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Showing posts with label Dark Folk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dark Folk. Show all posts
Sep 26, 2013
Ulver - Kveldssanger (1996) Review
1996, Head Not Found
After an engrossing debut, Ulver did not hesitate to experiment even deeper into their soft side, releasing an fully acoustic folk album, based on the acoustic guitars, the vocals, cellos and the flutes. They did not hesitate to experiment from the second album, which is acclaimed by many to be the first dark folk / neofolk record. The language is in Norwegian again and the title means Evening Songs, a convenient description of the musical content, because it is a relaxing, laid back album for the silent hours of the day.
The tracks here are relatively short, most of them lasting between one and three minutes, except the last, Ulvsblakk, which is longer. Seldom are lyrics used and the album is mostly instrumental, except for a couple of lines in some songs and an a capella song, Sielens Sang. Like most artists hate their masterpieces, Ulver were not fully satisfied with this album after all, despite it's grandeur. The vibe of acoustic classical is all over this album, which deliberately eschews from any metal elements to present an arboreal synthesis, very different from anything else that the fans of the extreme metal scene were used to back then. Feeling close to nature and being part of it is a main characteristic here.
The drummer of the band, AiwarikiaR, did not have much to do here, since there is hardly any drumming, but he did participate with the sounds of a flute, and there is no bass used at all, naturally. Garm's sumptuous voice is getting the album a one step higher alone, with incredible baritone chants in the songs, whether there are lyrics or not. It's easier to understand the beauty of the guitar lines and their variations than it was in Bergtatt, even though there too, Haavard had worked on some amazing ideas.
My favourite tracks are Naturmystikk, Høyfjeldsbilde, Kveldssang and Ulvsblakk. Imagine a quiet, silent night among the woods, lightless, away from the modern world. From their first three albums, "Kveldssanger" is the most interesting, yet the least attractive to me, since I prefer heavier stuff in general. Great atmosphere with a great musicianship and enough inspiration from nature, were the sculptors of this one and only record, that many bands imitate these days with modern equipment, but fail to overcome. For it's shape, it was doomed to get a fair amount of haters and people that would not appreciate it, but is innovative and alluring.
The tracks here are relatively short, most of them lasting between one and three minutes, except the last, Ulvsblakk, which is longer. Seldom are lyrics used and the album is mostly instrumental, except for a couple of lines in some songs and an a capella song, Sielens Sang. Like most artists hate their masterpieces, Ulver were not fully satisfied with this album after all, despite it's grandeur. The vibe of acoustic classical is all over this album, which deliberately eschews from any metal elements to present an arboreal synthesis, very different from anything else that the fans of the extreme metal scene were used to back then. Feeling close to nature and being part of it is a main characteristic here.
The drummer of the band, AiwarikiaR, did not have much to do here, since there is hardly any drumming, but he did participate with the sounds of a flute, and there is no bass used at all, naturally. Garm's sumptuous voice is getting the album a one step higher alone, with incredible baritone chants in the songs, whether there are lyrics or not. It's easier to understand the beauty of the guitar lines and their variations than it was in Bergtatt, even though there too, Haavard had worked on some amazing ideas.
My favourite tracks are Naturmystikk, Høyfjeldsbilde, Kveldssang and Ulvsblakk. Imagine a quiet, silent night among the woods, lightless, away from the modern world. From their first three albums, "Kveldssanger" is the most interesting, yet the least attractive to me, since I prefer heavier stuff in general. Great atmosphere with a great musicianship and enough inspiration from nature, were the sculptors of this one and only record, that many bands imitate these days with modern equipment, but fail to overcome. For it's shape, it was doomed to get a fair amount of haters and people that would not appreciate it, but is innovative and alluring.
Track listing:
1. Østenfor Sol og Vestenfor Maane
2. Ord
3. Høyfjeldsbilde
4. Nattleite
5. Kveldssang
6. Naturmystikk
7. A capella (Sielens Sang)
8. Hiertets Vee
9. Kledt i Nattens Farger
10. Halling
DAMAGE: 7.5/10
1. Østenfor Sol og Vestenfor Maane
2. Ord
3. Høyfjeldsbilde
4. Nattleite
5. Kveldssang
6. Naturmystikk
7. A capella (Sielens Sang)
8. Hiertets Vee
9. Kledt i Nattens Farger
10. Halling
DAMAGE: 7.5/10
Aug 9, 2013
Aquilus - Griseus (2011) Review
Aquilus "Griseus"
Late winter 2011, Blood Music
Late winter 2011, Blood Music
So, Aquilus is a guy from Assassin's Creed, interesting. You can read about him here. As for the band, its an Australian project by one guy named Waldorf, and he plays "atmospheric metal" as he describes it. "Griseus" is the one and only full length by the band, and im troubled with the subgenre, since its too poor to describe the actual music here.
Aquilus are heavily influenced by classical music, as there are a lot of moments of combined black metal with neoclassical syntheses in the album. Besides that, there are even more neoclassical parts alone, which makes the album majestic and orchestral. It sounds like the darker side of classical music in general, since the compositions are mostly dark and haunting, which brings me to the conclusion that the fitting subgenre is "neoclassical black metal". That sounds more like the epicness of the content here.
