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Gothtronic
Albireon is an Italian neofolk outfit
that is active for some 10 years now. The creative forces in this
band are Davide Borghi (vocals, guitar. Lyrics) and Carlo
Baja-Guarienti (keyboard, piano, flute). Later on Stefano Romagnoli
(programmer, samples) and drummer Lorenzo Borghi joined the band. The
sound of Albireon had become characterized by acoustic guitar and
piano as well as ambient and industrial soundscapes. The band
released album via Cynfeirdd and work with amongst others Sonne
Hagal, Ian Read and Oda Relicta. The new album however gets released
by the Italian label Palace of Worms . I Passi Di Liu can perhaps be
considered the first serious full length album of the band on which
all characteristics of their sound fall into place. The atmosphere on
this recording is tranquil, modest and sometimes almost sacral. Yet
not without emotion, since how could Italian vocals be possible
without emotion? Those who love the isolationism side of ambient will
definitely appreciate the soundscape like basis which supports the
vocals, guitar and piano. Albireon obviously has grown over the past
few years and I Passi Di Liu is an exceptionally beautiful recording.
Heathen Harvest
Sometimes music tends to bring you to a
complete stop, as if the mere sound and sensation of the tune lingers
and blends into every aspect of life. When music gets this good its
usually the closest thing I come to realising its power over the
human mind.. Albireon gets pretty damn close but sadly it hovers on
the borderline between great and fantastic, as if the music wants to
evolve into a butterfly but gets stuck halfway to perfection. I Passi
Di Liù is a magical album with a haunting almost otherworldly
mood.The core of the music is based around ambient structures with
various instruments blended into it, hovering over this landscape is
a male voice almost chanting out with a sad and yet strong
conviction. The music brings with it a strong package of emotions
that overwhelms and brings a lingering curtain of sadness over once
mind. Its really hard to define this music as anything else then a
sad Mediterranean dream evolving as the night travels by on ethereal
wings. The album starts out with a track that reeks with otherworldly
whispers, in the background a guitar can be heard playing a lamenting
tune accompanied by a sad passionate song. It's a damn shame I cannot
understand the spoken word but in this case the emotion that
manifests in the lingering tunes are heavy enough for me to feel even
though the words fail to transfer their hidden meaning to me. The
album goes on with its haunting combination of guitars and ambient
landscapes, and this combination works extremely well most of the
time, although some of the times the vocals tend to get a bit to
similar and could use some variation.The first song that really
sticks out is Cendra. By adding female vocals to an interesting riff
and changing the general composition of the song it goes from the
more ambient to something that reminds me of medieval neofolk.
Cerebastri is a step back to the more emotional and clean male vocals
with the ambient background and it sure cuts a piece of the soul out.
Marea is the next step with darker, deeper vocals and a more brooding
sensation to it, if the earlier parts of the album were an aspect of
sorrow this is a plunge so deep into emotional desolation that the
joy fails to exist. It's a great track that add a deeper sensation to
the earlier more shallow catatonia, its almost as if the album goes
into its next step from this stage and onwards.Falistre is a pure
ambient track with a more mechanical sound to it, like a weird
alchemist's lab in the steam punk renaissance of Europe. After this a
sad almost storytelling song with the same sad and forlorn feeling
that have haunted this album, it ends with Gennajo, a 12 minute
travel through both ambience, folk, ethereal and its almost as a
recollection of the album in itself. A short preview of the greatness
that's about to come and the feeling and sensation is thick in this
prefect balance of atmosphere and sadness. Il Passi Di Liù is a fine
piece of art and although it might not always reach into the depths
of my psyche its definitely bordering on the edge with its haunting
songs of passion and lost love. It's a shame I cant really comment on
the written text since my Italian is bad at best but this music is
really bordering to the speechless. It need not words to declare its
message, its universal in its feeling and that is the raw strength.
It's a great passionate album of a fantastic mix of ambient and
neofolk, although it might not appease all it sure is enough to evoke
thought and a lingering sadness in the heart of the sensitive.
Chain dlk
At three years from their latest album
"Il Volo Insonne", Albireon are back with a particular new
one titled I PASSI DI LIU'. The ten tracks of the CD differs a lot
from their new-folk tunes as it has been created as a sort of concept
album to commemorate the memory of a dead girl (it isn't specified if
she's an hypothetical one). Musically the album is sounding more like
an experimental Italian progressive rock work (like the early Le Orme
albums such as "L'uomo di pezza") and it's nice to see the
band looking for new ways of expression. If you aren't used to
Italian progressive music of the seventies, well, forget the word
rock for a moment, because on some cases it wasn't sounding like rock
music at all. On our case, Albireon recalled me that kind of sound
mainly for Davide Borghi vocal style, because if we talk about music,
most of the tracks are composed of oneiric treated sounds. Only
"Cendra", "Cerbastri", "Nymphalidae"
and the closing "Gennaio" have folkish acoustic guitar
parts. A particular interesting work full of pathos and sadness.
Versacrum
Gli Albireon continuano ad essere uno
dei progetti italiani più interessanti e proseguono il loro cammino
attraverso una complessa selva di sonorità differenti. I primi brani
che mi capitò di ascoltare risalgono, se non ricordo male, al 2001 e
l'ultima loro opera che ho avuto modo di apprezzare è stata Il volo
insonne , pubblicato ormai tra anni fa. L'evoluzione di questo
progetto nostrano che, va detto, ha sempre avuto caratteristiche
piuttosto personali è evidente, al punto che quest'ultimo CD
potrebbe è difficilmente associabile ai precedenti lavori a me noti;
ad esempio, la chitarra acustica è quasi assente e, laddove se ne
sente (o, addirittura, intuisce) il suono, è assolutamente in
secondo piano. Di fatto I passi di Liù è costituito da basi dark
ambient su cui viene sovrapposta la voce, spesso recitante o
caratterizzata da quel cantato minimale che ha sempre caratterizzato
gli Albireon. Per quanto assurdo possa sembrare, quest'album mi ha
fatto pensare ad un impensabile connubio tra un Arturo Stalteri
all'epoca dell'esordio dei Pierrot Lunaire e un moderno gruppo di
ambient scura ma non immobile: nn avrei mai pensato che liriche
recitate in italiano potessero combinarsi così bene con una chitarra
in lontano sottofondo e drone rugginosi. A concludere il tutto, un
lungo brano (12 minuti abbondanti) che si distacca alquanto dai
precedenti, caratterizzato com'è dai suoni di corde pizzicate e di
un violino minimale che si sovrappongono e si vanno a stemperare in
strutture noise ambient in continuo movimento e crescendo che, a loro
volta, scompariranno in un arpeggio di chitarra accompagnato dalla
voce.
Ritual
E' un anelito amaro quello che
caratterizza il quarto disco degli italiani. Un ritratto dalle
tonalità morbide, che si allontana dalle atmosfere cantautoriali e
neo folk dei precedenti lavori per adagiarsi sulle manipolazioni
sonore del dark ambient più raffinato e atmosferico. Il volo è
planare, tanto personale nella forma quanto voluttuoso nei contenuti,
ricchi di simbolismi e immagini sonore significative. Un flusso
emozionale di pensieri e vissuti, che riemergono dal gorgo dell'anima
in una veste poetica che non ha precedenti nella carriera della
compagine, autrice (come suo solito) di un lavoro prezioso e curato
anche dal punto di vista iconologico. Un passo importante,
all'insegna della libera espressione artistica e fuori dai luoghi
comuni delle restrizioni di genere. Al riparo da luce accecante, il
loro è un cono d'ombra che cela una sofferenza profonda (la perdita
di un'amica) e si divincola sinuosamente tra lirismo raffinato e
amplessi musicali naif. (Maurizio Gabelli)
Compulsion
On I Passi Di Liu the Italian group
Albireon take a strong step away from neo-folk compositions for an
album of gloomy, mournful laments, lead by the almost hymnlike voice
of Davide Borghi. Albireon have released several albums on Cynfeirdd,
and last year they collaborated on a 10-inch with Sonne Hagal
released on Final Muzik. I Passi Di Liu, while maintaining a
traditional folk feel places more emphasis on atmospherics than the
folk melodies they are generally associated with. I Passi Di Liu
recalls the more ethereal moments of Gordon Sharp's Cindytalk.
Borghi's vocal takes on an almost sacred feel on 'Gli Equiseti'
amidst soft bass tones and gentle atmo-wash. It's this moody
atmospheric touch that makes Albireon so distinctive here. I Passi Di
Liu is sung and spoken in Italian and is concerned with memories of a
lost beloved one - a point amply conveyed by the mood of the music
and cover art.
The sound is so fragile that it almost
breaks, as it does on 'Cerbastri', a skewed folk ballad set against
woodwind and background whistling. Even when guitars and piano enter
the fray, the effect is slight, as they appear little more than
embellishments to Borghi's haunting vocal. The same goes for
'Naufraghi' where Borghi's vocal hovers over classical piano notes,
reverbed guitar and atmospheric hum. The spoken voice on
'Nymphalidae' is surrounded by creaking electronics, ringing guitar
notes and ambient drone and when eventually an acoustic folk strum
does appears it remains distant.
I Passi Di Liu carries elements of
ethereal and traditional folk, and on initial listen the entire thing
may sound too understated to cause much of an effect. Repeated
listening, however, shows I Passi Di Liu to be an effective
transitional release from Albireon. It will be interesting to
discover how Albireon follow this up. I Passi Di Liu is available as
a regular CD, while a CD and DVD package featuring a film by Albireon
is available in an edition of 100.
Obliveon
Zehn Jahre existieren Albireon nun in
einem musikalischen Umfeld, das sich aus Einflüssen von Neofolk,
Dark Ambient und Heavenly Voices zusammensetzt. „I Passi Di Liu'“
erscheint rechtzeitig zu diesem Jahrestag, doch so recht begeistern
will mich das neue Werk der Italiener nicht. Auch wenn „I Passi Di
Liu'“ durchaus seine (wenigen) Momente besitzt, an die EP „Indaco“
reicht dieses Album bei weitem nicht heran und über weite Strecken
hat man den Eindruck, die ruhige und atmosphärische Stimmung lähme
Albireon allerorten. Albireon verlieren sich dabei zu häufig in
monotonen Klangsphären, in denen die Stimme zu einem Flüstern
verkommt und für Emotionen ausser denen einer kataklystischen
Schwermut einfach kein Platz ist. Das Album besitzt kaum einmal
dynamische Momente und treibt emotionslos und ohne Esprit vor sich
hin und man muss schon sehr viel Langmut aufbringen um die wenigen
Höhepunkte zu entdecken. Im Grunde ist erst das letzte Stück, das
über zwölfminütige „Gennaio“, wirklich erwähnenswert. Schade,
dass Albireon es nicht verstanden haben ein abwechslungsreiches und
songschreiberisch spannungsvolles Album zu erschaffen. 6/10
Tristan
Mittlerweile gibt es die italienische
Band Albireon schon fast zehn Jahre und zu diesem Anlass erscheint
die Veröffentlichung I passi di Liu' , welche sowohl als reguläre
CD als auch als Sonderedition mit DVD, die aber nur auf einhundert
Stück limitiert ist, erscheinen wird. Da die DVD nicht vorliegt,
muss diese außer Acht gelassen werden und es kann nur etwas zu der
CD gesagt werden. Konzentriert man sich also nur auf diese,
präsentiert sich dem Hörer eine Mischung aus Folk-Elementen,
Ambient und sehr starken, ins sphärische gehenden Klängen. Diese
wechseln sich außerdem mit seltenen Krachkollagen wie dem Lied
Talistre ab, wobei man als Hörer von einem Wechselbad ins andere
geworfen wird.Dieses Wechselbad ist aber nicht unbedingt
musikalischer Natur, denn obwohl diverse Stilrichtungen verwendet
werden, klingt die CD in sich schlüssig, was besonders auch am sehr
ausdrucksstarken weiblichen und männlichen Gesang liegt, der der
Musik eine sakrale Aura gibt. Das Problem ist vielmehr, dass Albireon
zwischen wirklich schönen Ideen und völlig uninspirierter
Belanglosigkeit hin- und herstreifen. Sorgen Lieder wie Marea mit
Orgeleinsatz und düsteren Drohnen oder Cendra mit Rabengekreisch und
sphärischen Klängen für richtige Gänsehaut, sind es Lieder wie
Nymphalidae , die das Bild wieder stark trüben. Denn hier wird dann
einfach ein Klangteppich erzeugt, in dem man vor- und zurückspulen
kann und alles immer gleich klingt. Warum so ein Lied dann auch noch
über sieben Minuten gehen muss, ist da unverständlich.Letzten Endes
fällt es schwer zu sagen ob das Album gefällt oder nicht. Glänzende
Augenblicke sind genug da, aber diese werden genau so wieder zunichte
gemacht. Letzten Endes sollte man einfach hin und wieder mal die
„Skip“-Taste drücken. Dann kann man sich auch voll auf die guten
Seiten des Albums konzentrieren
Kronik
Per crescere e diventare adulti Liu'
deve morire. Non si può crescere senza perdere una parte di se. E'
la natura. E' la sua legge. Se vuoi diventare uomo devi perdere le
illusioni e i sogni del fanciullino. Da giunco devi trasformarti in
roccia in modo che le pioggie ti schiaffieggino senza effetto. Devi
avere corteccia al posto di pelle perchè la vita non deve più
graffiare fin dentro a toccare il cuore.Per crescere musicalmente
deve morire la parte ingenua di un suono, il bozzolo che la protegge.
Albireon l'ha fatta morire, l'ha persa nello scorrere del tempo,
spogliandosi della struttura del folk di umore nero e dimenticandola
nel mondo passato. La differenza con i lavori precedenti è abissale
per capacità di guardarsi dentro, per emotività e per l'abilità
nel tessere un nuovo linguaggio. Dei vecchi canoni non c'è
praticamente più nulla. Ora si parla una lingua rarefatta, minimale
e intimista, che se ne sta tra l'ambientale e il post rock, che sa di
universale e non più di genere. Il passo in avanti è talmente
notevole da trasformare Albireon da un gruppo di "settore"
in un progetto di ampio respiro. Niente più barriere nè steccati.E'
indubbio. "I passi di Liu'" è il migliore lavoro di
Albireon. Trasuda nostalgia dai testi, che sono poesie, al libretto,
dai toni delicati e dolenti. Ma è il suono l'elemento che più
colpisce. E' come se tutti gli strumenti e i musicisti con loro
abbiano fatto un passo indietro, poi siano rimasti in silenzio per
ore, per anni, fino a cogliere il lieve rumore del cuore che batte,
fino a carpire il brusio della lacrima che scappa veloce dalla
guancia di Liu'. Le chitarre sono arpeggi minimali e a volte
dissonanti, il suono è carico. E' pregno di piccolezze che lo fanno
completo. E' questa la novità che più colpisce.Dalla iniziale "Liu'
dorme" fino a "Gli equiseti" con la loro poetica
malinconica del ricordo, per passare a "Cendra", con un
duetto di voci che a me ha riportato alla mente certe cose del
vecchio periodo neofolk dei Current, ed arrivare a "Marea"
la sensazione di un suono figlio della natura è sempre presente.Se
devo fare un appunto, lo faccio alla voce: ancora troppo
cantautoriale per il nuovo stile, a tratti troppo impostata quando al
contrario io l'avrei voluta "sgraziata", avrei voluto
sentirla urlare perchè il canto delle emozioni non è mai educato,
ma si dibatte come le tempeste che attraversano il cuore.Liu' deve
morire ma non deve essere dimenticata. Perchè una volta cresciuti
non si può fare a meno di lei. Perchè una volta diventati roccia si
scopre la nostalgia per quando ancora si credeva nei sogni, e allora
Liu' ritorna, la si cerca ovunque, nei ricordi, nel volo di una
rondine che batte le ali, nel volto della sola persona che sa ancora
farti accellerare i battiti del cuore oppure nel sorriso di una bimba
che non conosce ancora il significato di "compleanno" ma
ride, perchè lei è Liu' e tu al suo fianco dimentichi quanto sia
poca cosa la vita.
Debaser
Liù dorme. Ben desta è invece
l'ispirazione degli emiliani Albireon, giunti alla quarta prova ed
alla piena maturità, che permette loro di confezionare quello che
possiamo ritenere, ad oggi, il loro capolavoro.Uscito in sordina
nella seconda metà del 2008 , "I Passi di Liù" sancisce
da un lato un netto distacco dalla dimensione neo-folk/cantautoriale
abbracciata negli album precedenti, e dall'altro celebra il felice
approdo ad una nuova formula, unica se vogliamo, che fonde
armoniosamente tessiture ambient e sofisticato post-rock , il tutto
funzionale alle belle parole di Davide Borghi, autore di un concept
denso di significati e profondamente poetico .Liù potrebbe essere
sul letto di morte, assistita dal suo amante, o da un suo amico, una
voce fuori campo che ripercorre con trasporto i ricordi di
un'infanzia spensierata, ma non priva di fratture ("Ma noi
abbiamo danzato, a volte anche tra i rovi, lasciando che le spine ci
ferissero il sorriso" recita il ritornello della bellissima "
Gli Equiseti ").Oppure Liù potrebbe attraversare una fase di
passaggio della sua vita, dirigersi verso nuovi orizzonti,
lasciandosi, non senza traumi, qualcosa alle spalle; e la voce
narrante potrebbe essere quella di un poeta, o di un angelo custode,
che legge attraverso la metafora della morte i cambiamenti che
intervengono nella vita di tutti noi (" Ed ora sorridi, ne sono
sicuro, dimentica dell'orologio sul muro, un fremito d'ali, nel buio
giardino, voli leggera, incontro al mattino " narra la
conclusiva "Gennaio ", nel momento più intenso
dell'album).Fra il primo Battiato (impossibile non pensare a "Le
Corde di Aries") e i Current 93 di lavori come "Of Ruine or
some Blazing Starre" e "Sleep has his House", i "Passi
di Liù" è un viaggio onirico e sfocato su una zattera di legno
in cui, sonnecchianti, siamo cullati dallo sciabordio dolce delle
onde (frequenti i rimandi al mare e al fluire inesorabile delle
correnti: si prenda i testi di brani come " Naufraghi " e "
Deriva ").Squarci di sole fendono le nuvole nel cielo, mentre
passato e presente si confondono e sfumano in un abbraccio febbrile,
fra scenari bucolici senza tempo, il chiuso di una stanza ombrosa ove
giace un letto, e l'universo che sta nel cuore e nella mente.In altre
parole: emozioni emozioni emozioni.Arpeggi di chitarra appena
sfiorata, una vibrante elettronica ambientale che evolve
impercettibilmente, squarci di tenue rumorismo qua e là a richiamare
vagamente gli esperimenti esoterici dei primi Ain Soph, mentre
nell'intensa " Cendra " compare la voce fiabesca di Paola
Farasconi che recita all'unisono con Borghi una filastrocca infantile
(ricordando non poco i duetti fra David Tibet e Rose McDowall): un
intenso e fragile flusso emozionale che pare spezzarsi in ogni
momento e che in ogni momento, come per miracolo, rimane in piedi,
fino agli imperdibili dodici minuti della conclusiva "Gennaio"
, apice emotivo dell'opera, forse la più bella canzone italiana da
dieci anni a questa parte.Procedere oltre mi è difficile, perché
mai come in questi casi le parole sono impotenti nel descrivere le
sfumature innumerevoli di cui è pregno questo piccolo-grande
capolavoro, uno scrigno di emozioni capace di muoversi con eleganza
fra nostalgia, malinconia e speranza: un equilibrio unico e perfetto
in cui la Fine è in realtà un nuovo inizio, e dove a muovere il
tutto è lo stato di grazia in cui si trovano i musicisti, non certo
dei virtuosi, eppure magici nel riporre nella loro opera tutto quello
di cui c'era bisogno e nella forma più congeniale al disegno
complessivo.L'unico appunto che mi sento di fare è la resa della
voce eterea di Borghi , che si perde riverberata fra i suoni
dell'album, non per colpa del pur bravo cantante, ma per un mixaggio
un po' confuso che, ahimè, non permette all'ascoltatore di cogliere
tutte le sfumature dei bellissimi testi. Per certi versi, un vero
peccato.Da segnalare infine l'elegante booklet che accompagna
l'opera, le cui pagine sono costellate dalle illustrazioni di Lorenzo
Borghi, l'ideale controparte visiva agli umori malinconici e
fanciulleschi che pervadono l'album.Nella versione in mio possesso vi
è inoltre un DVD, il quale tuttavia rimane privilegio dei cento
fortunati in possesso dell'edizione limitata. Tipo me.Non sarà
facile trovare questo album, ma se vi capita fra le mani, non fatevi
sfuggire quella che probabilmente è la migliore uscita discografica
italiana dello scorso anno , nonché un'opera unica nel suo genere,
capace di toccare temi come la vita e la morte con quella delicatezza
e quella maturità che rimangono appannaggio di pochi.Davvero di
pochi. Recensione di: mementomori , Voto: ????
Rosa Selvaggia
Appena ho avuto fra le mani il nuovo
lavoro di Albireon, non so perché ho avuto una strana sensazione,
inquietudine soprattutto. Cosa confermatami sin dal primo ascolto del
disco, o meglio forse mi sono lasciato suggestionare dall'aver visto
prima il dvd e poi aver ascoltato l'album. Comunque siano andate le
cose, vedrò di approfondire meglio il tutto c on l'intervista che
sto preparando a Davide Borghi. Lui mi ha solamente anticipato via
e-mail, con la consueta sensibilità che lo ha fatto da subito
diventare mio 'amico di email' (oltre che aver avuto il piacere di
organizzare con lui un concerto qualche anno fa), che il disco
rispecchia il ricordo di sua nonna morta 4 anni fa, o meglio “le
sue ultime 4 ore di vita”. In senso positivo, non come qualcosa “di
morboso” ma piuttosto un modo per ricordarne la sua figura. In
realtà io continuo a vedere nell'album (sì, nei brani, non nelle
immagini) una serie di percorsi che attanagliano alla gola, come
leggere i sentimenti di qualcun altro. E, ripeto, tanta tanta
inquietudine. Probabilmente non era nelle intenzioni del gruppo
emiliano trasmettere quella che io dico “incantevole sofferenza”,
ma di fatto ritengo che questa sia una definizione più che
appropriata. Bene, finora direte voi, ci hai rifilato le solite
elucubrazioni mentali, ma stringendo: e la musica? Bene, quella va
solamente ascoltata, come si può pretendere di descrivere un
continuo, ininterrotto flusso emozione? A partire dall'iniziale “Liù
dorme” che introduce l'ascolto in un loop musicale sul quale la
voce di Davide vuole coinvolgere e circondare, a “Naufraghi” e
“Gli equiseti” con la loro malinconica base di piano; l'idea di
un viaggio in mezzo ad un mare scuro ritorna con “Deriva” e
“Marea”, sperimentali e sempre condotti da deboli loop che si
chiudono a cerchio dentro di loro. Chi si aspettava il “solito
dischetto neofolk” rimarrà deluso e, se ha un minimo di
sensibilità, sconvolto da tanta ricchezza di suoni, di vibrazioni,
di voci a volte anche quasi urlate, come a rimarcare un ricordo che
non deve spegnersi. Ultimo appunto: “Cerbastri”, persino bucolica
negli arrangiamenti, forse questo sì un episodio che può essere
considerato 'neofolk', e la conclusiva “Gennaio” che parte quasi
in stile 'noise' per poi introdurre pian piano i diversi strumenti,
di cui la voce è inevitabilmente parte. E il dvd? Beh, quello non ha
bisogno di alcuna parola, è semplicemente purezza, (dis)incanto e
turbamento: anche qui si tratta di un flusso ininterrotto di
sensazioni, e mai come in questo caso, ciascuno ne dovrà trarre le
proprie conclusioni, anche se avverto: sembra quasi che le immagini
mutino al mutare dello stato d'animo del momento in cui le si guarda,
col cuore, naturalmente, non di certo con i soli occhi.
(Anialf)
Luker's realm
Os Albireon detêm já uma carreira
recheada de grandes discos e participações de prestígio. Que se vê
agora alargada com o lançamento de " I Passi Di Liu ", o
seu mais recente longa-duração, cortesia da Palace Of Worms .
Juntos desde 1998, a sonoridade do
colectivo italiano percorre os meandros emotivos das composições
baseadas em guitarra acústica e teclados, com a adição de outros
elementos acústicos e de vocalizações intensas. Mantendo-se fiéis
ao especto Dark Folk, souberam percorrer caminhos paralelos do
Neofolk e alternativos do Industrial e Experimental ao longo da sua
carreira, culminando agora numa demonstração de capacidade,
sensibilidade e talento como é este novo trabalho.
Para além desta edição, vai ser
também disponibilizada uma edição especial limitada a 100 cópias,
contendo um DVD bónus. Aqui podemos encontrar um filme surreal
criado pelos próprios Albireon, para representar visualmente o
conteúdo do novo disco, e para adicionar uma camada de
enriquecimento à música propriamente dita. Recomendado.
Darksite
This latest release for the Italian
outfit Albireon , lead by Davide Borghi , sees some of the most
introspective and enchanting moments in the history of the project.
The ten tracks featured are drenched in foggy, oneiric ambiences, so
thin and fragile, they give the unreal feel of being sculpted out of
mist and are free-standing in an abstract dimension, a layer far
above the reach of human beings. Davide 's poetry is sublime as we
are used to and learned to love. His words are delicate, they embed
themselves gently in the surrounding mist. There's a fair bit of
experimentation in the backdrops to this unreal story, billed as a
"collection of memories of a lost beloved one". A solitary
guitar moves shyly through the haze. I passi di Liú see Albireon
breaking from the neo-folk paradigm, around which the band had
already reached highly respectable levels, to explore a self-crafted
way that conjures up visions ranging from Fin de Siecle to Ain Soph .
Curiously, the last of the ten tracks spans about a quarter of the
duration of the whole work, featuring more courageous
experimentation, subtle noise and ambient research, that solitary
guitar which occasionally picks up a melody, a strum duetting with
background noises and the hazy vocals that turn ethereal at the apex.
I have loved each and every work by Albireon , always for slightly
different reasons, and I have to say that even if I passi di Liú
lacks an "headline" song, a sublime ballad whose melody
leaves a lasting memory, there's a lot to go for declaring this
probably the most accomplished work to date for the band.
Kultur Terrorismus
Das seit fast 10 Jahren existierende
Projekt Albireon aus Italien blickt auf einige Vollzeitwerke, ein
Split mit Sonne Hagal & eine Vielzahl an Samplerbeiträgen
zurück, die meiner Person zum überwiegenden Teil gänzlich
unbekannt sind, weshalb mich die Übersendung des aktuellen bzw.
neuen Albums “I passi di Liù” zur Besprechung sehr freut, um
eine so genannte Wissenslücke zu schließen.Hinter Albireon
verbergen sich die Protagonisten Davide Borghi, Stefano Romagnoli,
Carlo Baja Guarienti, Lorenzo Borghi, Massimo Romagnoli & Paola
Tarasconi, die gemeinsam mit “I passi di Liù” eine sehr
experimentelle Arbeit erschuffen, welche die Genres (Dark) Folk,
Industrial (Noise), Drone und Ambient in einem emotionalen Gewand
vereint. Diesem Oeuvre inhaltlich näher zu kommen, verhindert eine
Sprachbarriere, welche meine Wenigkeit nicht zu nehmen vermag
(leider). Die hervorragende Cover- wie Bookletgestaltung malte
Massimo Romagnoli, der mit gedeckten Farben sehr fein den Charme
dieses Opus transportiert.Musikalisch soll dieses Release von den
vorherigen Publikationen von Albireon abweichen, weshalb sich die
fortlaufenden Aussagen ausschließlich auf die CD “I passi di Liù”
beziehen, die als Sonderedition von 100 Stück noch einen Film für
den geneigten Konsumentenkreis bereithält. Diejenigen, die pure
Stringenz bei Tonträgern favorisieren, können “I passi di Liù”
für sich komplett von der nächsten “Einkaufsliste” streichen,
hingegen Hörerinnen und Hörer, welche freigeistige Tonkunst mit
experimentellen Einschüben schätzen, müssen diese Veröffentlichung
von Albireon unbedingt antesten. Sie verknüpften auf “I passi di
Liù” Gitarrenlinien aus dem Dark Folk bzw. Neofolk, vereinzelte
Akkorde die an My Dying Bride in ihren besten Tagen erinnern, dunkle
atmosphärische Soundcapes, die auch von Tor Lundvall stammen
könnten, leichte Droneanleihen, sanfte Noisestrukturen (kein
Geballer!) und sehr emotionale Stimmbandarbeiten (mehrheitlich
männlich) miteinander, woraus sich eine sehr dunkle & zugleich
ergreifende Symbiose ergibt. “I passi di Liù” in einem
Hördurchgang erfassen zu wollen, scheitert alleine an der
Komplexität, die diesen Tonträger auszeichnet. Gerade
Rezipientinnen und Rezipienten, die sich für “Lapsis” von
Darkwood & Chaos As Shelter begeistern konnten, dürfte diese
Tondokumente auf “I passi di Liù” von Albireon zusagen bzw.
gefallen.Auf “I passi di Liù” einen Anspieltipp zu empfehlen,
entfällt wegen der Tatsache, dass alle Tracks gemeinsam ein
Gesamtkunstwerk offenbaren, welches als solches konsumiert werden
sollte.Die von Albireon vermittelte Gesamtstimmung schwingt zwischen
Dunkelheit und Bedrohlichkeit, wodurch sich nach mehrfachem Konsum
ein Gefühlschaos aufdrängt. Emotionslose Lebewesen sollten von “I
passi di Liù” die Finger lassen, ihnen wird sich der wahre Geist
nie erschließen.Fazit:Albireon legen mit “I passi di Liù” eine
sehr vielseitige Publikation auf, welche durch tiefe emotionale
Berührung besticht. Individuen, die nach gehaltvoller wie
kunstvoller Untergrundmusik verlangen, sollten sich “I passi di
Liù” unbedingt zulegen – meine Empfehlung!
Mantenebre
"I passi di Liù" es un
trabajo de Albireon editado en Palace of Worms (Ref: PO26W-2) en
Noviembre de 2008.
Interpretado por Davide Borghi a las
voces,guitarras y samples & Stefano Romagnoli en
programaciones,samples y filmaciones & Carlo Baja Guarienti como
pianista,teclista y flautista & Lorenzo Borghi en la batería y
la percusión desde Italia y navega entre los estilos Ambient &
Ethereal y tiene una duración de 46 minutos.
Enlaces Relacionados: Albireon &
Palace of Worms
valoración: 7.5 sobre 10
Aunque para mí este disco ha sido el
primer contacto que he tenido con Albireon, lo cierto es que este
proyecto musical italiano ha tenido una intensa trayectoria musical
desde sus comienzos, allá por 1998, cuando publicaron su primera
demo en la que contaron con la colaboración de Vitorio Vandelli,
guitarrista de Ataraxia. Tras este primer paso, la banda empezó a
aparecer en diversos recopilatorios y continuó sacando demos y cds
hasta llegar a este "i passi di liù", que la discográfica
Palace of Worms ha sacado en dos ediciones diferentes, la normal en
caja de plástico y una limitada en la que se incluye un dvd con
imágenes rodadas por la propia banda con objeto de representar
visualmente la música incluida en el cd.
El sonido de Albireon me resulta
difícil de clasificar, no porque sus elementos sonoros sean
difíciles de reconocer sino porque para mí no es habitual escuchar
un proyecto musical cuyo fondo sonoro es abiertamente
ambient-industrial y cuyas melodías vocales están más cerca del
neofolk ( 'Nymphalidae' ) que de otra cosa. La mezcla, en un
principio chocante, va ganando enteros con cada nueva escucha gracias
a su original propuesta. Sin embargo, todavía sigo pensando que le
falta algo de fuste, algo más de consistencia, algún elemento que
me enganche definitivamente. Seguro que con unas cuantas escuchas más
conseguiré pillarle el punto completamente a este disco. Lo cierto
es que la unión de fondos ambientales y melodías vocales neofolk
produce en el oyente una agradable sensación de sofisticada
fragilidad, como de un delicado y fugaz equilibrio a punto de
rompersey que a duras penas consigue mantenerse a flote. Eso es lo
que sucede cuando se escuchan temas como el de apertura del cd, uno
de los más oscuros pero a la vez uno de los más delicados. La
fragilidad se torna en inquietante amargura en canciones como 'Gli
equiseti', en la que la voz tiene más predominancia sobre la música,
transmitiendo a través de su lamento una honda sensación de
melancolía y tristeza. Uno de los cortes más destacados de "i
passi di liù" es 'Cendra', cantado en exclusiva por una voz
femenina que se eleva sobre el paisaje sonoro más extraño de todo
el cd. 'Marea' y 'Falistre', por su parte, aportan dos perfectos
ejemplos de la capacidad que tiene Albireon para crear murallas
sónicas profundamente sobrecogedoras y oscuras, cuyo negro efecto se
ve notoriamente suavizado por la voz masculina en la primera de
ellas. La segunda es sin duda la más oscura de todo el disco;
totalmente instrumental, añade a su sonido inquietantes y extraños
efectos de corte netamenteindustrial. Uno de los elementos
fundamentales en este lanzamiento es, junto a la música, el artwork
tanto del libreto del cd como de la web de Albireon. Figuras humanas
desdibujadas, de rostros imprecisos, se pasean por entornos brumosos
y fantasmales en lo que supone una representación visual más que
acertada del contenido musical de "i passi di liù". Aunque
la edición que ha llegado hasta la redacción de Mentenebre es la
sencilla, no dudo en recomendaros que os hagáis con la edición
limitada que incluye el dvd, pues a buen seguro será un complemento
perfecto para escuchar y entender la música de Albireon.
DSide
Album licenziato dalla Palace of Worms
e scrigno di profondi contenuti emozionali scaturiti dalla personale
sofferenza di Davide Borghi riguardo la scomparsa di una persona a
lui cara eppur ancora vivida e presente tra le note dell'opera, come
una successione disincantata di tormento e struggevolezza. Ci siamo
occupati l'anno scorso della band di Reggio Emilia, precisamente in
occasione del precedente album "Indaco", auspicando
all'epoca strutturali interventi migliorativi sul piano tecnico: i
risultati, come del resto ci attendevamo, sono infine giunti. Le
songs, più mature ed ispirate, riflettono un vibratile desiderio di
sperimentare innovative sonorità "looppate" a cura di
Stefano Romagnoli oltre ad una più tangibile padronanza della
materia oscura. "I passi di Liù" si dispone sul mercato in
due versioni: una limited edition di 100 copie con annesso dvd
realizzato con i filmati di Massimo Romagnoli, oltre la canonica
stampa solo su cd limitata però anch'essa a 400 copie. Gli Albireon,
inoltre, militano anche nella compilation "Nikolaevka" con
la song "Il deserto dei Tartari", offrendo aun'ulteriore
occasione per soppesarne le qualità. "Liù dorme", prima
traccia dell'album in esame, si erge catartica, impalpabile, su
vocalizzi meditativi adombrati da un flusso di key, chitarra distante
arpeggiata con scarni accordi, in una song che amplia il concetto di
sofferenza e mestizia intrecciandolo all'inesprimibile emozione della
dipartita e privando il pentagramma di ogni melodia circoscrivendolo
contemporaneamente nella compostezza di un atonale cantico di morte.
"Naufraghi" è una traccia livida, intorpidita da una lunga
folata di rumore sintetico, viola e cristallizzate note di piano. In
"Gli Equiseti" la preminenza dei vocals di Davide intessono
delicati filamenti dal sapore amaro, ammantati di malinconia ed
allineati su un greve rollìo di basso mentre "Deriva"
evoca fosca poesia trafitta da frammenti stilistici attigui ai This
Mortal Coil di "Filigree & Shadow" attraverso ampissime
dilatazioni delle atmosfere ed utilizzando il suono come strumento di
meditazione. "Cendra" emana evaporazioni liriche fiabesche
in duetto tra Davide e Paola Tarasconi, sorrette da un unico accordo
di chitarra appena pizzicata ed un ripetitivo campionamento
rumoristico che ossessiona l'intera percorrenza della traccia, così
come "Cerbastri" propaga quiete galassie vocali
meravigliosamente evocative e poggiate su un disadorno tappeto di key
dalla timbrica sibilante, pallida guitar e rarefazioni di piano.
"Marea" abbina i fraseggi del singer a sonnolente emissioni
monocromatiche in un episodio dalla brevissima tempistica e
"Falistre" rumoreggia con striduli loops imbarattando di
gelida impurità un capitolo dark-ambient; raggiungiamo
"Nymphalidae", fosco poema sciorinato sotto un plumbeo
cielo di sordi venti tastieristici e stentorei tocchi di chitarra
d'accompagnamento che anticipano l'ultimo brano rappresentato da
"Gennaio", dall'intro lunghissimo che incorpora un lamento
accordato inizialmente su sole tre note incessantemente modulate su
un background di torbidi cigolii interferiti da sinistri rumori, con
la voce di Davide che solo al sesto minuto interviene ad echeggiare
una song intricata ma che nel segmento finale intercala lente melodie
di keyboard e chitarra. Nessuna percussione, nessuna ritmica: l'album
si tuffa in prolungate immersioni di ambient oscuro e gelido ed
essenziale plasma sonoro intriso di un palpabile sentimento di
afflizione che in questo "I passi di Liù" diviene parte
integrante di ogni singola nota, rendendo i contenuti del lavoro
toccanti, riflessivi ma percepibili esclusivamente dall'ascoltatore
predisposto e sensibile. Fautori di una rentrèe matura quanto
significativa gli Albireon si evolvono nell'algido livore di una
realizzazione che ha il pregio di aver reso timidamente luminoso
perfino il buio. In eterno.
