Univers Zero (also known as Univers Zéro and Univers-Zero) are an instrumental Belgian band formed in 1974 by drummer Daniel Denis. The band is known for its dark style of

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

, heavily influenced by 20th-century

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

History

In 1973, Claude Deron and Daniel Denis, both former members of Belgian

Zeuhl Zeuhl (pronounced zœl meaning "Celestial") is a music genre that is a hybrid of jazz fusion, symphonic rock and neoclassical music, established in 1969 by the French band Magma. The term comes from Kobaïan, the fictional language created by ...

band Arkham (which had disbanded the previous year), set up a new group, Necronomicon. By that time, apart from Deron (trumpet) and Denis (drums), the group consisted of Roger Trigaux (guitar), Guy Segers (bass guitar), Patrick Hanappier (violin) and John Van Rymenant (sax), and, later, Vincent Motoulle (keyboards). At the time, Guy Denis (percussion) took part in some shows and rehearsals and Jean-Luc Manderlier (keyboards) was present only during rehearsals. Necronomicon was renamed Univers Zero in 1974. For a time, Univers Zero were part of a musical movement called

Rock in Opposition Rock in Opposition or RIO was a movement representing a collective of progressive rock bands in the late 1970s united in their opposition to the music industry that refused to recognise their music. It was initiated by English avant-rock gro ...

(RIO), which strove to create dense, challenging music, a direct contrast to the

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

and

punk music Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

being produced in the late 1970s. Obvious early influences were

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...

and

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...

, but the band also cited lesser-known composers such as

Albert Huybrechts Albert Huybrechts (12 February 1899 in Dinant – 21 February 1938 in Brussels) was a Belgian composer. Life Albert Huybrechts was born into a musical family. His father, Joseph-Jacques Huybrechts, was the double-bassist with the Royal Theatre ...

, who was also Belgian. Whereas their early albums were almost entirely acoustic, featuring

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double-reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common type of oboe, the soprano oboe pitched in C, ...

spinet A spinet is a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ. Harpsichords When the term ''spinet'' is used to designate a harpsichord, typically what is meant is the ''bentside spinet'', described in this ...

harmonium The pump organ or reed organ is a type of organ that uses free reeds to generate sound, with air passing over vibrating thin metal strips mounted in a frame. Types include the pressure-based harmonium, the suction reed organ (which employs a va ...

s and

Mellotron The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which causes a length of magnetic tape to contact a Capstan (tape recorder), capstan, which pulls i ...

s, their 1980s albums tended to rely more on

synthesizer A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...

and

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external electric Guitar amplifier, sound amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar. It uses one or more pickup (music technology), pickups ...

, sounding much more electric. In 1977, they released their first

eponymous An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...

album, ''Univers Zero'', later remixed and renamed ''1313''. The album shows a heavy

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

approach despite the fact that the instrumentation was largely acoustic. This is mostly due to the use of drums and bass guitar. Two years later the album ''Heresie'' proved to be even darker. Subsequent albums lightened the sound only slightly but became ever more electric. Despite these changes, their overall sound remained fairly consistent. The group disbanded in 1987 but re-formed in 1999. In the interim, drummer Daniel Denis released two solo albums and joined Art Zoyd, a similar band from

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. Since 1999, Univers Zéro have released five studio albums. In 2003, Univers Zéro had retired from live performance with Daniel Denis saying that only something like a festival would make it financially worthwhile. Coincidentally soon after, they were invited to headline the first day of NEARfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in June 2004. In 2011, they joined forces with Belgian groups

Present The present is the period of time that is occurring now. The present is contrasted with the past, the period of time that has already occurred; and the future, the period of time that has yet to occur. It is sometimes represented as a hyperplan ...

and Aranis to form a 17-member ensemble called Once Upon a Time in Belgium. They premiered at the fourth edition of the Rock in Opposition festival held in

Carmaux Carmaux (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Tarn (department), Tarn Departments of France, department in southern France. Industries The Compagnie minière de Carmaux has its origins in a coal mining concession granted in 1852 to Gabrie ...

, France in September 2011, where they performed "New York Transformations", a work composed by Kurt Budé. Once Upon a Time in Belgium and Univers Zéro appear in the documentary film '' Romantic Warriors II: A Progressive Music Saga About Rock in Opposition''.

Discography

* 1977 : '' 1313'' (originally titled ''Univers Zero'') * 1979 : '' Heresie'' * 1981 : '' Ceux du dehors'' * 1981 : ''Triomphe des mouches'' (one-sided 7" single) * 1983 : '' Crawling Wind'' * 1984 : '' Uzed'' * 1986 : '' Heatwave'' * 1999 : ''The Hard Quest'' * 2002 : ''Rhythmix'' * 2004 : ''Implosion'' * 2006 : ''Live'' (live album) * 2008 : ''Relaps (Archives 1984/85/86)'' (live album) * 2010 : '' Clivages'' * 2014 : ''Phosphorescent Dreams'' * 2023 : ''Lueur''

References

External links

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{{Authority control Belgian progressive rock groups Zeuhl groups Avant-prog groups Rock in Opposition Belgian free improvisation ensembles Belgian symphonic rock groups Belgian experimental rock groups Belgian instrumental rock musical groups Belgian experimental musical groups Belgian instrumental musical groups Musical groups established in 1974 Musical groups disestablished in 1987 Musical groups reestablished in 1999 1974 establishments in Belgium Cuneiform Records artists