Heilige!!
I could not bring myself to write proper reviews due to a lack of motivation and time constraints so I took the liberty of providing some indiscriminate reviews for fifteen of my faves in these genres. Feel free to post your thoughts and your own lists should the urge strike you.
Enjoy.
1.)
Corde Oblique - "Volonta d'Arte"
"Volonta d'Arte" was the single best record I heard in 2007, and it ranks with some of the best albums that I have ever heard in any genre, from any year. Prencipe is a rare and extraordinary virtuoso. With ever the most erudite ear, he is capable of orchestrating an atmosphere of impressive musicianship by coalescing it with the beautiful vocal, violin and lute supplements that are littered throughout the record. With Corde Oblique’s sophomore release, Prencipe has recorded what is very nearly a perfect album. Unless there is a third album from this brilliant foray into musical distinction and quality anytime soon, I have a hard time believing that anything will top "Volonta d'Arte".
“ Here we have Corde Oblique's second full length. After Respiri (2006, Ark Records), Riccardo Prencipe's new musical outlet has their new CD released on the prolific French Prikosnovénie label. Before Corde Oblique, Riccardo was part of Lupercalia, which released Soehrimnir (2000, World Serpent) and Florilegium (2004, Equilibrium). The line-up for this release is simply said impressive. Besides Riccardo, twelve other musicians join in on this album, including familiar vocalists such as Simone Salvatori (Spiritual Front) and Sergio Panarella (Ashram). Besides these two vocalists, there's also female vocal input with Caterina Potrandolfo, Floriana Cangiano, Catarina Raposo (Dwelling) and Claudia Florio (ex Lupercalia).
The album starts off equally impressive. Awesome violin play by Alfredo Notarleberti (Ashram, Argine), but even more astounding are the vocals. It starts off pretty relaxed, like a quiet ballad, but it's working towards a climax. This happens after just over a minute, accompanied by Riccardo's magic on guitar. Lovely interaction between the vocals and violin. This song sets a high standard for the rest of the album.
Track five, 'Atheistic Woman', is the first track with English lyrics, and these lyrics are performed by Simone Salvatori. His voice combined with Riccardo's work on guitar and Luigi Rubino (Ashram) on piano creates another wonderful song again, and the addition of the violin finishes it off very well. The theme of atheism interests me a lot. Recently, I've started to watch video's with Richard Dawkins on youtube, and when Simone sings: "atheistic woman, you'll always be much more faithful than a man who believes", I can't help but smile.
The second and last track with Englis lyrics is sung by Sergio Panarella. His vocals are very characteristic and possibly be categorized as 'sad'. However, the music surrounding the voice adds a lot of melancholy to the atmosphere. I have the feeling this song is composed with the intention of having Sergio vocals in it. It fits together so very well, it's hard to imagine it's 'just' a guest performance.
At the tenth track, Riccardo and Claudia Florio join again in a song. Both were part of Lupercalia earlier in live, and it's clear these two musicians can play well together. 'Olthos Cinzentos', the twelfth track, is the only track with Portuguese lyrics, and is of course sung by Dwelling's Catarina Raposo. The lyrics, however, áre written by Riccardo himself.
This is a very versatile album, with many different musicians. Riccardo shows how well he can play his guitars and lute, and the guest musicians perform at their best as well. I have not heard Caterina Potrandolfo's voice before, but I was captivated by it immediately. Very very nice indeed. This album should suit anyone into acoustic guitar to ethereal folk to mediterranean music. Prikosnovénie has proven itself guilty of another good release.”
(heathenharvest.com)
Corde Oblique Info:
Homepage: cordeoblique.com
MySpace: myspace.com/cordeobliqueunofficial
2.)
Rome - "Confessions D'un Voleur D'ames"
Rome has quickly become one of my most listened to and ultimately favorite bands. With a new record already out in 2008, it’s difficult to fathom just how Reuter is able to record original, thought-provoking and positively hypnotic music with such seemingly complacent ease. Truly, Rome is among the upper echelon and elite within their respective genres, even after only a handful of years. Rarely has a band released this much quality material this quickly. Excellent band.
“Now I am a firm believer that first records play with advantage. I am considering here ‘Berlin’ an extension of ‘Nera’, but the explanation of my previous statement is pretty obvious. Say when you write your first record you are 25 years old. It means you’ve had all that time, in one way or another, to be influenced by various things, to explore, discover, listen, silence. It means that you have a clear idea of what you want your project to sound. Basically this way I want to defend two postures. The first one is that the second record is mainly the most difficult. The second is that, frankly, it is difficult for me to believe that ‘Confessions d'un voleur d'ames’ is all new material – and not only for the short amount of time between records.
Most of the sounds in ‘Confessions…’ are very similar to ‘Nera’, and even the construction of the record mirrors the distribution of Jerome Reuter’s first long play. Now, either he is hyperactive, and goes into the league of a famous Dane with Larsen as his last name (and I am not speaking of OTWATM) or he is using material that was already written. Both possibilities have their drawbacks. The first one means that Rome has found its style and chosen to repeat it. The second one means this record is sort of a sweet deception. Nonetheless, this entire dissertation is only a previous to the review. Whatever the explanation is for ‘Confessions …’ being a slightly weaker version of ‘Nera’ I am still going to reason and try to convince all of you Rome non-believers that it's an excellent record.
First, the inevitability of melody. Mr. Reuter has perfected his capacity of dragging his opaque and coarse voice over his compositions, overflowing with ominous words and brooding images. When hope seems to be completely sucked into oblivion, there is the need, the growth, and the creation of melody. A suave chorus, a powerful line, sung, in a hopelessly lyrical way. Definitely less that in 'Nera', where the melodic changes were unexpected over every turn of page, but still extremely effective. For example, 'Querkraft', where the chorus is dragged into the song, as if it really were constrained to be there and share its crystalline nostalgia with the listener.
Or, as an even better example, we can take the dual chorus in 'The torture of detachment', swelling and extending one into the other out of pure necessity and persuasiveness. Next stop is the guitar work. Combining various influences, its presence has hardly lessened in this record, where the chord instruments appear the steal the entire essence of the song. The melody carrying has been transported somewhat to the long aching notes of synthesizers, violin and other instruments, but it is still the guitar work that constructs the core of most of the songs.
One only needs to listen to the naked notes of 'The torture detachment', the folk touch of 'The Consolation of man', the burning notes of 'The joys of stealth', the clear and stumbling notes that hang in 'Wilde Lager'.
Of course, as mentioned in 'Nera', we can't overlook the lyrics. A perfect mixture of bitter sarcasm already over-ripen, longing and melancholy - the overcome combines a crude sensibility with a tearing sense of impossibility and stagnancy. Some of the statements have the form of conversations or brief stories, and they are all intimate and clear.