Apostazja
Choc zawsze w miare docenialem
twórczosc tego wloskiego projektu, nie spodziewalem sie specjalnie
cudów po tej plycie. A tu prosze, "I Passi di Liu", wydana
przez zmartwychwstaly niedawno Palace Of Worms to jak dla mnie jedno
z najlepszych wydawnictw 2008 roku. Z tego co wiem za tym
wydawnictwem stoi autentyczna tragedia, która spotkala jednego z
muzyków. I to slychac jak chyba nigdy dotad. Wlasnie ta szczerosc
przekazu, która wyziera z kazdej nuty na plycie postrzegalbym jako
najwieksza zalete "I Passi di Liu". Sama muzyka moze nie
grzeszy specjalnym skomplikowaniem pod wzgledem formalnym (choc do
prostoty oczywiscie równiez daleko), ale ma swój charakter i na
swój sposób jest dosc oryginalna. Ma w sobie ten album cos z
poetyki Canaan, podobnie silnie oddzialuje na emocje sluchacza, choc
muzycznie - nie liczac wokalu w jezyku wloskim - to inne klimaty. W
ogóle mam problem z okresleniem przynaleznosci gatunkowej plyty.
Niby pogrywa tu sobie gitara, czasem jakis klawisz, ale - jakkolwiek
dziwnie to nie zabrzmi - glówna role gra tu tlo. Kazdy numer
podszyty jest ambientowymi plamami, szumami, które niezbyt
nachalnie, ale konsekwentnie buduja atmosfere zagubienia, niemalze
namacalnej samotnosci, przemijania, straty. I to tak naprawde one
graja tu glówna role. To wszystko plus charakterystyczne brzmienie,
w którym wazna role odgrywa poglos (przywodzi mi to troche na mysl
"Natanael" Ildfrosta) oraz pelne pasji, chwilami wrecz
desperackie wokale powoduja, ze w okolicach czwartego "Deriva"
niemal fizycznie krwawi mi serce i chce mi sie plakac. Ja wiem, ze
uzywam tu takich troche kiczowatych, pseudogotyckich okreslen, ale
nic na to nie poradze - "I Passi di Liu" naprawde bardzo
silnie dziala na wrazliwego odbiorce. O wiele silniej niz wlasnie
jakies tam gotyckie smuty. A juz najbardziej wzruszajace sa ostatnie
sekundy ostatniego fragmentu "Gennaio", jakby z pokora
godzace sie z bezlitosnym losem. Piekna plyta, a najlepsze jest to,
ze to zupelnie niespodziewany strzal. Ale czyz nie takie lubimy
najbardziej? Stark
Herz und Geist # 8
E' la Palace of Worms a battezzare il
nuovo lavoro degli Albireon. La formazione emiliana, dopo tanti anni
di “carriera” e vari lavori sul groppone, si riconferma ai soliti
livelli a cui ci ha abituato. Il gruppo capitanato da Davide Borghi
ancora una volta ci introduce nel suo mondo fatato fatto di colori
tenui e delicati, dai contorni minimali e incerti.
Una musica spoglia e asciutta, che
sfocia nella dark ambient isolazionista, fa da tappeto al mondo di
Liù, ipotetica creatura che si muove in una realtà incantata e
disincantata cha fa da specchio al suo carattere sensibile e
romantico.
I vari brani sono delle istantanee
fredde e crepuscolari di pensieri e situazioni. Un disco difficile ed
impegnativo, assolutamente non scontato, che ci consegna gli Albireon
lontani da situazioni acustiche che già conoscevamo. Un lavoro che
mi sento di paragonare ad alcune cose di Colloquio (quello di alcuni
demo del passato) o dei grandi Nenia.
L'approccio è simile e forse anche la
resa finale. La descrizione di un dolore inconfessabile e intenso che
accompagna la protagonista del racconto. Un concept sul male di
vivere (“La luce inclinata del giorno che muore, s'imbeve di tutto
il dolore che provi”) e sulla ricerca di una fragile
felicità/serenità (“fremito d'ali nel buio giardino, voli leggera
incontro al mattino”).
Da centellinare e assaporare
lentamente.
(Ottavio Chiodo)
Ascension # 20
Per seguire o ricordare i passi di Liù,
era naturale che gli Albireon cambiassero veste, atmosfere e percorsi
sonori. Ma anche se questo non fosse stato l'argomento da trattare,
personalmente dubito che il gruppo sarebbe rimasto ancora fedele a
una proposta quasi interamente acustica, folk o neofolk che la
vogliate chiamare; una "divisa" che comunque sarebbe andata
stretta, e per questo portata male. Con ogni probabilità, "I
Passi Di Liù" è solo uno dei tanti interessanti capitoli che
gli Albireon scriveranno da quì a venire, perchè è un album in cui
i ricordi vengono descritti come sogni lontani; e i sogni, è
naturale, si dissolvono. Non ci sarà un altro "I Passi Di
Liù",perchè se ciò che sparisce può restare vago e confuso,
ciò che invece raccoglie il ricordo che l'ha generato resta e vive,
perfettamente, in questo album. Dieci brani che sono come un grande
respiro, un unico grande sguardo suddiviso in dieci scene, in dieci
momenti che, senza che ce ne accorgiamo, si fondono in un bellissimo
caos di percezioni. C'è la parte acustica, le chitarre, c'è
l'elettronica, le percussioni educate, i samples, loops e drones di
varia foggia e natura; c'è la voce di Davide Borghi che, grazie alla
postproduzione, diventa non più mezzo per distribuire parole, ma ne
è l'accompagnatrice, colei che le rincorre, ci gioca insieme,
nascondendosi fa suoni, melodie e rumori, come un ragazzino in un
vecchio solaio impolverato. Gli Albireon non sono diventati un
progetto ambient, non sono più "eterei" di prima, non
rimpiangono i concept prog, non si sono convertiti ai nuovi pastori
erranti del folk psichedelico nè sono l'acido e deviato risultato di
strane jam sessions protratte per ore in studio. Gli Albireon
descrivono sguardi, ricordando sospiri profondi, seguono passi fra
sentieri silenziosi e di tutto questo ricordano sia la bellezza quasi
irreale che il dolore degli istanti più tragici, innaturali. Lo
fanno con melodie dolci e stranianti, con filastrocche narrate vicino
ad una candela accesa, con strumenti che prima sembrano immobili e
poi, improvvisamente, impazziscono inebriati per ritornare
successivamente a note e racconti più familiari. E' un album da
ascoltare come se lo si facesse veramente quel grande respiro,
chiudendo poi gli occhi per sentire l'eco di quei passi. Consigliato.
(Gianfranco Santoro)
Filth forge
"I Passi Di Liù" is the
third official full length album of the Italian project Albireon,
this time released by Palace of Worms. Since the early demos and
albums, Albireon has always been involved in a guitar-driven wave
music: this new album is a strong step away from neofolk compositions
into an album of gloomy, mournful laments, led by Davide Borghi's
solemn voice. The darkness of the sound creates a kind of nihilistic
expression: everything sounds pretty desperate, surreal and distant
when riverbed guitars and classical piano begin to play, the effect
is slight, as they appear little more than embellishments to Borghi's
vocals. Surely "I Passi Di Liù" is Albireon's best work to
date: the mood is nostalgic, lyrics are like little poems, it's not
anymore folk, it's a new kind of sound between ambient and post rock,
that can be developed in a very interesting way in the future. Guitar
sound is so minimalist and dissonant and it's the texture of
evocative songs like "Gli Equiseti" and "Cendra",
reminding somehow of early Current 93. Moreover "I Passi Di Liù"
recalls the more ethereal moments of Gordon Sharp's Cindytalk in some
vocals moments. The entire album is sung and spoken in Italian and is
concerned with memories of a lost beloved one, Liù, that can be seen
as the symbol of lost childhood - a point amply conveyed by the mood
of the music and cover art. - Roberta T.
Side line
Except for some early demos, cdr's and
mcd's, this is the 3rd official full length of the Italian Albireon.
Since its inception in 1998, the project always has been involved in
guitar-wave music. This new album is presented as their most
emotional piece to date. That's hard to say or confirm, but they for
sure tried to compose a kind of melancholic ballad style. The
darkness of thesound creates a kind of nihilistic expression.
Everything sounds pretty desperate and surreal. Unfortunately they
never really touched my most sensible snare. The Italian language
never convinced me when listening to gothic music and that's one of
the main reasons why Albireon has never become one of my favorites.
But it's not only about language! The music does not totally catch me
and I don't really find some real emotional content here. It's all
about feeling and vibes, but I'm missing some kind of melody or
carrying lyrics. “I Passi Di Liù” sounds like a moonwalk under a
black sun… something unreal and hard to catch. “Marea” is the
single song that affected me the most but that's definitely not
enough to speak about a success!
Kogaionon
Tare incalcit proiectul lui Davide
Borghi! Inceput in urma cu zece ani, se pare ca areusit sa se faca
cunoscut in Italia prin cateva materiale underground. Cu o muzica mai
degraba de film, soundtrack melodic, axat pe chitara, keyboards,
flaut si pian, echipa lui Davide ne prezinta acum cateva piese
interesante, ce penduleaza intre Dark, NeoFolk si Ambient, cu un
accent pedimensiunea teatrala, cam greu de descris in cuvinte. Am
inteles ca albumul se bucura si de o varianta limitata la 100 de
bucati unde este inclus si un DVD, pentru cei interesati ina intra
cat mai adanc in conceptual ALBIREON. Nota Dark este uneori balansata
de aroma unor balade remarcabile si unde vocea interesanta a lui
Davide pare sa graviteze in jurul unui sound exclusivist, elitist.
Destul de greu de inteles acest proiect, cu un mesaj deloc comercial
si o abordare originala… dar pentru cei interesati in ciudatenii,
ALBIREON poate fi o alegere inspirata.
Rating: 0.82/1
Darkroom
Il gothic rock è morto? Intendo quello
più dark, oscuro e tenebroso, figlio dei miti ancestrali che portano
il nome di Sisters Of Mercy o Rosetta Stone, Mephisto Waltz e, se
irrorati nel sound dalle tastiere, Clan Of Xymox... Quello che ci ha
fatto ballare dalla fine degli anni '80 e che ancora oggi riscontra
apprezzamenti sul dancefloor, sebbene la proposta artistica sia
ridotta all'osso. Il trio Second Skin, proveniente dall'Arizona,
grazie anche all'intuito della Palace Of Worms (di cui parleremo di
nuovo a breve nelle prossime settimane), con abilità e
controcorrente propone le 11 tracce di "Illa Exuro In
Silentium", sulla scia del recente passato di un genere così
fondamentale nella musica oscura. Attenzione però: sarebbe stato
semplice e banale aggregarsi alla lunga schiera di cloni di Sisters
Of Mercy & co., e difatti il genere e le sonorità sono tipici,
ma in realtà la musica dei nostri è più oscura se contrapposta
alle nevrosi delle chitarre tipiche del death-rock americano. Il
risultato è gradevole in tutta la durata del dischetto, ballabile ed
ascoltabile. La cover/booklet è un piccolo poster con fotografie in
puro stile dark-western (...che ricordi viaggiando a ritroso fino ai
Wall Of Voodoo!) e notizie riguardanti la band e i collaboratori
esterni. Vista la provenienza geografica, è un tributo alle proprie
leggende che nasce in modo naturale e non forzoso: gradevoli i
costumi di Kitty, tra goticismi di frontiera e dolcezze dal sapore
'fanciulla del West' di memoria pucciniana. Arron è l'artefice
principale del sound dei Second Skin, tra giri di basso e stesura dei
testi, coadiuvato da Mark Kitty Cady alla chitarra elettrica e da
Lizzy alla seconda voce. Leggendo la dedica "in memoriam"
tra Dee Dee Ramone, Ian Curtis, Joe Strummer, Rozz Williams ed altri,
trovo in ognuno di loro una piccola fonte d'ispirazione, piccoli
tasselli che formano l'insieme dei suoni del disco in esame, la
voglia di mantenere alta l'emotività di oltre vent'anni di sonorità
che volano tra malinconie depresse, narcisismi velati e non, rabbia
generazionale. Un motivo in più, quindi, per lasciarsi ammaliare da
diverse song, tra cui segnalo "The West", "London
Bridges" ed "Unwritten", perché a volte
'macchiandosi' di suoni industriali si distinguono e qualificano.
Dopo varie produzioni, tributi a band come Cure e Mission e comparse
su varie compilation, senza dimenticare i tre album precedenti,
questo gruppo americano merita in pieno la propria consacrazione ed
un posto legittimo sotto i riflettori. Chi ama le band sopraccitate,
così come Nosferatu e a tratti anche Mephisto Waltz, scopra con
fiducia questo quarto lavoro dei Second Skin (il secondo uscito sotto
l'egida della Palace of Worms): è solo dark-rock, ma che classe!
Nicola Tenani
Obliveon
Fünf Jahre haben die Amerikaner Second
Skin gebraucht um endlich einen Nachfolger zum formidablen Vorgänger
„Black Eyed Angel“ einzuspielen, und dass Second Skin in all der
Zeit nichts verlernt haben machen gleich die ersten Töne deutlich.
Noch immer wird Gitarren Goth in Reinkultur geboten, der seine
britischen Wurzeln wie auch die latenten Einflüsse des Death Rock
nicht verleugnen kann. Auch „Illa Exuro In Silentium“ wartet mit
elf Goth-Hymnen der Extraklasse auf, die eine Band wie London After
Midnight, die sich und ihre Fanschar mittlerweile anscheinend nur
selbst langweilt, um Längen in den Schatten stellen. Second Skin
besitzen noch den Spirit ruhmreicher Goth-Tage, sind grossartige
Songschreiber mit Melodien, die im Ohr bleiben, was Stücke wie der
Opener „She Burns“ oder „The West“ deutlich machen und
besitzen diese mystische und ein wenig geheimnisvolle Image, das die
frühen Goth-Bands immer ausgemacht hat. Dass die Produktion von
„Illa Exuro In Silentium“ dabei etwas kraftvoller hätte
ausfallen können fällt kaum ins Gewicht, erinnert man sich an die
Frühwerke der Sisters of Mercy oder Christian Deaths, die
produktionstechnisch auch keine wirkliche Offenbarung waren. Das
Album hat alle meine Hoffnungen, die ich nach „Black Eyed Angel“
in die Band gesetzt habe, mehr als erfüllt, und wer als Fan
traditioneller Goth-Klänge nach dem Ableben Garden of Delights nach
einem potentiellen Nachfolger sucht, der findet fraglos Gefallen an
Second Skin. 10/10
Darksite
Welcome to those good'ol'days. Good, I
hear you say? Death punk-goth-rock of vintage connotations can be
classified as good, specially when conceived and executed with a good
dose of know-how. Second Skin do know their way to the market square,
selling unsuspecting 'ballads' manufactured with a perverse sense of
cartoonesque malevolence that is subtly scaring. From Rozz Williams
through Virgin Prunes all the way to very early Sisters of Mercy ,
they pick and mix clues of a musical past and revive them with
nonchalance in a work that is bound to titillate abundantly the
batcave-styled posse that still crawls impudently the underground
scenes worldwide. Anyone else might find this simply anachronistic.
But then, they simply need no apply. www.secondskin.
Gothtronic
Illa Exuro In Silentium is the fourth
album by these stylish deathrockers. Founded in 1992 and led by
mastermind Arron this US band is best known for its contribution to a
considerable number of new wave/gothrock compilations and tribute
albums. The sound of Second Skin is reminiscent of the late 80's and
early 90's goth-rock, with Rozz Williams' Christian Death as a clear
point of reference. The band performed live with Christian Death in
the 90's, so the musical connection went beyond mere inspiration.
The album kicks off with the
alienating, ominous sounds of "She burns", after which "The
West" and the driving "Kick and scream" treat us to
swinging and melodious deathrock. "The narcissist" with its
weeping, occasionally screeching guitars criticizes vanity, the
sinister "London bridges" features reflective, poetic
lyrics. "Blood and glass (the impact)", "A
methunderstanding" and "Black picket fence" further
amp up the deathrock feast with uptempo, catchy rhythms and melodies.
After the dramatic tunes of "Unwritten" the more restrained
sounds of "Prince harming" and the wry "Birthday girl"
make for a placid landing. In comparison to many current acts this
piece of skilfully crafted goth-rock appears very serious and
confident. Great care has been taken for the CD-booklet, the fold out
insert is even so bulky that it hardly fits in. With this strong
album Second Sking can attract a new following, embarking on a tour
with these new tunes is highly advisable.
Chain dlk
I was reading a scrbd pdf about the
dark side of Walt Disney, something so bad that is better not to
write down, this work from SECOND SKIN given to me the same
incredible sense of wonder and dark, the same pleasure to discover
the Hell inside BAMBI. They play with Hollywood darkside, with
ballads-punk-wave-dark so great and well played that is not possible
to say “I dont like it”. This work is F.... GREAT, I love it. The
guitar, Lynchesque with some New Order influence is pure “black
velvet”, the voice and the choir around is spine chilling. I have
to say that Second Skin makes my day opening a whole world of great
media icons like: Greta Garbo, Dalì, Brothers Marx and the ghosts of
Old Hollywood...; believe me when I say that this band is showing and
researching for us an area really interesting of death beautiful
myths of our dying world. Best track...I cannot say bullshit, all the
tracks are hypnotic, pure controlled madness inside the perfect dome
of wave-death-rock. Thank you Second Skin.
Versacrum
Anche i Ghoultown (qualcheduno se li
ricorda? A me erano simpatici!) si rifacevano all'iconografia
dark-western, i Second Skin sono più seriosi, dal punto di vista
dell'abbigliamento, e se i primi mi parevano sbucati fuori dal
back-stage de “Dal tramonto all'alba”, questi mi ricordano i Wall
Of Voodoo di “Seven days in Sammystown”. Musicalmente parlando,
Arron (che dei SS è indubbiamente il main-man), Mark Cady (lead
guitarist e dark hero, oltrecchè hangman e picador!) e Greg Gory
propongono un sound decisamente british , con rimandi neanche tanto
velati ad insiemi quali ad esempio Vendemmian (ma pure agli
australiani Meridian, dove ho messo “Sundown empire”, che me lo
riascolto?), non rifacendosi adunque allo spaghetti-western (se non,
vagamente, in “Blood and glass”) che rese celebre il gruppo di
Bruce Moreland (e di Stan Ridgway che sul disco che ho riportato non
c'era). Il fosco leader si occupa di piano, chitarra, basso,
composizione, oltre ad offrirci il peculiare crooning che
impreziosisce queste composizioni, come le gradevoli “The west” e
“Kick and scream” e la più variegata “The narcissist”.
Voglio spendere qualche parola per il magnifico look esibito dalla
conturbante Heather Hurley, fasciata di pelle nera, che del gruppo è
la cover-girl, la modella e la… femme fatale (ebbè, ruoli
irrinunziabili!). Fra belle sciabolate di chitarra, narrati
inquietanti, suoni poco rassicuranti, Illa exuro in silentium (quarto
disco del combo di Scottsdale, Arizona) scorre piacevole coi suoi
rimandi sisteriani/nephiliani (e progenie varia, of course),
offrendoci ancora spunti interessanti in “London bridges”, nella
veloce “Black ticket fence”, in “Prince harming” e nella
compassata “Birthday girl”, pur se badando a non compiere
deviazione alcuna dal solco segnato. Produzione ottima, grande cura
nel packaging, i Second Skin li promuoviamo senza titubanze!
DSide
Dalle incandescenti lande dell'Arizona
i SS propongono il loro quarto studio-album battezzato dalla label
italiana Palace of Worms: un prodotto interessante, angosciato,
pregno di quegli elementi così cari ai Sisters of Mercy e Fields of
the Nephilim. La band, capeggiata dal frontman/vocalist/songwriter
Arron, approda alla sua ventinovesima realizzazione ufficiale dopo
aver composto ottime soundtracks e compilations. In particolare,
Arron, ha suonato al fianco di illustri nomi dello spessore di Rozz
Williams, Shadow Project e The Mission UK, sviluppando
progressivamente ulteriore esperienza nella manipolazione del dark
sound accorpandolo a misurati influssi wave-goth. La tracklist si
apre con "She burns", intro punteggiata da incubi
metropolitani sottoforma di brusii, algidi fraseggi, una sinistra
nenìa neo-tribale ed un lacerante intervento di guitar. Il parallelo
con i Sisters è quantomeno d'obbligo citando "The West",
strutturata su drumming goth-rock, una luciferina tastiera e vocals
che potrebbero essere stati impostati con maggior incisività. "Kick
and Scream" esalta forme soniche dense di sedimenti old-school
in equilibrio tra wave e dark, "The Narcissist" combina
austere costruzioni vocali a tenebrosi accordi chitarristici in una
song dalla pulsante aurea emozionale sostenuta dagli scatti dei
flashes ritmati da drum noise da cavalcata, mentre dalla successiva
"London Bridges" dipartono riverberate ramificazioni di
guitars che irretiscono i cupi vocalizzi del singer. Si prosegue con
"Blood and Glass (the impact)", intelaiata ad una drum
machine che duella con i corrosivi riff di chitarra in cui non
languono riferimenti al goth più classico, "A
Methunderstanding" dal dirompente assetto ritmico-vocale
ombreggiato da tetro vigore e "Black Picket Fence", audace
combinazione bass-voice-giutar di timbrica goth-rock dalle atmosfere
dirette, tipiche del filone. Il notturno intercalare di Arron si
accorpa alla guitar di Mark Cady in "Unwritten", dinamica
traccia nuovamente inquadrata in un contesto Sisters-oriented a cui
succede "Prince Harming" dagli arabbeggiati arpeggi per un
goth sound che rimarca lo stile compositivo a cui la band è incline.
Song di chiusura "Birthday Girl" muove meccaniche scansioni
ritmiche su un comparto vocale appassionato e visionario dalle trame
decadenti. I contenuti della title track, valutati nel complesso,
assicurano a tutti gli animi gothici un elevato coefficiente in
termini di feeling, nonchè una buona longevità intesa come
successivi ascolti modulati nel tempo. Una performnce di tutto
rispetto, elaborata senza gratuiti virtuosismi. Sperimentatene gli
effetti. Qualche aggiustamento nell'elevatura vocale sarebbe alquanto
utile per ottimizzare le potenzialità espressive di Arron,
unitamente ad un modulo compositivo che deve essere ulteriormente
rafforzato per ottenere maggior carattere. Siamo ad un solo soffio
dall'eccellenza
Self
Halloween. The ancients celebrated it
as the dawn of a new year. A time when the veils between the worlds
are thinnest, when otherworldly entities walk among us. So what
better time to have unleashed Second Skin's brilliant new
Gothic/Industrial/Darkwave release?! The Halloween feel (which also
works any night that calls for atmosphere) is immediately evident in
the intro, “She Burns”- spoken vox behind swirling spectral
voices, which ushers us into this descent into dangerous but
beautiful darkness. “Prince Harming” is every damsel's nightmare.
“Unwritten” is one tale that won't have a happy ending. I could
go on and on with accolades for this album! This album immediately
demands to find its way frequently into the CD player. – Athena
Terrorverlag
Recht unbedarft lege ich die mir
zugeschickte CD mit dem lateinischen Titel „Illa Exuro In
Silentium“ (was auf englisch soviel heißt wie „She burns in
silence) in den Player und lasse auf mich zukommen, was immer da
kommen mag. Von einer Band namens SECOND SKIN hatte ich bislang
nichts vernommen und so dient einmal mehr das Internet als
Informationsquelle. Über Bandmitglieder kann ich nicht viel
erfahren, außer, dass der Gründer ein gewisser Arron ist. SECOND
SKIN existieren bereits seit 1992 (immerhin konnte man die Bühne mit
einer Legende wie CHRISTIAN DEATH teilen) und mit dem nun
erscheinenden haben sie ihr viertes Studioalbum aufgenommen. Los geht
es mit dem Intro „She burns“, welches neben diversen Geräuschen,
wie etwa einem Polizeihorn, ziemlich trashig daherkommt und im
Hintergrund stark verzerrte, fast geflüsterte Vocals beinhaltet. Zum
Glück geht es nicht in diesem Stil weiter, denn sonst wäre ich
gleich beim ersten Hören arg enttäuscht. Doch anstelle dessen
schafft es der schwarze Zeremonienmeister bereits mit dem zweiten
Stück, meine Ohren an die Lautsprecher zu fesseln. Sofort wird klar,
dass hier die guten alten SISTERS OF MERCY fröhlich mit dem
Notenständer winken und wenn man es nicht wüsste, könnte man den
Sound ernsthaft für den der Sisters halten. Doch das tut der Sache
keinerlei Abbruch und ich lasse mich weiter durch die Tracks tragen,
welche durchweg schwer düster und melancholisch daherkommen. Leider
ähneln sich die Kompositionen bis auf wenige Ausnahmen sehr und es
gibt kaum Abwechslung im Sound. Doch bei insgesamt elf Titeln lässt
sich das gut aushalten. Mein Favorit, „London Bridges“, ist eine
dieser Ausnahmen und so schwermütig, dass es das Herz noch ein wenig
kälter werden lässt, als es der Rest der Stücke vermagInsgesamt ist das Album durchaus
hörenswert, wenn auch eher für die sehr dunklen Stunden im Leben
bestimmt. Doch da es diese ja durchaus gibt…
Rosa Selvaggia
Siamo al secondo lavoro uscito con la
Palace of Worms per il trio proveniente dall'Arizona. Niente di di
nuovo se posso permettermi l'ardir d'un'opinione, ma questo potrebbe
essere il grande pregio di questa band, perchè quello che ci
propongono è purissimo ed incontaminato death-rock che ci riporta
immediatamente a gruppi come Sisters Of Mercy e Mephisto Waltz,
facendogli onore sia strumentalmente che vocalmente, senza trascurare
il look della band fin troppo curato in un perfetto e "moderno"
stile dark-western quasi glamour. Un gruppo che consiglio ai
nostalgici poichè indubbiamente nostalgico è il fondatore della
band e bassista Arron, che in una dedica nel patinatissimo libretto
del CD scrive: "in memoriam : Dee Dee Ramone, Ian Curtis, Joe
Strummer, Rozz Williams, ecc" tra i quali le influenze
artistiche certo non passano inudite. Insomma, un lavoro musicalmente
ottimo al quale per esser perfetto manca forse solo un po'di polvere
sulle spalle ...
Info: www.secondskin.net
www.myspace.com/scndskin
(Nacht)
Gothic beauty
*Have you noticed how shiny and new a
reptile's scales are after shedding the old? Well, that describes
Second Skin's music – shining and fresh! A prime example is their
fourth full-length album, Illa Exuro In Silentium. Second Skin is:
frontman Arron, joined by Mark Cody and Greg Gory. Their fresh vision
of Darkwave/Industrial/Gothic music is an aural delight indeed. The
album's title translates to “She Burns In Silence”, and indeed
this album is as fiery as the brightest of Samhain bonfires.
The atmospheric She Burns ushers in
disembodied spirits, who guide us on this dark journey. The West
conjures dusty images of the Old West, but with an ominous, Vampiric
feel. I love the deep vox in Kick And Scream, which has a hint of an
Adam Ant feel; and the title is just what you'd be doing if someone
tried to stop you from dancing to this song. The luxurious, decadent
The Narcissist takes us through the looking glass darkly. The seedy,
decadent London Bridges conjures images of Jack the Ripper. Blood &
Glass (The Impact) seems to depict a car crash, an underlying
intensity. A Methunderstanding has a psychedelic edge, coming at you
in a haze. I love the guitars and vocal harmonies in Black Picket
Fence, which delivers the classic American Dream- Gothic style.
Unwritten is ominous and desolate. There is a bit of an Eastern
flavor to Prince Harming – one where you hope the dragon slays the
prince! Birthday Girl is the opposite of a celebration..it's morose
and depressing.
Kultur Terrorismus
Die großen Zeiten von Bands wie
Christian Death, Sisters Of Mercy, The Mission, Fields Of The
Nephilim usw. sind leider vorbei bzw. vergangen und lassen sich auch
nicht mehr zurückbringen, auch wenn einige Kapellen regelmäßig
versuchen, diesen alten fast in Vergessenheit geratenen Geist des
Goth Rocks bzw. Death Rocks wieder neu zu beleben bzw. zu beschwören.
Die moderne Gothickonsumentenschaft tanzt heutzutage ausschließlich
nur noch zu stampfenden Beats, welche allesamt mit der
Begrifflichkeit “Gothic” nichts zutun haben, sondern aus der
schwächelnden Technobewegung stammen. Das italienische Trio Second
Skin versucht mit ihrem vierten Vollzeitalbum “Illa Exuro In
Silentium” diesen vorher beschriebenen am Tropf hängenden
Scheintoten (Wir sprechen über Goth Rock bzw. Death Rock!) wieder zu
beleben, obwohl sie genau wissen, dass sie ihn nicht mehr retten
können. Meinem persönlichen Ansinnen nach, können Nostalgiker wie
Second Skin nur noch Abklatsch aufnehmen, weil die oben aufgeführten
Combos das Feld des Goth Rocks bzw. des Death Rocks komplett
abgrasten. Auf dem Oeuvre “Illa Exuro In Silentium” von Second
Skin große innovative Momente zu erwarten, würde eine grenzenlose
Hoffnung in den Patienten Goth Rock bzw. Death Rock voraussetzen, die
aber keineswegs zutrifft, zu sehr hat sich die komplette
Musiklandschaft und das Hörerverhalten geändert (leider). Daran
ändert auch nichts die von Second Skin dargebotene Verknüpfung aus
alten musikalischen Strukturen (Old School Goth Rock bzw. Death Rock)
und neumodischem Auftreten (Covergestaltung, Inhalte) wie The 69Eyes.
Den Herrschaften hinter Second Skin Arron, Mark Cady und Greg Gory
vorwerfen zu wollen, dass sie schlechten Goth Rock bzw. Death Rock
machen, käme einer schwerwiegenden Beleidigung nahe, aber eine echte
Zukunft hat diese “Kiste” beileibe nicht. Second Skin ertönen
über den ganzen Verlauf von “Illa Exuro In Silentium” sehr
abwechslungsreich und offerieren eine klassische Melange aus
Christian Death, Sisters Of Mercy & The Mission, die mehrheitlich
von rockigen Elementen bis hin zu melancholischen Phasen reicht. Die
Stimmbandarbeit von Arron gleicht einer Mischung aus Wayne Hussey
(The Mission), Robert Smith (The Cure) und Carl McCoy (Fields Of The
Nephilim), die in jeder Sekunde gefallen mag. Diejenigen, die
Nostalgie in Reinkultur erleben möchten, dürfen sich “Illa Exuro
In Silentium” ohne vorheriges Reinhören direkt zulegen – meine
Empfehlung. Der Anspieltipp auf “Illa Exuro In Silentium” ist mit
großem Abstand das Lied ‘Birthday Girl', welches im Besonderen
durch die feine Gesangsleistung von Arron verzückt, welcher hier
sehr viel Gefühl aufblitzen lässt. An der Produktion wie dem
abschließenden Mastering gibt es in keinem Moment etwas auszusetzen,
so muss Goth Rock bzw. Death Rock klingen! Fazit:Second Skins “Illa
Exuro In Silentium” erblickt das Licht der Welt auf Palace Of Worms
Records 10 oder besser 20 Jahre zu spät und dürfte sich nur schwer
durchsetzen können gegen die Vielzahl bzw. Flut von großartigen
Publikationen der Pioniere dieses Genres (Christian Death, Sisters Of
Mercy, The Mission & Fields Of Nephilim), welche durch ihren
Kultstatus in der Gunst der Rezipientinnen und Rezipienten liegen.
Eine tolle Veröffentlichung, aber …Hörbeispiele und weitere
Informationen zu Second Skin findet Ihr unter folgenden
Rock Underground
Illa Exuro Em Silentium é o quarto
comprimento da banda. Embora esta banda é essencialmente no domínio
da escrita de compilações e trilhas sonoras de filmes, eles também
são uma banda propriamente dita. Illa Exuro Em Silentium tem sido
apresentado como um Gótico ocidental e isso é algo surrealista como
definição. Eu não sei exatamente o que eu tenho a figura de um tal
rótulo, ouvindo um som lembrando a boa Old New Wave Cold Rock Post
Punk da década de 80. Algumas guitarras à Sisters Of Mercy pairam
sobre este álbum, que será definitivamente a favor para alguns
nostálgicos. A maioria das canções continua calma enquanto algumas
músicas não contêm muito vocal, meio que se fossem trilhas
sonoras, habitue da banda. Eu gosto de algumas das linhas de baixo,
Blood And Glass (The Impact) certeza é uma referência aqui. Vai com
certeza evocar algumas boas novas memórias no gênero aqui. Como
curiosidade, eles tocaram no tributo à David Bowie organizado pelo
selo Cleopatra Records além de tributos à The Cure e The Mission. E
essas coisas não chegam no Brasil, nem conhecimento disto nós
temos! A banda foi buscar a mão do diretor Pearry Teo para trabalhar
em um filme baseado em um script pelo falecido Jim Morrison dos
Doors, e a banda se reuniu com a lenda do Rock, Ray Manzerak,
tecladista do The Doors. Segundo o próprio "Isto é exatamente
o tipo de banda que Jim teve descrito no seu script, Dark, moderna. É
uma banda que na minha opinião não deve soar como uma cópia de
alguma outra banda fazendo Dark Gótico. Enfim, quer recomendação
maior do que esta? PR – 8,5
Side line
“Illa Exuro In Silentium” is the
4th full length of Second Skin. While this band is mainly active in
the writing for compilations and movie soundtracks, they're also a
band properly speaking. “Illa Exuro In Silentium” has been
presented as a Gothic Western and that's rather surrealistic as
definition. I don't exactly know what I've to figure from such a
label, but musical wise I heard a sound reminding to the good-old
new-wave decade. Some Sisters Of Mercy perfume hangs over this album,
which will definitely please to some heavy nostalgic. Most of the
songs remain rather quiet while some songs don't contain that much
vocals. I like some of the bass lines; the “Blood And Glass”-track
being for sure a reference here. “Kick And Scream” will for sure
evoke some good new-wave memories and is one of the greatest cuts in
the genre here. Dark guitar wave is the main characteristic for those
Americans, which bring us back in time. It's not bad, but not setting
the world alight!
Kogaionon
Destul de vasta activitate, patru
albume mediatizate, foarte multe colaborari, multi fani… asa se
prezinta in 2008 SECOND SKIN. Pe un Schelet Death Rock dar si cu
trimiteri spre Dark Gothic, trupa ne prezinta un sound modern, bazat
pe chitari electrice explozive, baterie ritmata, keyboard bombastic
si voce masculina impunatoare! Avem si piese industrializate, si cu
iz Electronic dar si pasaje lente, la limita melodiei… totul este
intr-o nota destul de intunecata, glaciala, sobra! Nu descopar mari
elemente originale in acest sunet… poate doar modul de imbinare a
mai multor stiluri merita mai multa atentie… In rest, un album usor
peste medie, care va fi cautat de fanii Gothic-ului mai vechi, de la
SISTERS OF MERCY pana la JOY DIVISION. Din alt punct de vedere, s-ar
putea ca albumul sa fie o mica bijuterie iar fanii sa-l considere un
album cult! Rating: 0.85/1
Side line
Since their debut-cd I immediately
became a fan of the French project O Quam Tristis. Their music always
bring a heavenly mixture between medieval music and other ethereal
waves. “Les Chants Funestes” might sound a bit dark and depressed
(translated as “The Funeral Chants”) for its title, but sounds
like the total contrary. The medieval influences and other troubadour
ballads remain the main source of inspiration, but the writing
evolved a bit. O Quam Tristis still plays different authentic
instruments, but the electronic input becomes more important. Some
might find it regrettable, but I think it's a kind of process in
constant evolution. “Les Chants Funestes” remains still very O
Quam Tristis-like, but some of the accents have been placed somewhere
else. The song “Anna Soror” is a real good illustration of this
evolution. “O Caelo” even contains a kind of beat, which for a
while might evoke the latest work of Qntal. There've been always more
resemblances between both bands, which here again appears quite fast.
In a more medieval and typical style, the track “Bulla Fulminante”
will definitely please to all the purists of the genre. The female
and male vocals are like pure troubadour chants. One more typical
song (and again sung in Latin language) is “Soror, Conjux, Gemma”.
Another song like “Planctus Samsonis” moves somewhere in between
older and newer influences and is definitely the right track to fill
this hiatus. The songs remain mainly inspired by old secular and
liturgical poems from the Middle Ages. You definitely sometimes feel
like being in the Middle Ages by the simple force of the O Quam
Tristis music! I definitely remain a lover of their music!
(DP:7/8)DP.
Gothtronic
The French musical outfit O Quam
Tristis consisting of Emeric Lenotz, Katrina Koslowska, Tomek
Ashkenazy Isaac, Anna Virsky and Hugues Dammarie (also in Collection
d'Arnell-Andrea) makes neo-medieval music with a strong electronic
component. A bit comparable to Qntal and Helium Vola but with a more
acoustic sound. Les Chants Funestes is their fourth album and this
again features the sacral atmosphere created by a well balanced
momentum of medieval instrumentation and modern electronic
influences. The presence of a bass guitar next to synthesizer sounds
and male and female polyphone singing with the use of the Latin
language, adds an extra dimension. The musical bandwith goes from
medieval times until the baroque age and on Les Chants Funestes for
the first time even rock and darkwave influences can be traced in the
atmosphere of some of the tracks. O Quam Tristis really delivers in
again adding extra elements to their enchanting musical world, which
makes Xymox atmospheres, meet those of Dead Can Dance and Estampie.
The music of this outfit is mandatory stuff for those who love
danceable medieval sounds.
Chain DLK
This is the first time I have the
chance to check out O Quam Tristis... (their name comes from a psalm
written by Antonio Vivaldi and Pergolesi and the whole sentence is "O
quam tristis et afflicta fuit illa benedicta Mater Unigeniti")
and I have been pleasantly surprised. Formed also by people involved
with Collection d'Arnell-Andrea and Thy Violent Vanities (Anna Virsky
and Hugues Dammarie), O Quam Tristis... rework in a personal way
female and male vocal polyphonies inspired by medieval and baroque
music mixing them with electronic arrangements, new wave (see the
bass guitar sound and some atmospheres) as well as folkish melodies
(like the opening "Oriens" or "O vox poriphetica")
or goth intuitions ("O abies" and "O mejam miseram").
Another peculiarity is to have lyrics in Latin language and this
unusual characteristic enrich a formula which already was really
interesting. A must have!
