flute, voice, cajon, violin etc. This is a concept album about the Second World War and especially about the deportation and killing of millions of Jews. As you might guess, the album has a very desolate, dark and oppressive feel to it. This is a very intense, varied album that has influences from the 70’s prog bands like King Crimson, Van der Graaf Generator and Magma, but at the same time sounds very modern and sometimes very electronic. Also classical music is used on several occasions to create a suitable mood, like in the beginning of the first track “Görlitz 1941” that gets quite psychotic later on. Some of the stuff sounds very scary, and the album also has its psychedelic moments. There are also several more experimental/avant garde tracks. Several tracks have vocals or narration in various languages like German and Hebrew. The sound effects are often very effective, like at the end of “Zwichen Lachen und Träne”, where you can almost feel the gas getting in your lungs. Spooky! This is a very progressive, dark and professionally made album against anti-Semitism and could actually play its little role to stop something like that to ever happening again. Some of us might have some problems digesting all this though, it’s that heavy mentally. Don’t play this album to your girlfriend at the first date!

Reviewed by Santtu Laakso

Una banda muy extraña de Metal Avantgarde conformada por Franceses e Ingleses quienes dan rienda suelta a su imaginación musical cuajando perversamente un álbum conceptual sobre los horrores de la 2da. Guerra Mundial, pero con una visión bastante particular que nos lleva por métricas inesperadas, voces tratadas con maestría y cantadas en diversos idiomas, goblins certeros pasados por severos tubos electrónicos, todo bajo una atmósfera altamente lúgubre y sombría.

Aunque no son muy reconocidos, estos tipos alcanzaron en esta placa una perfección inusitada en una música que repasa aspectos no sólo del buen Metal Avantgarde sino del RIO, Zeuhl, Jazz, Funk, Rock y tienen que escuchar el asunto que se traían entre ceja y oreja los enormes Seamus…

Seamus - Zealotry Sterbuchen Schizophrenia 2006