Rome even manages to pull of an almost impossible rhyme in 'The torture of detachment' with "I'm still wondering whether are actions are ever completely pure. How could I be sure?". 'Novermberblut' deserves a special mention with one of the first straightforward statement of Rome's work. "Now everything just seems about to break. 'Cause people don't need proof when they have faith. [...]", as does the simple beauty of "Things can never emerge from words" that 'L'adieu aux anciens' leaves us.
As a surprise come the sound of 'Le voile de l'oubli', with its strong repetitive base lines, a tease between a coquette vals and bellicose sounds. And the visceral, abrasive sound of the almost empty 'Novemberblut', constructed roughly solely by noises, thumping, taps, samplers and a sometimes-invisible melody. Where Rome is not brave is in the use of samplers. He has mastered its use, and falls back onto them as a counterpoint for the leading voice, as a solo highlight in the song, and as a backing 'leit motiv'.
Samplers have become almost as indispensable as Jerome's own voice in every song. But this is working with over a previously trodden path, and it tarnishes the brilliancy of the work. For the more 'classical' sound lovers there are some alluring touches. 'The consolation of a man' walks farther into the Death in June heritage than ever before, with ghosts of the 'Golden wedding of sorrow' floating and swaying around the turn of many notes. Counting on a powerful chorus, the combination of post-industrial percussion, clear and dark piano melodies and the overpowering voice, this song can appeal to many dark folk lovers that had previously shunned Rome for its fragile pop touch. 'Der Wolfsmantel' walks into a repetitive militaristic percussion line sheltered by apocalyptic and dramatic melodies, giving yet another significance to 'military pop', besides the catchy derniére volontè and the foreboding Puissance.
I can't defend 'Confessions...' as being better than 'Nera', mostly because I think it is less original. However, this is a comparison between two snow-white stags, and in a forest filled with small birds, hedgehogs and blind moles, they are still a striking king. Rome repeated a formula, but the formula that they alone have created, with its admirers and haters. And the basic ingredient of the recipe, the one that threads everything together like a silver binding and gives sense to all the different pieces is the imbedded melancholy in every song.
At any moment - whether it be laying in bed on a rainy day or walking down a full noisy street full of wrath at the every-day wars we choose not to fight-, if one closes their eyes for just a second and turns up the volume of the 'Confessions d'un voleur d'ames’, the world will become a delightfully poetically grayer place, where idleness, frustration and cynicism make a smile creep on your face. "We're clubbing traitors in green summer fields. Reality is changing color."
(heathenharvest.com)
Rome Info:
Homepage: coldmeat.se
MySpace: myspace.com/romecmi
3.)
Von Thronstahl - "Sacrificare"
I have enjoyed each and every single release from this band, but it’s safe to say that I may have enjoyed “Sacificare” more than anything Von Thronstahl has recorded prior to it. If you’re a fan of martial, neofolk, or post-punk music, you should probably give this release a listen as soon as possible. Great stuff.
“SACRIFICARE is the newest Von Thronstahl album. It was first issued by Fasci-Nation the last spring as a deluxe limited edition and now is re-issued by Cold Spring in two edition: a digipack containing the same songs of the previous edition and a limited to 1000 edition with an exclusive 3" CD containing exclusive mixes from the Von Thronstahl tracks which appeared on the "Pessoa - Cioran" CD. Those of you who already own the previous albums by this particular band (Josef K started his musical "career" into post punk bands just to form, like Death In June, a contradictory a project where European identity meet fascist/military iconography fascination) will for sure note that this is the most melodic and homogeneous album to date and this for sure will help gathering new fans.
The new tracks, thanks to the guitar/vocals/percussions well balanced formula, are able to create a new mixture where post punk and new-folk cohabit with ease. Even if the tracks have a song approach, the band didn't totally lose their will to experiment but instead of doing it with sounds (see their use of orchestral samples into the previous releases) they did it with the songwriting. So, we have Joy Division of "Walked in line" covered with different lyrics on "Dressed in black uniforms", Who guitar riffs coming from Tommy's "Pinball wizard" on "Occidental identity" and Aphrodite Child's "The four horsemen" refrain on "The four horsemen of the apokalypse".
The band did a good job by mixing everything with their distinctive sound and you won't notice with ease the different sources (the first time I only noticed the "Walked in line" melody). Catholic identity, modern times' decay and post punk approach find their place into the Von Thronstahl songs and bring to the new-folk genre a bit of freshness.”
(chaindlk.com)
Von Thronstahl Info:
Homepage: vonthronstahl.de
MySpace: myspace.com/vonthronstahlfansite
4.)
Arbeit - "Zum Einem Neuen Licht"
"Zum Einem Neuen Licht" has provided the ideal martial soundtrack for my studies on Fascism countless times. The militaristic and marching howls of wartime have rarely sounded so good. Excellent stuff.
“Ironically, Arbeit's _Zum einem neuen Licht_ is one of the most stirring and creative neo-classical / martial-industrial outputs of recent times, but also the most accessible of the lot being released by Autumn Wind Productions.
_Zum einem neuen Licht_ -- loosely translated from German to something along the lines of "a better future" or "a brighter future" -- eloquently, gently, yet firmly weaves the threads of an epic tale whose prologue is a great, inhuman, inconceivable war (particularly referring to the Second World War); and whose epilogue musically portrays the struggle for hope and (as mentioned above) a better future, the foundations of which lie within a grim past, whose lesson must all humanity learn, a lesson not to be forgotten.
Opening with a wailing siren, the sound of marching boots and martial, war-like menacing drumming, Arbeit (German for "work") masterfully create a musical build-up of horror, suspense and a climax / anti-climax where, ultimately, the winds of war subside and the winds of change take charge.
Using piano, keyboards, kettle-drum samples and spoken passages (mostly in German), Arbeit create a musical playground where monstrous deeds, grim memories, insanity and hope clash. The music oscillates between those extremes, at times suffocating and crushing with light-devouring sounds, bullets whistling and soldiers screaming; to the almost ephemeral sunshine-lit post-war scenario; a spring, a new beginning.
I was a bit surprised by how accessible this music is, a stark contrast to most of the almost indigestible catalog of albums Autumn Winds have been releasing lately. But as beautiful as Arbeit's debut album may be, it is provocative, exciting, emotional and partly very militant and harsh. An excellent debut that plays tricks on human sentiment and awakens in us all the dread of war atrocities and the pursuit of some kind of sanity in a crazy, crazy world. This album will not leave anyone listening to it indifferent. Mark my words.”
(chroniclesofchaos.com)
Arbeit Info:
Homepage: autumnwp.com
MySpace: myspace.com/arbeitisstillalive
5.)
March Of Heroes - "March For Glory"
Like Arbeit, this is a wonderfully epic, dramatic, and militaristic release that infuses an Eastern Front ambiance into its kaleidoscope of neoclassical martial and post-industrial sounds. Definitely an apocalyptic debut! Love this record.