Versacrum
Arrivati ormai al loro quarto lavoro,
gli "O Quam Tristis…”, ovvero Emeric Lenotz, Katrina
Koslowska, Tomek Ashkhenazy Isaac, Anna Virsky e Hugues Dammarie si
confermano un gruppo inusuale e a suo modo molto originale per il
cammino musicale non certo facile che hanno intrapreso. La loro
musica, come negli album precedenti, è caratterizzata dal sapiente
utilizzo di sonorità medievali e barocche spesso virate da tocchi
elettronici e dall'utilizzo di basso e sintetizzatori. Atmosfere
liturgiche e sacrali, voci maschili e femminili polifoniche, testi
rigorosamente in latino si mescolano e fondono agli arrangiamenti
elettronici, a momenti cold wave e ad altri più propriamente oscuri.
Non sempre l'incontro di tanti generi è perfettamente riuscito, ma
nei momenti più alti la forza quasi mistica ed evocativa della loro
musica è certo di forte impatto. Alla pari delle altre loro
realizzazioni, pertanto, anche Les Chantes Funebres ci mostra un
gruppo originale, mai banale o scontato, la qualità della cui
ricerca è degna del più alto rispetto.
Obliveon
Ganz so unheilvoll, wie der Titel der
neuen O Quam Tristis CD uns weismachen will ist “Les Chants
Funestes” dann doch nicht ausgefallen. Dass „Les Chants Funestes“
dabei auch nicht der erste Versuch von O Quam Tristis ist, Barock und
Renaissance mit der Elektronik des 21. Jahrhunderts zu verbinden ist
ebenfalls offensichtlich. Vergleicht man O Quam Tristis allerdings
mit Bands wie Qntal, Helium Vola oder den Newcomern Black Wedding
muss man konstatieren, dass den deutschen Bands diese Kombination
doch einfacher von der Hand zu gehen scheint. „Les Chants Funestes“
wirkt von songschreiberischen her doch immer wieder recht sperrig,
produktionstechnisch nicht nur zu schwach auf der Brust, sondern auch
im Verhältnis der verschiedenen musikalischen Einflüsse zu
undifferenziert, vor allem aber fehlen, von „O Abies“ einmal
abgesehen, die Melodien, die ins Ohr gehen und dort auch dauerhaft
verweilen. „Les Chants Funestes“ ist, um nicht einen falschen
Eindruck entstehen zu lassen, kein schlechtes Album. Es kann halt nur
nicht ganz mit dem mithalten, was die oben genannten deutschen Bands
in dieser Hinsicht veröffentlichen. 7/10MK
Kultur Terrorismus
Die italienische Formation O Quam
Tristis offeriert seit seiner Gründung im Jahre 2000 Tonkunst,
welche eine Melange aus den Stilen Dark Wave, (Dark) Pop, Heavenly
Voices und mittelalterlichen wie barocken Einflüssen darbietet.
Gerade diejenigen, die sich für perfekte weibliche wie männliche
Stimmbandarbeiten interessieren und Projekte wie Dead Can Dance &
Ataraxia schätzen bzw. lieben, bekommen mit O Quam Tristis neuen
bzw. aktuellen Album “Les Chants Funestes” ein Schmankerl der
besonderen Art geboten.Hinter O Quam Tristis verbergen sich die
Protagonisten Tomek Ashkhenazy Isaac, Hugues Dammarie (Collection
d'Arnell-Andrea), Katrina Koslowska, Emeric Lenotz und Anna Virsky,
die gemeinsam das vierte Werk “Les Chants Funestes” einspielten
bzw. einsangen. Inhaltlich ließen sie sich von Themen aus dem
Mittelalter und des Barocks inspirieren, welche O Quam Tristis in
italienischer Sprache vortragen. Leider reichen meine rudimentären
Italienischkenntnisse nicht aus, um tiefer in die inhaltlicher
Materie vorzustoßen. Wer die Sprache lesen und verstehen kann,
bekommt im Booklet alle Texte zu einzelnen Stücken geliefert. Die
grafische Gesamtgestaltung besticht durch die Einarbeitung des Bildes
“Angel of Death”, welches der Maler Horace Vernet (1789 – 1863)
malte und heute zur Kunstsammlung des Russen Nikolaj Aleksandrovitsj
Koesjelev-Bezborodko gehört, die im Hermitage Museum in St.
Petersburg Ausstellung findet.Musikalisch erlebt der geneigte
Hörerkreis auf “Les Chants Funestes” ein emotionales “Feuerwerk”
aus handgemachten wie synthetischen Strukturen, die O Quam Tristis
gekonnt miteinander verbinden. Die Soundcollagen schwingen zwischen
getragen sakral und rhythmisch atmosphärisch, wodurch sich ein
dauerhaft hymnischer Charakter beim Konsum einstellt. Alle
Klangcollagen auf dem Oeuvre weisen einen alten fast vergessenen
Geist auf, der damals (wie heute) unter der Begrifflichkeit Dark Wave
kursiert(e) und mit dem heutigen Gothic- bzw. Mittelalterkram keine
Gemeinsamkeiten hat – hier trifft der Terminus Old School definitiv
zu! O Quam Tristis überzeugen auf ganzer Linie in ihren
Kompositionen durch Liebe zum Detail, weshalb die Hörerschaft
ausgefeilte Melodie- und Spannungsbögen am laufenden Band kredenzt
bekommt. Durch den Einsatz von Instrumenten wie Flöte, Glöckchen
usw., die zur Akzentuierung der Songs dienen, bekommen die
interessierten Personen die Möglichkeit geboten, in die Zeit des
Mittelalters, des Barocks oder der arabischen Welt einzutauchen.Das
absolute Aushängeschild dieser Arbeit “Les Chants Funestes” sind
die einzelnen Stimmen (weiblich wie männlich) der Gruppe O Quam
Tristis, die Solo mit Backround, als Duett oder im Choral ertönen
und immer präsent im Vordergrund für wechselvolle Stimmungen
sorgen. Individuen, hochwertige Gesangslinien von klassisch bis
rauchig gothisch präferieren – kommen an O Quam Tristis in
keinster Weise vorbei – Faktum! Die Damen bei O Quam Tristis
gehören mit ihren Darbietungen in die Kategorie Heavenly Voices –
eine überragende Vorstellung in meinen Ohren!Aus “Les Chants
Fuentes” einen Anspieltipp herauszusezieren, würde meine
Wertschätzung gegenüber den restlichen Liedern auf dem Opus
schmälern, weshalb meine Wenigkeit empfiehlt: “CD kaufen, in den
Schacht legen und in einem Hördurchgang bei einem schönen Glas
Rotwein konsumieren!”.Fazit:O Quam Tristis legen mit “Les Chants
Fuentes” über Palace Of Worms Records (Italien) ein Highlight der
Sonderklasse auf, welches eine Mischung aus Dark Wave & Heavenly
Voices zutage fördert und mit einer Vielzahl von Ohrwürmern
besticht. O Quam Tristis stehen mit “Les Chants Fuentes” großen
Namen wie Dead Can Dance und Ataraxia in nichts nach, sondern bieten
Fans dieser zwei vorher genannten Ausnahmeprojekte eine zusätzliche
Auswahl an künstlerisch hochwertiger Musik, die sie in der
heimischen Sammlung haben müssen – absoluter Pflichtkauf –
Faktum!
Rock Underground
Les Chants Funestes é o novo álbum da
banda francesa, que na verdade é o ex-Opera Multi Steel. Lançado em
novembro de 2008, este álbum traz mais sequencers eletrônicos
mixados com música medieval e instrumentos antigos. Ou seja, bem ao
estilo da banda mesmo, num misto de Darkwave, Medieval e Gothic. O
Quam Tristis são um bem respeitada coletivo de músicos com dedicado
público na Etéreo / Darkwave cena. O seu estilo mistura sutilmente
o Electro com limpo, guitarra-driven dentro da música medieval na
veia de uma mais down Qntal, cada canção sendo levada à uma
combinação de vozes masculinas e femininas que emprestam as músicas
uma borda de canto gregoriano. É certamente uma boa idéia, mas como
com muitos destes grupos medievais, o que parece fantástico no papel
acaba foneticamente como pouco mais do que uma saborosa audiência.
Os elementos eletrônicos não estão lá o tempo todo, no entanto.
Há números que não apresentam a todos e conter apenas voz limpa,
depenadas guitarras (aqui elas são só mais um instrumento e não
principal, como nas bandas Gothick Rockers), com características
puramente cristalinas nos vocais femininos e sintetizados pianos. O
resto do tempo, o Electro existe em pleno vigor, mais do que em
versões anteriores, mas não é o tipo de full-on, o tempo todo, mas
mais do que antes. O Quem Tristis lembra mais agora o Qntal do que o
antigo Opera Multi Steel. O principal problema de O Quam Tristis
reside no álbum da natureza para criar canções que são muito
semelhantes entre si, sim, o OQT parece menos inspirado que o OMS,
onde a diversificação era maior, as músicas eram muito distintas
entre si. O violão tocado pode ser feito e ao excelente synth muito
realizada, mas os vocais são sombrios demais, mais que o
instrumental, e até mesmo por vezes, bastante criando uma aura
soporífica. É também comum para ambas as vozes a cair abaixo da
nota que eles estão tentando projeto e há poucas coisas menos
inspiradoras do que uma canção cantada sem energia ou vigor, e se
os vocalistas parecem estar a perder o interesse a cada tantas vezes,
não fornecem grande esperança para o resto de nós. Há normalmente
uma chance com algumas bandas que as coisas vão melhorar, a longo
prazo, mas de O Quam Tristis esse não é necessariamente o caso. Les
Chants Funestes é o seu quarto álbum e não dispersar-se em todas
as matérias de seus anteriores. Prefira os três anteriores que são
melhores que Les Chants Funestes . Mas enfim, se é fã da banda e do
estilo, pode completar a sua coleção. PR – 7,0
L'autre monde
Le groupe orléanais revient en cette
fin d'année 2008 avec son 4ème album. Et une fois de plus O Quam
Tristis a été très inspiré. Sans dire que « Les chants funestes
» est leur meilleur album, car chaque production a une sensibilité
différente. Force est de constater qu'avec « Les chants funestes »,
le groupe nous offre un pur moment de rêve. Avec ces voix masculines
(Planctus Samsonis) et féminine d'une beauté sans égale,
rehaussées par des pointes de musiques organiques (O Vox Prophetica)
et électroniques (O Caelo), O Quam Tristis nous propose un nouveau
voyage dans le temps en alliant chant ancien et musique actuelle. Ce
mariage qui est la marque de fabrique du groupe est vraiment très
réussi. Aucun des éléments n'est prédominant. De cet équilibre
parfait naît une alchimie enivrante (O Me Jam Miseram). Si les
thèmes abordés sont toujours assez sombres, la douceur n'en est pas
exempte. Tous les amateurs de musique gothique pourront se délecter
en écoutant « Les chants funestes ». Chaque morceau est un moment
de jouissance. Laissez-vous happer par ce voyage dans le temps à
double sens que vous propose O Quam Tristis. Vous remontrez dans le
passé avec les chants en latin, tout en avançant vers le futur avec
les sons électroniques (De Ramis Cadunt Folla). Un grand écart
musical qui ne vous écartèlera à aucun moment. Bien au contraire
les opposés s'attirent. Avec « Les chants funestes » ils se sont
retrouvés pour ne faire qu'un. Un album tout simplement magnifique.
Rosa Selvaggia
Ormai al loro quarto lavoro gli O Quam
Tristis ci propongono questo gradevolissimo Les Chants Funestes. Un
album .. elettronico? Si: basso e sintetizzatori dai quali nasce un
suono tipicamente cold wave, magistralmente fusi ad atmosfere
antiche, quasi liturgiche, confermate ed evidenziate dalla polifonia
di voci sia femminili che maschili, campioni di strumenti antichi e
testi in latino. Un CD che consiglio sia agli amanti della musica
medievale che agli amanti dell'electrogoth, che in questo caso si
fondono senza disturbarsi, con classe e senza eccessi, nemmeno nei
momenti più barocchi. Ecco un link per ascoltare e scaricare alcuni
loro brani: http://www.lastfm.it/music/O+Quam+Tristis .
Info:
http://site.voila.fr/o.quam.tristis/accueil.html
(Nacht)
Kogaionon
Noul album al acestor muzicieni insista
parca mai mult ca niciodata pe latura Rock amestecata cu Electronic,
insa intr-o forma originala, mixand inedita Ethereal, Folk Medieval
si Electro-Soft. Vocile feminine au savoarea lor, cele masculine
intervin pe alocuri inteligent, avem clapa, atmosfera, mandolina,
chitra bass, chitara acustica, elemente baroc… de toate pentru
toti. Cel de-al patrulea album al muzicienilor pare a fi cel mai
reusit dintre toate, insa ceva tot le lipseste pentru a putea spune
ca acestia au ajuns la apogeu.. Poate cu celelalte proiecte in care
canta: COLLECTION D'ARNELL-ANDREA sau THY VIOLENT VANITIES…
Rating: 0.83/1
Elegy
Annoncés par le titre « Oriens »
paru sur la compilation Movement One vol.2 , Les Chants Funestes
signent le quatrième chapitre de l'épopée néo-médiévale des
français de « O Quam Tristis… ». On est désormais familier de
leur univers liturgique, de leurs symphonies vocales en latin et de
leurs compositions qui, à l'image de Qntal, réinterprètent les
temps anciens par le truchement du présent en entrelaçant
orchestrations médiévales et sons électroniques. Ce qui change
vraiment sur cet album, hormis une production de plus en plus
étoffée, c'est l'orientation rock de la basse et des guitares qui
donne plus de corps à l'ensemble sans nuire au propos et réussit
particulièrement bien à des morceaux tels que « Sancta Nox » ou
encore « O Mejam Miseram », véritable petit bijou cold. Une fois
de plus, les membres de « O Quam Tristis… » nous font partager
leur passion pour la musique et déclinent grandiloquence et élégante
sobriété en se jouant du paradoxe. Sabine Moreau Elégy N°57
D-Side
Inspiré de textes moyenâgeux, de
poésies séculaires et liturgiques, le quatrième opus des Français
« O Quam Tristis… » croise ancien et moderne, et poursuit dans
son petit coin l'idée d'une revitalisation des sphères
traditionnelles en musique. Respectant la ligne qu'il s'est fixée
depuis le départ, le groupe reste dans l'embrassade des genres, ses
bricolages latinistes associant sans vergogne rythmiques et basses
cold minimales, esprit religieux et effets baroques virevoltants. Là
où un Qntal intègre sa vision médiévale à une optique clairement
rénovatrice, électro et pop, « O Quam Tristis… » reste dans
plus d'ambiguïté. Il ne joue pas à coup sûr la carte
néo-médiévale et reste davantage, sur Les Chants Funestes, dans un
primat de l'organique. Pied est ainsi gardé, plus franc, dans
l'héritage traditionnel. Le jeu n'en reste pas moins celui de la
dégradation des formes. Quelque agrégat synthétique n'est donc
jamais exclu, de manière plus ou moins voyante (le dansant et froid
« Anna Soror »), d'où une aura bâtarde et relativement originale,
un aplat musical renvoyant dans sa globalité un effet mécanique («
O Abies »). Les Chants Funestes, dans cet esprit, développent un
léger piment baroque capable aussi de lamentations (« O Vox
prophetica ») et toujours plein d'esprit. Intéressant dans son
intention, le résultat souffre encore et toujours, malheureusement,
de la petitesse de la production. La vision n'est pas autant
récompensée qu'elle le mériterait, mais c'est sûr, elle est là.
Emmanuel Hennequin
D-Side N° 50
Mentenebre
O Quam Tristis reafirma su buena
carrera con su cuarto álbum, tras " Funérailles Des Petits
Enfants ", de 2000, " Le Rituel Sacré "de 2002 y "
Meditations Ultimes "de 2005, todos bajo el sello italiano
Palace of Worms .
Una referencia para aquellos que no
conozcáis la banda es que uno de sus miembros, Franz Torres-Quevedo
, pertenece a otras dos insignes formaciones: Opera Multi Steel y los
sublimes Collection d´Arnell-Andréa . De estos últimos van a tomar
un elemento esencial, la caja de ritmos, que junto con el teclado,
van a ser el alma dela mayoría de lascanciones y les va a dar un
sabor característico. Este toque electrónico va a hacer que las
composiciones, con un elemento vocal etéreo, oscilen entre el
dream-pop o el electrodark más refinado. La verdad es que al
comenzar el CD da la impresión de que la cosa ha cambiado y que no
va a haber tanta presencia de la rítmica pues se abre con ' Oriens
', un tema con guitarra acústica muy en la línea de las
composiciones de Ataraxia protagonizadas por la guitarra de Vandelli
. Pero la máquina viene a continuación y ya no va a abandonar todo
el trabajo. Pese a lo siniestro del título, " Les Chants
Funestes ", y del magnífico cuadro de la portada" El ángel
de la muerte "de Horace Vernet , el álbum no se puede decir que
sea demasiado oscuro. De no ser por las voces masculinas habría que
incluirlo sin duda en el género heavenly voices . Así que tenemos
canciones como ' Bula Fulminat 'u ' O Abies 'que podrían recordarnos
a aquella fascinante La Floa Maldita . A veces hay un toquecito
gótico aportado por la guitarra eléctrica, como sucede en ' Sancta
Nox '. Otras veces el tiro va hacia parámetros más Die Form , caso
de' De ramis cadunt Folia '. Para mí el mejor tema es ' Soror,
conjux, gemma ', el más solemne, muy etéreo y con una perfecta
conjunción vocal masculina y femenina. Lástima no saber francés
puesto que las letras están en su mayoría extraídas de poemas
medievales, a excepción de ' O Abies 'y ' Sancta Nox '. Sin duda el
peso de los textos es un complemento esencial de la música. El álbum
en conjunto resulta muy variado y se deja escuchar muy bien, para mi
gusto quizá hay demasiadas referencias conjugadas, lo que le hace
sonar no demasiado original. No obstante siguen fieles a sus
principios.
Darksite
Fourth full-length effort by this
French outfit, offering their own take on darkwave, combinincg
electric and electronic with a good dose of medieval thematic, and an
intricate vocal performance combining male and dual female vocalists
contributing a blueprint for a sound that the band is continuously
shaping into an own direction. The building blocks are the tested and
tried ideas that bands such as Qntal and Collection D'Arnell Andrea
have uniquely shaped up over several years and I suppose I can be
forgiven if I state that O Quam Tristis... in Les Chants Funestes
come across as a balanced mix of the above bands, with perhaps hints
of Rosa Crux thrown in for good measure. Not the most original trail
one could think of, but truth is that the album is sparkly and
enchanting, and despite the obvious references to other acts pursuing
the same wave, it does not sound much derivative, more like belonging
to a certain school and building on it with a very own sensibility.
Middle age poetry and liturgical texts mean the focus is on
spirituality, but the loud interaction between traditional and modern
instrumentation leaves the formed quite scarred, as the electronic
elements tend to prevail, primarily in the form of atmospheric synths
and a geometric drum machine that could do with a bit of thickening
to better fit the bill. On the whole, I do enjoy the uplifting
character of the twelve tracks on Les Chants Funestes , which ends up
being a bit at odd with the album title after all!
site.voila.fr/o.quam.tristis
DSide
Ensemble francese che accorpa sia voci
maschili che femminili di evidente ispirazione medievale e barocca.
La line-up conta cinque elementi: Emeric Lenotz, Katrina Kolsowska,
Tomek Ashenazy, Ana Virsky e Hugues Dammarie il quale vanta militanze
nei Collection d'Arnell-Andrea e nei Thy Violent Vanities, esperienze
che hanno lasciato tangibili inflessioni anche in "Les Chants
Funestes" accentuandone molti passaggi e caratterizzandone le
arie. Edito dall'ormai leggendaria Palace of Worms questo collage dei
OQT utilizza strumentazioni acustiche medievali sapientemente
miscelate a moderne trame elettroniche edificando un insieme
compositivo dalle mosse maestose e perfettamente scorporate da
imprecisioni. Tutto è architettato con metodo e padronanza:
"Oriens", opening track, ammalia con cristallini arpeggi di
chitarra e canto ancestrale che rimanda, come accennato, a taluni
episodi vocali tipici dello stile Thy Violent Vanities. Di opposta
indole "Ana Soror" sperimenta traiettorie electro-dark con
synths che circolano paralleli ad arcaici vocalizzi e sagaci
intuizioni flautistiche; "O Caelo" snoda un percorso
ritmico artificiale di hypno-spirali percussive e liriche intrecciate
ad un organo che screzia la song di ossessività, mentre "Bulla
Fulminante" si fregia di un profondo apporto distintivo
orientato verso la sacralità in una traccia tra le più
significative dell'album, azionata da intervalli
ritmico-chitarristici e lunghe scie di femminei vocalizzi. "Sancta
Nox" cede addirittura a tenui tentazioni dance sospingendo i
patterns percussivi della drum machine verso espressioni vocali da
cattedrale, "Planctus Samsonis" riflette fotogrammi ritmici
electro-minded con voci maschili che propagano il canonico testo in
latino, così come "O Vox Prophetica" apre su gravi note di
piano che si affacciano su estensioni di flauto, chorus femminile per
poi evolversi in un febbricitante crescendo di fraseggi vocali
promiscui. Raggiungiamo "O Abies" che ricorre a strategie
di sottile programming, riverberi vocali delle coriste subito
raggiunti dall'ormai inconfondibile timbrica del singer, lontane
distorsioni chitarristiche, electro effects e drumming robotico:
"Soros, Conjux, Gemma" ripercorre i moduli electro-medieval
fin'ora intrapresi e "Verna Redit Temperies" si concede ad
un richiamo dancefloor estremamente alternativo con drum beats
programmati, refrain evocativo e keyboard modulata per la danza. La
pulsante "O Meiam Miseram" funge da da copia speculare dei
precedenti episodi permeati di oscura identità medieval-dance
anticipando una più veloce "De Ramis Cadunt Folia", track
di chiusura entro cui non prevale nulla di differente dai precedenti
episodi macchinata anch'essa da ritmica sequenziale e cori
plurivocali. Valutiamo questo album in termini più che elogiativi
rappresentando esso un prodotto di consolidato entroterra
medieval-progressista di qualità non comune. Splendido. Crepuscolare
antidoto contro una certa tediosità ascoltata fin'ora a carico di
estemporanei quanto effimeri esperimenti sul generis. Questa band,
siatene certi, saprà come farsi ricordare
Heathen Harvest
I only found out recently that I'd been
writing "O Quam Tristis..." wrongly all these years. The
actual name of the band has an imposed ellipsis after the last word,
even though leaving it out would have been simpler for everyone. It
certainly would have been for me, anyway. Therefore I'm going to be
pettily rebellious by forgetting it ever existed, and if some ardent
perfectionist fans feel cheated by its removal or my lack of respect
then feel free to make your own stand and mentally insert it. I'm
sure the band would have wanted it that way. Though going by the
sound of their latest disc, an omitted punctuation mark is going to
be the least of their problems. O Quam Tristis are a well-respected
group of musicians with a small, dedicated following in the
ethereal/darkwave scene. However, I've never really been able to
understand the justification behind the following unless it's all
made up of close friends, family members and random reviewers giving
them high ratings under duress. Their style mixes subtle electro with
clean, guitar-driven medieval music in the vein of a watered-down
Qntal, each song being led my an intermingling of male and female
voices which lend the songs an edge of Gregorian chant. It's
certainly a good idea but as with many of these 'medieval' bands,
what seems fantastic on paper ends up aurally as little more than a
bland, underbuffed musical exercise which never quite manages to go
the distance it should. The electro elements aren't there all the
time, though. There are numbers that don't feature them at all and
contain purely vocals and clean, plucked guitars such as the opener
Oriens, or O Vox Prophetica which features purely female vocals and
synthesised pianos and wind instruments. The rest of the time the
electro is there in full force, more so than in previous releases,
but it's not the type of full-on, harsh industrial style that some
bands experiment with. I always found Qntal's earlier works to be a
bit too heavy on the electro which is certainly something that one
couldn't accuse O Quam Trsitis of since the electro is always subtle
and even refreshing at times and there are moments such as in O Abies
and Verna Redit Temperies where it's quite refreshing on top of the
medieval underlay. The main problem for O Quam Tristis lies in the
album's nature to create songs which are far too similar to each
other and this, coupled with rather dull singing, doesn't do them a
whole lot of favours. The guitar playing may be excellently done and
the synth playing quite accomplished but the vocals are dreary and
even dirgelike at times, creating quite a soporific aura. It's also
common for both voices to fall below the notes they're trying to
project and there are few things less inspiring than a song sung with
no pep or vigour, and if the vocalists seem to be losing interest
every so often it doesn't provide much hope for the rest of us.
There's normally a chance with some bands that things will improve in
the long term, but for O Quam Tristis this isn't necessarily the
case. Les Chants Funestes is their fourth album and doesn't stray at
all from their previous material. I'd love there to be some beacon or
semblance of promise here since the band can go further if they chose
to unlock some kind of emotion - some spark of feeling - anything
other than the dingy haze of tedium that gums up Les Chants Funestes.
Even though they may have an interest in medieval themes and music,
this doesn't mean that this interest translates particularly well
onto CD. The disappointing vocals and doggerel, tiresome compositions
make this is a very lukewarm addition to the darkwave genre where the
splendid work of other bands such as Dominion III and Helium Vola
ruthlessly outshine it.
Filth forge
"Les Chants Funestes" is the
fourth album by "O Quam Tristis… , where mixed female and male
vocals, inspired by atmospheres going from the Middle Ages down to
the Baroque, where acoustic traditional or medieval instruments
combined with modern electronics never fail to conjure the sacral
character of the music. Due to the presence of synthesizers and bass
guitar, this album has more rock and electronic influences than the
previous ones. But like their whole production, medieval and
aethereal sounds together with other troubadour ballads remain their
main source of inspiration.
Some of the songs evoke somehow the
latest works of another important band called Qntal: there are lots
of resemblances between the two acts. "Les Chants Funestes"
is recommended both to lovers of medieval / traditional music and
electrogoth, here combined with grace and without excess, except
maybe for a few exasperatedly Baroque moments…
Best songs are: "Anna Soror"
and "Planctus Samsonis".
- Roberta T.
Cyclic Defrost
The Battle of Nikolaevka took place in
January 1943 in Western Russia, as part of the larger Battle of
Stalingrad. The retreating Italian 8th Army's Alpini Corps succeeded
in driving the Russian forces out of Nikolaevka, thus allowing the
Italians to retreat to Axis lines. However this was at a huge cost -
only a fraction of the original number of troops survived.Now Italian
label Palace of Worms has produced this compilation album which is
loosely themed around the battle. There are eighteen tracks from as
many Italian acts running the gamut from neofolk to darkwave to
neoclassical and all points in between.‘Icy Dawns' by All My Faith
Lost is one of the few tracks sung in English, and is almost like an
acoustic Joy Division. ‘The Warm Whisper of the Wind' by Hexperos,
with its strings, flute and female vocal, would fit comfortably on a
This Mortal Coil album. Das Lange Messer stand out with the coldwave
feel of ‘Lie's Hour' - sneering, echoed vocals creep over a scrawny
rhythm guitar, bass synth, tom-tom heavy drums and Martin
Hannett-like electronic smears and handclaps. The Well of Sadness
weigh in with ‘Like Before' - a two-chord slice of moody, noirish
darkwave electronica a la Depeche Mode.This is a fantastic
compilation, brimming over with creativity and imagination,
showcasing the best in dark Italian sounds. Highly recommended.Ewan
Burke
Darkroom
Si apre con un bel brano di Albireon la
compilation tutta italiana della label lombarda Palace Of Worms: con
il lento, cadenzato ritmo delle percussioni e la poesia del testo che
la caratterizzano, la canzone evoca l'immagine di un esercito che
torna mesto verso casa. Tale visione è rafforzata dal titolo del
sampler: Nikolaevka nel 26 gennaio del 1943 vide la ritirata
dell'esercito italiano dal fronte russo sul Don, lasciando sul suolo
diverse decine di cadaveri. Settantacinque minuti di ballate
nostalgiche per dare vigore a tante realtà - in parte note - che
valorizzano il substrato folk-industriale nel nostro Paese. Albireon,
fra l'altro, è di recente tornato sul mercato proprio grazie alla
Palace Of Worms con il nuovo full-lenght "I Passi Di Liù",
album che ha subito raccolto consensi dopo la grande aspettativa. Il
disco si apre quindi con la forza evocativa del brano "Il
Deserto Dei Tartari" a firma Albireon, e la successione delle
tracce si nutre di immagini idilliache e inquiete nelle quali la
scelta dei singoli brani si dipana come se un sottile filo artistico
legasse il sampler nei piccoli dettagli, mai trascurati. Così
struggente il brano "Icy Dawns" di All My Faith Lost... nel
suo algido incedere; parallelo ma incantatore "Noi Ritorneremo",
di Rose Rovine E Amanti. Lo stile di Damiano Mercuri è
inconfondibile nelle sue ballate retrò, così italico e proprio per
questo così radicato nella cultura cantautoriale maledetta europea.
La quarta traccia, "Der Morgen" dei Der Feuerkreiner,
s'incastona perfettamente nel computo generale per la sua ipnosi,
merito in gran parte degli equilibri tra voce e pianoforte e delle
percussioni incalzanti ma delicate. Gran ritmo di sarabanda
rinascimentale per Emanuele Buresta, che dietro il monicker L'Effet
C'Est Moi esalta la sua terra e la propria storia; araldi e vessilli
propri delle Marche e di tutta quell'Italia in cui sventolavano
fieri, accompagnati da suoni di rullante, trombe e tamburi la cui
digitalizzazione contemporanea non ne rovina affatto il senso
rievocativo. Nel momento in cui iniziano le prime note di "The
Warm Whisper Of The Wind", brano firmato Hexperos, l'incanto
raggiunge apici che in Europa poche voci femminili possono esprimere:
tra le meraviglie estatiche del flauto e il dolore del violino la
voce di Alessandra Santovito, unita alle strumentazioni di Francesco
Forgiane, creano uno dei momenti più elevati del sampler. Tutta
l'istintiva e decadente arte che già nei Gothica (da detenere con
amore in un angolo della memoria) Alessandra manifestava, nelle nuove
visioni del progetto Hexperos raggiunge vette che a livello europeo
si riscontrano solo nei grandi nomi del fairy-ethereal: Elane,
Priscilla Hernandez e pochi altri possono vantare una tecnica vocale
simile. Il classicismo eccelso degli Hexperos merita lo stesso
prepotente successo che negli ultimi tempi, sia come Corde Oblique o
in passato come Lupercalia, ha dato lustro all'arte di Riccardo
Prencipe. "In This Square" è la traccia rivisitata dai Lia
Fail: l'ensemble bolognese cresce ogni giorno e trova i propri
equilibri. Ne parlammo già in occasione della presentazione del demo
"Leipzig", nel quale si stavano allontanando dal neofolk
classico ed apocalittico per avvicinarsi lentamente al folk
fondamentale e nordico: gli echi dei Clannad, nel periodo più
recente delle introspezioni d'atmosfera degli anni '90, sono forti.
Se da una parte è pregevole la voglia di appartenenza al substrato
folk nordico, credo che il valore aggiunto per i Lia Fail debba
essere il saper contaminare l'esperienza e il background personale
con la cultura folk italica. Sugli stessi stilemi di folk puro il
brano dei milanesi The Green Man, nella continua ricerca della
propria identità e nella voglia di non relegarsi al neofolk di
maniera."The Joys And Toils Of Warfare Under Tempestous Reign Of
Archidamus II" vede la svolta rispetto al passato nella
chitarra, che da classica ed arpeggiante diventa elettrica e
psichedelica. Ostico ma dal carattere fortemente evocativo e funereo
il brano di Symbiosis: le tremende immagini ambientali di Valerio
Orlandini spaziano tra classicismi sinfonici e suoni industriali in
un visionario vortice di morte ed inquietudine. Struggente come fosse
la soundtrack di una maledizione immaginaria la musica del triestino
At The Funeral Of My Violet Rabbit, che riporta la memoria verso le
mestizie desolate dell'animo di Le Triste Sire. Auguro al Nostro un
posto di rilievo; purtroppo, come per il succitato progetto francese
o per altri grandi esploratori italiani dell'ambient elettronica
oscura (un altro esempio può essere benissimo il genovese Deca), è
difficile fare breccia presso un pubblico spesso condizionato nelle
scelte da una sorta di omologazione, anche nell'ambito goth. La
Palace Of Worms ha avuto il coraggio di proporre i suoni di vari
artisti contestualmente compatibili in questa compilation, e la stima
di tanti ascoltatori non esulerà di certo dall'esprimersi. Ho citato
gran parte della scaletta del sampler, nella quale i temi proposti
sono diversi pur mantenendo un'omogenea linearità: malinconiche
dolcezze miste a svolazzi eterei e decadenti poetiche noir sono la
linfa vitale di questa compilation, da assaporare in ogni sua
traccia. Rating : 9 Nicola Tenani
Kultur Terrorismus
Das in Italien ansässige Label Palace
Of Worms Records trommelte für das Release “V.A. – Nikolaevka”
ausschließlich Mitbürgerinnen und Mitbürger der eigenen Heimat
zusammen, um eine nicht ungefährliche Thematik in eine bewusste
Provokation umzuformen.Nikolaevka (Russland), eine Stadt in der Nähe
von Stalingrad, wo im Zweiten Weltkrieg am 26. Januar 1943 die 8.
italienische Armee (Corpo di spedizione italiano in Russia) eine
verheerende Niederlage gegen die Russen erlebte, die dem
Weltuntergang glich. Dieses Ereignis nehmen die versammelten
Italiener auf dieser Kompilation zum Überbegriff, um ihre
apokalyptische (nicht politische) Tonkunst wie Einstellung darunter
zum Ausdruck zu bringen. Heißt im Klartext, die Begrifflichkeit
Nikolaevka ist Mittel zum Zweck, um damit eine bewusste Provokation
zu erzeugen, die keine Verherrlichung des Dritten Reiches darstellt.
Bei diesem Oeuvre “V.A. – Nikolaevka” handelt es sich um Kunst,
die schockieren, provozieren und schocken möchte, aber keinesfalls
politische Motivationen bzw. Meinungen transportiert. Wem dieser
inhaltliche Ansatz zu abschreckend bzw. obskur erscheint, hört sich
halt nur die Musik an (!).Hier die chronologische Auflistung aller
Projekte, welche auf “V.A. – Nikolaevka” mitwirkten: Albireon,
All My Faith Lost, Rose Rovine e Amanti, Der Feuerkreiner, L'Effet
C'Est Moi, Das Lange Messer, Sala delle Colonne, Hexperos, Lia Fail,
The Green Man, The Well of Sadness, Calle della Morte, The Growing
Chrystals Lab, Symbiosis, At The Funeral Of My Violet Rabbit,
Gregorio Bardini, Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum und Sir Logla feat. Coro
Dell'Innominato. Der Labelchef Guido Borghetti stellte auf diesem
Opus eine sehr schöne Mischung aus bekannten Akteuren und so
genannten Newcomern zusammen, welche ein breites Spektrum an
unterschiedlicher Klankunst offenbaren. Diejenigen, die sich für
Neoklassik, Neofolk (Apocalyptic Folk), Heavenly Voices und Martial
(Dark) Ambient im Allgemeinen interessieren, bekommen mit dieser CD
eine schöne Arbeit an die Hand, die keine Ausfälle birgt. Alle
Künstlerinnen und Künstler haben für “V.A. – Nikolaevka”
hochwertiges Material geliefert, das spannend wie abwechslungsreich
aus den Boxen ertönt.Aus dieser durchweg gelungenen Zusammenstellung
einen Anspieltipp herauszufischen, gleicht einem schweren fast
unlösbaren Unterfangen, weshalb meine Wenigkeit darauf
verzichtet.Das sehr passende Artwork für “V.A. - Nikolaevka”
zauberte Federico Salvador, der militärischen Grafiken geschmackvoll
in Szene setzte.In jedem Jahr ereilt meine Person eine große Menge
Ausschussware an Samplern, die keine Nennung bzw. Erwähnung wert
sind und auch keine Besprechung erhalten – Faktum! “V.A. -
Nikolaevka” glänzt durch eine stimmige Auswahl an Tondokumenten
aus verschiedenen Genres, wodurch sich ein feines Hörerlebnis
ergibt.Fazit:Individuen, die einen ausführlichen Querschnitt wie
Einblick in die italienische Musikuntergrundbewegung ihr Eigen nennen
möchten, sollten sich “V.A. – Nikolaevka” aus dem Hause Palace
Of Worms Records unbedingt zulegen – meine Empfehlung!
Obliveon
„ Nikoevka“ ist ein Album zu Ehren
all der Italienischen Soldaten, um genauer zu sein des 8.
Italienischen Alpinen Armeekorps, das unweit von Stalingrad im
Zweiten Weltkrieg gegen die russische Armee gekämpft hat und letzten
Endes nach schweren Schlachten heldenhaft unterlag. Nun stelle man
sich mal den Aufschrei vor, ein deutsches Label würde einen Sampler
zu Ehren all der deutschen Soldaten veröffentlichen, die im Kampf um
Stalingrad ihr Leben liessen. Unvorstellbar und ungeachtet der
Tragödie und all der furchtbaren Schicksale, eine Brandmarkung als
Neonazi wäre vorprogrammiert. Auf „Nikaoevka“ findet sich ein
Großteil der aktuellen italienischen Neofolk- und Martial
Industrial-Szene wieder, darunter so bekannte Bands wie Rose Rovine E
Amanti, Der Feuerkreiner, Albireon, All My Faith Lost, The Well of
Sadness, Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum oder L'Effet C'est Moi, die mit
jeweils einem Stück ihren Tribut und ihren Beitrag leisten, wobei
die stilistische Bandbreite alle Facetten der genannten Genres
abdeckt und sich Licht und Schatten leider abwechseln. Das liegt vor
allem am schwermütigen Tenor, der alle achtzehn Stücke durchzieht
und leider nicht von allen Bands überzeugend dargebracht wird. Unter
dem Strich ist „Nikoaevka“ ein Sampler, den man haben kann, aber
nicht muss. Ohne Wertung MK
Terrorverlag
„A collection of hymns and marches
from the Italian Army of the Palace” – unter diesem mehrdeutigen
Subtitel firmiert vorliegende Compilation. Mit „Italian Army of the
Palace” ist dabei zuvörderst wohl das initiierende italienische
Label Palace of Worms nebst Bandgefolge gemeint, etwas weitläufiger
kann man dies aber auch auf die italienischen Streitkräfte beziehen.
