As the concept of linear time has little meaning to Les Rallizes Dénudés, so shall it go with us. From 1977 to their speaker-blowing return in 1993 back a few days to a more tentative, but no less powerful reintroduction, Baus ’93 showcases Mizutani and company at that first post-hiatus show, four days before the explosive set covered on CITTA’ ’93. In all it’s a picture of a band finding their footing in real time, ironing out the kinks and wrinkles of five years away from the stage in a way that sounds cohesive and natural. If it’s not the singular experience the previous two releases are, it’s still filled all the feedback and cosmic soloing you’d expect from the band.

Taking place on February 13th at the Baus Theater in Kichijoji, Tokyo it’s a different rhythm section than the one that would annihilate the room four days later. Joining Mizutani and second guitarist are Kiyohiro Takada on bass and Toshiro Mimaki, who was there for the legendary ’77 Live recording on drums. There’s nothing to indicate why they didn’t take part in the Citta show, and their performances here are fine if somewhat restrained. Opener “The Night, Assassin’s Night” moves further away from being a direct left of the Peggy March track, but by losing that familiar baseline it loses a little of its power. Mizutani sounds a bit unsure and less confident, showing a bit of strain mustering up the energy in his solos.

That restraint works better on the pretty “Romance of the Black Pain, otherwise Fallin’ Love With” which feels more intentional in its soft steps. Once again lovingly restored by Makoto Kubota using a combination of on the group cassette recordings and the original 8-track digital multi-track masters, it sounds great, with everything clear and the solos amped up in volume to really stand apart from the backing arrangements.

Anything tentative or soft melts away by the third track, and the band is fully back in a slippery garage rock mode for “Reapers of the Night_1993”. 16 minutes of roiling cool that gradually ramps up in intensity until it ignites in its back half. And then Baus ’93 concludes – not with another rendition of “The Last One” but with the Dylan inspired “Darkness Returns”, a gorgeous iteration with great solos, solid backing, and a controlled fire that may not leave the venue in ruins, but instead bathes it in a rejuvenating light.

Not a bad way to come back after a hiatus.