“I always become in a state of ecstasy when I receive CD’s from Rage in Eden, formally known as War Office Propaganda, Poland’s major label for some of the best Industrial, Ambient and Neo-classical acts from all over the world. And although I always liked the name “War Office Propaganda” a tiny bit more than Rage in Eden, the music provided by this label gets better and better. A few months ago, when I was browsing through the endless world of the internet, I stumbled on the myspace page of an artist who was yet unknown to me. I listened some tracks and could only conclude that this was where I was waiting for. Heavy Martial-industrial music, injected with Neo-classical parts, strongly influenced by the eastern front. Now given you this side information, I guess you can imagine how happy I was when I received March for Glory, the first album of March of heroes, to review!
March for Glory starts with an ominous intro. Winds supported by a minimal selection of a string orchestra fade in on the slow rhythm of loud drums which yet sound far, far away. “Prolog” makes you enter the battlefields on the eastern front. The beautiful Russian landscapes transformed in a world which can only be compared to the moon, with its huge craters and endless empty fields. “Prolog” is the silence before the storm, announcing that this is the easy part; the tension can be cut with the first bayonet who dares to enter the void. Then the huge army of soldiers enters the battlefield, heard in the second track “March for Glory”. Supported by the growling rhythm section, the soldiers march into the unknown. Copper, brass and strings together form another ominous piece of excellence, providing the listener with a feeling of absolute power but yet a form of unknown fragility.
The third track “Motherland calls” follows its predecessor with another march, but less strong then the previous tracks. “Motherland calls” is more on the background, as if the battle has begun but didn’t meet its expectations. At this point my senses tell me I’m watching a movie, although the only thing I’m capturing is the soundtrack of it. The visualizations just come, I did not ask for them.
The follow up is “Among ashes and ruins”, which is also slightly easier to listen to, and describes the battlefield which is ones again; empty. “Among ashes and ruins” perfectly fits with the inside artwork, of the mothers searching for their dead sons and beloved amongst the muddy trenches and wastelands. But this isn’t the end yet; the true battle has yet to come. And it comes in “The last strike of heroes”. Louder, pounding bangs of sound create a fierce military march. For the first two minutes of the song only this and the sounds of rifles being shot can be heard. The occasional explosion and machinegun salvo supports that, creating a 3 dimensional battlefield right in your head. When the brass kicks in, it becomes yet a bit darker and the fighting starts to get fiercer. On the end, the only sound left to hear are the battle sounds, the shots and the hits that killed so many young men (and women) on the Russian battlefields. “Wind of destruction” is the emotional ending for that particular battle, won by whoever might know. Strings create the dramatic soundtrack for the immense suffering, only found in war. “Wind of destruction” gave me mixed feelings. Feelings of sadness on the beginning, but the ending of the song also gave me the thought that maybe the fight would continue...
“The enemy must fall” is the moral boost for the Soviet soldiers. I have never heard a Neo-classical piece which got so close to one of my favorite composers; Dmitri Shostakovich. It sounded so mind blowing that at one point I started to think that Romain L., the founder and person behind March of Heroes, didn’t compose it himself. If he did, we can be certain of a very good musical future provided by Romain. The next composition, “Victory is our fate” continues on the same emotional track as “The enemy must fall”. “Victory is our fate” is beautiful, and is even more so because of the tremendous difference between this Neo-classical music and the militant Martial-industrial heard before. I cannot describe this music, I recommend everyone to give this song a try, it will stay with you. The only sentence I can come up with is; “Holy mother Russia!” March for Glory ends the way I hoped it to end. Dark ambient soundscapes create the black hole of feelings that I fell in when I started to listen to March for Glory. It all fits but yet it doesn’t which makes March for Glory more of a ride than a quick listen.
Can I say more? March of Heroes created a masterpiece. It has created a movie, for which the listener provides the visualization. It is for those who lose themselves in history books, war-documentations and collected medals. For those who can stare at a picture of any soldier for hours, wondering. It is for those who want to see, feel and live certain moments in history, although standing safely on the edge of the portrait. If you fit this description in any way, March for Glory quietly waits for you at the Rage in Eden shop.”
(heathenharvest.com – nice review Gorby!)
March Of Heroes Info:
MySpace: myspace.com/marchofheroes
6.)
Verhören - "Death Is Safe"
As an acquaintance to the mind behind this compelling release, I must admit that I am a bit biased in my opinion on the record. That said, “Death Is Safe” is absolutely mesmerizing in the darkest and most profound of ways. If you were to call this record a ‘dark ambient’ release, then it is almost assuredly the single best dark ambient record I have ever heard. Depressive, urgently remorseful and at the same time indignant and despondently indifferent, this is a record that will stay with me for a very, very long time.
Verhören is truly haunting.
“Verhören was the solo project of US artist Justin Ward, who called it quits last November apparently due to a personal and artistic crisis. That's a bit sad, since this debut (210 copies, pro-looking cdr, digipack sleeve) features some good inputs, and is surely above average. Verhören plays dark ambient in a very musical/melodic way: most tracks feature recognizable keyboard melodies besides the expected noises, rumbles and samples.
Ward says he's influenced by doom and gothic as well, and it shows - though still talking of largely droning and instrumental compositions, the names of Skepticism and Lycia have not been tossed in vain. Depressed and elegiac melodies for sure, closer to funeral doom than to, say, Lustmord or Inade. I have appreciated the liquid textures of "Neptune Bleeding", and the captivating keys+drums progression of "Alone in Autumn”. Good depressing background music to drop out for a while.”
(chaindlk.com)
Verhören Info:
Homepage: neptunebleeding.googlepages.com
MySpace: myspace.com/verhoren
7.)
Pimentola - "Misantropolis"
This was one of the more peculiar and original sounding releases I heard all year. It’s difficult to really classify the sound that Pimentola create, and while I’m not willing to describe it myself because I’m lazy, I did think that the attempts the following review made were pretentiously amusing. This is definitely a record that deserves to be heard by individuals looking for something completely unique. Try it out.
“Bring out your dead.” Voodoo meets a solemn funereal march with a phalanx of leather and pain accoutered acolytes in tow, mourning by way of self-flagellation. Pimentola deliver a puissant release of old-stylized industrialism, an orchestral ensemble warped with avant-garde experimentation, as they jointly dream of a scene of mummers engaged in the most horrific of mutilations. One would look away, but it is too artfully composed to want or even try to.
If ‘Metropolis’ had been performed and recorded without the timbre of natural instruments, of flutes, guitar, djembe, darbouka, percussions aplenty, accordion, theremin, violin, alto violin, vocals you could sense the music would not be quite so visceral in its dynamics, but that it has done so and gone for an organic house for its nightmare-scape it more than succeeds in creepy pantomime. Not that samples and synthesizers are caged beyond the public eye, they rather supplement than rule and the result is a twisted carnival of deformed and mutilated performers enslaved to pumping out lolling rhythms, where melody has sunken into minor and diminished choral progressions.