Denn gewidmet ist „Nikolaevka“ dem 8. italienischen Alpincorps,
das sich am 26. Januar 1943 in Nikolayevka als Teil der Schlacht um
Stalingrad gegen vier Sovietarmeen behaupten musste. Nun also ein
neuerlicher Angriff der italienischen Truppen, die in der Kampfzone
Apocalyptic/ Folk nebst artverwandten Nebenkriegsschauplätzen aktiv
sind. Inwieweit von diesen allerdings ein inhaltlicher Bezug zu den
genannten geschichtlichen Ereignissen hergestellt wird, scheint eher
fraglich, aufgrund von fehlenden Italienischkenntnissen überwiegend
aber auch weiter nicht aufklärbar. Mit ALL MY FAITH LOST, ROSE
ROVINE E AMANTI und DER FEUERKREINER bietet der Sampler drei größere
Zugpferde, die hier mit (im Falle von RREA jedenfalls in dieser Form)
bislang unveröffentlichten Titeln auftrumpfen. Den Anfang machen
aber zunächst ALBIREON, die schon mit Ian Read und SONNE HAGAL
kollaboriert haben. „Il deserto die Tartari“ ist ein schönes
Stück Dark Folk mit ganz leichtem Einschlag industrieller Kälte,
irgendwie typisch italienisch im Klang und von der emotionalen Seite
auch mit CANAAN und Konsorten vergleichbar. Wenn das ebenfalls in
diesem Jahr erschienene Album „I passi di Liu“ diesen Standard
hält, sicher ein Geheimtipp. Landsmann Damiano Mercuri ist neben
ROSE ROVINE E AMANTI (hier mit dem für sie äußerst typischen und
von einer bittersüßen Melodie getragenen Stück “Noi ritorneremo”
in einer alternativen Demo-Version, das sich im Original nur auf der
Winterhilfswerk Kompilation und im Live-Gewand auf der
„Schwanenspiel“ Split mit VON THRONSTAHL findet) gleich noch mit
seinem weiteren, relativ jungen Projekt SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM
(„Wenn Du Frieden willst, so rüste zum Krieg“) vertreten, bei
dem jedoch vorrangig minimalistischer, unheilvoller Weltschmerz im
Mittelpunkt steht. Musikalisch (wenn auch im vorgegebenen Rahmen)
breit gefächert, in der Gesamtheit unter dem Stimmungsaspekt aber
durchaus gut hörbar, so kann man die Songauswahl wohl bezeichnen. Da
stehen Mittelalter-Bombast („L´EFFET C´EST MOI“) und
Soundtrack-artige Klänge („SALA DELLE COLONNE“) nebeneinander,
bevor man im nächsten Moment von HEXPEROS mit balladesken Tönen,
Klängen von Harfe und Violine und elfengleichem Gesang umsäuselt
wird. Nicht minder ruhig und auch etwas obskur gehen LIA FAIL zu
Werke. CALLE DELLA MORTE hingegen bieten mit (Ex-) Mitgliedern von
INNER GLORY oder AIN SOPH Venedig-inspirierten, düster-progressiven
Folkrock und AT THE FUNERAL OF MY VIOLET RABBIT (heißer Anwärter
auf den kultigsten Bandnamen des Jahres) durchwandern
pianogeschwängerte Neoklassik-Atmosphäre. Letztendlich also dürfte
auf „Nikolaevka“ noch das ein oder andere zu entdecken sein,
womit man sich in den kalten Wintertagen wunderbar beschäftigen
kann.
Rock Underground
A Batalha de Nikolaevka foi travada em
26 de janeiro de 1943 como pequena parte da maior Batalha de
Stalingrado. A batalha reuniu forças do italiano 8º Armys Alpini
Corpo contra os quatro exércitos da ex-União Soviética. Os
soviéticos já tinham ocupado todas as aldeias e amargas batalhas
foram travadas pelos soldados da Tridentina para limpar o caminho. Em
quinze dias os soldados cobertos 200 km a pé, lutaram 22 batalhas
com temperaturas durante a noite caiu -30 ° C e -40 ° C. um
pouquinho do que é essa palavra, uma das mais sangrentas batalhas da
segunda guerra mundial. Esta coletânea é feita pelo selo italiano
Palace Of Worms, com bandas italianas de todos os estilos obscuros
dentro do Dark e Gótico. Esta compilação traz marchas e hinos do
exército Italiano desta batalha, em versões Dark Ambient, Etereal,
e outros estilos conhecidos como Apocalyptic Neofolk e Martial.
Aliás, abundam pelo mundo bandas Dark's deste estilo Martial
resgatam hinos e músicas de guerra dentro da ambientação do
Ambient (sem ser redundante). É engraçado, mas em tempos de paz na
Europa e união de seus países, os ranços de guerras passadas foram
superados e hoje são anais da história apenas. E eles relembram
aqueles tempos com estas músicas, que para os brasileiros mais
incultos, soam incompreensíveis. Muitos dirão: que graça tem
regravar músicas de guerras? Mas na Europa tem se cultuado. Apenas a
se tomar cuidado para que novos grupos não insurjam perturbando a
paz perene de outrora. Enquanto pesquisa histórica ou apenas exaltar
orgulho de seu povo está ok! Impossível, mas impossível mesmo
citar destaques, pelo nível alto das bandas e músicas (estamos
apenas nos atendo ao lado musical apenas, sem adentrar dentro da
história de cada faixa) e também, que ouvir pedaços aqui é a
mesma coisa que pegar um filme dessa mesma guerra no final ou no
meio, você não vai entender nada. Caso queira aumentar um pouco sua
cultura e entender porque algumas coisas aconteceram e ainda
acontecem até hoje, bom proveito! Também aproveite e viaje e dance
bastante também! PR – 9,0
Kogaionon
Bazata pe un titlu din istoria celui
de-al doilea razboi mondial, aceasta compilatie ne prezinta o suma de
trupe italiene ce abordeaza partea NeoFolk, Martial si Ambient Gothic
a muzicii. Astfel, pe langa trupe ca ROSE ROVINE E AMANTI, ALL MY
FAITH LOST sau HEXPEROS mai intalnim si DAS LANGE MESSER, SALA DELLE
COLONNE, DER FEUERKREINER, LIA FAIL, THE GREEN MAN, THE WELL OF
SADNESS sau AT THE FUNERAL OF MY VIOLET RABBIT. Cea mai intetesanta
piesa mi s-a parut a fi totusi “Bellica Virtus in Itinere”,
prestata de o trupa pe care am ascultata-o in premiera, L'EFFET C'EST
MOI, acustica, instrumentala, dar de o frumusete rapitoare. Un
material destul de atractiv, cu trupe underground ce par a avea ceva
de spus… Rating: 0.81/1
Darksite
The latest sampler by cult Italian
label Palace of Worms features no less than 18 artists belonging to
the Italian dark underground, each contributing a track for a
generous 75-minute of sinister entertainment. The themes covered
range from martial through neoclassical over to apocalyptic and neo
folk. No pop I'm afraid, quite the antithesis, in fact. The
compilation is a rich listening, offering a truthful overview on the
state of affair of the Italian scene. The majority of the acts on
display are new to me, so it's brilliant to get the chance to know
new artists in this context, which I'm positive is a good incentive
to look in detail at this product. Good surprises come from the likes
of Sala delle Colonne , At The Funeral of My White Rabbit (!!), The
Well of Sadness , The Growing Crystal Lab or Symbiosis , while more
established names like Rose Rovine e Amanti , All My Faith Lost ,
Albireon , Der Feuerkreiner or Calle della Morte confirm their
extreme taste noir which sits at the avantgarde of the Italian
contingent. There's a running theme of grandeur and desolation,
capturing the essence of war which is the theme of the sample, in the
form of the battle of Nikolaevka which took place in a cold January
1943 around the small village, seeing Italian and Soviet troops
fighting heroically (if there's such a thing) at the huge
(irrelevant) cost of thousands of human lives. Palace of Worms and
its Italian contingent catapult themselves into the international
scene armed with music instruments rather than cannons, painting on
their pentagrams the despair tied to such chapters of history. A very
worthwhile album offering lots to discover under dimmed lights.
Sideline
This sampler is all about the battle of
Nikolaevka that was fought on January 26th, 1943. This battle was
just a fragment of the larger and famous battle of Stalingrad. It was
a battle between the Italian and Russian armies, which now, nearly 66
years later seems to get a second life. Martial and apocalyptic
neo-folk music have been launched by 18 projects. This sampler
reaches some peaks, but unfortunately depths as well. Let's
concentrate on the best parts and especially the one delivered by
Symbiosis. The “Il Trionfo Della Caducita”-track is a remarkable
merge between martial, orchestral and ambient components. This is
definitely the absolute masterpiece from this conceptual sampler. A
few more exciting cuts have been launched by the more medieval
L'Effet C'est Moi, the more into ethereal Hexperos and the
neo-classical piece from At The Funeral Of My Violet Rabbit. Next to
these highlights, “Nikolaevka” falls to the depths. I heard too
much uninspired and flat compositions. I guess it's not a question to
be into this genre of music or not, but I simply heard much better
neo-folk and martial releases!
Gothtronic
The self-willed Greek combo Daemonia
Nymphe that strifes to let music from the ancient Hellenistic times
revive with the use of specially prepared reproductions of authentic
instruments releases their music through the French label
Prikosnovenie, but this album with remixes from the releases on
Prikosnovenie is released through the Italian Palace of Worms label.
The ‘Tyrvasia nymphs of the Seagod Nereus remix' by Von Magnet,
which for the occassion is turned into Von Nymph starts off with
witches chants by Daemonia Nymphe, slow and conjuring, with vocals by
Phil Von. Beefcake lets us hear a spherical and colder sound in their
enjoyable remix of ‘Hypnos'. Nikodemos combines triphop-like
rhythms with trance invoking vocals and industrial coloured rhythms
in the ‘Summoning Divine ‘Selene' remix'. Basilis has delivered a
strange mix with ‘Nymphs of the' in which glitchy ambient
percussion and acoustic instruments perfectly melt together. This has
been done beautifully and very well. In Mimetic Fake's ‘Message
Horn's Enchanting Echo ''Fluty'' Mimetic mix' high pitched electronic
sounds, a panflute and heavy percusssion have been added, after which
a groovy rhythm kicks in and the track becomes quite danceable.
Peekay Tayloh seeks comfort in rhythmically more difficult regions
with ‘Ida's Dactyls ‘'Deads are Dead'' mix', which is a mixture
of glitch and breakcore and the music of Daemonia Nymphe. Supermarket
lets us hear a very dark and enchanting mix with ‘Dance of the
Satyrs ‘Prayer mix'' which perhaps is the best remix on this album.
Dani Joss closes off this remix album with ‘Seagod Nereus'. This is
great stuff! Review by TekNoir
De Subjectivisten Caleidoscoop
Het is bekend dat de groep Dead Can
Dance vele volgelingen heeft gehad en nog steeds komen er nieuwe bij.
Daaronder zitten heel aardige bands, maar de leukste zijn juist die
groepen die er een eigen invulling aan geven. Vaak zijn dat ook
groepen die met klassieke instrumenten werken. Rajna doet dat met
Oosterse, Rada & Ternovnik met Russische, Vas met Indiase en
Daemonia Nymphe met Griekse instrumenten. De Grieken mengen op
ingetogen haast kale wijze gotiek met Griekse folk. Hun cd's Daemonia
Nymphe en The Bacchic Dance Of The Nymphs - Tyrvasia mogen er dan ook
wezen. De stemmige muziek leent zich door dat ingetogen karakter ook
goed voor mixen. Op Remixes , u raadt het al, worden hun nummers -van
met name de eerste cd- geremixed. Erg leuke en uiteenlopende mixen
zelfs. Geen van allen is bij hun folk-achtige muziek blijven hangen.
Vrijwel iedereen heeft er met elektronica aan gesleuteld en de muziek
van Daemonia Nymphe op eigen wijze ingekleurd. Von Magnet , hier Von
Nymph geheten, maakt er gewoon een Grieks getint, prachtig Von Magnet
nummer van. Mimetic Fake -Jérome uit Von Magnet en kent naast Fake
ook de achtervoegsels Kino, Data, Be-At, Tale, Dancing, Field en Mute
(zei de nerd)- maakt er een waar duister technofestijn van. Peekay
Tayloh (Pantelis Kakaroglou) doet dat zelfs tweemaal. De twee
elektronica specialisten van het opgeheven Beefcake (nu spelen de
heren in Kattoo , Freude Am Tanzen en Wighnomy Brothers ) samplen de
Grieken op subtiele wijze binnen hun mix van spannende idm en donkere
ambient. Hun verrassende verschijning op deze compilatie komt
waarschijnlijk door hun werk met Peekay Tayloh. De mooiste mix komt
van ene Basilis die heel fijntjes glitch rondstrooit door het
uitgeklede origineel. Ook de andere (onbekende) mixers Nikodemos ,
Dani Joss en Supermarket gooien er op fijne wijze elektronica
doorheen, die in het geval van Dani Joss zelfs aardig dansbaar wordt.
Het is een verrassende remix-cd geworden, die misschien nauwelijks
aansluit bij de originele muziek, maar wel erg lekker is en iets
nieuws toevoegt aan de Daemonia Nymphe discografie.Jan Willem Broek
Auralpressure
Daemonia Nymphe remixed
seems an odd release to come from this recondite neoclassical stable,
yet the myriad of artists attempt to retain the Hellenistic mystery
and mastery. For the most part all the remixes feature electronic
qualities bringing Daemonia Nymphe to a newer audience. Von Magnet,
under the guise of Von Nymph for this remix, mixes female cries into
the pulsating electronic rhythms weaving lyre and the powerful
recitation of Phil Von in a sinuous orientalism. It is only fitting
that Beefcake's contribution with the track ' Hypnos- ', the god of
sleep, weirds oneiric ambience to time-keeping stop/start
electronica. Nikodemos goths up ' Summoning Divine Selene ' with
mock-industrial percussion and softly skirling synthesized sweeps.
Contributing two tracks to the remix album, Peekay Tayloh fuse folk
guitar to trip-hop cadence and rasped noise with their ' Hymn to
Bacchus ' remix. Gelid winds announce the ensorcelling remix of '
Nymphs of the ' by Basilis, retaining strong elements of the original
with the flourish of the many stringed instrumentation and percussive
hand drums. Mimetic Fake drive a club track out of ' Message Horn's
Enchanting Echo ' broken by moments of pan-fluted reflection before
launching back into heavy bass and beat. In their second contributing
track, Peekay Taylor contracts and shudders with a noisier glitch
remix of ' Deads are Dead ' while preserving the loose folds of
esotericism. Supermarket continues the modern electronic soundscape
of eerie unresolving atmosphere and melody. Lastly, Dani Joss,
delivers one of the darker mixes on the album with plodding
percussive hypnotism broken in fragments of isolated vocals and
shimmering oscillations.
The release is presented as an eight
page full colour booklet, roughly DVD sized with the CD itself
affixed to the last inside page. Rubicund, earthy tones saturate the
booklet with the familiar silhouettes of the band composited artfully
throughout.
NYR
Sensorium
Gli ellenici Daemonia Nymphe, da Atene,
sono attivi sin dal 1994 ed hanno dato alle stampe due full-lenght
("The Bacchic Dance of The Nymphs" del 1998, recentemente
ristampato in digipack col mini "Tyrvasia", risalente al
2000, nonche eacute; il tomo omonimo di tre anni fa per
Prikosnovenie): la loro proposta e eacute; riconducibile alle
sonorità eteree e sacrali dei Dead Can Dance, impiantate
per l'occasione nella Grecia antica. Riti dionisiaci e ninfe
fascinose impalmano in guisa suadente tali ambientazioni soniche,
ricreate impeccabilmente per tramite di una strumentazione
tradizionale (arpa, lira, percussioni e canto femminile) in un
idillio pastorale dai riflessi esoterici. In questa occasione, il
leader Spyros Giasafakis ha contattato alcuni dei suoi act
elettronici preferiti al fine di reinterpretare una selezione delle
composizioni dell'ensemble in chiave contemporanea: in questa fusione
'electro-acustica' tra antico e moderno, le rielaborazioni dei brani
dei Daemonia Nymphe si caratterizzano per il loro innato charme,
diafano ed altamente evocativo. Tra le sortite piu ugrave;
rappresentative vanno debitamente segnalate l'onirico adattamento di
"Hypnos" a cura di Beefcake, il delicato ed avvolgente mix
de "Nymphs Of The" effettuato da Basilis ed il trattamento
crepuscolare riservato al "Dance of the Satyrs (Prayer Mix)"
da parte di Supermarket. In linea di massima, le restanti tracce non
deludono e certificano l'evidenza di un lavoro di gran classe. Un
esperimento riuscito, peraltro forte di uno splendido artwork, al
quale eacute; lecito augurare un pronto seguito. Michele Dicuonzo
Rock Hard
Le potenzialità dei moderni macchinari
sonori paiono ormai illimitate, al punto che oggigiorno è possibile
manipolare ogni cosa e, di conseguenza, remixare anche forme musicali
apparentemente lontane da questa pratica. Se la scena elettronica
alternativa spesso vive più di remix che non di reali innovazioni
creative, lo stesso non si può dire di un contesto sonoro
profondamente differente come quello dei greci DN: fautore di un
suono che recupera le antiche tradizioni elleniche, il gruppo di
Spyros Giasafakis si sottopone oggi a questa pratica propria di altre
scene, ma che a conti fatti ha già funzionato anche per act quali
Claire Voyant ed Impressions Of Winter. I brani manipolati in questo
affascinante dischetto (dalla superba confezione) sono presi
dall'eponimo album del 2002 e dal miniCD “Tyrvasia”, ed a
rileggerli in nuove chiavi sonore non sono certi presenzialisti del
remix che pullulano nella scena electro, bensì formazioni e/o
artisti che si muovono in ambiti sonori particolari e ‘di nicchia'.
Troviamo compagni d'etichetta (la Prikosnovénie, per intenderci) dei
DN quali Von Magnet e Mimetic Mute, ma anche nomi come Beefcake,
Peekay Tayloh (Poeta Negra) eSupermarket (E-Terra): in tutto 9 remix,
in bilico tra IDM, leggere pulsioni industriali, soffici manti
elettro-acustici, ritmiche frenetiche e ‘chiassose', dimesse
escursioni ritmate e poderosi inserti percussivi. Rielaborazioni
fatte con gusto, senza ostentazioni o eccessi, sempre conservando la
giusta ‘dose' di sonorità originarie: un remix-album particolare e
ricercato, dedicato non solo ai fans dei DN, ma anche a coloro i
quali cercano qualcosa in più dei soliti bpm iper-pompati in salsa
techno. Una release preziosa, degna di far parte delle collezioni
degli ascoltatori più selettivi: onore alla POW, da sempre ‘rifugio'
ideale per creazioni artistiche importanti. Roberto Alessandro
Filippozzi 8
Eternal Terror
Det jeg her har fått av POW er noe som
på langt nær egentlig burde omtales i Eternal Terror, men fordi jeg
har fått en bunke cd`er fra Label`en og at vi i ET lover å omtale
ALT vi får så blir det gjort uansett. Dette er, som man kan se av
tittelen, en remixplate. Det er diverse artister som har fått æren
av å gjøre sine obskure tokninger av bandet Daemonia Nymphe`s
musikk. Dessverre har jeg aldri hørt noe av dette bandet tidligere
og vet heller ingenting om de bandene som remixer låtene her, lite
grunnlag for omtale kan man gjerne si – men jeg kan si litt om det
som finnes av musikk på dette albumet iallefall.
Man kan gjerne si at dette har blitt en
slags elektro-akustisk affære, som jeg har forstått det så er DN
et dark folk band fra Hellas og de har fått electronica-artister til
å legge på sin moderne ”touch” på tidligere verk osv. Noe av
det kunne nok gått an å få noe utav rent stemningsmessig, men
denne remixdelen blir nok litt for sært for meg. Kan vel få
inntrykk at det som er igjen av originalmusikken kan være hørbart,
mye mørke og atmosfære i dette. Jeg vil tro at dette kunne ha gjort
seg mye bedre uten remixene, electronica sammen med dette er sikkert
veldig populært og nyskapende, men mine ører klarer seg uten den
digitale stemningsvoldtekten de dansbare rytmene klarer jeg meg fint
uten. Enkelte sanger er verre enn andre, men jevnt over så er dette
mer plagsomt enn diggbart - eller hørbart for den saks skyld.
Music club
Quando l'impossibile non solo diventa
probabile, ma pure reale. Il perché di una simile introduzione è
presto spiegato e di facile lettura se solo avete presente quello che
è il suono di Daemonia Nymphe, formazione strettamente legata (a
livello culturale, storico e musicale) con la propria Terra di
origine, ovvero la Grecia. Formazione in grado di coniare un suono
tradizionale in tutto e per tutto, ma al tempo stesso perfettamente
attuale e carico di forza creativa. E questo è stato il punto di
forza dei tre dischi sinora pubblicati. Considerando, per l'appunto,
tali peculiarità (derivate dall'utilizzo esclusivo di strumenti
antichi fedelmente riprodotti e ricostruiti) mi risultava difficile
pensare a una versione “elettronica” di Daemonia Nymphe. E invece
Spyros Giasafakis si è scelto con cura i musicisti da coinvolgere
nel progetto e costoro lo hanno ripagato come desiderava: donando
nuova vita ai brani e facendoli risplendere di una diversa luce
sonora. Una luce nella quale i due diversi mondi (e approcci alla
composizione) convivono con una serenità e armonia incredibile e
riescono a dare forma, grazie (tra gli altri) a Mimeitc Mute,
Beefcake, Von Magnet, Peekay Tayloh e Dani Joss, a trame di una
bellezza fuori dal tempo, come se l'elettronica (morbida, minimale e
raffinata) fosse già esistita alcune migliaia di anni fa!
Worlock
D'ordinaire habitué à évoluer dans
un univers néoclassique, traditionnel et médiéval, Daemonia Nymphe
se montre sous un nouveau visage par l'intermédiaire d'artistes bien
éloignés du style du groupe grec. Von Magnet (ici crédité Von
Nymph) s'accapare « Tyrvasia nymphs of the Seagod Nereus » afin
d'en faire un morceau qui pourrait être tiré de son répertoire. De
même que Beefcake avec « Hypnos ». Et c'est le même constat pour
chacun des groupes présents, « Summoning divine Selene » dans une
version trip-hop industriel par Nikodemos, Basilis et son ambient
étrange pour « Nymph of the », Mimetic qui reconstruit brillamment
« Message horn's Enchanting Echo… » en tube potentiel. Plus
direct et radical, Peekay Tayloh se laisse aller aux expérimentations
sonores et rythmiques les plus folles, dans lesquelles la musique de
Daemonia Nymphe se mêle très bien. Supermarket et Dani Joss
clôturent cet album remix avec 2 magnifiques remixes respectifs, les
deux artistes en revisitant le répertoire de Daemonia Nymphe lui
donne un nouveau visage véritablement surprenant et très agréable.
C'est Palace of Worms qui nous délivre
cet album surprenant, prenant à contre-pied les admirateurs de
Daemonia Nymphe. Peut-être décontenancés au début, les esprits
les plus ouverts pourront voir dans cet album, une belle occasion de
donner un nouveau souffle à une musique d'ordinaire plus réservée.
L'initiative est à saluer, et il ne fait aucun doute que ce disque
saura trouver son public parmi les fans ou non fans de Daemonia
Nymphe. 8/10
Obliveon
Daemonia Nymphe sind bislang leider nur
einigen wenigen eingeweihten Kennern der Heavenly Voices-ähnlichen
Musi-Szenerie ein Begriff, was umso bedauerlicher ist, da die
Verbindung von etherischen und düster eingefärbten Klängen mit der
griechischen Folkore, die von Natur aus bereits eine gewisse
Schwermut in sich birgt, mehr als reizvolle Kontraste und
musikalische Ansätze bildet. Mit „Remixed“ erscheint jetzt eine
wundervoll aufgemachte CD mit Remixarbeiten von Liedern der Griechen,
wobei die bekannteste der remixenden Bands zweifelsohne Von Magnet
sind, die mit ihrer Version von „Tyrvasia-Nymphs Of The Seagod
Nereus“ gleich auch den Höhepunkt einer sehr hochklassigen CD
bieten und dem Song ihren sehr eigenen Stempel aufdrücken.
Hervorzuheben auch Peekay Tayloh mit ihrer sehr ryhthmisch betonten
Version von „Hymn To Bacchus“ oder Basilis mit ihrer
Interpretation von „Nymphs Of The“. Allen neun Remixen ist
gemein, dass der schwermütige Charakter der Lieder weitestgehend
beibehalten wurde und dennoch eine eigene Handschrift der Remixer
erkennbar wird. In der Kombination mit dem absolut brillianten
Artwork dieser CD, übrigens im DIN A5-Format, ist diese CD ein
wirkliches musikalisches Kleinod, das es vorbehaltlos zu empfehlen
gilt. 9/10
Underground press
Daemonia Nymphe is a Greek band from
Thessaloniki and the name means “goddess nymph”. “Remixed” is
a nine-track album of their acoustic songs awakened by a number of
artists, experimenting with electronic elements and the band` s
recreations of ancient Greek music. Daemonia Nymphe intoxicates the
senses with aged instrumentation, spoken words, deep chanting and a
sultry and ritualistic sound, with the lyrics based on mythology.
“Remixed” radiates with the warmth of an ethereal daydream.
Sideline
As an experiment Daemonia Nymphe were
asked to provide samples of their handmade Ancient Greek instruments.
The results were so exciting that front man Nikos Brass approached
several artists, mainly from the electronic scene, such as Von
Magnet, Beefcake and Mimetic Mute, to name just a few, to remix some
of his tracks. And see how the mix of analogue and digital
instruments could fuse into the rebirth of his songs. This remix
album contains honest re-interpretations, each track keeping their
spirit but interestingly flavoured by their remixers. And it's not
even disturbing to listen to the mix of break-beats and Lyre like on
the Peekay Tayloh remixes of “Hymn to Bacchus” and “Ida's
Dactyls”. So we've had bagpipes with Corvus Corax, Latin with Qntal
and now Hellenic music with Daemonia Nymphe. Though the originality
resides in the fact that this is really a clash of both styles, and
the electronics are far more present. (ES:7) ES.
Muzik.alutis
Puikus darbelis - keliolika veikeju
suremiksavo šios grupes dainas. Iš viso to gavosi ramus
electro-akustinis pasiplaukiojimas, vietomis isibejenciu bytu, bet
taip ir beliekanciu ramioje formoje, neišsišokant iki noiso.
Nuostabus vokalai, teisingiau šnibdžesiai ir laicahiniai poemu
skaitymai. Kaip fonui puiku - iškarto ivertinu ši diska 8/10. Taip
pat demesio vertas ir apipavidalinimas - CD išleistas A5 dydžio
knygeles pavidalu. Tikrai užims garbinga vieta ant lentynos. Paties
autorio žodžiai: I have been approached in the past to give samples
of our songs to musicians, so that our music could be used for
composin electro-acoustic compositions. The sound of the
reproductions of ancient Greek instruments we use is extraordinary
and could easily be used for contemporary music. This gave me the
idea to approach musicians mostly from the electronic genre, so that
our songs take a different form and re-birth, having a new result
combining the ancient sounds with modern ones. All musicians who
contribute to this work are some of our favourite, and each gives his
own approach to our music, creating variety.
Gothtronic
O Quam Tristis consists of Emeric
Lenotz, Hugues Dammarie (a member of Collection d'Arnell-Andrea as
well), Tomec Ashkenazy Isaac and the two female vocalists Anna and
Katarina who echant the listener with their heavenly voices. Their
voices are combined with Latin chants by male voices and very rich
and versatile music to which the bandwith of the musical spectrum
stretches from pure medieval folk on to modern electronic
interpretations. You will hear tribal percussion, bagpipes, flutes
and other organic sounding instruments, as well as beats and
electronic grooves in tracks like als ‘O Langueo', ‘Terrae' and
‘Phillistei'. The effect of the vocals and music combined can
result in a hypnotising and echanting way, such as for example is
noticeable in ‘Et in Spiritum Cubum'. At other moments as a
listener you find yourself watching a medieval tournament where
heralds sound their horns.O Quam Tristis is a band that until now
still is a relatively well kept musical secret outside the electronic
medieval scene but this could change permanently with this album.
Fans of the work of Dead Can Dance, Qntal, Ataraxia and Helium Vola
would like O Quam Tristis very much as well.Musically speaking this
album is better than the previous cd of Q Quam Tristis and therefore
this is a recommendation to everyone that can relate to the above
description. This is a lovely record! Review byTeknoir
De Subjectivisten Caleidoscoop
Méditations Ultimes is de derde cd van
het Franse vijftal O Quam Tristes. Alleen met een gymnasiumdiploma
kom je in de band, aangezien alle teksten in het Latijn zijn. De
teksten, gezongen door zowel robuuste mannen en engelachtige vrouwen,
zijn dan ook gebaseerd op liturgische en seculiere gedichten uit de
Middeleeuwen. Dat is vergelijkbaar met Ataraxia, Qntal en enigszins
Dead Can Dance. Anders is het gebruik van moderne elektronica naast
de klassieke en oude instrumenten. Zo zijn twee nummers haast
dansbaar, terwijl het decor eeuwenoud is. Je zou het een moderne
interpretatie van Middeleeuwse muziek kunnen noemen. Overigens is het
op vele momenten ook heerlijk sereen en sacraal, ondanks de
onderliggende beats. Een origineel album, vol onaardse schoonheid.
Twee van de gymnasten uit O Quam
Tristis, Hugues Dammarie en Emeric Lenotz, delen een passie voor de
gedichten van William Shakespeare. Als Thy Violent Vanities opereren
ze om die te vertolken middels liederen. Ze gebruiken op Come To Dust
een gelijksoortig instrumentarium als bij hun moederband, dat wil
zeggen moderne en traditionele instrumenten. Echt een duo kan je het
niet noemen, aangezien ze de Fransman Pierre-Yves Lebeau en de
Nederlandse Liesbeth Houdijk, beide uit de bands Hide & Seek en A
Sparrow-Grass Hunt te gast hebben om voor de extra vocalen te zorgen.
De zang, vaak meerstemmig, is dan ook een sterk onderdeel van de cd;
zeker Liesbeth's heldere stem is een mooi aanvulling op die van de
zware jongens. Voor de zware stof die ze behandelen is het redelijk
opgewekt en up-tempo. Desondanks zou je de muziek als dark folk
kunnen bestempelen, maar dan van het soort dat het daglicht prima
verdragen kan. Het is een fraai album vol contrasten, net als de
poëzie en het leven zelf. Jan Willem Broek
Chain D.L.K .
While listening to O Quam Tristis I've
been thrown back in the middle age. It's medieval folk with latin
lyrics, if you're familiar with bands such as like Ataraxia, Qntal e
Dead Can Dance ("Aion" era) you probably know what we're
talking about. I like this album: it's solid, "focussed"
but at the same time kinda heterogenous, it contains a various range
of atmospheres. The most of the times the mix of electronics and
traditional instruments is well done, some other times the mix of
"eighties-oriented" keyboards sounds a bit strange together
with that traditional vocals/instruments. Palace of Worms describes
this record as "a modern interpretation of medieval and ancient
folk music" and after all it's the best possible definition for
a work like that. The most interesting thing of this release
obviously is represented by the vocal parts (gregorian chant have
been a real turning point in the history of music) since the male
singers are good, but the female ones are even better. This' the
third cd by O Quam Tristis and the band shows how maturity helps to
refine the "modus operandi" in songwriting. The funny thing
is that while one may expect an epic record with a completely
ethereal mood, "Mediationes ultimes" is full of mid-tempo
"danceable" tracks (Quoniam tu solus, Terrae for exemple).
If you imagine a cd overwhelmed with evocative songs give it a chance
since in the past some songs would have been a great soundtrack for a
banquet. Review by: Andrea Ferraris
Sensorium
Terzo album per questo collettivo
transalpino (ricordiamo i due rimarchevoli tomi precedenti,
"Funérailles des Petits Enfants" e " Le Rituel Sacré
") che comprende Hugues Dammarie (già nei Collection
D'Arnell-Andrea), Emeric Lenotz, Tomec Ashkenazy Isaac e le due
fascinose vocalist Anna and Katarina. "Méditations Ultimes"
é con tutta probabilità il loro migliore lavoro ad oggi: un'ora di
musica francamente spledida, che recupera il lascito delle
celebrazioni liturgiche e le ambientazioni cangianti dei canti
gregoriani in un'ottica contemporanea dalla freschezza esecutiva
impressionante.In un tale scenario autenticamente medievale, la
dosata inflessione electro di "Le Rituel Sacré" ha
lasciato maggiore spazio alla strumentazione 'naturale', consolidando
un sound più compatto e personale: se in passato Dead Can Dance,
Ataraxia e (soprattutto) Qntal risultavano influenze di un certo
spessore, gli OQT odierni brillano per tramite di una proposta che si
é resa unica e preziosa. Come definire altrimenti l'incanto di
tracce del calibro di "O Langueo" (semplicemente
irresistibile), "Quoniam Tu Solus" e "Confiteor",
laddove l'incastro dei vocalizzi maschili e femminili, la perizia
strumentale e la suggestione dei testi in latino ricreano scenari
estatici di grande impatto emotivo.La qualità della scrittura non é
mai in discussione lungo tutto l'arco del platter, certificando la
riuscita globale di quattordici affreschi sonici dall'incantevole
respiro, partendo dal salmo pacato dell'opener "Benedicimus Te",
passando per la solennità di una "In Senectute Querula" e
concludendo questa serie di 'meditazioni' con la luminosa "Creator".
Un'opera eccellente, peraltro forte di un ottimo, evocativo artwork:
la quintessenza del sentore 'gotico' abita sobriamente questi
generosi solchi. Michele Dicuonzo
Apostazja
"After - "Funérailles des
Petits Enfants" (2000) and "Le Rituel Sacré" (2002),
here comes the third album from the french electro medieval act "O
QUAM TRISTIS..." produced by the italian Palace of Worms label.
The line-up is made of musicians with many experiences in other
french Dark bands (Thy Violent Vanities, Collection d'Arnell-Andrea,
OMS): Hugues Dammarie , Anna Virsky, Katrina Koslowska, Tomek
Ashkenazy Isaac and Emeric Lenotz. The musical purpose of "O
QUAM TRISTIS..." remains the same: Female and male vocal
polyphonies inspired by musics going from the Middle Age down to the
Baroque Era. But the main goal is still not to create "authentic"
ancient music because the band is mixing old instruments such as
mandolas, psaltry, dulcimer and recorders with traditional electric
ones lying on electronic loops and rythm patterns. In the beginning,
the songs were quite only using anonymous medieval liturgic lyrics...
But step by step, the literrary sources of the band are slightly
moving towards secular poetries of authors such as Pierre de Blois,
Fulbert de Chartres ou Gautier de Châtillon."
Heathen Harvest
When medieval music comes to mind
images of dusty churches and Gregorian chants instantly spring into
the imagination. Personally I have a penchant for medieval
instrumentation though I have often found the vocals and lyricism
used by many medieval musicians to be overbearingly liturgical as
they often invoke images of Christian religious ceremonies taking
place under the vaulted ceilings of ancient European cathedrals. For
the last decade the neoclassical music genre has been experiencing a
small renaissance of Neo-Medieval music led by artists inspired by
the music and culture of the middle ages. Musicians such as O Quam
Tristis and The Soil bleeds Black have been working hard to bring an
appreciation of medieval inspired music into our modern age.O Quam
Tristis has entered this emerging music arena and firmly established
themselves. This French ensemble comprised of five talented French
musicians and vocalists have quickly made a name for themselves by
offering listeners medieval inspired music that detours from the
standard. Meditations Ultimes is O Quam Tristis third full length
album and it sees the band coming to full maturity. Meditations
Ultimes brings together fourteen medieval secular, liturgical and
poetry inspired tracks in a very long album that is sure to satiate
even the most demanding music listener.If O Quam Tristis simply
regurgitated a handful of medieval liturgical songs I would not be
writing this review right now. What makes the music of O Quam Tristis
inspiring and engaging is the band reworking of original medieval
material. Utilizing modern technology and their own unique creative
sensibilities O Quam Tristis transforms the dated material they use
for inspiration into modern compositions filled with new life and
vitality. From the ashes of the past the band is able to coax forth
fiery and festive compositions created from a melding of modern and
medieval influences.Meditations Ultimes begins with the introductory
song “Benedicimus Te.” “Benedicimus Te” commences with crisp
acoustic guitar and heavenly female vocals suing in Latin. The
combination of vocals and guitars is expertly paired. After a brief
passage bass guitar and violin join the composition accompanied by
male vocals and backing female vocals. The song becomes dense with
vocals and instrumentation that weave and intertwine flawlessly
captivating the listener. The song transforms through moments of
density to moments of open and airy instrumentation and solo singing
allowing for a sense of development and a pause between denser
moments in the composition. “Benedicimus Te” reflects a
particularly high level of compositional twists and turns that keeps
the music engaging throughout the song.“Quoniam tu Solus” is the
seventh song on Meditations Ultimes and it marks the middle pointy of
the album. “Quoniam tu Solus” is an exemplary example of how O
Quam Tristis uses acoustic instrumentation and modern electronics in
harmony without losing the sacral and medieval character of their
music. “Quoniam tu Solus” starts with an enunciated electronic
beat that borrows its influence from modern dance music with a hint
of break beat influence. The rhythms are crisp and clean and roll out
of the speakers with enthusiasm and precision. Synthesizers and bass
guitar join the electronic rhythms contributing a rock and liturgical
feeling to the composition. Female vocals descend upon the song
interweaving and wavering in a spell binding chant. Male vocals join
the music adding a counter balance to the feminine energy of the
female vocalists and flushing out the song. As with previous songs
the band moves the music through several different movements and
passages holding the listeners interest and adding an element of
intrigue as the listener waits to see what emerges next from the
delicate maelstrom of music and chanting.“Creator” is the
fourteenth and final song to grace Meditations Ultimes. O Quam
Tristis leaves the biggest surprise for the last song. “Creator”
delves more deeply into rock influences than previous songs and at
times the drums and tambourine invoke images of a late sixties
American hippie rock bands. Of course the Latin chanting keeps the
listener aware that this is no hippie band but rather the ever
eclectic sound of O Quam Tristis.O Quam Tristis have proven
themselves proficient in hybridizing rock, electronic, and medieval
music into an innovative new sound that breathes life back into
medieval music and manuscripts while simultaneously making scared the
rather soulless domains of rock and electronic music. O Quam Tristis
also excels in delivering outstanding vocal performances that
accompany their music. So many Neo-Medieval bands rely solely upon
lead female vocals that any given album loses the listeners interest
after a handful of songs delivered by enchanting yet redundant female
vocalists. O Quam Tristis has overcome this vocal obstacle by
layering their song with multiple vocalists and utilizing the
dynamics of feminine and masculine vocals in such a manner that
inspires the listener and creates motivation and excitement. O Quam
Tristis have mastered their art with Meditations Ultimes and have
delivered an eloquent album of inspiring music.