This guy is an extremely talented musician, to a level that it's hard to think he composed this album all by himself. Every aspect of it is perfectly crafted and brilliant, from the atmospheric black metal, to the ambient/classical parts. The first song "Nihil", is a 14 minute masterpiece, and one of my favourite songs off the album. It consists of a powerful intro and black metal with amazing vocals, it continues with acoustic guitars and then pianos and keys again. Throughout its length, the different musical ideas of Waldorf are flourishing and creating all kinds of different emotions, keeping the listener hooked to the earphone. It depicts the full dynamic of his capabilities. The second track "Loss", is more depressive, starts of with a sad piano melody. There are two heavier parts in the song, but still they are sorrowful and somehow nostalgic. I really liked the vocal monologue in the end of the song, probably was done with effects but sounded amazing. Behemoth's Slaves Shall Serve intro came to mind, but in a more artistic way. The next track "Smokefall", again moves between atmospheric black metal and acoustic/piano clean parts, but by know im familiar and aware of the charisma he has to blend them so harmonically together. There are some influences from eastern music, which is a new element in the album. It ends with a sorrowful piano part and im almost in love with his connection to that particular instrument. The song lasts 7 minutes and its one of the shortest in the album.
Next comes "In The Land of Ashes", which is mainly classical and deeply beautiful. It has some folk elements and it has small bits of vocals in whispers/growls and drums, mostly counting on the acoustic guitars. It is a warmer composition, and describes its title, since it would fit as a background of the world's aftermath. "Latent Thistle" comes out with heaviness immidiately and here some of the guitar riffs and solos are more conspicuous than usual. The acoustic parts are not absent, again with a folk touch and an amazing piano line in the end. The album flows as a calm river. The following track "Arboreal Sleep" is just as palatial as the rest, moves between acoustic black metal with whispering vocals and atmospheric black metal with clean chanting vocals. The clean parts with the whispers reminded me of Summoning a bit. There is a piano part in the middle of the track as well, giving the black metal parts one portion at the time, to keep the listener constantly hungry. The next song "The Fawn", is again one of my favourite. It starts off with a magnificent piano melody (again), which slowly builds up and explodes to the main song, one of the heaviest in the album. The synths and the vocals are omnipotent, the only mellow moment that's maintaining the peace is the classical piano in the end. The last song of the album is called "Night Bell" and it could be reviewed, all by itself. It lasts 17 minutes and it contains all the musical ingredients of the band in one awesome track. It is the epitome of neoclassical black metal, at its finest.
What comes to get the album a little bit closer to excellence is the lyrics. As much as i don't really care about them in an album, that much mesmerizing they are here, with superb stories and words, poetic, natural and really artistic. I can't think of a band that sounds like Aquilus, but the people that will enjoy would also like bands like Wolves In the Throne Room or Agalloch. A marriage between Emperor and Beethoven, maybe. Whatever it is, you're going to experience something amazing. Children should be taught of this album. Orchestras should play it.
DAMAGE: 9.5/10
Jul 8, 2013
Neun Welten - Destrunken (2009)
Neun Welten "Destrunken"
Autumn 2009, Prophecy Productions
In Ulver's second full length album "Kveldssanger", there is a song called Naturmystikk, which can be translated as mystic nature. They were trying to create an acoustic folk instrumentation of nature itself, and they seem to have inspired many bands since then. Neun Welten is a dark folk/neofolk group that delivers that exact kind of music. From the name (nine worlds of the Nordic mythology) one can understand that their influences and the concept they deal with in the band.
"Destrunken" is the second full length album after 2006 "Vergessene Pfade". The magnificent illustration of the artwork has been drawn by Fursy Teyssier of Les Discrets, an artist i personally adore when it comes to artworks or animated videos. I can't think of a better fitting cover for this album, its warm, serene, a bit grievous, almost describes the music by itself. The whole booklet is based on this worn out brown colour with great drawings around it.
Here, we have a combination of post-rock and the clean parts of atmospheric black metal, executed under a folk aesthetic. Take Agalloch or Ulver, unplug them and add more piano lines, violin, clarinet, harp. I have read in interviews that the guys' first intentions were to make something like the acoustic form of black metal, but as more members joined, they followed a folkloric and melancholic road, it was exactly the feeling i got listening to it. The compositions are well crafted and they provoke a feeling of euphoria and calmness, with a touch of sorrow, which makes it even more artistic and enjoyable. The acoustic guitars create a very warm atmosphere, and they cooperate perfectly with the rest of the instruments in every song. There are also some female/male clean vocals in German, a characteristic i rarely like in songs, that has beaten the odds here, since they are wonderful whatsoever.
Standout tracks for me are Destrunken II, Jarknez and Schein, even though each one is special. If you are fond of tranquil sounds once in a while, give this album a listen with your eyes closed. Nature lovers will appreciate it very much too.
"Destrunken" is the second full length album after 2006 "Vergessene Pfade". The magnificent illustration of the artwork has been drawn by Fursy Teyssier of Les Discrets, an artist i personally adore when it comes to artworks or animated videos. I can't think of a better fitting cover for this album, its warm, serene, a bit grievous, almost describes the music by itself. The whole booklet is based on this worn out brown colour with great drawings around it.
Here, we have a combination of post-rock and the clean parts of atmospheric black metal, executed under a folk aesthetic. Take Agalloch or Ulver, unplug them and add more piano lines, violin, clarinet, harp. I have read in interviews that the guys' first intentions were to make something like the acoustic form of black metal, but as more members joined, they followed a folkloric and melancholic road, it was exactly the feeling i got listening to it. The compositions are well crafted and they provoke a feeling of euphoria and calmness, with a touch of sorrow, which makes it even more artistic and enjoyable. The acoustic guitars create a very warm atmosphere, and they cooperate perfectly with the rest of the instruments in every song. There are also some female/male clean vocals in German, a characteristic i rarely like in songs, that has beaten the odds here, since they are wonderful whatsoever.
Standout tracks for me are Destrunken II, Jarknez and Schein, even though each one is special. If you are fond of tranquil sounds once in a while, give this album a listen with your eyes closed. Nature lovers will appreciate it very much too.
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