The ringmaster of this troupe haunts many of the cinematic scores, a recrudescence of both forms, the throat scraped lunacy claws at the walls, axe in hand.
A deft hand has mixed and mastered the demented line of fire, allowing not just the many instruments room to breathe, but for treating all said instruments in spiraling effects and odd compression. One truly feels the space of the instruments steeping the room beyond one’s ears, drawing the listener into the entertaining horror show. For those in the know, this is the music of Papa Lazarous.
The digipak is a six-panel gatefold affair – as with most Cold Meat Industry releases there is an attention to aesthetics by way of silver embossing within and without, which coupled with the striking cartoon red, white and grey illustrations on gloss black cardstock makes a truly eye catching package. Lyrics from track 2, ‘Death is a Secret’ feature with skeletal conductor and liner notes detail further the small entourage and various track info.”
(heathenharvest.com)
Pimentola Info:
Homepage: pimentola.fi
MySpace: myspace.com/pimentola
8.)
In the Nursery - "Era"
Quality bands like In The Nursery are becoming increasingly rare. Any time a group of musicians thrive for twenty-plus years under a shared name and standard it is safe to say that whatever formula they have has obviously been working. However, “Era” finds In the Nursery exploring new territory sound wise with a stripped down neoclassical sound. The string sections are wonderful, especially when united with superb vocals and inspiring orchestral crescendo’s that compliment the emotive lows. It may be safe to say that “Era” could well become my favorite record in ITN’s accomplished discography. Great record, amazing band.
“This release marks the 25th anniversary of the group In the Nursery. They have decided to not go down the well-worn route of putting out a "greatest hits" to celebrate the event, instead bringing to light a new studio-album “Era” – something that must be commended. The main artists behind the group are the Sheffield-based twin brothers Klive and Nigel Humberstone, with long-term collaborator Dolores Marguerite C providing most of the vocals. I say "most", as a notable vocal contribution comes from Sarah Jay Lawley, who is well-known for her sterling work with Massive Attack. Originally hailing from the industrial music scene, they have developed to a much more orchestral, even classical style – very much in evidence from this release.
A major point to make about this album is the theme. All the tracks work around the concept of architecture, urban decay and regeneration. However this isn’t the standard fair you expect from the famous industrial city in Northern England. There is little in the way of bleeps, or industrial techno, instead the architectural representation is rather grand and austere in realization. The tracks generally build around the weaving of vocals and rather grand strings, the structure creating amazing, almost picturesque, atmospheres. The opener "Blueprint" is an example of, this and it is incredible. For me, it is possibly the best track on the album – it actually gets your heart pumping faster, such is its devastating sonic power!
The production is rich throughout, and the textures created really bring the architectural theme to life.
The singing is nicely weaved into the rich tapestry; the singers’ voices nicely complimenting the lush chords in most of the tracks here. It is dramatic in places (the closer "Landlost" – which gives a nod back to their love of military rhythms), beautiful in places and is the nearest thing to a quality concept album I have heard in a long time. A good listen.”
(releasemagazine.net)
In The Nursery Info:
Homepage: inthenursery.com
MySpace: myspace.com/inthenursery
9.)
Nest - "Trail Of The Unwary"
Plain and simple, this is an essential record if you have heard and enjoyed Nest before, or if you are a neofolk fan. “Trail Of The Unwary” is just a quality release from start to finish, and for some reason it is exactly what I expected from Nest even if it is only their sophomore release. On headphones this record sounds incredible, and the ambiance and atmosphere that is achieved here is not only commendable but also entrancing and addictive in a soothing yet dismal way. Nest is here to stay.
”I must admit I had no knowledge of the existence of Corvus records. Actually, when I first picked up the record, I though it had some relation to the band Corvus Corax and was expecting some buoyant and epic sounding cd. To my surprise, as I popped the record into the portable player and started browsing through the internet, the begging was subtle, veiled, dark and powerful: an atmosphere charged with crisp energy in which suddenly a flute-like melody breaks in, transforming the ambience into a completely different thing. It becomes a very peculiar mixture of folk, ethnic, world music and darkness.
All this achieved by only a few instruments, a Celtic-like percussion and the ever-there background atmosphere. 'Claw and Fang' has a more direct beginning, but maintains originally the same instruments we have heard in 'Moonbow': acoustic guitar work, floating ethnic wind-like sounds, a large and looming atmosphere. It captures perfectly that combustible atmosphere one can find in open spaces. When everything seems to stand still yet one can feel every movement more than ever: the crackling of a leaf, the perspectives in the shadows, the wind pushing the clouds. An acoustic guitar picks up all the tension and softly transforms it into a melody and song.
The band comes from Finland and has released previous works. On this occasion, they have collaborated with Laurie Ann Haus from Autumn Tears singing some female vocals, and the members of Agalloch play some ‘beautiful acoustics’ as defined by the press information.
'Kontio' has an enthralling melody that repeats itself with different energies. Again, it unites a folk spirit with a much more modern touch created by the duality in the melody: there is one main line of guitar in the spotlight and a darker, second line, in the background. The words come in as an order - a spoken powerful line that is answered by a chorus of voices that gently chant. It is perhaps one of the most effective songs of the record, even if only because it’s more compact than most.
'Hunt', as would be expected by its name, crashes in behind with an apocalyptic beginning that calms into a cryptic space where the lyrics find full protagonism. The sound of a hawk accompanies the entire song as the image of hunting, with the main theme being the sublimation of instincts, of nature and its cycles in a very objective and accepting way. There are some delicate moments in the song; perhaps they portray the inevitability of death the nature presents in one way or another?
Another thing that strikes as unique in this record are the words. There are obviously important, since they are printed on the glossy cover of the record. The cover is divided in two sides: one for the day and one for the night, portraying marks and shadows that could define different animals and plants. On each side the two or three lines that belong to each song are written, as an important reminder or as a chant. However, on the first listenings of the record, I got so immersed in the music itself that the words passed through my ears like a shadow. Many listens later they started coming sharply into the spotlight sometimes begin understood, sometimes simply standing out as a dark chanting in the graver notes of each song. Hearing the record with the lyrics as the main character or not changes substantially the significance: it makes 'Trail of the Unwary' a more complex, mysterious and somber record. Where the music can fall into a worked out ethnic folk, the combination of music and words carries the record into a world of shadows and important inspiration.
'The Mire' picks up where 'Hunt' left off, also starting with a strong energetic percussion covered by a clear guitar melody. The song has a very defined pulse, keeping a sort of 'march' spirit that can't be found in the previous compositions. A distorted electric guitar appears in the middle, giving the song a torn and doleful feeling. Closing with a large atmospheric moment, 'The turning of the tides' almost starts unnoticed. With liquid sounds, some samplers and a large brooding atmosphere it is as if dawn were slowly awakening, shaking off the millions of happenings the night before have brought, that pass unaccounted to the eyes of most.