Aural Pressure
This, the third release from O Quam
Tristis, continues the medieval folk chambers the band previously
explored, yet with this album the band finds a more introspective and
meditative aeries in their blend of electronic and medieval styles.
The French compact of five adorn and interleave their music and
talents with four of the group being vocalists and all wielding
mastery of digital and analogue instruments.Inspired by secular
medieval life and poetry O Quam Tristis distance their selves from
the plethora of Christianized gothic medieval acts spicing up old
sacred favourites and are further detached by the mesh of modern and
centuries' old music. Stirring female vocals gliss gossamer under
silvered orchestration proffering sinuous, popular interpretations of
old melody in turn backed by the diversity of complimentary male and
female vocal harmony. Electronic rhythms shuffle the listener's
perception but the potent vocals permeate each track in polyphonic
brocades, refined timbre of classically trained singers, like pagan
incantations woven in the guise of reinvented folk. Without doubt the
kaleidoscope of vocals set O Quam Tristis firmly apart from their
brethren, with each vocalist distinct enough yet harmonious to work
among each other; notwithstanding their intriguing and illusive
rhythms and melodic instrumental interplay marbled amidst the dense
foliage of the small choir one could almost forget that there is a
great deal of electronic and modern backing behind the classic
instruments so well hewn is each track.A jewel case release of
gradated textured card inlay and booklet of full eight-page colour
replete with lyric sheet featuring the artwork of French 19th Century
painter, Alphonse Muraton, featuring a grave digging monk
contemplating his buried brethren below. NYR
Stillborn Magazine
Finalmente il ritorno degli O Quam
Tristis, a tre anni dal bellissimo Le Rituel Sacre il combo
capitanato da Hugues Dammarie sforna nuovamente un album
spettacolare, ancora una volta per l'italiana Palace of Worms....a
differenza dei primi due capitoli la formazioni di dark-all-stars
francese (i componenti suonano/hanno suonato in gruppi come
Collection d'Arnell-Andrea, Thy Violent Vanities, Opera Multi
Steel..) torna con un suono unico e riconoscibilissimo.. un suono che
ormai rappresenta gli O Quam Tristis e potrà servire come pietra di
paragone per le nuove band che si cimenteranno in questo genere di
interpretazione dei canti medieval-rinascimentali.. il connubio
elettronica/canti sacri ha preso una strada totalmente diverse.. non
sono gli O Quam Tristis ad adattarsi ai canti ma sono i canti a
prendere forme nelle strutture create dalla formazione transalpina,
ora in modo più evidente ( Benedicimus te è l'esempio più
vistoso!) ora in modo più fedele ai canoni originali.. ci sono altre
novità.. musicalmente parlando il tocco new wave è più evidente e
l'elettronica è più ricercata e raffinata.. per quanto riguarda le
voci, ancora passi in avanti nelle loro polifonie.. gli intrecci
vocali mantengono quelle ambientazioni rinascimentali pur aumentando
il loro grado di modernità (e poi quell'accento francese che
traspare è spettacolare..) e vi sono meno interventi baritonali.. un
grande salto in avanti questo! per un cocktail gustosissimo che
unisce alla musica oscura degli 80s, l'elettronica più moderna e
raffinata, il tutto con quel tocco medieval-rinascimentale che nella
maggior parte dei casi è alla base di ogni canzone.. per quanto
riguarda i temi usati nei testi delle canzoni c'è un'altra novità
(forse meno interessante).. non più poeti "anonimi" ma si
ricorre ad autori noti come Pierre de Blois, Fulbert de Chartres o
Gautier de Chatillon.. In definitiva gli O Quam Tristis ormai sono su
un altro livello e, per adesso, questo è il loro capolavoro! Fatelo
Vostro. Assolutamente.
Rock Hard
Mancavano dalle scene dal 2002 (anno
d'uscita di “Le Rituel Sacré”), e finalmente i francesi OQT sono
di ritorno con l'attesa terza prova in studio. Il quintetto
transalpino torna dunque a farsi sentire, dopo la parentesi che ha
visto Hugues Dammarie (anche membro dei Collection D'Arnell Andréa)
ed Emeric Lenotz dar vita al superbo debutto dei Thy Violent
Vanities, sempre sotto l'egida dell'attenta PoW di Lecco. Li avevamo
lasciati la volta scorsa alle prese con un'evoluzione protesa verso
sonorità rituali e sacrali (il titolo del disco, evidentemente, non
era affatto casuale), ed in questa terza prova l'esperienza di Hugues
ed Emeric come TVV si è decisamente fatta sentire: il sound di OQT
trova ancora grandi sbocchi in campo sacrale, ma l'intero songwriting
della band si è fatto più completo ed arioso, proprio come nel
debutto del succitato side-project. Punti fermi del suono del
quintetto restano i ritmi elettronici (talvolta piuttosto ‘moderni'),
i pregevoli intrecci vocali tra lo stesso Hugues e le brave Katrina
Koslowska ed Anna Virsky, l'uso di strumenti tradizionali (tra cui
l'ispirato flauto, ammirato anche nei TVV) ed un certo piglio folk,
nonché l'apprezzato uso del latino per i testi (tutti presi da
secolari poesie liturgiche del Medioevo). Il passato rivive nella
musica di questo ammirevole quintetto, che riesce ancor meglio di
prima nel difficile compito di coniugare melodie senza tempo e
sonorità più ‘attuali': un suono che illumina secoli ‘bui' di
una luce nuova, evitando di cedere a certe tentazioni da club alle
quali gruppi pur ottimi come Qntal ed Helium Vola hanno già ceduto.
Un viaggio a ritroso nel tempo, dalle atmosfere sacrali di “Jube
Domine Benedicere” e “Ad Esse Infernum” all'approccio ritmato
ed accattivante di “O Langueo” e “Terrae”: un'opera preziosa,
da assaporare come un vino pregiato sorso dopo sorso, amandone ogni
profumo e sensazione. Roberto Alessandro Filippozzi 8
Kronic
Gli O Quam Tristis sono sempre stati un
gruppo di nicchia, sin dal debutto si sono presentati con una miscela
di canti latini di estrazione liturgico religiosa e di basi
elettroniche soffuse. Stile quindi perfettamente definito ma per
questo anche rischioso. Gli spazi di manovra in un genere così
particolare sono pochi e con il proseguire della carriera anche gli O
Quam Tristis hanno iniziato a rendersene conto. `Méditations
Ultimes` non è un brutto album ma è un lavoro classico che non
aggiunge niente a quanto già realizzato dal progetto francese. Non
gli si chiede certo di cambiare il proprio stile o di forzare la
propria vena musicale, ma è anche vero che diventa difficile
approciarsi a un lavoro che risulta molto spesso simile a quanto già
realizzato e che per questo lascia sfuggire a tratti un senso di noia
e di prolissità. Le innovazioni ci sono e si trovano nella scelta di
puntare, per quanto possibile, su strumenti acustici, e infatti sono
questi i momenti migliori del lavoro; ma non basta ancora, perché,
perché tutto funzioni alla perfezione, c`è bisogno di un lotto di
brani di alto livello che oltre al rimando culturale, dai Carmina
Burana agli anonimi a Von Bingen, presenti anche un suono ricercato
che sappia usare alla perfezione la ricerca elettronica e non si
limiti a realizzare un semplice tappeto su cui poggiare i cori. Oggi
gli O Quam Tristis sono un gruppo elegante che si rivolge a un
ristretto gruppo di fedeli, sono un progetto che realizza album
discreti (e questo nuovo ‘Méditations Ultimes' non deluderà i
fans della band ma difficilmente ne arricchirà la schiera) ma simili
e che, soprattutto, rischia di scivolare sul suo stesso terreno.
(5/7/05)
D-Side
Les comptines spirituelles et
médiévales du projet français "O Quam Tristis..."
connaissent des prolongements. Partagés entre ce projet et d'autres,
tels les illustres Collection d'Arnell-Andréa , Anna Virsky (alias
Carine Grieg) et Hugues Dammarie (ou Franz Torres-Quevedo)
échafaudent en compagnie de leurs compères Tomek Ashkénazy Isaac,
Emeric Lenotz et Katrina Koslowska des plans dont les textures
s'arc-boutent sur le fil du rasoir. On ne sait jamais vraiment où se
situer en ces lieux. Passé ? Présent ? Méditations Ultimes joue la
confusion temporelle pour parvenir à ces tournures squelettiques,
plutôt sereines et posées.Chaque titre, au fil d'une électronique
discrète, se charge de référents liturgiques, moyenâgeux et
baroques, et poursuit la quête polyphonique de la formation dans le
souci de fondre le son d'instruments anciens (dulcimer, mandole...) à
un environnement plus actuel (guitares, basse, synthétiseurs...).
Inclassable . Emmanuel Hennequin D-Side N° 29
Eternal Terror
Når det kommer til musikk utgitt av
Italienske Palace Of Worms Records er det ikke snakk om rock eller
metal, men heller neoklassisk, dark folk, goth-aktige hybrider og den
slags. Labelen har kultstatus i enkelte kretser og har holdt på i en
del år, jeg har ikke hørt noe fra dem på en god stund før jeg nå
helt uventet fikk noen skiver i posten direkte fra labelboss Guido. O
Quam Tristis tar oss med helt tilbake til Middelalderen når det
kommer til tema og stemning, tekstene er på latin og musikken må
sies å være av nyere type neoklassisk blandet med folketoner. Her
kan man gjerne si at skulle du ha hørt om band som Ataraxia og Dead
Can Dance så vet du sånn nogenlunde retning dette er. Det blandes
bruk av tradisjonelle og klassiske instrumenter (f.eks. så er det
mye pent fløytespill) med bruk av electronica og vokal fra begge
kjønn, ingen ting å utsette på stemmen til de som utøver den
delen her. Musikken de kommer med er egentlig ikke så særlig nære
noe jeg vanligvis hører på, mest pga bruken av electronica som fort
siver over mot dansbare rytmer og det liker jeg lite. Innimellom
klarer de å skape en mørk og behagelig stemning og bruken av den
gregoriansklignende koringen blir tidvis majestetisk, men som sagt
brytes dette pga den bombastiske electronica/dance/goth-greia. Noe
for moderne lydbilde til å være i landskapet middelaldertema synes
jeg, men uten tvil noe som vil slå an i enkelte deler av
musikkverdenen. Jeg synes at over 1 time av dette bli i det drøyeste
laget, noen låter kan man tåle og i enkelte spesielle øyeblikk kan
man kanskje tåle ennå litt mer – men dette er ikke min greie rett
og slett.
Music Club
La sensazione sperimentata ascoltando
‘Meditations Ultimes', terzo disco di “O Quam Tristis…” è
stata quella di assistere a una delle numerose rievocazioni medievali
che proprio in questo periodo (a cavallo tra la primavera e l'estate)
pullulano in varie parti d'Italia e che hanno preso piede nel corso
degli ultimi vent'anni del secolo scorso (quasi che l'arrivo di un
nuovo millennio avesse scatenato pensieri simili a quelli che fecero
capolino sul finire dell'anno 1000). Una sensazione di essere fuori
luogo e fuori tempo (massimo); fuori luogo e fuori tempo, perché il
loro suono, marcatamente medievale e venato di folk, si esprime al
meglio solo quando rimane ancorato alla tradizione, mentre fallisce
in maniera evidente nel momento in cui cerca commistioni improbabili
(oltre che non congeniate con cognizione di causa) con la materia
elettronica, che avrebbe potuto essere al massimo ambientale, ma non
ritmica. I Silent Love Of Death hanno invece pretese meno
altisonanti, però riescono a prodursi in un fluire musicale continuo
e tale da accompagnare immaginari paesaggi di surrealismo decadente,
oltre che melodico e venato di evocazioni poetiche, a metà strada
tra dark narrativo, neo folk mai troppo stereotipato, ambient
ancestrale e buoni accostamenti strumentali.
Worlock
Ce troisième album est selon moi le
meilleur du groupe, réussissant l'osmose parfaite entre leur
heavenly médiévale et les incursions électroniques. Le travail sur
les voix est un des points forts du disque, le travail est formidable
et rend honneur aux compositions riches en instruments divers
(flûtes, cornemuse, etc…). Sans jamais ennuyer l'auditeur, nul
doute que cet album saura combler entièrement les fans, ce voyage au
travers de ré interprétations médiévales et folk est un régal,
les titres « Terrae », « Phillistei », « Ipsa vivere » ou « Et
in spiritum cubum » parmi les meilleurs de l'album, confirmeront aux
fans que le groupe vient de sortir une pièce qu'il est indispensable
de posséder. L'envie de relancer le cd arrivé à son terme est
inévitable si l'on est séduit par ce déluge de chants mystiques et
de cuivres et cordes ennivrant. Les fans de Qntal, Dead Can Dance et
Helium Vola qui ne connaissent pas encore O quam tristis peuvent se
procurer ce disques les yeux fermés. 8/10
Le Fantastique.net
Troisième album pour les français d'
O Quam Tristis qui confirment que, s'ils naviguent dans ces même
territoires (l'omnimprésence du latin dans un décorum folk), ils
sont loin d'être de simples ersatz d' Ataraxia , de Current 93 ou
Death in June . Soutenant à nouveau des textes issus de poésies du
Moyen-Age, l'instrumentation gagne en précision, en richesse mais
aussi en variété et en personnalité, ma préférence allant
nettement aux plages à instrumentation classiques. Le jeux des voix
masculines et féminines fonctionne toujours à merveille et invitent
à la contemplation et au mystère. Un travail soigné et de grande
qualité qui place O Quam Tristis comme une référence du genre folk
médiéval. J.C. - Août 2005
Oblivion
O Quam Tristis spielen musikalisch in
ähnlichen Liga wie Qntal und Helium Vola, doch wo die beiden
deutschen Vertreter dieser Zunft einen Schwerpunkt auf die
Vermischung elektronischer Klangerzeugung mit mittelalterlichen
Einflüssen legen, orientieren sich O Quam Tristis eher an dem
Instrumentarium einer Rockband, die das Grundgerüst für die
Adaptionen lithurgischer und sekulärer Musik des Mittelalters in
einer neuzeitlichen Variante bilden. Zudem wird bei den Franzosen
durch den zum Teil sehr prägnanten Bass der Bezug zum Postpunk und
sehr zeitgemässer Rhythmik sehr deutlich herausgearbeitet, was unter
der Verücksichtigung der lateinischen Texte eine interessante und
sehr eigenständige Note in einem nach wie vor boomendem Genre
bildet. Der mehrstimmige Gesang tut sein übriges hinzu, um
„Meditations Ultimes“ und O Quam Tristis eine ganz eigene Nische
in diesem Genre zu sichern. Dass „Meditations Ultimes“ dennoch
„nur“ acht Punkte erhält lieg einzig und allein daran, dass sich
ein absoluter Höhepunkt aufgrund des hohen Standards des Albums
selbst nach intensivstem Hörgenuss nicht ausmachen lässt. Wer sich
jedoch an dem Album berauschen lassen möchte, der rieche intensiv am
Booklet der CD, das intensiv nach Weihrauch duftet. 8/10
Funprox
This is the third album by O Quam
Tristis. I find it impressive to hear how the band improves with each
album. Both musically and in song writing the band has grown a lot
since the first album.
What is the most remarkable about
Méditations Ultimes is the use of atypical electronic rhythms in the
music. These rhythms are not dance beats like most of the time with
Qntal, nor standard rhythm structures to accompany typical medieval
gothic tunes like Helium Vola. O Quam Tristis makes use of some
original and surprising rhythms like in ‘Non Eripit Mortalia',
‘Quoniam Tu Solus' and ‘Creator'.
Besides that, the medieval music which
the band plays on top of this, sounds more authentic and pure then
most bands in the gothic scene will ever sound.
Méditations Ultimes is an excellent
accomplishment and O Quam Tristis is a promise for the future.
MvG
The third album of French
neo-medievalists O Quam Tristis is a convincing one. I do not know
their previous album "Le Rituel Sacré" very well, but
compared to their debut they have clearly made a considerable step
forwards. Especially in the melodic qualities of the compositions O
Quam Tristis have clearly improved.The traditional medieval
structures sound convincing, while the modern electronic elements fit
in nicely, a combination which we know from bands like Qntal. One of
the most attractive features of the band is the harmonic combination
of 'earthy' male vocals and ethereal female voices, in a somewhat
comparable manner as for instance Love is Colder than Death. All
songs have (liturgical) lyrics in Latin by the way. The musical
spectrum of this album is quite varied by the way, from tranquil
acoustic songs to dark gothic hymns to uptempo 'crossover' tracks.
The electronic elements are combined with traditional instruments
like bagpipes, flutes, dulcimer and percussion. Some of the more
striking pieces are Ó langueo', the sensual 'Confiteur' and the nice
choral chanting of 'Ad esse internum'. The absolute hit is 'Terrae',
with an addictive beat, a wavy keyboard sound and a catchy refrain.
It reminds me a bit of some material by Argine. Méditations Ultimes
is certainly a recommended album, though perhaps not for medieval
purists.
HD
Felinea
Des [ Méditations ultimes ] dont
l'écho s'épanouit à la lumière d'une écoute respectueuse. Ce
troisième album d' "O Quam Tristis..." axe la mélodie sur
la langue latine encore plus expressive ('Benedicimus te'). Il
semblerait que l'accent ait été mis sur le jeu des voix face à
l'orchestration pleine d'entrain ('O langueo'). Le choix de
juxtaposer, voire de mettre en parallèle chant masculin et féminin
accentue l'impact de 'Anno, mense, die' qui précède 'Et in spiritum
cubum' plus extatique. Le choix des instruments semble toujours
inhérent à la manière dont le chant va être mis en valeur
('Quoniam tu solus'). Sur 'Terrae', le quintette extériorise une
sensation de liberté, une communion avec la nature mais c'est sur
'Confiteor' que le propos énonce une vérité solennelle. Quand le
groupe donne aux voix féminines l'horizon souhaité, cela donne
'Philistei' et son rayonnement étincelant. Une émotion acoustique
telle que 'Ad esse infernum' montre si besoin était toute l'étendue
du registre créatif du groupe. 'Creator' qui vient clore ce nouvel
éveil artistique prouve que la génèse d'une mélodie est ad vitam
aeternam le talent
Wave Propaganda
Quem não conhece Opera Multi Steel?
Mesmo após a banda terminar, eles continuam juntos a fazer música,
mas como O Quam Tristis. Franck Lopez é ainda o volcaista e lider da
banda 3 Cold Men. Este novo álbum, já é o terceiro na carreira da
nova banda e os consolida ainda mais no cenário Europeu. Este novo
cd mostra mais uma vez a mistura inesperada da música medieval
tradicional com toques eletrônicos modernos, resultando em algo
majestral. Sem dúvida um dos melhores álbuns do ano.
Twice
Fi des modes, fi des tendances, la vie
continue et rien n'arrêtera « O Quam Tristis… » dans sa quête
profondément folk grégorienne. Déjà le troisième album et c'est
avec encore de belles évolutions que le groupe énigmatique se lance
dans ses méditations ultimes toujours chantées en latin.La recette
est tout autant magique que paradoxale, comme ont su le faire en
Allemagne les divins Qntal : percussions électroniques, claviers
vintage, guitares folk ultra mélancoliques ( O langueo ), flûtes
d'un autre âge, instruments traditionnels, et la fameuse basse sèche
très présente et entraînante ( Anno, Mense, Die ).Véritable
voyage en suspension, chaque titre nous laisse rêveur, sans voix, et
l'on comprend aisément le choix du titre… Bienvenue dans le
grandiose et le hors temps… Clément Marchal TWICE N° 28
Musicextreme
This band is extremely original. At
first they sounded to me like some sort of medieval sounding project.
But after some minutes the band shows that they go beyond all styles
using electronic beats to contrast with the vocals that have that
ancient feeling in them. And this contrast is the essence of O Quam
Tristis music. The vocals here are in Latin language adding also some
medieval feeling to the music. There is good musicianship here as can
be seen on the multiple melodies and arrangements that each track
has. One of the adjectives that come to my mind while listening this
music is “hypnotic” and I think this is a fairly good way to
describe the band´s music. So, lovers of dulcimers, flutes and
bagpipes should check this band but you have to listen with an open
mind because of this huge contrast of styles that are combined by O
Quam Tristis
Les acteurs de l'ombre
Le groupe français de musique Dark «
O Quam Tristis… » est de retour sur le devant de la scène avec un
album dans la même lignée que les trois précédents. Autant dire
que si vous êtes un métalleux fan de gros Death qui tâche, vous
pouvez passer votre chemin sous peine de vous ennuyer grandement ! Si
au contraire vous aimez les musiques spirituelles et sacrées qui
portent à la méditation, ce groupe est fait pour vous satisfaire
pleinement…
Si le premier album paru à la fin des
années 90 ne m'avait pas laissé un souvenir impérissable, celui-ci
en revanche, a fini par me convaincre définitivement du talent de «
O Quam Tristis… ». Un groupe qui fait immuablement partie de la
scène Dark française et sur lequel il faut désormais compter.
Quelque part entre un Rajna en moins exotique et un Rosa Crüx en
moins sombre, « O Quam Tristis… » a su se forger une place dans
un créneau encore assez inexploré en France, mais réputé en
Italie(Ataraxia, Arcana, …), pays de leur label Palace of Worms qui
a su leur assurer la promotion qu'ils méritent et quiassied petit à
petit le groupe à la place qui lui revient de droit. Esthétiquement,
« O Quam Tristis… » fait encore preuve de recherche et nous offre
un livret sobre mais ô combien efficace, dans des couleurs
défraîchies imprimées sur du papier cartonné à l'aspect vieilli,
sur lequel se posent des textes en latin, avec une écriture gothique
comme tracée à la plume d'antan… Tout dans le concept élaboré
par ce groupe vous transporte dans des temps anciens où la Religion
faisait encore partie intégrante de la vie de tous les jours.
Regarder le moine méditant aux côtés de la croix qui orne
magnifiquement la cover de cet album suffit à traduire la
religiosité de cette musique !
Les puristes ou les aficionados de
musique religieuse y trouveront des textes extraits de l'oeuvre de
Hildegard Von Bingen (« In Senectute Querula »), un extrait des
Carmina Burana (« Terrae ») qui côtoient des oeuvres d'anonymes
allant du Vème au XIIIème siècle. Musicalement parlant, ces
musiciens, qui oeuvrent aussi pour certains sous le patronyme de
Collection d'Arnell-Andréa, nous offrent des titres plus percutants
les uns que les autres où les voix dominent les instruments dans des
polyphonies masculines et féminines, allant des voix les plus graves
(« O Langueo ») aux voix les plus angéliques (« Anno, Mense, die
»). Sur certaines titres, je suis allée jusqu'à compter 5 types de
vocaux différents en même temps (« Ipsa Vivere », « Ad Esse
Infernum ») !!! Ces exploits de vocalises sont soutenus par des
instruments anciens tels que Dulcimer, Mandoles, accompagnés
d'instruments modernes (guitare, basse, synthétiseur). Mais je vous
rassure tout de suite car je vous vois tordre du nez tout à coup :
ces incursions de modernité dans un univers médiéval ne sont pas
du tout choquantes, tellement elles sont réalisées avec parcimonie
et talent ! Les quelques touches Electro présentes dans cette
musique (« Non Eripit Mortalia », « Et In S piritum Cubum ») sont
à peine discernables et il faut vraiment tendre l'oreille pour les
remarquer.
Les musiciens de « O Quam Tristis… »
naviguent donc entre les époques avec talent. Ils nous offrent une
exploration de l'art des temps sombres du Moyen Age aux moyens de
techniques modernes qui leur permettent de pérenniser ces chants
traditionnels. Ils se font les porteurs d'une âme du passé qu'il ne
faut pas oublier. En cela, ils se montrent capables de séduire aussi
bien les passéistes que les modernistes en quête de spiritualité
originale.
Intemporel, inclassable, magique…
tout simplement sacré !
Judas Kiss
O Quam Tristis make a welcome return
with their third album, the follow-upto 2002's Le Rituel Sacré (reviewed in
Judas Kiss issue 9). The 14-song set of Méditations Ultimes offers
little which differs significantly from its predecessor, but that's
fine, because the basic O Quam Tristis formula of marrying medieval
Latin ecclesiastical chants to electronic dance music is both simple
and appealing. The French quintet comprises three men and two women,
and I really like the fact that their music features both male and
female vocals. All-male vocals would swiftly become monotonous and
wearisome - altogether too much like a real monastic choir - whereas
using only female singers would be too fey and ethereal for my
tastes. The combination of the two, however, allows O Quam Tristis to
ring the changes (arf, arf!) with subtlety and flexibility. Male and
female vocalists take turns in providing leads and backing vocals.
Highlights of Méditations Ultimes include the catchy 'Ipsa Vivere'
and 'Quoniam Tu Solus', which I can only describe as dub plainsong.
The arrangements of the album combine authentic early instruments
such as bagpipes, flute, tambourine and dulcimer with electronic
keyboards, guitar and bass, but the music is firmly subordinated to
the vocals throughout. As usual with Palace of Worms releases,
Méditations Ultimes comes in very nice packaging of textured card,
featuring a painting by 19th century French artist Alphonse Muraton
depicting a grave-digging monk engaged in some gloomy reflections on
human mortality. If I might be allowed a minor moan unrelated to the
album itself though, the 'Chronicles' section of the O Quam Tristis
website has a background so dark that it's impossible to read the
text without highlighting it - surely some mistake! If you like
darkwave and such acts as Ataraxia, Dead Can Dance, Lupercalia and
The Medieval Baebes though, check out O Quam Tristis. I can't
guarantee that this album doesn't contain subliminal backwards
messages urging you to go to church and confess your sins, but it's
worth talking the risk. They have a refreshingly original take on the
neo-medieval template, and this bunch of funky monks and nuns will
have you rocking around the cloisters like an ergot-intoxicated
peasant in a Breughel painting. I'd also recommend Hildegard von
Bingen by Sweden's Garmarna - another album entirely in medieval
Latin, but very different to O Quam Tristis. SC
Darklifezine
Third long-play effort by O Quam
Tristis , a French combo devoted at resurrecting medieval and
liturgical music and render it in a contemporary context. Following
on the tradition of the likes of Qntal , they make a good effort in
integrating fitting electronic elements into the ancient tradition,
side by side to traditional instruments, while their most upfront
trait is polyphonic vocal arrangements featuring harmoniously
integrated male and female tones, and a pinch for catchiness to boot.
Featuring members of Collection D'Arnell Andrea , O Quam Tristis
might as well earn the tag of electronic-pop-ethereal-folk, and
tracks like Terrae are exemplar of this, with their the
dancefloor-bound backbeat, hooking melodic vocals and up-lifting
flute passages. In fact, most of the hour-long Meditations Ultimes is
well suited to the dark dancefloor of historical connotations, as its
mainly sustained BPM count states quite clearly. I suppose a bit of
extra work on the percussive sounds or the addition of live
percussion could lift the overall arrangements a tier up, but as it
stands, one could only praise this work, not least for not budging to
on-going trends. O Quam Tristis bring the far past forward up to
today, with competence and a light heart. The message is an entirely
positive one, is breezing and uplifting. It's the light, yet in the
tunnel.
L'Autre Monde
Le 3° album d'O Quam Tristis «
Méditations Ultimes » est en quelque sorte un retour aux sources
médiévales du groupe. Il y a toujours les parties électroniques,
bien évidement, mais elles sont beaucoup moins présentes que sur le
2° album. Et ce au profit des instruments organiques et des voix des
différents membres d'O Quam Tristis. Et quelles voix !!! Qu'il soit
masculin ou féminin, le chant est toujours aussi prenant, voir
poignant. Est-ce le latin ou tout simplement la qualité de la
prestation qui produit cet effet, je vous laisse le soin de le
découvrir par vous-même. Chaque album d'O Quam Tristis, de part
cette étrange alchimie produte par la rencontre d'une musique
médiévale avec des sons électroniques est une expérience unique.
Médiations Ultimes ne déroge pas à la règle. Un album très
réussi. Le 4° est en préparation pour 2007, c'est une très bonne
nouvelle.
Dark Lilith
A banda francesa é umas maiores
representantes de um estilo levado a cabo por bandas como Dead Can
Dance e Opéra Multi Steel, por exemplo. Folk, Medieval Neofolk, Dark
Folk, Dark Music, Ambient, New Age, Ethereal e tudo o mais que for
sombrio de forma sutil e radicado na Europa. O grupo trás o
multi-bandas Hugues Dammarie. O cara é a história em pessoal do
Dark francês (e de todos os estilos citados). Afinal Hugues Dammarie
toca no O Quam Tristis e ainda no Thy Violent Vanities. Além destas
bandas, ele atende pela alcunha do Franz Torres-Quevedo no Collection
d'Arnell- Andrea e como Franck Lopez nos Bleeding Like Mine, Opéra
Multi Steel e 3 Cold Men. Sim, é ele mesmo e por mais diversos
fatores, o O Quam Tristis é considerado o sucessor natural Opéra
Multi Steel, e de todas as bandas posteriores, o O Quam Tristis é a
que mais se assemelha com o OMS. Em alguns lugares, o O Quam Tristis
é sua banda mais bem sucedida depois do OMS, já em outros, é o
Collection d'Arnell- Andrea. Aqui no Brasil, todas elas são
Underground, mas as mais conhecidas das pistas daqui são Opéra
Multi Steel, e depois, O Quam Tristis. A sonoridade do OQT (posso
abreviar para fica mais fácil todas as citações daqui em diante?)
lembra ainda muito a do Ataraxia. Instrumental Folk com alguns vocais
gregorianos, com as doces e sutis melodias de Anna e Katrina, com
alguns raros eletrônicos masculinos, remetem ainda a Rosa Crux. As
letras em francês dão um toque mais suave ainda, mais pagão ao
mesmo tempo que mais sacro, com aquela cara cosmopolita de World
Music. Funérailles Des Petits Enfants é o debut do OQT e é de
2000, época que este estilo estava estourando no mundo todo, ainda
que num nível mais Underground. As vozes de Anna e Katrina beiram o
celestial, enquanto os masculinos fazem a parte “burtal” (dentro
deste conceito de música) muitas vezes em latim. Além de
instrumentos alienígenas ao Rock convencional, como baterias
tribais, gaitas de fole, flautas, dulcimer, e vários outros
instrumentos naturais e acústicos dão o molho especial. Aqui, em
Funérailles Des Petits Enfants , a banda ainda tinha muito de Opéra
Multi Steel e ainda soava menos inspirado, menos criativo e mais cru,
ainda que genial, mas na cola da sua antiga banda. Já Le Rituel
Sacre , de 2002, é mais uma interpretação moderna da música
antiga e medieval, mais lapidada, já dando uma cara de banda ao
grupo de fato e de direito. Ainda assim, as influências de OMS
perseguem o grupo, mas já antenando com o novo tipo de sonoridade
que ainda estaria sendo formulada neste novo século, milênio e
década. Mas o melhor de todos é Meditations Ultimes de 2005, o
terceiro, mais maduro e mais certeiro disco do grupo, com uma cara
mais nova e com um estilo mais próprio, deixando de lado de vez a
sombra do OMS e do DCD. Relançamentos históricos, para quem quer
ser profundo conhecer da música Dark e suas profundas subdivisões.
ADL – 9,0
Heathen Harvest
Together these two musicians weave a
powerful spell of guitar driven dark folk / rock and neoclassical
songs inspired by Spanish, English, and French classical poets. The
historical works of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, José De Espronceda,
Rosalía De Castro, William Blake, Charles Baudelaire, Paul Valèry,
and Edgar Allan Poe have inspired each of the sixteen songs on “The
Poets Senses.” Palace of Worms is a small Italian label which has
been gracing the neofolk, neoclassical, and neo medieval music
communities with select releases for a number of years now. The
output of Palace of Worms has always been restricted to high quality
releases targeted at promoting deserving artists rather than gushing
out insignificant releases for profit. Having established such a
solid identity as a respectable label Palace of Worms has become a
trusted companion to many music lovers. I was recently fortunate to
be included in the Palace of Worms tight circle of allies having
recently received three new releases from The Palace of Worms for
review consideration. Amidst this batch of CD's was a hidden gem of
superb quality titled “The Poets Senses” by Silent Love of Death.
Silent Love of Death is a new music project hailing from Italy.
Previously unknown Silent Love of death has debuted upon the neofolk
/ dark rock music scene with a powerful new release of deeply
romantic ballads titled “The Poets Senses.” Silent Love is Death
is comprised of two Spanish gentlemen named Juan Carlos Toledo Prada
/ voice, bass, keyboards and programming & Miguel Ángel Toledo
Prada / acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, and programming.
The two appear to be related though I cannot confirm this. “The
Poets Senses” begins with the song “The Valley of Unrest” which
is inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's poem of the same name. “The Valley
of Unrest ” begins with ghostly electronics howling gently like a
forlorn wind and echoing bass guitar. Leaden drums and atmospheric
keyboards join the guitar and howling electronics to form the songs
foundation as a male vocalist begins the tale. The tone and mood of
the music instantly recalls to mind the music of the neofolk /
Darkwave act Novalis. The compositional elements are few and
uncluttered and are composed and arranged in an infectious manner.
The song builds up from its sluggish beginnings and gains momentum
instrumentally and vocally. The music and singer surge forward in the
middle of the song infusing the composition with passion and energy.
The song peaks in a dark folk / rock explosion of drums, guitar,
violin, and vigorous singing. After a handful of very romantic and
engaging songs Silent Love of Death slows the pace down significantly
with track 5 titled “The Crown of the Hill” which is inspired by
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer's poem “Rima XLVII.” “The Crown of the
Hill” begins with deep reverberating electronic atmospheres and
sensual male vocals that recite poetic lyrics. The vocal delivery is
smooth and voluptuous like Nick Cave 's voice. The steady
atmospherics are joined by some simple bell / chime sounds but the
song is really defined by the excellent vocals. Track nine titled “My
Pleasure Your Cause” is inspired by “La Desesperacion” by
Spanish poet José De Espronceda. “My Pleasure Your Cause”
introduces another diverse sound to the music of Silent Love of
Death. “My Pleasure Your Cause” is a departure from the guitar
and drum driven tracks that compose the majority of the songs on “The
Poets Senses.” Replacing the bass and acoustic guitar are the
sounds or martial drums, stuttering horns, dark atmospheric
electronics, insinuated woodwinds and samples of cheering crowds. The
familiar male vocals remain present and now recite a tale of enemies,
armed causes, and conflict. The song is dark and slightly martial and
is filled with drama and a sense of militancy.Track eleven titled
“Traitor Dawn” is inspired by the poem “Cada Noite” by
Rosalía De Castro. “Cada Noite” is one of two purely
instrumental tracks offered on “The Poets Senses.” The song
begins with stuttering synthetic strings and a whispered looped
phrase. Drums and what sounds like a historical speech sample are
injected. Guitar is played softly in the background while drums and
gloomy atmospherics form the background. The mood is dispirit and
glum. “The Sick Rose” by William Blake is the inspiration for
song fifteen. Coil made the “The Sick Rose” infamous when they
used the lyrics on their album “Love's Secret Domain.” Silent
Love of Death give this classic gothic masterpiece there own
treatment and bring the poem alive with sultry despondent vocals,
drums, guitar and synthesizers. Silent Love of Death has fashioned an
excellent debut album that is sure to ignite romanticism in many a
distraught soul. Silent Love of Death has unified elements of dark
rock, neoclassical and neofolk music into a vigorous amalgam of
endearing songs. This is music to play while the sun is setting and
casting its warm glow across the horizon or when you feel like
spending time alone sipping at a glass of red wine in the dim light
of candles. Silent Love of Death has created a praise worthy album of
romantic and stirring ballads that will invoke memories of love lost
and conquests turned to dust.
Gothtronic
This is the debut record of the Spanish
band Silent Love of Death consisting of the brothers Juan Carlos
Toledo and Miguel Angel Toledo. Neofolk with lyrics inspired by
Becquer, Poe, Baudelaire, Blake and Esproneda is what we are dealing
with on The Poet's Senses. Silent Love of Death strongly leans over
towards Death in June in some tracks and at other moments it almost
sounds gothic. This feeling is intensified by the deep dark vocals of
Juan Carlos Toledo which at moments resemble those of Ikon, Death in
June or even Ian Curtis. There is nothing shocking going on at this
album. The music is beautiful, but the songs go on in the same
atmosphere so sometimes boredom peeks around the corner. Yet there is
enough happening on this album to listen to it in it's entirety.
Postpunk guitarwork guarantees an indie touch, while in other tracks
you will be confronted with exciting martial percussion or yet
melancholic piano interludes. This is an album that needs some
attention before it starts to grab you and you start to discover it's
beauty. Review by Teknoir
De Subjectivisten Caleidoscoop
Vroeger in de vleermuizenschool heb ik
geleerd dat Joy Division, Sisters Of Mercy en Bauhaus de voorvaderen
van de gothic en new wave zijn. Daaruit zijn ook weer dark wave,
neofolk en andere duistere stijlen voortgekomen. Daarbij heb je de
zwaar bombastische en de meer ingetogen stijlen, waarbij die laatste
mijn voorkeur geniet. Nog steeds zijn er nieuwe bands in die genres,
die een wat gedateerd geluid laten horen. Hoewel gedateerd? Als het
nooit weg is geweest, moet je misschien eerder spreken over “niet
vernieuwend” in plaats van “gedateerd”. Toch sluipen er bij de
betere bands wel nieuwe elementen in, dus misschien moet ik “niet
vernieuwend” weer vervangen door “herkenbaar”. Ik kan die
duistere muziek uit vooral Duitsland, VS, Nederland, Frankrijk en
Italië erg waarderen. Spanje laat zich nu vertegenwoordigen door
Silent Love Of Death. Hun cd The Poet's Senses staat vol met donkere
neofolk, waarbij de teksten geïnspireerd zijn door Edgar Allan Poe,
Gustavo Adolfo Becquer, William Blake, Jose De Espronceda, Paul
Valery, Rosalia De Castro en Charles Baudelaire. De nostalgische
atmosfeer grijpt duidelijk terug op Joy Division, Calva Y Nada, Joy
Of Life en Current 93, maar lijkt ook wel op latere bands als
Elijah's Mantle en Arcana. Silent Love Of Death houdt op romantische
wijze wel van bombast, maar doseert dit op aangename wijze. Met de
gitaren, elektronica, viool, trompet en drums wordt ook goed
gevarieerd. Verder grijpt de Ian Curtis-achtige zang je bij de keel,
net als de muziek overigens. Het is donker, imponerend donker zelfs,
maar mede daardoor ook zo wonderschoon.
Jan Willem Broek
Chain D.L.K.
Romanticism in full effect, from the
name itself of the spanish combo to the lyrics and the artwork of the
cd. Piano, Keyboards, acoustic guitars, violins, vocals "a la
Ian Curtis" and some military rhythms (but not yet neo folk).
This cd demonstrates decadece and new wave can still get along
together very well. The packaging is really nice like the rest of the
Palace of Warms' releses and all the new age/dark-dogmas have been
respected, the sound is good and the Toledo brothers know how to
write depressive ballads. Listening to the whole cd I noticed it's a
bit too long and I think it's sad cause without a few songs "The
poet's senses" could have been much more "heartbreaking".
Even if every single ballad is really inspired, most of the tracks
arrangements could be improved (that's a personal opinion). This last
thing anyhow has also to do with the fact this cd has been recorded
almost three years ago therefore it can be considered a really good
debut. Dark-folk traditionalists can put the name Silent Love of
Death in their agendas but if you're looking for a Sol Invictus,
Blood Axis, Curent 93 oriented band, well you'd better listen the cd
a couple of times.
Sensorium
Dalla Spagna ci giunge il pregevole
debutto dei SLOD, aka Juan Carlos e Miguel Ángel Toledo Prada, che
ci propongono un'opera ontologicamente 'gotica' (oltre sessanta primi
di musica) forte di testi ispirati dai poemi di Blake, Baudelaire,
Valèry, Poe, Bécquer, De Espronceda e De Castro. "The Poet's
Senses" risulta pertanto disco denso, drammatico e colto, tale
da ricreare un'atmosfera globale innegabilmente nostalgica e
tenebrosa, capace di emozionare a più riprese.La cupa, magnetica
narrazione di Juan Carlos richiama indirettamente la tensione emotiva
del compianto Ian Curtis, mentre gli essenziali arrangiamenti di
tastiere rievocano spesso e volentieri i fondali opprimenti di Death
in June e Sol Invictus. Davvero evocativo il lavoro alla sei corde
(elettrica ed acustica) di Miguel Ángel, prossimo, per glacialità e
suggestione, a quello degli ultimi Lycia (cfr. "Cold",
"Estrella"): si ascoltino al proposito tracce del calibro
di "The Garden Of Love", "Traitor Dawn" e "Hymn
To Immortality". L'utilizzo del pianoforte e dei violini
contribuisce a rendere ancora più decadente l'output del duo (come
nella struggente "Scented Night"), spostando l'asse
portante del platter verso lidi neoclassici ed eterei.Sedici
umbratili ballate di pregiata fattura, incastonate in un artwork
misterioso nonché caratterizzate da una produzione davvero efficace:
un ottimo lavoro, a prescindere da qualche (inevitabile) ripetizione
di temi, che certifica ancora una volta l'inappuntabile qualità
delle uscite targate POW. Michele Dicuonzo
Aural Pressure
This segue of poetically inspired
vignettes is the work of Juan Carlos Toledo and Miguel Angel Toledo
who on this album have been inspired by the divers hands poets;
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, José De Espronceda, Rosalía De Castro,
William Blake , Charles Baudelaire, Paul Valèry and Edgar Allan Poe.
Gloomy and masterful company to be sure, as influences the
aforementioned esteemed verse-smiths lend Silent Love of Death a dark
thematic phrasing to explore in "The Poet's Senses".The
Spanish moiety craft for the most part dark haunts of the insightful
bourns of meter and rhythm, their music a cross of romantic neofolk
cantilevered with gothic martialism. Poignant vocals evince the drama
of the verse without occluding the luxuriant musical accompaniment;
glissando sweeps of stringed guitar, punctuated timpani and wistful
electronic percussion, swooning violin and yawning cello, ethereal
glockenspiel, distant bells, and the drawn breath synthesizer. With
each track, Silent Love of Death's habitual attentiveness to musical
dynamics gives room for each track to find its own pace, from the
Lycia-esque gothic dance-floor sway of ' The Garden of Love ', to the
recitative with swollen droning background of ' The Crown of the Hill
', and the esoteric round of ' My Pleasure is Your Cause
',contravening what could have been a monotonous homage into an
enjoyable fluorescent session. For fans of Death in June, Lycia, and
European martial neofolk, Silent Love of Death is a welcome accretion
to Palace of Worm's discography.A jewel case release, with eight-page
full colour booklet printed in card with full lyric sheet with
peeling wallpaper broken with the framed portraits of the
aforementioned poets as artwork throughout. NYR
Lefantastique.net
Avec "The Poet's Senses", les
frères Toledo nous livrent leur premier effort. Les nappes
synthétiques, les violons discordants, la guitare acoustique, les
rythmes militaires pourraient faire coller l'étiquette néofolk au
groupe. En vérité, son style oscille plutôt entre néofolk et new
wave. Malgré deux premiers titres bons et entraînants, le reste de
l'album relève plus de la douleur que du bonheur. Certes, la voix
est caractéristique et dramatique (dans les deux sens du terme) mais
elle est très souvent en difficulté et irritera les anglicistes
purs et durs... "Scented Night", par exemple, est presque
risible dans ses effets de voix.
L'album est lent, sans aucun rythme,
tout en linéarité, peu inventif malgré deux ou trois trouvailles
qui ne compensent malheureusement pas tout. Il aurait gagné à être
plus court. Particulièrement sombres, les textes (mort, perdition,
néant, guerre) ont pour la plupart été inspirés par des écrivains
célèbres (Baudelaire, Valéry…) Finalement, l'élément le plus
positif de cet album est l'artwork inspiré et travaillé de
l'artiste R. Garcia Hernanz.
Dunkelheit - Juillet 2005
Rock Hard
La prolifica etichetta nostrana
prosegue con immutato fervore la ricerca di nuove realtà musicali,
scandagliando minuziosamente il sottobosco underground, un settore,
questo, in continuo fermento, come testimoniato dal debutto stesso
del duo iberico. Il nome della band costituisce una valida sintesi
della componente emozionale caratterizzante le 16 composizioni qui
raccolte, dove un suono carezzevole, intriso di romanticismo, e, al
contempo, profondamente intimista ed oscuro, contrassegna la
personalità dei nostri. Tale peculiarità è estesa anche alla
componente concettuale, volta ad evocare, unitamente alla musica,
scenari dalle sfumature differenti, peraltro animate da un sostrato
culturale che attinge, tra gli altri, a Blake, Baudelaire ed Edgar
Allan Poe. I SLOD hanno scelto il neofolk quale veste musicale ideale
per le proprie mire artistiche, filtrandola, però, in un'ottica
marcatamente dark, talvolta permeata da un taglio quasi alienante,
come suggeriscono episodi quali “De Profundis Clamavi”. Insomma,
un connubio intrigante che, nonostante la lunga durata dell'album, si
lascia ascoltare piacevolmente, senza palesare particolari cadute di
tono. Dalle ritmiche incalzanti di “The Valley Of The Unrest”
alle cadenze marziali di “War Is Necessary”, passando per la
ferale “The Cemetary By The Sea” e le atmosfere sofferte di
“Traitor Dawn”, “TPS” identifica nell'eterogeneità la
propria arma vincente, pur mantenendo inalterata un'immediatezza di
fondo che ne rende facilmente interiorizzabile il contenuto. La
formazione spagnola si presenta al pubblico con una prova convincente
che, ne siamo certi, risulterà gradita agli amanti del genere. Paolo
Sola 7,5
El Claustro
...el sonido latente de un bajo junto a
una percusion grave y profunda comienza a nublar el ambiente... Que
huyan los temerosos de alas de plomo que no sueñan con volar! Se
acerca la música de Silent Love of Death! Comienza la voz, y me
recuerda levemente la voz de Peter Murphy... totalmente desoladora y
estremecedora, unos sonidos de instrumentos considerados paganos en
la Edad Media, sonidos celtas con muchos matices oscuros que te hacen
soñar despierto. Continúa el disco para entrar en un ambiente mucho
mas relajado, sin perder ese sonido profundo, con muchos
instrumentales, con algunos climax muy interesantes y conmovedores.
El bajo, creando paisajes musicales descriptibles sólo por el más
sereno y decadente de los poetas, una guitarra que sueña y traza las
imágenes de una pintura, seguida por el piano que le da aquel brillo
particular, y los timbales que junto a la voz afinan todos los
detalles del cuadro que es cada canción, crean una atmósfera
exquisita, con una voz bastante armoniosa y con algunos ecos que
tocan las hebras mas oscuras de tus sentimientos y las mueven en un
increíble impulso artístico, que puedes sentir con muy pocas
bandas. Poco a poco se acerca unos leves toques de rock, pero vuelve
suavemente, como es su particularidad, a las canciones lentas,
melancólicas y oscuras, para que Edgar Allan Poe, Charles
Baudelaire, Gustavo Alonso Bécquer sigan danzando y soñando con los
lados más perversos y dramáticos del humano.
www.silentloveofdeath.place.cc
Enviado el Sábado, 09 julio a las
08:38:38 por Sir_Niennor
Kronic
Il suono profondo della poesia
Ci vogliono sempre coraggio e
incoscienza per scegliere un percorso rischioso e irto di spine. I
due ragazzi che compongono i Silent Love Of Death devono averlo
scoperto da tempo, perché la scelta di mettere in musica delle
poesie è una sfida difficile in cui il rischio non è solo di
perdere ma di fallire del tutto. Se l'amalgama non riesce è inutile
sperare che Blake o Baudelaire ti vengano in aiuto perché non
succederà. Prese alcune poesie, oltre ai citati aggiungiamoci altri
mostri sacri come Poe e Valery e qualche nome meno noto tra cui
Espronceda, i due personaggi in questione ci hanno aggiunto il loro
tocco che consta di una voce profonda e cupa e di un suono che se ne
sta a galleggiare nell'eleganza di uno strano incrocio tra fraseggi
folk e momenti elegantemente wave, e che rappresenta al meglio cosa
possa essere un certo tipo di goth intelligente e profondo, che suona
senza l'obbligo di essere incasellato. ‘The Poet's Senses' è così
un buon album, con dei brani che coinvolgono, che diventano spesso
cupi, quasi maledetti e che poi si aprono a brevi passaggi di luce.
Canzoni come ‘The Cemetary By The Sea' oppure l'iniziale ‘The
Valley Of Unrest' ne sono un ottimo esempio. Credo che ci sia un
unico vero difetto in questo lavoro: la prolissità dell'album stesso
che risulta a tratti difficoltoso perché non è facile seguire un
percorso così cadenzato per la sua intera durata, per il resto ‘The
Poet's Senses' è un album raffinato sin dal libretto, e non potrebbe
essere altrimenti.
(15/7/05)
Eternal Terror
Nok en ny utgivelse fra POW Records og
denne gangen snakker vi dark folk ispedd en del gothelementer, bl.a.
vokalen. Temaet her er tatt fra bandets inspirasjoner fra diverse
kjente poeter (W. Blake, E.A. Poe osv), ikke av det mest lystige
slaget kan man vel si. Man kan gjerne si det er en type mørk
romantisk stemning gjennom skiva, her er det klassisk gitar,
keyboards, piano, diverse perkusjonsintrumenter (bl.a. militæristiske
trommer og den slags) og mørk vokal som er ingrediensene. Bandet er
en Spansk duo og har vel ikke gjort så fryktelig mye under dette
navnet tidligere, tror dette er debuten deres. Musikken deres er
veldig stemningsfull og man kan gjerne se for seg dette som musikken
som kan brukes både i film og teater innenfor samme tema og
tidsalder. Er ikke så overbegeistret for alt vokalisten gjør, av og
til blir det direkte kjipt, mens andre steder synger han til godkjent
– jo mørkere jo bedre virker å være det han bør satse på og
ikke for fort heller helst. Hadde dette vært et annet tema ville nok
den relativt dårlige Engelsken hans ødelagt en del, men her kan det
ha sin effekt faktisk. Dette er alt i alt er ok album med en del bra
stemning og mye forskjellig instrumentbruk uten for mye rot og tull,
fint sammensnekret. Litt mindre vokal (eller av bedre kvalitet) og
heller mer av de mørke toner alene ville nok ha hevet poengene litt
her, greit album konseptmessig.
Enslain Magazine
This dark gothic effort comes from
Spanish brothers Juan Carlos and Miguel Ángel Toledo. The concept of
this album seems to be a sort of homage to the writers that inspire
them, with each song based on the works of Edgar Allen Poe, William
Blake, and other poets. These lyrics are sung by Juan Carlos, whose
lower-pitched clean vocal is similar in tone and quality to Fernando
of Moonspell, and sometimes close in style to Johan Edlund of Tiamat.
Unlike these bands, though, the music is much less metallic. There is
very little electric guitar on this record, instead replaced by
acoustic guitars and mostly pianic/organic keyboards. The pace is
fairly slow and brooding, typical of darkwave/gothic. As background
music this is ideal. It's dark, soft, and almost mesmerizing. But
somewhere through these 16 songs it gets to be a little unvaried.
Even within the 3-4 minute songs, there can be a great deal of
repetition. A lot of this is due to the unchanging vocals throughout
the record, but also each "riff" or piece is repeated many
times over. A couple songs stick out as being more memorable than
others, like the opening track "The Valley of Unrest", and
"The Garden of Love", each of which has more variation in
the passages, while being a little more upbeat. Silent Love of Death
are an excellent example of their neofolk gothic genre, and may
appeal to fans of Moonspell's softer side, who will also hear similar
uses of keyboards/programming at times. Others will be lucky if they
make it half-way through without their eyes shutting. -- Lady Enslain
Funprox
Silent Love of Death is a new band from
Spain, consisting of the brothers Juan Carlos and Miguel Angel
Toledo. Together they have created over an hour of dark and
atmospheric music on their debut album. The music cannot be easily
put under one label: there are influences from apocalyptic folk, dark
wave, neo-classical, gothic rock. The general impression is one of
drama and romanticism, which is enforced by the lyrics, which are
inspired by poems from the likes of Poe, Blake and Baudelaire. The
instrumentation is quite varied: apart from (acoustic) guitars and
(sometimes military) drumming Silent Love of Death employs violin,
trumpets and keyboards. A characteristic trademark are the deep male
vocals. When listening to this album I'm reminded of a diversity of
other artists. 'Growing apart' makes me think of early Dead Can
Dance, while a more rocking piece like 'Traitor down' reminds me of
Ikon. Some other references I could make are Engelsstaub, early Death
in June, And also the Trees or Novalis. This is not to say that
Silent Love of Death are not original enough, they just know their
musical history. Perhaps the cd is too long, therefore it becomes a
little tiring in the end. Also the vocals don't convince me at all
times. But overall I think this is a pretty good cd, for people with
a sense for romance and drama and a broad musical taste. Silent Love
of Death know how to play and create a moody atmosphere.
Worlock
Pour un premier album, ce duo ne manque
pas d'audace en développant ses compositions sur des textes de
Becquer, Blake, Poe, Baudelaire et Esproneda, et c'est avec
délicatesse que la dark folk du groupe rend hommage à la beauté
des plumes précitées. Une dark folk légère et posée n'hésitant
pas à de nombreux appels du pied vers la cold wave des années 80
comme par exemple sur « The Garden of Love ». Si toutefois on peut
saluer l'attention que porte le duo au thème abordé, on peut
regretter une légère monotonie qui s'installe durant les 16 pistes
du disque. Les morceaux ne sont pas mauvais, mais l'ambiance du
disque est tellement homogène que l'ennui peut vite gagner
l'auditeur peu attentif. Silent Love of Death aurait tout à gagner à
distiller à ses compositions un peu d'audace pour éviter de répéter
les mêmes schémas. Quoiqu'il en soit « The poet's senses » est
tout de même un bon album avec une sensibilité propre, un peu plus
de rigueur et d'audace est souhaité, mais il ravira sans trop de
difficultés les fans de Death In June et de Cold Wave.
Obliveon
Wer dem Goth der italienischen (Canaan,
Weltschmerz, Heldenrune) oder deutschen Schule (Droning Maud Land,
The Tors of Dartmoor) mit einem Hauch englischer Romantik (And Also
The Trees) und dezenten Neofolk-Anklängen (Death in June, Ostara)
nicht abgeneigt ist, der wird mit „The Poet's Senses“ ein
musikalisches Kleinod der Extraklasse für sich entdecken können.
Die Spanier begeistern vom Start weg mit getragenen und elegischen
Klängen, pathetischem Gesang, traumhaften Melodien sowie einem
Songwriting, das einfach nur „genial“ zu nennen ist. „The
Poet's Senses“ bietet bei allen sechzehn Stücken nicht nur
Atmosphäre und Emotion pur, sondern gibt auch die Möglichkeit, in
fantasievollen Traum- und Klanggebilden zu wandeln und sich in der
unvergleichlich romantischen Aura dieses Albums zu verlieren.
Ergänzend hinzu kommt ein wundervolles Artwork und Texte E.A.Poes,
William Blakes und Charles Baudelaires, die hier ihre wundervolle
musikalische Vertonung bis hin zur Perfektion erfahren. Silent Love
of Death haben mit diesem Album ganz grosse Kunst erschaffen, Bleibt
zu hoffen, dass dies auch entsprechend gewürdigt wird.
10/10 - MK
La Defuncion
Los que tuvimos la suerte de escuchar
unos años atrás una maqueta llamada "The poet's senses"
de un prometedor proyecto sevillano llamado Silent Love of Death
sabíamos que tanto potencial no podía permanecer ignorado durante
mucho tiempo por algún sello. Y así ha acabado siendo, con Palace
of Worms llevándose el gato al agua y haciendo posible que este
magnífico trabajo se difunda como merece. Eso incluye un sonido muy
mejorado respecto a su anterior encarnación y un nuevo artwork, a
cargo de R. García Hernanz, que evoca a la perfección la atmósfera
elegante, bohemia y decadente que la música pretende transmitir;
utilizando imágenes de viejas paredes cubiertas con retratos ajados
de los poetas cuyos textos se han usado en el disco se consigue una
ambientación magistral que nos sumerge de lleno en la escucha del
CD.
Desde el primer corte, "The valley
of unrest", la intención musical queda clara: tempos reposados,
de instrumentación clásica (guitarra acústica, teclados,
percusiones) y voz profunda y solemne, moviéndose entre varios
registros muy bien integrados entre sí: gotas de gothic rock etéreo,
dark folk, neoclasicismo, pasajes moderadamente épicos y una
profunda melancolía amalgamando todo el conjunto, dándole unión y
personalidad a una mezcla maravillosamente equilibrada que se adapta
como un guante a los textos seleccionados de E.A.Poe, Espronceda,
Bécquer, Rosalía de Castro, Baudelaire, Blake y Paul Valery, una
hazaña por otra parte nada fácil de llevar a cabo y de la que SLoD
pueden estar más que orgullosos.
El único pero sería quizás la
excesiva duración del trabajo, que con 16 temas se pone en más de 1
hora de escucha de un tirón. Comprendo que, dada la calidad de las
composiciones, no se quisiera dejar ninguna fuera, pero en ocasiones
es cierto eso de "lo bueno, si (un poco más) breve, dos veces
bueno". Y ya que por pedir que no quede, también se agradecería
una pronunciación en inglés un poco más pulida, o directamente que
los textos de los autores españoles se hubieran mantenido en su
idioma original, que buenas razones tenemos para estar orgullosos de
nuestros más excelsos representantes románticos.
En cualquier caso, no dejemos que esto
empañe nuestra valoración de "The poet's senses", que es,
sencillamente, un CD imprescindible en la estantería de cualquier
amante de los sonidos más otoñales e intimistas. Un verdadero
acierto por parte de Palace of Worms y un primer paso sólido para la
carrera de Silent Love of Death, que esperamos siga ofreciéndonos
obras, como mínimo, de la misma calidad que esta. Hacen falta.
Underground Press
The Spanish brothers, Juan Carlos and
Miguel Angel Toledo debut with their dark and dream-like album called
“Silent Love of Death”. It is an atmosphere of sweet tragedy and
sorrow that settles within the lyrics inspired by poets like Poe,
Blake, Rosalia de Castro and Baudelaire. Acoustic guitars, violin,
trumpets, keyboards and piano are valued for their dramatic
romanticism and the deep and sombre male vocals contributes to the
sullen mood of this album. Released by Palace of Worms Records in
2005.
Mentenebre
"The Poet´s Senses" es un
trabajo de Silent Love of Death editado en Palace of Worms (Ref:
PO20W-2) en Mayo de 2005.
Interpretado por Miguel Ángel y Juan
Carlos Toledo como compositores, voz e instrumentos desde España y
se centra en el estilo Darkwave y tiene una duración de 58,41
minutos.
Enlaces Relacionados: Silent Love of
Death & Palace of Worms
Valoración: 8.5 sobre 10
Estos dos sevillanos, los hermanos Juan
Carlos y Miguel Ángel Toledo habían presentado anteriormente
algunos trabajos en formato maqueta bajo el nombre de Lament,
concretamente tres, "Lament", "Grey Age" y
"Resting in a Place Like This", entre 1996 y 2000. Parece
que ahora que han podido editar con un sello discográfico han
decidido tomar un nuevo nombre: Silent Love of Death. Llevo varias
escuchas de este CD y la verdad es que se escapa de los estereotipos,
uno no sabe en qué saco meterlos. Esto de que nos hagan pensar a los
críticos me parece una de las cosas más saludables que puede
ofrecer una banda, pues significa que la propuesta que tenemos
delante está rompiendo moldes. Algunos medios independientes
extranjeros han considerado que este trabajo es Dark Folk, pero a mi
me cuesta bautizarles con esta etiqueta. Son contados los temas que
podrían pasar por Dark Folk. Dark Pop tampoco es una etiqueta que
les vaya bien, aunque es el grupo donde suelo mandar las propuestas
que sin hacer Rock tienen una formación clásica de
guitarra-bajo-batería. Tampoco aquí les veo. Además es que tienen
un componente gótico muy importante, se ve que han mamado bastante
de las vacas sagradas del Rock Gótico. Creo que el apartado Darkwave
es donde mejor encaja esta propuesta. Quisiera hacer también un
comentario acerca de la discográfica, Palace of Worms. A mi juicio
un sello de elevado nivel artístico aunque su repercusión mediática
no sea todo lo amplia que merecería. Siempre arriesga con nuevas
propuestas y desde aquí vaya mi reconocimiento, máxime cuando ahora
haya querido apostar por un grupo español. La propuesta del CD es
jugosísima, Romanticismo por todos lados, con letras extraídas de
textos de Poe, William Blake, Baudelaire, Valèry, Bécquer, Rosalía
de Castro y Espronceda. Es una pena que hayan traducido los autores
españoles al inglés y nos priven de la maravilla de su recitado en
castellano, también es un pecado traducir a Baudelaire al inglés,
imagino que seguirán una política de proyección internacional.
Espero que les sea fructífera aunque yo hubiese preferido el
lenguaje original. En lo que a música se refiere, como ya comentaba
antes, nos encontramos con una forma de hacer música muy original.
La mayoría de las canciones son lentas y dotadas de atmósferas
sombrías, algunas veces llegan a recordarme a las que hace Lycia en
álbums como "Cold", suaves pero opresivas. Cuentan con una
guitarra eléctrica en la mayoría de los temas, que siempre aparece
punteada, sintetizador, que crea melodías de acompañamiento, y
percusión con caja de ritmos por lo general. La voz es un punto
vital de Silent Love of Death, muy grave y ceremoniosa.
'The Garden of Love' quizá sea la más
destacable de todas las canciones que siguen la línea maestra. Por
excepcionales citaremos también 'Growing Apart' e 'Hymn to
Immortality', que siguen un estilo Dark Folk en la línea de In My
Rosary, con guitarra acústica, y 'My Pleasure is Your Cause', para
mi la mejor del álbum, que podría pasar por una canción de Valor
de Christian Death, cuando componía canciones sólo con atmósferas
oscuras.
Como consecuencia de todo lo anterior
hay que decir que este es un trabajo muy meritorio y que sorprende
por su originalidad en el estilo, lo cual me alegra doblemente por
tratarse de una banda española. Creo que es un disco que no debe
faltar en las vitrinas de los amantes del Romanticismo y que gusten
del deleite de la contemplación oscura en lo que a ámbito musical
se refiere. Muy recomendable.
Judas Kiss
Silent Love of Death is a Spanish duo
consisting of brothers Juan Carlos Toledo and Miguel Angel Toledo,
and The Poet's Senses is their debut album. 16 tracks extend over 63
minutes. This music is thoroughly steeped in 19th Century romanticism
and decadence - all the lyrics are based on poetry by such celebrated
writers as William Blake, Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Baudelaire and
Paul Valèry, although all the songs are in English, so obviously
those poets who didn't originally write in English have been
translated. Some songs such as the opener, 'The Valley of Unrest',
based on the poem of the same name by Poe, follow the original text
very closely, whilst others, such as 'Scented Night', based on Poe's
'To Helen', seem to bear only a very distant resemblance to their
source material. Others still, such as the two adaptations of Blake
included here, use the original text but add or change a line here or
there, which to someone with a background in literature studies like
myself seems a bit cheeky and shocking - I really don't think Blake's
sublimely simple ode 'The Sick Rose' is improved by the addition of
the lines 'Forgive this fire / To this liar'! Be that as it may, the
music of Silent Love of Death falls squarely within the neo-folk
genre, with martial inflections and a nod back to 80s synth-goth
bands. The deep, languid vocals are reminiscent of Ian Curtis and
Pete Murphy of Bauhaus, and the acoustic guitar-led 'Hymn to
Immortality' sounds quite like Death In June, though most of The
Poet's Senses is dominated by keyboards. The strident kettle drums of
'War is Necessary' and the chimes and piano of 'Scented Night' offer
a welcome change of pace from the otherwise all-pervading keyboards,
but in general terms the album is too monotonous, and has little to
offer that is new or original. Using top-quality poets as inspiration
is no guarantee of excellence, and this is a mediocre release from
cult Italian label Palace of Worms. The album packaging, though, is
very good - a textured card booklet in a muted palette of greys and
greens, filled with images of peeling wallpaper and faded portraits
of the featured writers, very much in keeping with the album's
overall mood of decay and dejection. SC
LD50
It's rare that we get something that
maintains the respectabilities, we hardly care about the
neofolk-medieval-ethereal scene, but even if we do, we normally talk
about its events. So this occasion is special, the Italian label, the
Palace of Worms has loads of this stuff, every member of the scene
will find something in the repertoire. The Silent Love of Death with
its painfully targeted name, its medieval atmosphere and using Edgar
Allan Poe 's poetry seem to play a safe game.
Behind the name there are Juan Carlos
and Miguel Angel Toledo from Spain, their debut album reflects on the
poets that effected them (Poe, Blake). There are 16 medieval-neofolk
(this latter isn't too significant) ballads on the album, with the
constant presence of classical guitars, violins, piano, drums,
hooters, synths that sound like an organ, with some electric guitar
every now and then. The beneficial impact of the bands Sol Invictus ,
Blood Axis and Death In June is obvious, that would normally make it
work, but because of the long-drawn-out album and the singer's
self-repeating, plain output the dramatic effect fades and the
listener becomes tired of it by the end. Of course the temptation is
big when it comes to ballads, but that is exactly how the more
becomes less, how the good possibilities turn into a well prepared,
but average album. There isn't much missing for a really good album,
maybe the next one, if there'll be another one at all.
Gothic World
Aufgefallen sind mir SECOND SKIN durch
ihren außergewöhnlichen Beitrag auf dem The Cure-Tribute Album "Our
Voices". Ihre Version von "Pictures of You" war neben
IKON mit "Strange Day" der unschlagbare Höhepunkt. Nach
Erscheinen der Review schrieb mir Arron (Gesang, Bass, Schlagzeug)
von SECOND SKIN eine kurze Dankesmail aus der sich ein netter
Schriftwechsel entwickelte, inklusive der Zusendung ihres aktuellen
Albums "Black Eyed Angel". Das ist zwar schon 2003 in ihrer
Heimat USA erschienen, aber erst seit November 2004 auch in
Deutschland zu haben. Warum man uns diese Perle des Gothrocks so
lange vorenthielt ist, mir nicht verständlich. Zitat Arron: "
Wir wollten immer ein Album machen, dass der "DawnRazor",
der "Pornography" oder der "First and Last and Always"
ähnlich ist. Nicht vom Sound her oder gar als Kopie. Eher in dem
Sinne, dass man alle diese Platten hören kann und dabei jedes
einzelne Lied liebt!" Daraus folgte bei mir natürlich eine
gewisse Erwartungshaltung, aber dieser sind SECOND SKIN vollkommen
gerecht geworden. Das Intro "Stalker" stimmt mit
Keyboardklängen und drohendem Flüstern gut auf die folgende
musikalische Reise ein. "Body" hängt als erster richtiger
Song die Latte hoch: ein treibender, wilder Song, aggressiv und
tanzbar mit herrlichen Gitarrenläufen und stampfendem Schlagwerk.
Arrons Stimme liegt auf hohem Niveau, sie ist kräftig, rau und doch
eigenwillig. Backgroundsängerin Lizz fügt dem Gesang eine
interessante Note hinzu, verstärkt an den passen Stellen. Bei
"Beautiful" erliegt man sofort den geilen Gitarrenläufen
und spürt mit jeder Note das Urgestein des Gothrocks. Das hohe Tempo
nimmt der Düsternis nichts und geht extrem ins Tanzbein. Bei den
aufeinanderfolgenden Titeln "Liberta Me", "Voodoo
Doll" und "Sweet Nothing" raubt es einem schlicht den
Atem. Mal ein dumpfes Glockenspiel, mal hysterische Übersteigerung,
mal ekstatische Verzweiflung, dann wuchtig brummende Bässe - drei
geniale Hammersongs. Wahrlich groß. An musikalischen Vorbildern hört
man in diesem Dreigestirn besonders deutlich die Sisters of Mercy
heraus - und eine geradezu nostalgische Liebe erblüht. Dagegen
erinnert "I the East" am Anfang sehr an "The Mission"
um schnell in Fahrwasser rasenden Gothrocks zurück zu wechseln.
Dieser Spur bleiben SECOND SKIN bis zum Ende treu. Obwohl sich am
Tempo in der ganzen Zeit wenig ändert, kann man dennoch jedes Lied
klar von anderen abtrennen und jedes hat einen speziellen
Wiedererkennungseffekt. Künstlerisches Können und Mut zu
eigenwilligen Kompositionen beweist auch "Club Sexxx". Bei
"Demonica" wird wiederholt den Sisters gehuldigt und das
Gewaltige dieser Musik wird mit aller Wucht deutlich. Mit "Scream
yourself to Sleep" endet die geile Scheibe, düsteres Schlagzeug
und drängende Gitarren wirken einen schönen Mid-Tempo-Titel, der
die Vorzüge von Arrons Gesang, Mark Candys Gitarren- und Bassspiel
sowie Lizz´ stimmliche Unterstützung noch mal deutlich macht. Kurz:
Ich liebe dieses Album. SECOND SKIN sind völlig zu Unrecht
hierzulande weitgehend unbekannt. Sie stehen anderen, bekannteren
us-amerikanischen Gothic-Acts in nichts nach. Sollten sie einen
Promoter in Deutschland finden, wird sie ihre Europatour auch hierher
führen. Ich drücke die Daumen und freu mich auf eine ähnlich
furiose Livedarbietung.
Daniel "Bela" Bartsch
Dark Romania
Second Skin is a gothic rock band
formed in the mid 90's in America, its members feeding on the punk
scene and the old goth school. “Black Eyed Agel” is an album that
is not far from the above mentioned points, released in November
2004, under the italian Palace of Worms label, and I will try in the
lines below to make a short presentation. Besides the band leader
Arron (vocals, bass, keyboards, drummachine, lyricist and composer),
the band is formed of Mark Cady (guitar, bass) and Liz (backing
vocals). The sound is classic goth rock with plenty of rhythm, with
energetic guitars plus an expressive, flexible, and penetrating male
voice, periodically back-doubled by female vocals. The percution is
made by drummachine. The lyrics are quite good, the main theme is the
individual and his life experiences: love, sex, deception, passion,
lust, frustration, variations or combinations of those. I recommend
this album to be listened to loudly or at least not at a very low
volume level, for that will reveal another force of Second Skin's
music. Even the absence of real drums - in my opinion, the important
missing asset of this album - is shaded off by the sound's higher
level, and the percution by the drummachine is recovering in a way
the deficit against the voice and the remaining instruments. Apart
that, the music is accesible, very suitable for clubs/independent
radio shows, namely the hits “Sweet Nothing”, “Liberata Me”,
“Still My Love”, “Club Sexxx”, “I The East”. The booklet
is simple, with a quite uninspired, from my point of view, artwork on
the main cover, but inside you can find the lyrics of all the songs
included in the album. There is also a limited edition (of 333
copies) for “Black Eyed Angel”, that includes a bonus CD with
videotracks for “Still My Love” and “Liberata Me” and a photo
gallery. Mark: 8.5/10
De Subjectivisten Caleidoscoop
Wat voor soort muziek zal een band
maken die Second Skin heet? New wave denk ik dan, want dat is één
van de bekendste en betere nummers van The Chameleons. Toch oogt de
cover van hun cd Black Eyed Angel meer als gothic of muziek met
engelenzang. De bandfoto laat juist weer witte vleermuizen zien.
Luisteren dan maar. Het Amerikaanse drietal, waarvan een deel uit
Italië geëmigreerd is, maakt pakkende rock met darkwave en gothic
invloeden. Arron zingt en speelt bas, drums en keyboards en Mark Cady
doet de gitaren. De elektronische ritmes zijn hard en hoekig, maar
zorgen wel voor een fijn catchy effect. De gitaren zijn heavy en de
baspartijen dreunen er lekker doorheen. Als referentie moet je
wisselend denken aan (Fields Of) The Nephilim, Sisters Of Mercy, The
Mission (oei, mogen die drie achter elkaar genoemd worden?), Adam And
The Ants en Bauhaus. Lizz zingt regelmatig op de achtergrond mee en
de muziek doet dan ook wel denken aan Siouxsie. Ondanks de
retro-geluiden, klinkt de muziek tevens fris en van deze tijd. Maar
boven alles is het gewoon een lekker dampende, duistere rockplaat.
Gewoon zoals het moet! Jan Willem Broek
D-Side #26
Apres Choir Invisible, voici venue
l'heure du second opus des Américains Second Skin, dont l'optique
primaire semble etre de redonner vie au Gothic-Rock. Si la formule ne
revet pas grande originalité, Black eyed Angel bénéficie toutefois
d'une conviction qui rend a ces tournures de guitare typiques du
genre une certaine force évocatrice. Les canons sont respectés mais
le chant d'Arron adopte une attitude plus « acide », proche dans sa
plastique des canons du Death-Rock. Ces voix teintées de folie
donnent davantage de souplesse et de rugosité a un ensemble chargé
et mécanique, lorgnant parfois vers les musiques orientales (« Club
Sexxx ii »). Chargé de textures synthétiques qui- certes-
alourdissent un peu la sauce, le son tend a redonner de la fraîcheur
au genre. Produit proprement par Arron et le guitariste Mark Cady,
Black eyed Angel concentre des mélodies de guitares efficaces qui se
cherchent une nouvelle raison de vivre depuis la désertion des
studios par The Sisters of Mercy.
Emmanuel Hennequin
Rock Hard magazine
“Black Eyed Angel” e la seconda
fatica per i SS, band dedita al piu classico gothic rock con tanto di
riferimenti ai maestri Fields Of The Nephilim o ai Mission piu
energici. “Body” apre le danze con una movenza epica d'altri
tempi, ma a stupire ci pensano la turbolenta “Beautiful” (tra
Sisters Of Mercy e Corpus Delicti!) e le note tribali di “Sweet
Nothing”, un loro vecchio singolo qui riproposto sotto nuove
spoglie. L'arma principale dei Second Skin e la voce abissale di
Arron, oscuro interprete di song morbose, corpose e ricche di pathos
gotico, che si muovono senza sosta in un sinistro groviglio di
cavalcanti ritmiche dark. Il CD esce anche in limited-edition di 333
copie, con inclusi due videoclip e la photo gallery; tutto bene
quindi, se non fosse che siamo da poco atterrati nel 2005 e,
soprattutto, che ci muoviamo in un genere dove i cloni funzionano
solo a meta (qui l'originalita purtroppo scarseggia…). Insomma, i
SS si aggiungono alla folta lista dei seguaci… bravi, ma sempre
seguaci!
Paolo Trerotoli 7
Grave Concerns E-Zine
“The official second release from
this brooding Goth band and certainly not a moment too soon. Not only
does “Black Eyed Angel” feature a cleaner and tighter production
value but it also shows that they haven't softened up their sound
with strong hooks and an equally strong indication towards the
singers continuing electric lyricism resounding around their
melancholic dark rock. “Black Eyed Angel” is the album fans have
been waiting for and certainly a much deserved recognition is due as
veterans of the gothic music scene with a prowess that has surpassed
other pioneers throughout the years so we're quite lucky to have
them. Their songs move from dark dance to more stripped down gothic
rock ballads while some of their reprise's on classics like “Sweet
Nothing” and “Club Sexxx” could easily be the band's foray of
bleakly lit experiments into the world of remixes, be it dance
oriented or introspective. Second Skin is writhing over broken glass
and fire capturing their inner demons with precision and keen
insight. They come highly recommended to fans of The Last Dance,
Phantom Vision, Pro Jekt, etc.”