However, the song slowly transforms into an elastic ritualistic composition - and it is the voice that manages this. When the guitar comes in, it brings a lighter feeling but the song remains fluctuating, sometimes darker, sometimes lighter, growing and transforming, adding a chanting and numerous sounds.
As a closing song comes 'Across the waters', perhaps the brightest song of the record, where the background atmosphere is luminous and the voices are female. Chord and wind unite, braiding a beautiful melody. It is taken slowly into a moment of elaborate silence that sways slowly until the guitar again picks up the melody, yet remains at a slower paced melody. Percussion also has its moment of spotlight, followed closely by the voice, to then move into a sublimation of all the instruments and another moment of almost-silence homaging the imminent end.
I have actually used this record as an escape for stressful situations at work: put on the earphones and move into a different dimension, a place of slow movement, of details, of shades - sometimes menacing, sometimes tranquil, but always captivating.”
(heathenharvest.com)
Nest Info:
Homepage:
http://koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/nest/nest.html
MySpace: myspace.com/nestfinland
10.)
Kiss the Anus of a Black Cat - "An Interlude To The Outermost"
Unfortunately for the band, I think that the name that was chosen likely keeps many prospective listeners at bay, because the music KTAOABC writes and records is absolutely fantastic. Look past the comical moniker and give it a listen, you won’t be sorry you did.
”This is a really weird one, and I'm not just talking about the rather colourful name - Kiss the Anus of a Black Cat is the project of one Stef Heeren, a Belgian fellow who describes his music as 'apocalyptic folk'. Well I can certainly hear what he means, there are clearly links to Celtic folk here, and the mood is certainly one of doom-laden apocalypse - but everytime I give this a listen I end up thinking of the Levellers. I think it's that blend of jaunty sing-along folk and stomping rock that does it, and although Heeren's vision is one of doom and gloom rather the usual upbeat jigs you'd expect from a folk-rock act, it's still held back somewhat by the genre I think.
Still if you like folk-rock I can't imagine you would find something more carefully constructed than this - the production is astounding throughout and Heeren has managed to gather in instrumental support from a whole bunch of friends (including a choir!). This is music to herald in your final days on this lonely planet... and it does it with a cello and a wry smile.”
(boomkat.com)
Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat Info:
Homepage: kraak.ne
MySpace: myspace.com/kisstheanusofablackcat
11.)
Desiderii Marginis - "Seven Sorrows"
Nothing I can say about this stunning record hasn’t already been said below. Get it.
“There are some experiences difficult to put to words, as you feel words will only lessen their effect, only poorly indicate their true significance and meaning. Desiderii Marginis has been among these experiences for me, ever since I first listened to That Which Is Tragic And Timeless – which was my initial encounter with the project. It is the type of music that moves between the spheres, invoking consecutive images of black and white, offering a diverse assembly of souls, faces, eras in time, locations, merging into one being, as we stand and watch them silently evolve, breaking their silence to let in selected combinations of sounds and atmospheres, enveloping us in their comforting, warm obscurity.
This sense of antiquity is specifically emphasized in “Seven Sorrows”, as it involves the struggle of man to understand and accept himself, to develop and surpass his problems in the course of time. Each track unfolds a part of the story, or is a separate story in its own right. Take note of the words in the titles, skillfully adding to the already poetic dimension of the work, and the beautiful photographs by Birthe Klementowski and combine them to the music, to provide it with your own interpretations.
“Constant Like The Northern Star” is a powerful start for the album, that begins with catholic chants and the metallic sounds that are sort of a characteristic of Desiderii Marginis, to be joined afterwards by synths and a very decisive, vigorous, strumming guitar. Towards the end the guitar is all that remains, and when it finishes its unmistakable declaration, the song completes its rotation with the same chants, metallic sounds and synths that it had begun.
“Why Are You Fearful” contains voice samples from Florence Scovel Shinn’s “The Game of Life and How to Play It”. Florence Scovel Shinn was a well-known early 20th century artist and metaphysician, who in a way contributed to what can nowadays be referred to as the “self-help movement”. It is indeed quite interesting, one of the few texts of the genre I have come to like. The spoken word is laid on atmospheric synths, joined by other sounds afterwards to form a slow, intense composition that consists the vehicle on which we will embark for our inner spiritual voyage. We are called to discard our fear, as it is the main hindrance to our advancement.
“My Diamond In The Rough” again mixes synths and guitar, to create a forlorn, abandoned atmosphere, where the guitar persistently dominates and sets the tone to the next track, “The Bitter Potion”. “Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Much of your pain is self-chosen. It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self”, are quoted in a confident, serene male voice the phrases from “Pain” by Kahlil Gibran. The calmness and self-assurance of the voice along with the soothing, ambient music on the background make this a perfect opening for a meditative session – which is the case for the rest of the album as well. Assimilating and comprehending pain, finding its source within our psyche, is the key to the demolition of the barriers the mind has set upon itself.
“Silence Will Stop Our Hearts” is an ambient / industrial track, very different from the feel of the rest of the recording, giving out a note of despair and loss, a whirlwind of drones, static and synths with a repeating female voice sample losing itself in the middle of it all. Undoubtedly the harshest track on the album. On a completely different note, “Lifeline” is a mournful, sensitive piano melody enriched by ambient background sounds and a guitar. After the acceptance of pain, comes the embracing of sadness, getting lost in its landscape one may find oneself on the other end.
“Night Pretenders” moves on the same wavelength of mixing repeated voice samples with dark ambient resonances and slowly climaxing synth loops. The same male voice recites: “At the moment of death we will not be judged according to the number of good deeds we have done or by the diplomas we have received in our lifetime. We will be judged according to the love we have put into our work.”
(Mother Theresa), and later on in the track: “Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace.”(from “As A Man Thinketh” by James Allen). Priorities are set straight under a very dramatic musical effect, which leads us to “I Tell The Ancient Tale”, where an extract from “As A Man Thinketh” is also provided: “Man is the master of thought, the moulder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny. As a being of power, intelligence, and love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills.”
Most of the aural evidence previously presented is mixed together in this track, bending it towards the dark ambient / industrial direction as well. “Untitled” concludes the recording in yet another melancholic, piano-versus-guitar melody, leaving the listener with a bittersweet aftertaste – the self-satisfaction of victory, and the realization of the continuing effort that lies ahead.
“Seven Sorrows” came at a time when I am going through another one of my infamous existentialist clutters, and its deliberations became my own very quickly. Its tones are distilled in the dark, like drops of clear, pure water, from a fountain in close proximity, and at the same time so distant and unreachable to most of us. To drink of its waters one must be able to walk in these lands of shade and dusk, avoiding or welcoming temptation, no matter, both are acceptable methods of purification. Quoting Blake, “the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom”, after all. What is important is to maintain the light in one's heart, to follow the path regardless of the consequences, and to make sure that path is one's own. To be able to refer to that light, whenever in doubt of the final objective. As in the end, true heroics lie in maintaining one’s constancy, when everything around them points otherwise. To face oneself is the simplest, yet most challenging of tasks.