–Marcos
Sonidobscuro
Supimos de la existencia de la banda
estadounidense de gothic rock debido a su participación en varios
compilados, como en los de Cleopatra Records en los noventas, es así
que nos contactamos con ellos y nos dimos con la sorpresa de su
calidad interpretativa con el autoproducido The Taste Of Angels del
2003. En aquel cd destacan las vocales de Arron y -en especial- los
punteos guitarreros de Mark Cady en tracks como 'Demonica', y las
reinterpretaciones: 'Lets Dance', original del gran Bowie (y que
aparece -también- en el tributo `Goth Oddity´) y 'Suspicious Minds'
(de Elvis Presley) por el acompanamiento vocal femenino, todas con
ausencia de batería física, lo cual les hace poseedores de un
sonido más fresco. Para esta producción, Black Eyed Angel, ya
aparece como tercera integrante la linda Lizz en las vocales, el cual
contiene catorce temas y un librito en el que aparecen todas las
líricas. La banda ha firmado para el gran sello Palace Of Worms en
el que Guido Borguetti sigue haciendo gran labor desde hace varios
anos con bandas que han logrado renombre en la escena underground .
'Stalker' abre el programa con sólo un minuto de duración y que
posee susurros referentes a relaciones afectivas, al cual le siguen
los más de cinco minutos de 'Body' con teclados oscuros y la
guitarra eléctrica que le da un toque espectacular al mismo, tema en
el que ya se nota el juego vocal de ambos cantantes. La inicial
distorsión de 'Beautiful' mostrará la genialidad de Cady a lo largo
de todo el tema y de algunas posteriores joyas, como en la siguiente
'Still My Love' de vocales siniestras y de mejor lírica. 'Liberata
Me' es el primer tema rescatado de su último disco, el cual inspiró
a la película del mismo nombre (historia de un tal Julian, adicto a
la heroína, tatuajes que tiene una triste historia con la ouija).
'Voo Doo Doll' la canta en un inicio Lizz, lo que nos hizo pensar que
iba a ser un tema para ella, pero nos equivocamos pues comprobamos
que todos los temas son cantados por Arron. 'Sweet Nothing' es otro
track conocidísimo de la banda lista para cualquier discoteca al
igual que el track trece 'Demonica' -símbolo de la banda- último
tema rescatado. A mitad del disco encontramos a 'Sweet Nothing' en el
que se vuelve al dúo vocal y en el que los sonidos programados de la
batería se tornan importantes al cual le sigue los treinta segundos
de 'Girl Divided' que al igual que el primero son sólo susurros
vocales bajo atmósferas programadas. El programa continúa y
llegamos al tema diez 'Kara' en el que la guitarra y el teclado se
tornan importantes como en la siguiente 'Club Sexxx (ii)', mientras
que en 'Liberata Tu Tu Mé (save yourself)' hace otra vez gala de su
conocimiento musical el gran `Kitty´ Cady, El disco finaliza con los
siete minutos de 'Scream Yourself To Sleep' el cual -desde ya- es una
joya de la banda para estos nuevas épocas. Finalmente, debemos
senalar que su álbum Choir Invisible (en el cual se encuentra el
tema 'Trance' que también aparece en el film) aún se encuentra
disponible y que han participado en el tributo a The Cure "Our
Voices" a través de Equinoxe con el tema 'Pictures Of You'.
Además se puede encontrar una edición limitada con los videos de
'Still My Love' y 'Liberata Me' (VCD).Reynaldo Gonzales
Gothicrevue.com
Arron , Mark, Cady and Lizz have come
from the Land of Lecco , Italy to remind us in the US what deathrock
should and could aspire to be. At times as great as the seminal
Virgin Prunes, like on their song Body and Liberata Me , this release
from Palace of Worms really moved me. Cadys ' guitar and bass playing
on Scream Yourself to Sleep is sublime and reminds me quite a bit of
Daniel Ash (from Bauhaus). Fourteen tracks is a huge album from a
label who isn't afraid to “take chances”. The drums used here for
Club Sexxx are a harkening back to the early Adam and the Ants
output. The more I listen to Club Sexxx the more it draws me in with
its passionate beats. All in all This Second Skin release is forward
thinking in a very retro-inspired way. I could only imagine a dream
of having seen them touring with Rozz or Andi back in the day.
Gothtronic
Second Skin has released its second
album with Black Eyed Angel. Next to this they have appeared on at
least 16 different compilations, among which on the The Cure tribute
cd Our Voices with a great version of ‘Pictures of You'. The music
moves in between styles like darkwave, deathrock and gothic. This
band is pretty good. In almost every track there is a fair amount of
passion and energy present. Roaring guitars, male and female vocals,
a violin, dancable rhythms and ominous orchan sounds are the most
important ingredients. There are a couple of really good gripping
gothrock tracks on this cd, such as ‘Still My Love', ‘Liberata
Me', ‘Voodoo Doll' and ‘I The East'. The music can be compared to
Bauhaus, Virgin Prunes and Fields of the Nephilim. I did not know
this band yet, but when i read they have a true and faithful
following and have already reached a cult status as a band i believe
this rightaway. The music is good and has that extra bit which you
don't find with many other bands, and what is it i am talking about?
Let's just call this magic. This is a very good release.
Gothic Paradise
Hailing from the hot southwest in
Scottsdale, Arizona, this band brings us their solid gothic rock
style. The band is formed by the trio Arron (vocals, bass, keyboards,
drums), Mark Cady (guitars, bass) and Lizz (backing vocals). The band
has been around for several years with some self-released work and a
number of live appearances. Their debut album Choir Invisible was
accepted worldwide with a somewhat cult following. They have
developed their sound over the years and have released their
sophomore album Black Eyed Angel through the prominent Italian label
Palace of Worms.I've been familiar with the sound of Second Skin
since the 90's and so it's no surprise that the band has that late
80's and early 90's gothic rock style. Solid guitar work and pounding
rock beats are the backdrop for Arron's solid vocals that are
reminiscent of other gothic rock greats from the past. I think that
fans of any past great band like The Mission, possibly Christian
Death and even classics like David Bowie.While the band has an active
start, but slightly slow in getting the recognition they deserve,
they've managed to land a good deal with their sophomore album. This
is a great way to launch their career to the world and hopefully they
will get the help and publicity they deserve with their two solid
releases and numerous compilation appearances. The bottom line is
that fans of gothic rock really have something to enjoy from this
band. After their debut album Choir Invisible and a number of teasers
here and there on numerous compilations we're finally presented with
this nicely produced sophomore album. Long-time fans will recognize
several tracks from this album which are re-released here now that
they have more of a world-wide audience. With fourteen total tracks
on the regular CD for over an hour of great music and a number of
multimedia extras on the limited edition bonus disc, this is an
excellent disc to get your hands on. In addition to the music and
digital content, the booklet also contains the lyrics and a little
background and info on the album.It all really comes down to the
music in the end and that's what this album is all about, good, solid
music. "Stalker" kicks off the album as a sort of
introductory, dark spoken word track making it a type of cinematic
work. This fades directly into "Body" which kicks off the
great new powerful goth rock works from this band. Using all
electronic drums they manage to pull off a solid and non-synthetic
sound and this track shows how it can be done.The talents of this
trio really come out in each of these selections from Arron's stellar
vocals, bass and percussion to Mark's guitar work and Lizz's smooth
backing vocals on many tracks. As we go through the album we move
through each track including the fast-paced "Beautiful" and
"Still My Love" each sporting that solid goth sound,
excellent guitars and mixture of deep, sinister and melodic vocals.
"Liberata Me" will be familiar to fans that are familiar
with previous works and it's dark, fast-paced sound. This stellar
track along with "Voo Doo Doll", "Club Sexxx II"
and "Sweet Nothing" all create the backbone to this album
with the solid tried and true sound we've enjoyed over the recent
years from this band.Other favorites on the album include "Kara"
which continues on with the solid rock sound. The vocals and lyrics
take on a bit more of an emotional turn and keep the dark sound as
the centerpiece. And finally, the album wraps up with the
seven-minute long "Scream Yourself To Sleep". As the title
implies it carries that darker tone to wrap up the album.Once again
we have another great band that has made their mark on the gothic
scene. In the past they've made some great waves with excellent
tracks and so now we take the past and unite it with the present for
this new highly recommended album. Rating: 4/5
Lefantastique.net
Les Américains de Second Skin signent
avec cet opus leur retour apres un premier album intitulé Choir
Invisible .
L'artwork blanc et pâle de Black Eyed
Angel est tout le contraire de leur musique, mélange de death-rock
et de darkwave. Tout au long de cet album, on retrouve les riffs de
guitares froides du death-rock surmontés par la voix hallucinée du
chanteur Arron. Ce dernier ne se prive pas d'accentuer la dramaturgie
de sa voix pour narrer des histoires de passion, de luxure, d'amours
étranges... La froideur de la musique de Second Skin est encore
accentuée par l'apport massif de beats electro qui n'alourdissent
pas pour autant son contenu. Cette recette en fait quelque-chose de
sombre mais également de tres dansant et on ne sera pas surpris
d'entendre certaines de leurs compositions animer le dancefloor.
Cependant, alors que l'album démarre
magnifiquement et de maniere jouissive, il perd un peu en surprise et
en profondeur sur la longueur et souffre d'une certaine linéarité.
Si les arrangements sont bons, ils deviennent parfois un peu
systématiques. Les titres finissent par se ressembler rendant
l'album difficile a avaler d'une traite.
Une plaque bien agréable néanmoins.
Dunkelheit - Juillet 2005
Enslain
"Black Eyed Angel" is the
second skin shed by Second Skin, an American band who play
techno-industrial synthesized club goth. I would have never guessed
that this act came from Arizona; they have a very Southern-European
sound that's typical of retro-Euro-goth. The range of influence on
this record is somewhere in between Christian Death and David Bowie.
While it doesn't have a sound that's radio-accessible, I could
definitely hear this taking over the dance club halls on
goth/industrial nights. The piercing guitars are simple yet form a
solid base to add the cymbal-happy drumming and the delicate,
non-overpowering keyboards. There's not a lot of low-end on this
release, as the bass prominently follows a mid-toned sound and the
snare seems preferred over the bass drums. The production brings
everything together nicely, giving a fullness to the simple elements
on this release. The vocals are contributed by Arron and Lizz, and an
assortment of guest musicians. Arron's multifarious vocal range
sounds a little uncontrolled at times but gives character to the
music, although I prefer his deeper singing. Lizz adds the alto-range
to the songs, and her lines are very fitting. There's not a whole lot
of appeal to a metal crowd on this release, save for the few moments
when the guitars take their prominence and shred out a few heavy
riffs. Mostly these are goth-pop songs, led by catchy little songs
like "Body" and "Still My Love". This is a mature
and interesting 14-song release that will please fans of the genre.
-- Lady Enslain
Obliveon
Restlos begeistert haben mich die
Amerikaner Second Skin mit ihrem Goth / Deathrock-Gemisch, so dass
ich mich frage, warum das bereits 2003 eingespielte „Black Eyed
Angel“ erst jetzt seine längst überfällige
Europa-Veröffentlichung erfährt. So kraftvoll, so vital und
handwerklich dermassen brilliant ist mir seit langem keine Band
dieses Genres mehr untergekommen. Dabei stehen Second Skin
musikalisch wohl in der Tradition von Bands wie Clan of Xymox,
Starlight Industry, Forthcoming Fire oder Ikon, von denen man auch
die Fähigkeit adaptiert zu haben scheint, Songs voller Klasse und
hoher Halbwertszeit zu schreiben. Man höre nur einmal Songs wie
„Body“, Beautiful“ oder „Still My Love“ um neidlos und
anerkennend zuzustimmen, dass dies unvergängliche Hmynen voller
düsterer Melancholie und Ausdruckskraft sind. Auch die zum Einsatz
kommende Elektronik fügt sich bei Second Skin nahtlos in das
Soundgefüge des Trios ein, und auch die immer wieder zum Tragen
kommenden weiblichen Stimmen uind die vereinzelte Integration von
Samples ergänzen den Sound Second Skins zu wirklicher Klasse und
Brillianz. „Black Eyed Angel“ beinhaltet nicht einen Lückenfüller
und macht mehr als neugierig, wie Second Skin ihre Zukunft
ausgestalten werden. Dass diese für mich bei entrsprechender
Unterstützung der Plattenfirmen und Medien ganz gross ausfüllen
müsste, steht für mich ausser Frage.
10/10 - MK
Imhoped
I don't know if that's the case with
this one, but generally I like "Black Eyed Angels" much
more than they like me. Actually, usually they don't like me at all.
They don't answer my calls – if I've been lucky enough to get their
number, which usually isn't the case – and they tend to act like
they don't know me if we meet. Hell, they don't even smile at me.
I guess I should tell you a bit about
this album by Second Skin instead of turning this review into a
bitter “gothic girls suck” rant. Second Skin perform fairly
traditional gothic rock, aided by a drum machine, and "Black
Eyed Angel" is their second release. Their sound has it all:
cheesy eighties synthesizers, monotonic beats, guitars with lots of
chorus effects and a singer who sounds like he's watching his home
burn to ashes but cannot do anything about it. The music is so
dramatic it's almost ridiculous, but it's not ridiculous, actually.
If you think it is, it's just that you have different sense of
aesthetics. The biggest problem with "Black Eyed Angel" is
that it's too long, meaning both that it's difficult to listen to on
one session and that there's not really enough quality material to
fill the whole record.
I'm not too fond of the really early
gothic rock, ie. the stuff that came out before the first releases of
Fields of the Nephilim, and I'm not very fond of badly programmed
drum machines. Second Skin are clearly inspired by the former and
fully embrace the latter. However, as representatives of their own
musical genre, they are not that bad.
Underground Press
“Black Eyed Angel” is the Gothic
Rock band, Second Skin` s fourteen track release and an ode to their
competence as musicians. The vocals of Arron and Lizz deepen the
emotion created on this album and compliment each other with their
passion, while Mark Cady fuels the darkened mood with his epic and
haunting guitar. The lyrics seems to circle around this “Black Eyed
Angel”, a woman with a paper heart and the man who` s muse she has
become. Second Skin released this album through Palace of Worms
Records in Italy.
LD50
The second album of Second Skin
continues on the most beautiful traditions of gothic rock. Full of
emotions, at the same time musing and passionate, but it doesn't
slide into wristslitting excess. It has life, from the gray,
been-there-done-that type. Complete stories are made up while
listening to this garland of songs, like we were present at the
performance of a grim, romantic musical, with the dramatics of an
incestuous romance, with tense monologues, in front of the monumental
scenery. Goths, you will have to get this.
Dashing guitarwork raised on Fields Of
The Nephilim and The Mission , passionate vocals and wispy
electronics describe the most the latest album of Second Skin.
Thouroughbred gothic rock, yes, here and now, in 2005. It bravely
avoids our age's great fashion, eclecticism, it doesn't get into
experimentation, doesn't wantonly take elements from alien styles, it
just brings out the most of what we expect of the style today. The
songs Body , Beautiful and Still My Love are enough to convince all
in doubt, and the coup de grace is delivered by Sweet Nothing and I
The East : these songs prove that there are still opportunities for
this style aplenty. This is a good album. It is surprising that at
the end of 2004 such a work could have seen the light, which returns
to the roots of gothic rock / darkwave, and doing this without being
boring for even a minute, setting aside all cemetery - self-torment
cliches. A transfusion of new blood for the style, which aside from a
few exceptions (e.g. Switchblade Symphony) has really been kept in
evidence by the great old ones.
Gothtronic
Draco Rex is the cd to celebrate the
10th anniversary of Conscientia Peccati. The theme of this cd is the
dragon, a archetypical ancient, somewhat snake-like, firing fantasy
creature that plays a major role in mythological stories all around
the globe. Either be it a negative role like in the christian world,
or yet positive as we know of from Chinese culture. In ‘Anima'
Chinese and relaxed mediterranean atmospheres come together.
‘Conqueror' which also features a piece of spoken word by Edgar
Allen Poe, combines a harpsichord sound with scraping industrial
mayhem, a violin and pompuous classical instrumentation. However
everything seems to come out of a synthesizer it reminds me somewhar
of Argine if you look at impact and beauty. The percussion on this
record is in most of the tracks quite ritual and meditative of
character and this creates a nice and soothing atmosphere. In other
tracks the atmosphere is more folkloristic, such as in ‘Draco Rex'
which reminds strongly of the band Sturmpercht. ‘Claw and Flame' is
somehwat more miltant by character due to the marching percussion and
horns, next to the industrial sounds this creates a bit more of a
venomous tension, which fits naturally to the theme of fighting
dragons or the overall destructive nature of this ancient creature.
The track ‘Princess' is with the sweet and seductive sounds the
auditive symbol of that where it is all about: the woman. The dark
tones of ‘Throne' end this surprising cd in a decent manner.
D-Side #26
Draco Rex fete le dixieme anniversaire
du projet allemand Conscientia Peccati (incarné par le seul Martin
Steinebach). La symbolique du dragon et ses déclinaisons (une
représentation allant du Mal a la fertilité et a la prospérité,
selon qu'on se place du point de vue chrétien ou du point de vue
asiatique) fonde une musique minimale, qui mute en autant de formes
que le dragon représente de variantes. Les morceaux, sans suivre le
dictat de quelque format que ce soit, bricolent une musique ambiante
et minimale, faite de mélodies sautillantes et tirant vers l'Asie («
Conqueror »), dans lesquelles les percussions sourdes engagent le
Dark-Ambient vers une approche rituelle et apaisée (« Fireblood »),
quasi médiévale (« Thirteen Kings »). Tout l'album sonne presque
lo-fi, comme une collection d'ambiances bricolées a partir de rien
qui donnent au final l'impression d'avoir a faire a une sorte de
Dark-Ambient folklorique construit a la maison. Il faut aimer.
Emmanuel Hennequin
Rock Hard Magazine
Nella celebrazione del suo decimo anno
di attivita come CP, Martin Steinebach rilascia la settima release su
CD (incluso il box triplo con gli altri suoi due progetti, Monoid e
StillStand) della propria creatura, nuovamente in edizione limitata a
sole 333 copie. Mentre il precedente “Culpa Somniorum” si basava
sui sogni, in questa nuova opera il musicista tedesco pone l'accento
sul tema del drago, figura interpretata in svariate maniere nelle
diverse culture del globo. Un lavoro la cui esplicazione sonora
prende quindi spunto principalmente da storie e leggende narrate sui
draghi, specialmente tratte dall'immaginario medievale: di qui la
scelta (necessaria) di adottare sonorita nettamente piu medievali
rispetto al passato, con l'intenzione di fornire un degno apparato
musicale che permetta di inebriarsi del fascino di secoli perduti,
nei quali ogni cosa (dalla vita alla morte, dalla religione alle
gerarchie) possedeva una sorta di mistero intrinseco del quale la
gente aveva reverenziale timore. Melodie medievali dunque, col suono
del clavicembalo che non di rado funge da perno per dar vita alle
atmosfere magiche del ‘periodo buio': momenti piu marziali (la
title-track, “Claw And Flame” e “Lure”) si alternano a
passaggi piu delicati (“Cloud”) e riflessivi (“Lady Ov Water”),
sino alla solenne conclusione con “Throne”, che come altri brani
del disco si evolve verso oscuri disegni di matrice dark ambient. Un
lavoro che consegue l'obiettivo iniziale, scorrendo senza intoppi in
un susseguirsi di stati emotivi alterni, ma sempre legati dal ‘filo
rosso' del concept di cui sopra. Una gradita conferma per un artista
del quale si parla troppo poco in determinati ambiti.
Roberto Filippozzi 7,5
Legacy
Zum zehnten Geburtstag von CONSCIENTIA
PECCATI veröffentlicht das italienische Label Palace Of Worms, das
auch schon "Culpa Somniorum" zu einer späten Geburt
verhalf, "Draco Rex". Das letztes Jahr fertig gestellte
Jubiläumswerk ist ein Themenalbum geworden, das sich den
unterschiedlichen Aspekten des Drachen widmet. Das mythische Tier ist
weit über die klassischen Märchen, Sagen und Legenden und neueren
Fantasy-Adaptionen hinaus in die Weltliteratur eingezogen, etwa in
Edgar Allan Poes "The Conqueror Worm", das in einen Track
integriert wurde. Die zwölf Tracks mit über 64 Minuten Laufzeit
behandeln die schöpferischen und die zerstörerischen Aspekte des
Drachens, die vom Christentum negativ geprägte Sicht ebenso wie die
positive Sicht des konfuzianischen Chinas. Dem mächtigen Wesen und
seiner Überlieferung aus dunklem Mittelalter und grauer Vorzeit
entsprechend ist "Draco Rex" das am hymnischsten,
mittelalterlichsten, pompösest ausgefallene Album von CONSCIENTIA
PECCATI bisher. Nach dem klassisch ruhigen Eröffnungsstück 'Anima'
geht es kräftig zur Sache; nur 'Lure' ließe sich noch in die
Kategorie "ambient hymnisch" einordnen. Erzählungen und
Flüstergesang prägen die Stücke 'Conqueror', 'Thirteen Kings' und
'Draco Rex' einaber unaufdringlich mit. Sicherlich eines der besten
Werke von
CONSCIENTIA PECCATI bisher - auf jeden
Fall das hymnische Album, auf das ich mich schon immer gefreut habe.
Kontakt zu Palace of Worms über: martin.steinebach@t-online.de (RH)
14 Punkte
Neo-Form
Conscienta Peccati, ein Musikprojekt
von Martin Steinebach, der u. a. auch durch Monoid und Stillstand
bekannt sein dürfte, geht in die zehnte Runde seiner Existenz. Zehn
Jahre – eine lange Zeit. Somit ist es auch definitiv an der Zeit,
dieses Projekt ein wenig näher zu beleuchten.Die neueste
Veröffentlichung von Conscientia Peccati, „Draco Rex“,
erschienen 2004 bei dem italienischen Label Palace of Worms, ist
ausschließlich einem Thema gewidmet, und zwar dem Drachen in der
Mythologie. Umgesetzt wird es durch rituelle ambiente Klangpassagen
mit mittelalterlichen Anleihen, gehüllt in ein sehr melodisches,
teils melancholisch anklingendes Gewand. Rhythmisch, majestätisch,
phantastisch. Bemerkenswert hierbei ist, dass der Käufer dieser CD
nicht nur musikalisch, sondern auch visuell im Form des Layouts
angesprochen wird – sowohl fernöstliche und mittelalterliche
Drachenmotive, als auch eine Abbildung eines Drachentöters, vereint
durch einen Text über die mythologische Gestalt des Drachen, als
auch eine kurze Erläuterung der Bedeutung des Drachens in der
Mythologie, werden auf dieser Scheibe sehr anschaulich vereint. Alles
in allem ein durchaus ansprechend gestaltetes Konzeptalbum, das
geneigte Ritual/DarkAmbient/Fantasy- und auch Märchen-Fans
ansprechen wird.Ein Anspieltipp sei sogleich gegeben, und zwar Lied
No. 3, „Fireblood“. Sehr rhythmisch, melodisch, erhaben. Man
meint, einer Schlacht, in der feuerspeiende Drachen involviert sind,
beizuwohnen. Auffallend sind auch die mittelalterlichen/fernöstlichen
Tonelemente in den Melodien und Trommelpassagen, besonders
herauszuhören bei Lied No. 1, „Anima“ und teilweise auch bei
Lied No. 2, „Conqueror“ – letzteres übrigens ein weiterer
Anspieltipp. Auf dieser Scheibe werden alle mythologischen Aspekte
der Drachengestalt zusammen getragen, die ja – wie hinreichend
bekannt – auch vor allem in China und anderen asiatischen Ländern
von großer Bedeutung sind. Doch auch in deutschen Landen war der
Drache – oder Lindwurm – in Sagen und Mythen stets präsent. Eine
Anspielung auf diverse Märchen oder Legenden mögen Titel wie
„Princess“ oder „Thirteen Kings“ geben.Bestechend ist auch
der leise Sprechgesang, teilweise im Flüsterton gehalten, dann
wiederum verzerrt die Lieder begleitend, der erstmals bei Lied 2
einsetzt und die gesamte Spielzeit über immer wieder herauszuhören
ist und den Liedern den rein akustischen Charakter nimmt. Hier wird
meiner Meinung nach ein schöner Mittelweg eingeschlagen.Ein wirklich
bemerkenswertes nettes Stück Musik, das wunderbar als
Hintergrunduntermalung geeignet ist und den Hörer des Öfteren dazu
veranlasst, phantastische Bilder in Form von kämpfenden Drachen und
tapferen Rittern vor dem inneren Auge entstehen zu lassen. Ein wenig
eintönig wirken auf Dauer die minimalistisch gehaltenen monoiden
Melodiebögen, allerdings scheint dies beabsichtigt zu sein.„Draco
Rex“ zaubert eine angenehm dichte Atmosphäre, zudem besticht die
Variation der Lieder, die von melodischen rituellen Melodien zu
ambienten ruhigen, sehr sphärischen Klangcollagen überleiten. Ein
Anspieltipp wäre hierbei Lied No. 8, „Claw and flame“.Your realm
below the seven seas A place of darkest fantasies
You offer love drowning the fools And
live your life by simple rules You send the waves to conquer land
Follow the moon to this world's end You come and go just like a star
Soothing and cruel is what you are (“Lady ov Water”)Das Wesen der
Sagengestalt Drache in mythologisch-lyrischem Gewand. Und so hüllt
sich auch diese Scheibe in solch ein märchengleiches Gewand. © Anna
D. / Nauthiz
Le Fantastique.net
L'album Draco Rex marque le dixieme
anniversaire du projet teuton Conscientia Peccati dont le seul membre
est Martin Steinebach. Le theme de cet album tres dark ambient
moyenâgeux repose sur une des créatures fantastiques les plus
connues: le dragon. La premiere partie de l'album se montre quelque
peu incohérente et engloutie par des percussions quasi
omniprésentes. On retrouve également dans les premiers morceaux
quelques sonorités orientales souvent incongrues. Globalement, on
est frappé par un son tres cheap. Cependant, il n'en faut pas en
rester la car le reste de l'album est bien plus engageant. Une
noirceur musicale s'installe de maniere lancinante dans la seconde
partie de l'album et la musique s'en retrouve meilleure. De la
septieme a la derniere plage, tout est excellent. Les ambiances se
font tour a tour planantes, inquiétantes, troublantes, rythmées. On
en oublie meme la pauvreté de la production qui faisait défaut au
début. Les mélodies sont présentes et on retrouve meme des
réminiscences des premiers Mortiis . Malgré un démarrage un peu
chaotique, on est malgré tout en présence d'un tres bel opus.
D-Side #26
Projet parallele de deux membres de la
formation electro-médiévale “O Quam Tristis…” (Emeric Lenotz
et Hugues Dammarie, alias le bassiste de Collection d'Arnell-Andréa,
Franz Torres-Quevedo), Thy Violent Vanities installe en toute clarté
une ouvre minimale, empreinte de folk et de tournures rock paisibles
(un groove de basse minimal, tel celui de l'inaugural « Being your
Slave ») et de textures moyenâgeuses générées par un éventail
d'instruments anciens (dulcimer, flutes, entre autres).
L'articulation de ces univers moins ténébreux que mélancoliques
prend corps autour de rythmiques électroniques pour le moins
basiques (« Come away Death ») et de la voix sépulcrale d'Hugues
Dammarie, dont Collection d'Arnell-Andréa a déja fait un usage tres
intéressant sur les chours de leur dernier opus The Bower of
Despair. Hugues adopte sur Come to Dust une posture moins funebre, et
tend a rendre avec justesse et sobriété ces comptines sur la vanité
basées sur des poemes rares de Shakespeare, abouties grâce a la
participation des membres de Hide & Seek sur la moitié de
l'album : Liesbeth Houdjik et Pierre-Yves Lebeau. Acoustique,
spirituelle et apaisante.
Emmanuel Hennequin
Gothtronic
The albumcover of “Come to Dust” of
Thy Violent Vanities has a rather cheap look over it, as if someone
with a little too much free time on their hands thought it would be
funny to put a cd on the market. With fear in my heart i sat myself
down to listen to the most terrible music i thought the album would
contain. But to my suprise i had to recall my opinion and remembered
what someone once said: “Appearances can deceive” or even better
“a unfortunaly bad cover can contain a real gem”. This album
proves them more than right. Thy Violent Vanities is a side-project
of two members from the electro/medievalband O Quam Tristis, namely
Hugees Dammarie (also a member of the darkwave band Collection
d'Arnell-Andrea under the name Franz Torres-Quevedo) and Emeric
Lenotz. “Come to Dust” is the first album what has come forward
under this name and hopefully there will appear more albums from
their hands. With this album Thy Violent Vanities have delivered a
beautiful lustre experience for everybody. The music can be defined
as medieval poured in neofolk and darkwave sauce, a combination which
in these capable hands works very well. The lyrics are based on
unknown poems of William Shakespeare and sung in the original
old-English as in which they were written. The main theme concerns
the vanity of all man's things, deceived loves, love leading to
nothingness and the emptiness of Mankind. All topics what William
Shakespeare was best known for in his sonnets and dramas. The
splendid and certainly warm voice of Hugues Dammarie conducts the
auditor towards a mix of sentimental feelings and loving. Combined
with the musical frame of old stringed instruments and modern
keyboards with other instruments creates an environment for which i
can't make any comparison, it sounds totally unique. This album
contains nowhere the dark and gloomy music as one would expect while
reading the main themes of the album. It's better defined as a
cold/warm shower of splendour and beauty which embrace you like a
warm coat. It makes that you desire for cold snowhunts while you are
seated before a large fire. The music comes to you like a
well-written tale in which all the important topics of life were
taken into consideration. Thy Violent Vanities have definitely stolen
my heart.
Grade: 8.5 Review by: Godpipo
De Subjectivisten Caleidoscoop
Méditations Ultimes is de derde cd van
het Franse vijftal O Quam Tristes. Alleen met een gymnasiumdiploma
kom je in de band, aangezien alle teksten in het Latijn zijn. De
teksten, gezongen door zowel robuuste mannen en engelachtige vrouwen,
zijn dan ook gebaseerd op liturgische en seculiere gedichten uit de
Middeleeuwen. Dat is vergelijkbaar met Ataraxia, Qntal en enigszins
Dead Can Dance. Anders is het gebruik van moderne elektronica naast
de klassieke en oude instrumenten. Zo zijn twee nummers haast
dansbaar, terwijl het decor eeuwenoud is. Je zou het een moderne
interpretatie van Middeleeuwse muziek kunnen noemen. Overigens is het
op vele momenten ook heerlijk sereen en sacraal, ondanks de
onderliggende beats. Een origineel album, vol onaardse
schoonheid.Twee van de gymnasten uit O Quam Tristis, Hugues Dammarie
en Emeric Lenotz, delen een passie voor de gedichten van William
Shakespeare. Als Thy Violent Vanities opereren ze om die te vertolken
middels liederen. Ze gebruiken op Come To Dust een gelijksoortig
instrumentarium als bij hun moederband, dat wil zeggen moderne en
traditionele instrumenten. Echt een duo kan je het niet noemen,
aangezien ze de Fransman Pierre-Yves Lebeau en de Nederlandse
Liesbeth Houdijk, beide uit de bands Hide & Seek en A
Sparrow-Grass Hunt te gast hebben om voor de extra vocalen te zorgen.
De zang, vaak meerstemmig, is dan ook een sterk onderdeel van de cd;
zeker Liesbeth's heldere stem is een mooi aanvulling op die van de
zware jongens. Voor de zware stof die ze behandelen is het redelijk
opgewekt en up-tempo. Desondanks zou je de muziek als dark folk
kunnen bestempelen, maar dan van het soort dat het daglicht prima
verdragen kan. Het is een fraai album vol contrasten, net als de
poëzie en het leven zelf. Jan Willem Broek
Rock Hard Magazine
Talvolta sbucano dal nulla autentiche
sorprese, come nel caso di questo duo francese composto da Hugues
Dammarie (Collection D'Arnell Andréa) ed Emeric Lenotz, entrambi
membri della electro-medieval band “O Quam Tristis...” (altro
piccolo vanto di casa PoW) e qui al debutto con questo superbo
side-project. Coadiuvati dall'altro ottimo duo francese Hide &
Seek (Liesbeth Houdjik e Pierre-Yves Lebeau), i due artisti danno
vita a 12 piccoli gioielli che la stessa label di Lecco ha
curiosamente quanto saggiamente definito ‘synth-pop-dark-folk',
usando come testi svariate poesie di Shakespeare. Se state pensando
ad un improbabile incrocio tra Melotron e Forseti, siete fuori
strada: niente di cosi assurdo e/o banalizzante! I TVV riescono ad
unire trame acustiche pregiate di stampo dark-folk (usando anche la
mandola) a ritmi elettronici soffusi e gentili, ma comunque capaci di
scuotere dentro e spingere il corpo in una danza attorno ad un falo
notturno nei boschi… La poetica espressa nei testi e ovviamente
fuori discussione, trattandosi del caro Will, ed e veramente notevole
il gusto con cui il duo arrangia i cantati, riuscendo sempre a
costruire melodie orecchiabili ma lontane dai cliché commerciali,
nonostante la struttura dei brani sia squisitamente ‘pop'. La band
sa mescolare i propri ingredienti con una sagacia davvero fuori del
comune, ed elementi come l'ispiratissimo flauto, il dulcimer, il
krumhorn etc., nonché il prezioso contributo vocale di Liesbeth e
Pierre-Yves, risultano tutti perfettamente amalgamati in un disco che
trasuda passato e tradizione pur nel suo essere attuale e completo.
12 canzoni variegate ma ben assortite, tra le quali troverete
sicuramente qualcosa in grado di rapirvi i sensi: fate vostro questo
piccolo gioiello (limitato a sole 333 copie), e lasciatevi
coinvolgere dalla sua indiscutibile bellezza.
Roberto Filippozzi 8,5
Twice N° 26
Il existe des personnes comme ça, qui
quand elles sont accros d'un truc, ne s'arretent jamais.... Et bien
Franz Torres-Quevedo en fait partie et sa drogue, c'est la musique,
aussi variée soit-elle, avec juste pour point central la mélancolie,
le bonheur, la tristesse, la nostalgie et le désespoir. En parallele
donc de Collection d' Arnell-Andréa, des Three Cold Men, de "O
Quam Tristis..." et d' Opéra Multi Steel, c'est avec Thy
Violent Vanities que Hugues Dammarie (encore un pseudo!) et Emeric
Lenotz ont planché sur de rares poemes de William Shakespeare,
chantés dans la langue originale du maître. Musicalement, on trempe
dans une sorte de Dark-Folk synthétique aux réminiscences
traditionnelles (flutes, mandoles...) qu'un troubadour d'un genre
moderne divulgue sous des mélodies répétitives et pleines de
poésie sombre et joyeuse a la fois(Thy Bosome is indeared) La
résultante est ainsi un beau travail de style, auquel se sont melés
délicatement Pierre-Yves et Liesbeth de Hide & Seek sur six
titres, apportant aux voix une profondeur encore plus abyssale...
"Shall I compare Thee" sera finalement mon titre préféré,
évoquant comme un fantôme new-wave tres sombre et pop. Marc Hollis
n'aurait-il pas oublié de mettre un dixieme titre sur "The
Party's over" de Talk-Talk en 82 ?
Clément Marchal.
Elegy N° 34.
Des le superbe premier morceau “Being
your Slave”, on sait que l'on a a faire a des membres d'Opéra
Multi Steel et “O Quam Tristis…”. Come to Dust de Thy Violent
Vanities sonne en effet comme un best-of de ces deux groupes. Emeric
Lenotz et Hugues Dammarie (connu aussi sous le nom de Franz
Torres-Quevedo, membre de Collection d'Arnell-Andréa) ont
véritablement un son a eux, entre cold-wave romantique et musique
médiévo-renaissante et baroque. S'inspirant de poésies de William
Shakespeare, Come to Dust évoque la vanité de tout un chacun et les
sentiments qui s'y rattachent, des themes soutenus a grand renfort
d'instruments traditionnels tels que dulcimer, flutes ou mandole. Thy
Violent Vanities pratique une musique électro-folk des plus
touchantes, entre sérénité et douce mélancolie. Hugues Dammarie
chante magnifiquement, parfois accompagné des chours de Liesbeth
Houdijk et Pierre-Yves Lebeau de Hide and Seek. Recommandé ! Yannick
Blay (Février 2005)
Gothicrevue.com
When I received this release from
Palace of Worms I thought “my isn't that look a lot like a
Shakespeare inspired cover? ”; and lo and behold, it is. This
release is all, (except one song), lyrically based on the poetries of
The Bard himself. If you like the late eighties 4AD out put such as
the Dead Can Dance and the Elijah's Mantle releases, or perhaps the
Miranda Sex Garden album “Madre” or anything by Stone Breath or
CindyTalk ; then you owe it to yourself to get this music created by
Hugues Dammarie and Emeric Lenotz . This duo ( along with some help
vocally) have sewn together a masterpiece of “middle
ages-folk-dance music. My favorite songs are In faith I do not love
and Thy bosome is endeared (the little child's voice reminds me of
The Anal Staircase by Coil). This is very spiritual and uplifting
without being steeped in religious frou frou . Reviewed by Azrael
Le Fantastique.net
Thy Violent Vanities est un
side-project de deux membres du groupe electro médiéval O Quam
Tristis… , a savoir Emeric Lenotz et Hugues Dammarie (plus connu
sous le nom de Franz Torres-Quevedo du groupe Collection d'Arnell
Andréa . L'ensemble des textes de l'album repose sur de rares poemes
de William Shakespeare. La vanité reste le theme central de cet opus
et les amours déçus, déchus sont chantés dans l'Anglais de
l'époque.