This is a multifaceted and very personal release, its quiet melancholy settling itself gently and effortlessly upon the soul, like the dust of spirits whose remembrance is unintentionally renewed. Like stepping into an old attic on a summer night and going through the things of inhabitants long gone, a chill wind coming in from the open window, the only light available, the stars on a black sky. Unwavering, remote, dispassionate and cold, but somehow soothing and familiar, the ancient destination at the end of the journey, or rather, the return home.”
(heathenharvest.com)
Desiderii Marginis Info:
Homepage: desideriimarginis.com
MySpace: myspace.com/desiderii
12.)
Coph Nia - "Dark Illuminati"
Excellent dark ambiance. For some reason Coph Nia vaguely remind me of early
Tiamat, and it’s not because of the mid-era cover the band recorded of “Sympathy For The Devil”. That said, if you enjoy hopeless and malevolent sounding mood music, Coph Nia may be for you. I really enjoyed “Dark Illuminati”, but I’m confident that Coph Nia’s best days are ahead of them.
“The stage is set. The music begins to play... ...but the script has been lost.” So indents one of the digipak panels upon opening the new opus from the ritualistic recondite Coph Nia, but unfortunately said statement runs deeper than a mere bite at life unfolding and unfettered, for the album is half the Coph Nia you know and the other half not so known, threaded as it is with homage to various artists – or, one hopes, is tongue in cheek ‘defiling’ by the self-appointed “General Defiler of Things Sacred”, Aldenon.
Broken into two acts, the first is a sonorous excursion of drowning bells and tapering pendant string sections, choking miasma and unholy choir. Lubricious exhalations snake in sympathy with the almost passacaglia pull in the bass through the movement, one that commands a reverential obeisance to twisted shapes in dark gloomed fane’s. Chanting soon joins this procession, Aldenon’s guttural recitation announced with athame grasped by the black robed priest. The swell pushes on, drawing together all the threads with a crescendo of symphonic and intensity.
These two acts are not exquisite parure’s, however, one a bloody gem, the other cracked and flawed. ‘The New Oath’, with preponderance on the new, sees a reinvestment of spoken word as ritualized demagogy. Arthur Brown’s “...god of hellfire and I bring you fire”, features pompous bombast housed in sacral demesne, but unless one if familiar with Brown this cover will stridently seem out of place. Thankfully, breaking up the covers, originals four further originals feature but the dark ambience of Coph Nia is irremeably shattered despite these excellent new tracks. Sinuous tribalism by Linus Andersson with vocals by Aldenon and Karin My Andersson, who weigh each end of the scale, hint at what might have been achieved if the covers did not interrupt the flow, for while each of the covers have been re-arranged into a Coph Nia style... it is totally impossible to not conjure Mick Jagger when Aldenon unfurls, ‘Sympathy for the Devil’.
One of the covers that do seem to nestle well, though, is ‘Religion’ by Front 242, delectably drawn out winds and miniscule grating textures. The fiery trio, however, pull this latest full length offering down several pegs. The album is a six-panel glossy card, digipak affair, of velvet reds emboldened with its suitable ‘occult’ paraphernalia, inset band photographs and the briefest of liner notes.”
(heathen harvest.com)
Coph Nia Info:
Homepage: cophnia.com
MySpace: myspace.com/cophnia
13.)
Irfan - "Seraphim"
Musically speaking, this was easily among the most
ethnically diverse releases I heard all year. What is wonderful about a band like Irfan is that it is completely useless to try to classify their sound, to pigeon-hole their direction as a musical entity, or to try to predict exactly what you might hear next. I really enjoyed the Middle Eastern sound that this record had since I’m partial to that type of music anyway, but overall this is a record that I may regret not ranking higher in this list. “Seraphim” is a stunning listen, and if you have a penchant for explorative and traditional or culturally inclined sounds, get your hands on it.
”Prikosnovénie is a label well-known among admirers of sensitive music, music filled with magic, emotions, music that touches the thinest strings of one’s soul. It is a label that brings into this world releases of such extraordinary bands as Flёur, which characterise their music as cardiowave, and may bring the atmosphere of good old russian movies to those who are fond of such things. And this time Prikosnovénie presents Seraphim, an album of the band that originates from Bulgaria, a Balcan country with long history and enough achievments to be proud of, Irfan, which transpated from Sufi means “mystic knowledge” or “revelation”. “Seraphim” is Irfan’s second album (the first was self-titled and issued on Prikosnovénie as well), issued after 5 years of hard work.
Irfan draws inspiration from traditional folk music of Bulgaria, Balkans, Middle East, as well as referring to Indian motives (as in Simurgh), music of medieval Europe, Byzantium and North Africa. It all reflects on the instruments used in creating spiritual soundscapes. Instruments that were used on “Seraphim” are the following ones: daf, bendir, darbouka, performed by Kalin Yordanov, oud, saz, tambura, guitar, performed by Ivaylo Petrov, santour, keyboards performed by Kiril Bakardjiev, darbouka, zarb, riq, djembe, tabla, performed by Peter Todorov. In addition Ivaylo Petrov and Kiril Bakardjiev are responsible for programming and Kalin Yordanov together with Denitza Seraphimova are the ones whose vocals we can enjoy throughout the album.
Seraphim creatively mixes traditional and contemporary electronic sounds with vocals of different kinds and different intensitity which results in unreal, charming soundscapes that are reflected in abstract album cover, that may remind of stones, explosion of colours, a dance of transparent faeries.
In “Seraphim” one can hear influences of such bands as Dead Can Dance and a Bulgarian band I was lucky enough to get familiar with, Isihia In Denitza’s Seraphimova vocals you can hear sensual notes of Lisa Gerard’s “heritage”, especially in the track called Fei, Hagia Sophia makes one think to Dead Can Dance as well (here we also can compare Irfan with Arcana, which rose from the sound created by Dead Can Dance). Last track named Return of Outremer being calm, sacred, sounding spiritual and reminding a trip out of the world with male choir accompanied with majestic synth passages and oriental percussion, all supplemented by “intermedias” performed by some windhorn reminds Isihia’s sound.
Actually Return of Outremer and the first track, Simurgh, became favourites on this album, together with Fei. The music cannot be called either dark or light. It is different.There’re really no boarders for one’s imagination: perception of this album solely depends on one’s ability to catch the mood of the tracks, little hints, hear various tunes and instruments and then combine them all to draw the final picture.”
(heathenharvest.com)
Irfan Info:
MySpace: myspace.com/irfantheband
14.)
Toroidh - "Segervittring"
Just. Plain. Good. The album along with the review below is outstanding. Read it.
“Toroidh has returned from the catacombs of Europe’s rubble filled past with another somber offering for the growing number of martial music fans who have come to rely upon Toroidh for ground breaking genre defining releases. For this new onslaught Toroidh joins forces with the very exclusive Belgium label Neuropa Records which has demonstrated the foresight to secure Toroidh with an exclusive contract that includes forthcoming albums that will proceed ‘Segervittring’.
During this departure martial industrial music has exploded seeing the creation of numerous new martial music projects proliferating on such labels as War Office Propaganda, Cold Meat Industries and Cold Spring Records. Having formerly lead this pack martial industrial musicians I was curious to see if Henrik N. Björkk was still capable of producing something relevant that could still elevate the music of Toroidh above the numerous bands it has inspired. Can Toroidh still lead with its banner raised high on a field of battle that has become so crowded with failed attempts and competing martial anthems and hymns.
With so many new bands attempting to make martial music it has become apparent that simply combing timpani and snare drums with vintage speech sample is not enough to inspire veterans of martial music to buy your album. As this genre has grown so too has the sophistication of the music and the appetite of the audience. Martial music has begun to mature demanding more and more from the artists who work in this field as critics clamor to dispose of the paltry underachievers who attempt to seize a glimmer of the glory. Henrik N. Björkk comes to the martial musical arena with the advantage of a veteran who has worked in many fields of music outside the realm of martial industrial allowing for a wider palate of expression and musical nuance.
‘Segervittring’ continues in the tradition of previous Toroidh albums by piercing the infected abscess of Europe’s past milking distant and resistant echoes from our collective history. The title ‘Segervittring’ translates to “the smell of victory.” This is the battlefield stench that arises from the amassed and bloated corpses of the fighting dead. For victory cannot denied its price in blood and despair. ‘Segervittring’ expertly captures the drama of human conflict presenting the listener with an audio odyssey that transcends nationality, race, creed and politics. This is not a testament to a specific war or conflict but rather an exploration of these deep-seated tendencies and their consequence upon humanity.
The album does not have a clear narrative though the introduction song ‘In’ quickly transports the listener to a vintage era with 19th century recordings playing a lively melody that imparts a sense of carefree abandonment and long nights of cocktails and dancing. ‘Bar Vittnesbord’ follows with the gentle lamentations of a boy’s choir. A sense of sadness pervades the purity of the boy’s voices as resonating dark ambience and twinkling chimes swirl about the choir like a dark visage of smoke. After two minutes of gently coaxing the listener towards a meditative state of mind the choir is over taken by muted militaristic male vocals and pounding drums. Here the martial aspect of the music is gently nurtured with a mixture of industrial elements and the intermittent use of the choir, which ends the song. ‘Israel’ follows as the third title.
Having chosen what could amount to the final frontier in regards of political sensitivity in martial industrial music Toroidh tackles the untouchable and explores the role of Israel in Europe’s past. ‘Israel’ begins with a darkened soundscape of manipulated classical instrumentation and gentle tides of dark ambience. A dated sound bite features a male voice considering the fate of Jewish children trapped in Europe during a time of mass Jewish prosecution; presumably during WWII. Martial percussion overtakes the voice clip and dark ambience emphasizes the loss and the ignorance that lead to the slaughter and prosecution of children whose fate could have been averted. Middle Eastern male chant is intermeshed amidst the martial percussion lending a sense of focus to the oppressive and dismal darkness conjured by Henrik N. Björkk. Near the end of the song a male voice returns explaining in academic terms the relation Judaism shares with Christianity illustrating a sense of parenticide in the face of the slaughter of European Jews during WWII.
‘Tusen Ar’ is the fourth track of the album. ‘Tusen Ar’ begins with yet another dark ambient soundscape that inspires a sense of loneliness and isolation. After a short introduction orchestral synths and a rapid snare drums enter the music. The orchestration lends the music an emotional depth and sense of sentimentality whilst the snare drums rapid beat reminds one of the chugging of a steam engine. Just as the impression of the steam engine begins to build in the listeners imagination Henrik reinforces this impression by matching the snare drum with much deeper chugging industrial sounds. The clicking of wheels upon iron rails is implied and one quickly becomes enveloped in the drama of moving human cargo to extermination locales. I applaud Henrik for not being afraid to explore this very real and painful aspect of our collective history. ‘Wermlandsbrigadens Atertagsmarsch’ follows delivering a very recognizable Toroidh anthem defined by martial percussion, wavering and distorted organ groans and the ever-present foreign language speech sample.
The title track ‘Segervittring’ begins with isolationist dark ambient and the faint sound of marching boots or railroad tracks clicking depending on your state of mind. The vast open soundscape slowly evolves and darkens until the desperation of being forcibly transported away overtakes the listener whilst a voice declares doom predictions in the background. Midway through the song the tune is interrupted and a drastic redirection occurs. The dark nocturnal pastoral ambience breaks with a short clip of orchestral music accompanied by a foreign voice making a grandiose announcement. After this short introduction the steady hypnotic strumming of a bass is heard accompanied by thundering martial percussion and exalting brass and horns. The mood is one of an army on the move, of a military force focused on resistance and retaliation with victory within sight. The track ends with some rather glorious orchestral sample that delivers the song to an opposite pole than from its initial start.
‘Min Vilja, Ditt Blod’ follows as the seventh offering launching with restrained martial percussion and expert use of industrial sounds and atmospheres. The music quickly evolves into a complex rhythm driven composition that seamlessly incorporates acoustic and electronic elements into an invigorating composition that exudes a sense of confidence and victory. After accomplishing a sense of victory against intimidating forces Toroidh abandons the listener to a sense of panic and desperation in ‘Ragnarök’. Retreating from all sense of security Henrik lets loose a maelstrom of pulsing orchestration and percussion aimed at leaving the listener with an impending sense of disaster and insecurity. Akin to hearing the sound of foreign boots trampling native soil Tordoih brings home the necessity of victory for those who find themselves facing the forces of tyranny and oppression. ‘Ragnarök’ illustrates that one world must collapse in order for a new world to emerge. ‘Malström’ delivers the all-decimating force that ‘Ragnarök’ whispered was approaching.
In an epic composition that draws heavily upon dark ambient and industrial sound Henrik delivers a phenomenal presentation that will suck you in like an inescapable whirlpool of sound and force. The music is skillful and engrossing and will bring shivers of delight to even the most grizzled veteran of martial industrial music. Henrik pushes the very boundaries of martial and industrial music creating a finely tuned composition that does not fear to utilize Henrik’s expertise in crafting noise and industrial intensity. ‘Ut’ completes the album with a short orchestral clip that compliments the opening introductory track ‘In’.
I can solidly say that in his absence Henrik N. Björkk has not been unseated as one of the leading pioneers in martial industrial music. Indeed with this new opus Toroidh has once again throw down the gauntlet in full sight of his peers elevating the martial music horizon and delivering yet another untouchable album. I can only hope that this album is capable of injecting some new inspiration and a standard for talent in a genre that has become crowded with too many bands with not enough originality and talent.
‘Segervittring’ is a must have purchase for ALL fans of Toroidh. Fans of martial industrial music will find a fulfilling and inspiring listen with this album and anyone wanting to get a grasp on this prolific genre would be encouraged to secure a copy of ‘Segervittring’ and begin your journey with confidence with a competent composer leading the way.”
(heathenharvest.com)
Toroidh Info:
MySpace: myspace.com/toroidh
15.)
Across The Rubicon - "Elegy"
A compelling combination between martial, industrial, and neoclassical sounds, Across The Rubicon’s debut record was definitely not a disappointment. With an excellent pedigree of members from a collection of some great bands, there was little to be worried about when “Elegy” was released. If you enjoy any of the aforementioned genres, you should check this out immediately.
“Across The Rubicon is a Polish newborn band with members of Cold Fusion and Rukkanor (among others). It has just issued its first album of 10 neoclassical martial industrial assaults. At the first look, we gaze at the simple yet so efficient design of the booklet: beautiful blue/grey pictures, cloudy skies, marmoreal coldness and uncertain harvest... The quality of the music however is rather a certainty!
"Soldat Inconnu" is introduced with a sample of a French military song: sadly the quality sounds to be a bit 128 kbp/s, but it isn't that noticeable and it just has not weight compared to what is going to follow... A bit like Karjalan Sissit massively percussive neoclassical music, the first song is depicts a musical battlefield with mighty tunes, rather sophisticated rhythm/percussions, sporadic males choirs' samples. It's powerful, it's massive, quite dark, heavy. What many are actually seeking in martial indus neoclassical! "Shadows and Lust" goes on with rhythmical shocks and ambient percussions. The music has got calmer; still the same tune is used.
It sounds simpler than Triarii, both in terms of melodic layers and in tunes. The comparison might however be relevant. Tunes are shorter, often minimalist atmospheres are created just with some percussions, repeated authoritarian samples and choirs.
"Dogs of War" first part "Haram" is softer, calmer, with some bombing samples, a melancholic atmosphere, and still the same drums/timbals. But, after a blank and a whisper, "Song of the Dead" begins with a lone trumpet and sparse lugubrious bells... A much more ambient direction has been chosen here with some blanks, sudden orchestral jumps, oriental samples - whose reference to recent events cannot be avoided. Back in the same approach as the 2nd track, rather soft, "State of Fear" improves this allegory of a marching army... But, melody has become more anxious. Lower samples phrases on the whole, while the sounds are quite raw here: slightly metallic noises, low drums, original compared to usual ones of the genre.
"The World in Flames" keep on with this progression in hell. Some gratings of tanks caterpillar tracks even show some movements... In Slaughter Natives cannot be avoided as a comparison here. Dark synths, heavy and steady percussions, sick melody, similar stretched cymbals playing with stereo, similar structure and atmosphere... Not a copycat: an excellent surprise! A threatening track, clear hybridizing between ambient and martial indus. "Strength and Honour" progresses now in the same direction with an even more excessive and stressful atmosphere... We're getting closer from the front as fast as a wounded burdened man... Metallic noises and detonations shake "The Rage", a track almost emptied from any melody but some brief pieces. Here we're closer from Karjalan Sissit's uncompromising brutality, although the atmosphere developed by this track is softer, more melodic, more 'cinematographic', and less insane.
"Death Smiles to Us All" sounds rather as a meeting with death, for the melody has got calmer than in the previous tracks. Threatening trumpets, deep percussions and sulphurous samples, which are as usual never too loud, build an highly expressive ensemble, even with violins and other fineries. We may however feel at that moment that the whole album is repetitive and regret it... But, "The Culture War", with its sophisticated perfect sounding percussions, is a very opportune piece for it's different from the previous tracks. We can gaze the Gregorian singings' samples very well arranged with the rest of the melody, opening a beautiful (post-)spiritual depth... "We Shall Remember", as the previous track, summarizes a bit many elements already used on this album, but here they're magnified... A beautiful melody surges from the brutal and massive rhythmics, distant samples and barbarian brass section. Although dealing with a remembrance of a dead-and-buried past, the atmosphere seems to portend a dark and defeatist future, as a repetition of what ever was... And ever should be?
The introductory sample's low quality, banal synths and repetitiveness are the very rare flaws we could point on this album. All the rest sounds as having been carefully arranged: samples are just the loudness required, percussions are varied and unusually rich and innovating, brutality stays united with sensitive melodies. It sounds as a soundtrack of a multi-layered movie, but such one has never been seen in the box office, yet... Both grandeur and decadence of a warlike "Elegy" are successfully praised to the skies by its skilled Polish creators... And these skies aren't clear but ambiguous, as on the pictures of the booklet: is it before or after the storm? Will we see the sun again? No doubt that many fans of martial music will appreciate this "Elegy". Pardon me this hasty risky forecast, but I just wouldn't be surprised at all if "Elegy" is the indus/martial highlight of this year! Simply delightful.”
(heathenharvest.com)
Across The Rubicon Info:
MySpace: myspace.com/acrosstherubiconatr
Honorable Mention:
A Challenge of Honor - "Trilogy"
Allerseelen - "Hallstatt"
All My Faith Lost... - "The Hours"
Atrium Carceri - "Ptahil"
Dead Man's Hill - "Dog Burial"
Division S - "Something To Drink"
Donis - "Alexandreia"
Ghosts of Breslau - "And Should The Spring Come..."
Ianva - "L'Occidente" EP
Kammer Sieben - "Unfinished Movies"
Krepulec - "New Radical"
L'Effet C'Est Moi - "Tomber en Héros"
Leger des Heils - "Gloria"
Les Joyaux de la Princesse - "Aux Volontaires Croix De Sang"
Lux Interna - "God is not Dead for the Birds"
October Falls - "The Streams Of The End" EP
Oda Relicta - "The Crown & The Plough"
Ô Paradis - "Cuando El Tiempo Sopla"
Poets To Their Beloved - "Embrace The Fool"
Proscenium - "Weltschmerz"
Rukkanor - "Despartica - Face One"
Sangre Cavallum - "Veleno De Teixo"
Stahlwerk 9 - "Revolution Of The Antichrist"
Steel Hook Prostheses - "Wounds Bathed In Piss Water"
Stormfågel- "Ett Berg Av Fasa"
Sturmpercht - "A Wilde Zeit"
Svarrogh - "Balkan Renaissance"
The Moon and the Nightspirit - "Regõ Rejtem"
The Owl Service - "A Garland Of Song"
The Well of Sadness - "In Our Last Times"
Von Liebenfels - "Vaeter Unser Im Walhall"
Waldteufel - "Sanguis"
Weihan - "Symphonies of Divination"
Zr 19.84 - "Reperte Omnes Tristita Invasti"
Fine ~*
Autumn Tears