Tout ici est histoire de mélange,
mélange réussi par ailleurs. Mélange entre la voix grave masculine
et les apports folk de Liesbeth Houdjik (a noter la collaboration de
Hide and Seek sur la moitié de l'album), mélange entre musique
traditionnelle (dulcimer, flutes, krumhorn, percussions) et moderne
(beats electro, guitare électrique, ligne de basse simple et
mélodique). L'album peut varier sans probleme aucun entre un morceau
plus "dance" ("Fear no More") et un morceau plus
"(néo)classique" ("In Faith I do not Love").
Tout ceci nous donne un melting-pot de dark-folk matinée de
synth-pop qui nous emmene a travers une palette de sentiments,
d'émotions et de sonorités a chaque fois plus beaux.
Thy Violent Vanities nous offre avec
cet opus une composition musicale que Sire Shakespeare lui-meme
n'aurait sans doute pas reniée. Dunkelheilt - Aout 2005
Felinea
Alliance de deux membres d' "O
Quam Tristis..." : Hugues Damarie et Emeric Lenotz, Thy Violent
Vanities a donné vie a un projet enjoué. Pour preuve, l'excellent
'Being your slave' sur lequel Liesbeth Houdjik ( Hide And Seek )
vient émouvoir de sa voix si singuliere. Oscillant entre
orchestration inspirée ('Come away death') et ballades mélodiques
('Shadowes' et 'In faith I do not love'). Exit la langue latine, ici
le choix s'est porté sur l'anglais qui confere au titre 'Shall I
compare thee' une présence immédiate. Ce groupe sait aussi
concevoir des morceaux festifs a l'image du scintillant 'Feare no
more' ou bien encore mélancolique ('It raineth everyday'). Thy
Violent Vanities mérite une écoute attentive et dépossédée des
traditionnelles impressions ressenties pour "O Quam Tristis...".
Ce véritable projet parallele est un autre angle de vision pour
présenter une émotion qui ne saurait devenir poussieres
Judas Kiss
Limited to only 333 copies 'Culpa
Somniorum' is the first proper CD release for Conscientia Peccati.
Based on the concept of dreams and the darkened sects that they hold
Conscientia Peccati, has attempted to try and utilize the descriptive
qualities of music to explore the boundaries of the unexplained
stories that haunt each of us on a nightly bases. Through the
interpretation of varying elements of these dreams, Conscientia
Peccati has pulled upon various styles of musical interpretation to
portray one of mans most unexplained mysteries and how they play such
an influential part in our lives. Each of the eleven tracks presented
here represent a differing element of the dream cycle and likewise
the music represents this changing pattern as it flits from style to
style in an attempt to incorporate the dream. From beautifully
haunting dark ambient sculptures to structured neo-classical
arrangements to medieval instrumentations, Conscientia Peccati music
twists and turns itself around in the almost haphazard way that
dreams evolve. One moment, tranquil with beautifully subtle near
operatic female vocals and gentle strings, to dark malevolent
soundscapes, to timelessly simplistic traditional middle aged
sounding compositions all of which portray the elements of dreams
with a simplistic charm, creating an interesting release.
Rock Hard
Martin Steinebach, che ricordiamo
essere attivo anche come Monoid e StillStand, torna a farsi sentire
col più longevo dei suoi progetti, ed a prendersi cura della sesta
release su dischetto ottico (includendo anche il box di 4 CDR,
comprendente tutti i 3 progetti) di CP è la nostrana PoW, etichetta
il cui nome è ormai sinonimo di musica ricercata e di qualità. La
nuova opera si basa sui sogni e sull'influenza che essi hanno su
coloro che sognano, prendendo notevoli spunti dall'opera di Freud in
merito alla sfera onirica: ne scaturisce un lavoro oscuro, intriso di
non-emozioni raggelanti e realmente capace di trasportare la mente in
uno stato di sogno, come in una sospensione onirica subcosciente.
Benché si protragga oltre l'ora, il lavoro avvolge l'ascoltatore
impedendogli di distrarsi o di annoiarsi, grazie ad un tessuto sonoro
e ritmico etnico-ritualistico abilmente intrecciato a sonorità di
stampo neoclassico e drones marcatamente dark ambient, senza scordare
alcuni influssi industrial/ambientali e campionamenti che, come da
copione, contribuiscono in maniera concreta a creare le atmosfere
pertinenti al discorso intrapreso. A colpire maggiormente è la
seconda metà del disco, decisamente più inquietante e tetra,
all'interno della quale si ergono i picchi dell'opera: “Certamen”,
i cui campionamenti di voci liriche danno realmente i brividi, e
“Destroyer”, che gela il sangue col suo rincorrersi di sussurri
nel buio più nero… Un nuovo gioiello oscuro per gli amanti delle
sonorità etnico/ritualistiche, ai quali suggeriamo di affrettarsi
nella ricerca, poiché si tratta di un'uscita limitata a sole 333
copie. Un disco che vale la pena possedere.Roberto
Filippozzi 7,5
D-Side
Conscientia Peccati n'en est pas à son
coup d'essai, mais Culpa Somniorum est son premier album à sortir
sur un label. Le groupe italien formé en 1994 se passionne
aujourd'hui pour le rêve et les théories freudiennes qui
l'accompagnent. Culpa Somniorum décline en musique onze rêves
latents ou manifestes, avec un choix sonore et mélodique aussi noir
et inquiétant qu'étrangement cotonneux. Pour la plupart
instrumentales, les compositions de Conscientia Peccati oscillent
entre ambiances médiévales et martiales mais aussi rituelles et
ambient. Le groupe réussit l'exploit de matérialiser ses cauchemars
par le biais de sons magiques et démoniaques du plus bel effet.
Projekt
A release focused around dreams and
their influence on the dreamer, by this German project which offers a
combination between medieval/neoclassical and ritual/ambient that
brings to mind The Soil Bleeds Black or TMLHBAC.
The main theme of the new Conscientia
Peccati release are dreams and their influence on the dreamer. A
number of songs address this topic from different points of view.
While "Golden Spider" describes the longing for something
one only can have in his dreams, "Destroyer" tells about
the driving forces of dreams. Most songs are purely instrumental,
ranging from middle-age influenced tracks to ritualistic and martial
drumming and experimental ambient-like tracks. Dreaming has often
been seen as a semi-magic state. The messages received in reams are
interpreted by many schools of magick and also ethnic believes. While
dreaming man was supposed to be especially vulnerable to seduction by
demons. All this makes dreams a very well suited topic for the new
Conscientia Peccati release.
Legacy
Lange Zeit war es still um Martins
Steinebachs Ritualprojekt geworden. Nun kommen mit einem Schlag zwei
Werke auf zwei Labeln heraus. In der letzten Ausgabe konnten wir uns
über "Quinque Viae" freuen, nun kommt mit "Culpa
Somniorum" das nächste (lang erwartete) Album. Die nunmehr
fünfte Veröffentlichung CONSCIENTIA PECCATIs rührt auch schon aus
den Jahren 1998/1999 her. Ein löbliches Unterfangen des
italienischen Labels Palace of Worms, eines, das sich lohnt.
Ausgehend von der Freudschen Theorie der Traumdeutung als Bestimmung
von latenten und manifesten Inhalten, beschäftigen sich elf Stücke
mit dem kleinen Bruder des Todes und seinen Auswirkungen. Okkulte
bzw. spiritistische Elemente kommen dabei nicht zu kurz, etwa in der
Überlieferung einer im 16. Jahrhundert bei einer Geisterbeschwörung
empfangenen Botschaft in 'Black Moon'. Neben solch
meditativ-rituellen Tracks (dazu zählt auch das über zehnminütige
'Atlach-Nacha') fällt die Masse der vorhandenen
hymnisch-neoklassischen Stücke auf. 'Prima Lux', 'Mare', 'Tanz',
'Certamen' angenehm auf. Während das bekannte großformatige, auf
grauem Papier erstellte Artwork einer an den üblichen
CD-Booklet-Standard angepassten Gestaltung weichen musste, bleibt die
ikonographische Stringenz gewahrt. Auch das kompositorische Vorgehen
bleibt konstant: Einzelne Töne werden aufgenommen und zu eigenen
Rhythmen und Motiven außerhalb ihres ursprünglichen Kontextes
kombiniert.Für Fans sind somit beide Alben, "Culpa Somniorum"
und "Quinque Viae" Pflicht.
(RH) 13 Punkte
Funprox
Conscientia Peccati does not stand for
just music, their releases have a strong conceptual character. "Culpa
Somniorum" is dedicated to dreams and their influence on the
dreamer. The music has a clear ritual, sacred character, with a
dominant role for percussion, organ and chanting. The mosty
instrumental tracks are pretty varied. Some sound very medieval or
neo-classical ('Prima Lux', 'Tanz'), others are more experimental
('Black Moon', 'Traum') or ambient. Darker martial work is also
present, like 'Somnium', reminding me of The Moon Lay Hidden... Some
tracks, like 'Certamen', have the original element of opera-like
voices, which may take some time to get used to. A nice album with a
mysterious ritual atmosphere and an interesting concept, exploring
the magical aspect of dreaming. This German project started in 1994
with a tape release on Art Konkret. Meanwhile, ten years later,
Conscientia Peccati has a new album out on Palace of Worms: "Draco
Rex".
Sorted Magazine
"Defend the Palace", it
probably won't surprise people interested in this kind of music, is
the "sequel" to the Palace of Worms' "Storm the
palace" compilation of a few years ago. It's much the same
story, a variety of mediaeval-inspired sounds from different bands,
this time featuring the Machine in the Garden, Loretta's Doll and
Dream Into Dust as the main attractions. Unto Ashes kick the fourth
act (acts I-III are on "Storm the palace") off in full-on
classical style with 'Funeral march for Queen Mary', followed by
Belborn, who ruin an acoustic vocal piece in German with some
pointless black metal style roaring in the middle. Regard Extrême
put it back on track with the authentic sounding mediaeval
instrumental, while the Blue Horn treat us to a powerful ballad with
stunning vocals. Then there are some strong vocal-based pieces from
Sieben and the Machine in the Garden, before Furvus take us back to a
more traditional mediaeval style. Hexentanz mix a doomy soundscape
effect with mediaeval military music and a witchy spoken word vocal
rather well, which feeds nicely into the Hammer Horror soundtrack
Gothic of Dawn of Reflection's 'Trial of the beast' with the deep
exorcism spoken vocals. 'Jube Domine Benedicere' is O Quam Tristis...
in fine form, a ye olde folk song underlain with a taste of modern
electronica. Loretta's Doll live up to expectations with 'March of
10', a great dark, brooding piece built around marching drums.Gaë
Bolg and the Church of Fand kick off Act V with a quirky piece with
sprightly rhythms, horns and somewhat overblown vocals. Messrs Rush
and Dall do a quick change around to re-emerge as Dream Into Dust for
'The Trial Invisible', which sounds strangely like Radiohead, but in
a good way, as if Thom Yorke had pulled his head out of his ass and
mixed the pop simplicity of their debut with some of the atmospherics
of their later stuff. Still, it's strange to hear it from Dream Into
Dust, but anyway, it's followed by the bright and cheerful bit of
flutes and drumming that is Sir Logla and the Black Nights and then a
return to the gloom with the ultra doomy and atmospheric 'White
Logic' by Chtonic Force, but it's an enjoyable gloom all the same.
The same can not be said for the leaden doomfest that is Sophia's
'Perceval' or the strange, but fairly boring, mix of atmospheric
noises and guitar that is 4th Sign of the Apocalypse's 'He hungers
for the sting of insolent flesh'. Socrates Wounded win the prize for
the longest song title with 'Contradiction for the god, who wants to
know himself... in you', a rather bright piece with a lot of metallic
drumming and some bloke mumbling, a rather pointless ditty really,
but not bad, before Mysterian get all doomy again, but 'The pale
halls of Pluto' is a more mediaeval funereal type of doom and it's
pretty good. Von Thronsahl's 'Shuld + Sühne' is a rather nice piece
of cut and pasting, mixing film samples and bits of classical music
on top of a simple organ melody, it's kind of like the sound of some
strange fairground ride. Summer Ends seem a bit modern with a track
called '1984', but it's a really great piece, that simply mixes the
voice track from a German film with some acoustic guitar and a little
drums… to dramatic effect. And then Pimentola wrap it all up with
the pseudo-classical 'Outro'. This is another fine collection of
mediaeval inspired music from Palace of Worms and well worth adding
to your collection if you've a taste for the old world. Girl the
Bourgeois Individualis.
Judas Kiss
Following on from their previous
compilation 'Storm the Palace of Worms', Italian label Palace of
Worms return with yet another musical epic representing of struggle
for survival and supremacy that washed over Europe in its darkest of
historical periods, The middle ages'. A time of turmoil and
uncertainty, death and disease where part of everyday life, where
persecution by the church was common place and poverty and fear
proved to be the milestone around the necks of the commoners, which
helped the ruling classes keep them in check and underfoot. As a
musical accompaniment to such an uncertain time of death and
struggle, POW's have collated together twenty-two artists that
represent some of the more established elements in today's scene.
From the monumental European neo-folk melodies of Judas Kiss
favourites Belborn that can be found near the beginning of this
collection, you're sucked into the beautifully compelling and
strongly European atmosphere of the album. Most elements from the
current crop of European styles are represented here, from the afore
mentioned neo-folk anthems, to dark ambience and experimental
soundscapes, to pounding martial 'call to arms' to traditional
medieval ditties, the spectrum of genres covered is most impressive
as is the calibre of artists that appear which include Dream into
Dust, Von Thronstahl, Sophia and Sieben to name only a few. As with
their previous compilations POW have managed to produce another
diverse and enjoyable compilation that would fit in nicely to any
collection of today's artists. A very recommended compilation release
that showcases tracks from some fabulous artists.
Ver Sacrum
L'interessante etichetta italiana
Palace of Worms, ci regala, dopo “Storm the Palace” un'altra
bella compilation dedicata al Medioevo e alla sua “età oscura”.
Vengono presentate in un CD ben 22 bands, provenienti da differenti
paesi, che si collocano nell'ambito della musica medievale,
apocalittica, industriale oscura. L'antologia non è affatto
un'accozzaglia di pezzi (come la maggior parte delle compilation!),
ma cerca principalmente di costruire un'atmosfera e un'ambientazione
che riporti al passato, senza per questo sciogliere i legami con il
presente (e con il futuro), perfetta colonna sonora di un film di
fantascienza dai toni neomedievali. Le immagini evocate sono infatti
quelle di un mondo strano ed esoterico, fatto di misteri e di
inquietudine, di cavalieri misteriosi, di guerre tribali, di stragi
sanguinose, di peccati e di pene inquisitorie, ma anche di momenti di
malinconia e dolcezza. Tra i gruppi presentati molti vengono dagli
Stati Uniti, tra cui vanno ricordati i bravi Unto Ashes, con un
arrangiamento tratto da Henry Purcell, i The Machine in the Garden,
con il bel brano “Far from home” e i Loretta's Doll. Tra gli
europei si segnalano l'ottimo Sieben, i francesi “O Quam
Tristis....”, decisamente uno dei gruppi nuovi più notevoli del
momento, gli oscuri Sophia (ovvero l'altro lato degli Arcana) e
l'italiano Furvus, con l'affascinante brano “Te Deum Oro”. Ma
molti sono anche i gruppi davvero poco conosciuti, che si rivelano
piuttosto interessanti, come gli Hexentanz, i Dawn of Reflection, i
Dream into Dust, e molti altri ancora. Una compilation dunque
sicuramente da ascoltare e consigliata a tutti gli amanti delle
sonorità oscure (Mircalla)
Ortus Obscurum
A very varied compilation featuring
neo-classical tracks, Neo-Pagan tracks as well as a couple of tracks
of more or less unidentifiable nature.The material on this CD ranges
from very vocal-oriented material like The Blue Hour or Furvus to
instrumental music like Pimentola or Sir Logla and the Black Knights.
I think I can hear a lot of contrast between the computer made tracks
and the more acoustic ones. The deep orchestration of Sophia for
example makes a far better impression than Mysterian's more computer
sounding music.Several of the tracks on this CD are supposedly unique
ones though I'm not entirely sure about this. The above mentioned
Sophia track for example is marketed as unique, yet it is really
nothing else than the first part of The Seduction of Madness MCD. Why
it has come to be like this remains a mystery to me but along with
Pimentola, Von Thronstahl, Regard Extreme and The Blue Hour's
contributions, Sophia belongs to the high-lights of this CD
It is a price-worthy compilation you
get here when it comes to the length of the CD, every compilation
should be 78 minutes long! The quality of the material on this CD
varies very much but in general I think that there's enough minutes
of good music within these almost 80 minutes to make it a decent
compilation. Still, I doubt that there are many who will enjoy every
single track on this CD. Its nature is quite diverse and in some
cases, it feels like the only real common denominator between many ofthe bands is that they have ended up on
the same compilation CD. Wether or not this is good is up to the
listener to decide, if you are open-minded you might wanna check this
out but if you prefer to stick to just one genre you run the risk of
getting disappointed about this CD. Ectonaut
Rock Hard Italy
Finalmente una raccolta degna di nota,
contenente ben 22 brani (per altrettanti artisti) opportunamente
selezionati dalla nostrana PoW. La cosa interessante è che questo
sampler contiene solo inediti composti e registrati per l'occasione,
e per una volta tanto anche le scelte stilistiche non fanno a pugni
l'una con l'altra, a differenza di certe accozzaglie male assemblate
ascoltate di recente. La ricercatezza delle proposte (di cui solo
alcune accasate presso la PoW) è il filo conduttore: suoni acustici,
spesso e volentieri eterei, talvolta più puramente ambient, altre
volte vicini al folk apocalittico, in un viaggio a ritroso attraverso
secoli passati… Salvo un paio di brani e certe cose eccessivamente
corte, in pratica tutte le band partecipanti non deludono, e tra gli
highlights della raccolta vanno senza dubbio menzionati The Blue Hour
(la loro ballata folk è davvero sentita…), Sieben, The Machine In
The Garden (con una song acustica intensa e drammatica), Furvus
(autentico splendore sacro), Dawn Of Reflection (con un pezzo davvero
scuro), i validi “O Quam Tristis…” (il loro mix
etereo-elettronico affascina…), Dream Into Dust (la loro “The
Trial Invisibile” è davvero malinconica…) ed i Sophia di Mr.
Pettersson (con l'inquietante e nerissima “Perceval”). Tutto
materiale di buon livello, dunque, e come avrete notato non mancano
nomi piuttosto quotati, oltre ovviamente ai gruppi del roster PoW
(inspiegabile, però, l'assenza dei Luna In Cælo): una raccolta
adattissima per chi vuole scoprire sonorità particolari e ricercate,
ma interessante anche per i più forniti cultori del genere. Roberto
Filippozzi
Sekuencias de culto
The Palace Of Worms label has released
a couple of interesting compilations in the past, and this new
"chapter" follows the trace of the previous ones in terms
of quality bands and mostly unreleased tracks. Particularly this is
some kind of continued story after the release of "Storm The
Palace" three years ago, where contributed some very interesting
and recognised acts such as Rosa Crvx, Ataraxia, The Protagonist,
Nothvs Filivs Mortis, Halalaz' Runedance, Ontario Blue, etc. This new
disc is focussed again in the dark and middle ages and on many of its
ever intriguing topics such as holy war, plagues, religion, and so
on. I mean, the story facts are many, and the inspiration for these
bands contributing, accordingly, varied.The CD is split in two parts,
each one containing eleven bands. "Act IV: The Unexpected
Arrival" begins the story with a short instrumental intro by
Unto Ashes, an appropriated composition with keyboarded-medieval
melodies and introductory drums. Next are the Germans Belborn with
"Flammentod", a band I have never liked due to its
sometimes simplicity and mainly to its lack of originality, a some
kind of pop dark folk with lyrics sung in their language. Much better
is the following, and one of the highlights of the compilation, they
are Regard Extrême and "Amour Te Volerai", here we see a
huge difference between a more artificial sound of the first track
and a great composition with its nice medieval touch with troubadour
reminiscences; enter the whole reign of this excellent track. We
change of style and found a nice band, The Blue Hour, deep sincere
male voice simply accompanied with acoustic guitar, bass and slight
backing ambient, I would say a some kind "neofolk" piece
but with a proper orientation that I hope to hear again in form of a
full album, very interesting anyway, the track is under the name of
"The Night Is Windless". Sieben gives a piece named "Beckon
His Slaughter" that is no other thing than a new version of the
title "Barley" included in their first album, a track which
was sung by Sally Doherty and Jane Howden. In this new one we can
hear a renewed version more adapted to the current style of the band
and with the main voice of the now only member, Matt Howden, added by
Jane's backing vocals. A very nice new approach. "Far From Home"
by The Machine In The Garden" is an acoustic ballad with soft
but passionate female vocals inclined to a dark wave style,
interesting at least. I had listened an album by the Italian project
Furvus, and was not very attracted of the general result, however,
"The Deum Moro" is much more convincing, a medieval
composition with Latin preaching voice and chants, some kind of
sacred piece with clavichord sound, organs and some orchestrated
parts. In a similar way, and quite oriented to the general atmosphere
of the compilation, we have the next band, Hexentanz (a project of
Psychonaut and of The Soil Bleeds Black members), with the track
"Asmodeus" Rise"; after an introductory and mysterious
atmosphere it turns out to be a very lively composition with strong
real drums and flute joined by a peculiar reciting female voice.
Another unknown band for me is, like the previous one, Dawn Of
Reflection. Their track, "Trial Of The Beast", shows a more
tragic and darker side of the compilation with an unclassifiable
composition containing a severe recitation and some apocalyptic
result aided by original percussion accompaniment, the piece keep
growing in its incisive enchantment till the very end. "O Quam
Tristis" is a French band that have already released two albums
through Palace Of Worms. Their style is based in a modern version of
old medieval tunes, joining electronica and real instruments like
flute, acoustic guitar and voices, like in this case, "Jube
Domine Benedicere", which is a clear example of their music
inclinations. The closing track of this act is "March Of 10"
by Loretta's Doll, as usual the composer is varied and prolific and
this is a piece with rolling drums adding his deep voice to a
creation that joins experimentation and less rare accompaniment like
piano and other melodies. Another piece of very own personality.We
approach the second part, the "Act V: The Palace's Revenge"
with Gaë Bolg and The Church of Fand" opening. Eric's Roger
band enter this new act with "La Marche de L'Ankou",
obviously a marching song with the usual vocals and trumpet being the
main protagonists, as well as a style dominated by a strange form of
conceiving the dark ages. I think Dream Into Dust is yet to have the
recognition it deserves as a very particular and interesting act as
it is. Derek Rush's project is for me one of the few that can
combined several styles by keeping its own originality and without
falling in an impossible and unbearable mix of each. This ballad here
presented have the name of "The Trial Invisible", aside his
latest contributions to compilations more inclined to some kind of
dark ambient, this song offers acoustic guitar and some
characteristic non acoustic construction to form an original way of
composing. His soft voice is very convincing and adapt the original
composition that at first sight may look as a more simple dark wave
(?) style. I await for the follow up to his great album "The
World We Have Lost". Another totally unknown act for me is Sir
Logia and The Black Knights with the track "Trotto", a
short piece with programmed percussion and sounds in close style to
the general concept. Chthonic Force's "White Logic"
follows, a more convincing instrumentation with real drums backing
the storytelling voice of a man and the menacing female repetitive
phrase, a piece that can be one of the best examples of this new
Palace. Another side of the concept is reflected by Sophia and
"Perceval", a monumental track, very close to what Peter
Pettersson is developing in his late recordings, being this a piece
with dark orchestrated melodies and marching percussion. I can judge
the music of the next act, 4th Sign of the Apocalypse, only be
several tracks on compilations. This is one of the projects of Bryin
Dall from Loretta's Doll (others are Athanor and A Murder Of Angels,
this last one together with Derek Rush Of Dream Into Dust) and, as in
other compositions, he offers through this moniker a very rare and
personal way of experimenting with sounds to get a continued
abstraction of a dark nature. Socrates Wounded is a young band that I
have find also on compilations, the track here included is quite
short an hardly we can give a real opinion of the project: a dark
folk piece with reciting voice. Mysterian is a new band for me,
including "The Pale Halls Of Pluto", a piece with a
sonority that brings reminiscences of certain mediaeval tunes, not
surprising I would say. The Germans Von Thronstahl in "Shuld +
Sühne" show the ever oppressing and inquisitorial side of the
church with lots of sampled voices and its more melodic but usual
style, maybe more apocalyptic and less pompous than in other
occasions. The instrumental "1984" is presented by Summer
Ends, this is a very typical dark folk guitar conformed with the
style of some important bands of the genre, accompanied by sampled
voices and sporadic percussion. The album closes with an outro by
Pimentola, a nice neoclassical end for a CD that, as all
compilations, have its highs and its lows. Recommendable to all those
interested in the styles presented since you will find mostly
unreleased tracks.F. Paco González.
Dagaz
The label Palace of Worms that has been
accustoming us to excellent compilations, surprises us once again
with "Defend The Palace". With a substantial different
concept from his previous ones, this edition is divided in two parts
with a total of 22 tracks. The sonorities are basically acoustic,
some dark-folk, others more neo-classic or even dark-ambient. With so
many projects involved, is natural that some please more than others,
but at the end it's a pleasant edition and rather rewarding. Once
again, the Gaë Bolg theme is brilliant - very epic and full of
overpowering percussions.
Elegy
Après avoir attaqué le Palais (Storm
the Palace) il va falloir le défendre, ce que nous propose le label
Palace of Worms dans cette double compilation Defend the Palace. Et
pour cela, nous avons à nos côtés quelques alliés de poids et de
choc puisqu'il s'agit de quelques -uns des meilleurs groupes de
dark-folk, de néoclassique ou de musique rituelle qui soient. A
titre d'exemple : Unto Ashes, Regard Extrême, Sieben, Hexentanz, Gae
Bolg, Sophia, Von Thronstahl. Pas mal, non? Bien sûr, tous les
morceaux ne se valent pas, ainsi l'affreux mais heureusement court
"Trotto" de Sir Logla and the Black Knights, mais certains
méritent à eux-seuls l'achat de ce CD comme le "White Logic"
de Chthonic Force, le "Beckon his Slaughter" de Sieben ou
encore le "Trial of the Beast" de Dawn of Reflection. Bref,
que du bon et du solide dans cette compilation élaborée avec soin
et goût, à l'instar du tribute à Sol Invictus... décidément
l'alchimie musicale devient un art raf finé. Barberousse
Funprox
A few years ago the Italian label
Palace of Worms released the compilation "Storm the palace',
with 18 bands paying homage to medieval times. Quite a decent
compilation, though not with many tracks that are still memorable.
Now there is a sequel, "Defend the palace". Agaian this
compilation brings together some of the finest names in the
neofolk/classical/medieval scene. No less that 22 acts are present,
most of them with unreleased material.
"Storm the palace" was
divided into three segments, this new compilation continues the story
with two parts: 'Act IV: The unexpected arrival' and 'Act V: The
palace's revenge'. The medieval theme makes sure that there is a nice
atmopshere throughout this album. Again it has become a solid
sampler, with some interesting tracks, and a few promising acts that
were new to me. The songs I like most from 'Act IV' are by Unto
Ashes, Belborn, Sieben, Hexentanz, Dawn of Reflection and O Quam
Tristis. Gae Bolg, Sophia, Mysterian, Von Thronstahl, Summer Ends and
Pimentola are some of my favourite tracks of 'Act V'.
Sorted Magazine
Every now and again, a CD blasts your
preconceptions about itself. O Quam Tristis, with a name like that as
well as being on the Palace of Worms label, was obviously going to be
another mediaeval style release, which it is. But the moment the
electronic beats kick in on the first track, it's obviously something
different as well. This band performs authentic, but accessible,
mediaeval style music, with a mix of soft male and female vocals, but
they've added electronic beats and it sounds great. They vary how
much of each style they put into each track, 'Separari permitas' is
straightforward plainsong, while 'Venerabiles manus suas' has a
dancey beat and electro bleeps galore, but most of the album
maintains a balance between the two and break from the monotony that
ruins too many releases of this type. Granted, classical music buffs
would balk at this, but their clever and tasty updating of ancient
musical styles should appeal to fans of ethereal music and some of it
might also find admirers among dance fans who like Delerium and the
like. The EBM rhythms of 'Gratias agimus tibi' even manage to work
the lyrics, which are repeated over and over, into your head until,
if you're not careful, you could find yourself singing along to a
section of the Latin Mass! All in all, this is a very nice mix of
styles, which will have your feet tapping to the rhythm while the
ethereal vocals float around your head. Girl the Bourgeois
Individualis
Ink 19
If you've ever wondered what the Latin
mass would sound like if a darkwave group performed it instead of a
priest, "O Quam Tristis..."'s gorgeous new album, Le Rituel
Sacré, is your answer. Heavenly female siren songs and soothing,
monk-like male voices combine with synths, electronic and acoustic
percussion, bass and acoustic guitars, flutes, bagpipes, chimes, and
much more to evoke the mystery and magic that underlie the familiar
Catholic liturgies. All the vocals are in Latin, taken from the Mass
and other sacred texts, and deal with such topics as the glory of God
and the resurrection of Christ (the band's name, also in Latin, means
something like "O such sorrow..."). But you don't have to
be a believer in Christ to become a believer in "O Quam
Tristis..." -- one time through this album is all it will take
for that.As you might expect with all the vocals in Latin and the use
of some period instruments, much of Sacré has a shadowy, medieval
feel, which fans of groups like Arcanta, Love is Colder Than Death,
or The Soil Bleeds Black should enjoy. But that's only part of what
makes this album so incredibly unique and original (the closest
comparison I can really make, in spirit at least, is to another
little-known French band, Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus, and
even that is a stretch). Who would have thought to set Latin
liturgical texts, normally chanted by monks and intoned by priests in
musty cathedrals, to twenty-first century dance beats? Who would have
thought the results would be so deeply moving, both on the physical
and spiritual levels? Every song on this album is hypnotic,
addictive, building from a single voice and simple beat to a
throbbing, trance-inducing, spiraling crescendo of visions of the
light within deep darkness and sounds of the spirit in ecstasy. And
the musicianship is exquisite, especially the singing, which was one
of the highlights of this all-around outstanding album for me.
Judas Kiss
An entire album in ecclesiastical
Latin?! If only this were still the Middle Ages, O Quam Tristis would
be guaranteed a Europe-wide audience. I was tempted to write my
review in Latin too, but then I realised I don't knowany, so I
couldn't. D'oh! This is the second album from the French quintet O
Quam Tristis, following their 2000 debut, Funérailles des Petits
Enfants. (O Quam Tristis, by the way, means 'Oh, how sad' or 'Oh,
what a shame', I think.) Le Rituel Sacré opens with a barrage of
gongs and synth before the female and male vocals kick in. There are
two female vocalists, Anna Virsky and Katrina Koslowska, and their
angelic harmonies provide a pleasing top note over the deep
foundation of male monastic chanting. The tracks that stood out for
me were 'Suscipe Sancte Pater', which has a distinctly Middle Eastern
feel to it and complex vocal layering, and 'Venerabiles manus
suas',which is highly dancable and would go down well at the right
kind of club night. A lot of this album sounds like Kraftwerk or
Front 242 with Gregorian chant over the top of it. All the lyrics are
taken from the Catholic mass or from various Latin liturgical texts'.
It's a pleasant and not unduly challenging listen, and should appeal
if you like Dead Can Dance, The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud,
Ataraxia or The Medieval Baebes. The drum machines and electronic
keyboards prevent it sounding like 'authentic' medieval revival
music, and will deter purists, although acoustic instruments are also
used, including assorted drums, flutes, a dulcimer and bagpipes. I'd
like this album more, though, if I could shake off the nagging
suspicion that Cliff Richard and the Pope might quite enjoy it too!
Stultorum quanto status sublimior, tanto manifestior turpitudo.
Funprox
A few years ago the Italian label
Palace of Worms released the compilation "Storm the palace',
with 18 bands paying homage to medieval times. Quite a decent
compilation, though not with many tracks that are still memorable.
Now there is a sequel, "Defend the palace". Agaian this
compilation brings together some of the finest names in the
neofolk/classical/medieval scene. No less that 22 acts are present,
most of them with unreleased material."Storm the palace"
was divided into three segments, this new compilation continues the
story with two parts: 'Act IV: The unexpected arrival' and 'Act V:
The palace's revenge'. The medieval theme makes sure that there is a
nice atmopshere throughout this album. Again it has become a solid
sampler, with some interesting tracks, and a few promising acts that
were new to me. The songs I like most from 'Act IV' are by Unto
Ashes, Belborn, Sieben, Hexentanz, Dawn of Reflection and O Quam
Tristis. Gae Bolg, Sophia, Mysterian, Von Thronstahl, Summer Ends and
Pimentola are some of my favourite tracks of 'Act V'.
Sonido Obscuro
"O Quam Tristis..." es un
grupo francés formado por Emric Lenote, Katrina Koslowska, Anna
Virsky, Hugues Dammarie y Tomek Ashkenazy Isaac , procedentes de
distintos grupos de música dark , gótica , folk e incluso clásica
. El nombre del quinteto procede de una pieza barroca de Antonio
Vivaldi , "Stabat Mater" . La elección del nombre refleja
la esencia de este grupo, fascinado por la música medieval ,
renacentista y barroca , y que elige el latín como lenguaje en
homenaje a la música que admira. "Le Rituel Sacré" es el
título de su segundo disco . Contiene trece temas sacados de la
Santa Misa . Así leído puede parecer un disco tedioso, pero el
resultado es sobresaliente , tanto por la calidad como por la
originalidad de su sonido. "O Quam Tristis..." consigue que
un texto tan antiguo y solemne como éste suene moderno Para ello,
mezcla virtuosamente instrumentos medievales, clásicos y
electrónicos con las voces angelicales de Katrina y Anna .
Encontramos canciones que, en principio, suenan de un modo más
tradicional, pero cuyo ritmo vivo las hace muy actuales, como es el
caso de "Offerimus tibi" o "Separari permitas"
.También pueden escucharse temas con sonido más inmediatamente
moderno , por ejemplo "Per Christum" o "Credo" ,
e incluso canciones con cierto eco oriental , como "Perceptio
Corporis Tui" o "Apostolis Tuis" . La elección de la
lengua latina es un acierto, ya que aporta sensualidad y misterio a
este excelente trabajo. ?Enhorabuena! Comentado por: Anastasia Cuervo
@ Sonidobscuro.com
Ver Sacrum
Il gruppo francese "O quam
tristis…" ci regala con questo suo secondo album un lavoro
davvero di notevole qualitr, sicuramente uno dei migliori realizzati
quest'anno nell'ambito della musica medieval/ethereal. Le Ritual
Sacré c un viaggio nel mondo liturgico, con liriche riprese dalla
"Messa Sacra" e da altri testi anonimi in latino, il tutto
rivisto e corretto in chiave contemporanea. Non si tratta pern di
rifacimenti di antiche musiche medievali, ma di brani che rifacendosi
a quelle atmosfere riescono, anche attraverso un uso davvero abile e
mai invadente degli strumenti elettronici, a creare qualcosa di
originale e coinvolgente. Quelle di Le Ritual Sacré sono sonoritr
oscure, intense e complesse, spesso costruite sulla stratificazione
di piu voci, sul contrasto tra quelle maschili e quelle femminili e
sulla ripetizione ritmica dei testi, che danno ai brani un aspetto
cantilenante e ritualistico, tipico delle melodie ecclesiastiche
("Domini Nostri Jesu Christi", "Simili modo",
"Per Christum", "Placeat tibi"). Ci sono pern
anche pezzi di maggior potenza, addirittura quasi ballabili, dove le
sonoritr elettroniche sono in primo piano, come "Gratias agimus
tibi", davvero intenso ed emozionante e lo splendido
"Venerabilis manus suas", altri dalle tonalitr quasi
orientaleggianti ("Suscipe Sancte Pater"), altri ancora
dominati dalle percussioni ("Perceptio Corporis Tui") o
dalla voce femminile eterea ed ammaliatrice ("Et incarnatus
est"). Insomma si tratta di un lavoro che riesce ad amalgamare e
condensare in modo estremamente efficace tante ispirazioni diverse in
un unicum di rara bellezza ed armonia
StillBorn
Fantastico.. qualcosa di impalpabile,
qualcosa di inafferrabile, ma estremamente dolce e piacevole.. questa
c la musica.. c la musica dei francesi O Quam Tritis.. un incrocio
tra l'inquietudine malinconica e piacevolmente triste del dark/goth
unita alla tradizione dei canti sacri medievali.. e tutto questo si
fonde grazie anche all'incontro tra strumenti moderni e strumenti
medievali. Ora non so quanti di questi canti in realtr fossero
accompagnati da strumenti all'epoca.. ma l'uso che ne fanno gli OQT c
veramente bellissimo.. a volte vi sono dei momenti in cui le parti
musicali moderne tendono un pn troppo alla musica electrodarkettona
quasi ballabile ma questo non ci distoglie dal piacere che si ha ad
ascoltare questi canti sacri esclusivamente in latino e arrangiati in
modo tale da poter essere ascoltati da tutti coloro che non
sopportano quei canti privi di qualche strumento (per es. qualche
strumento a percussione) che dia un ritmo a quegli incroci di voci
usate magnificamente per lodare un qualche dio cristiano. Sicuramente
il tutto c suonato e cantato divinamente.. ho notato anche un ottimo
basso alla voce, ma non sono sicuro se ci sia effettivamente un voce
al basso o se c stato qualche effetto sulle altre voci per
sovrapporre poi il basso. Le suadenti voci femminili si incrociano
perfettamente tra loro creando effetti piacevolissimi e a volte
sembrano quasi riferirsi a certi canti rinascimentali, ma comunque c
tutto soprattutto cantato secondo canoni medievali e anche
gregoriani.
Un disco per tutti. E non fatevi
intimidire dalle parole come "musica sacra" o "medioevo"..
questa c musica, musica da ascoltare.. e le parti piu elettroniche,
usate con parsimonia, non sminuiscono il risultato finale, ma anzi lo
rendono migliore e piu piacevole. Insomma fate vostro questo
fantastico disco!!!
Sensorium
La prerogativa primaria del collettivo
transalpino O Quam Tristis (gir alla loro seconda uscita, ricordiamo
l'ottimo platter d'esordio "Funerailles Des Petits Enfants")
sta tutta nella loro innata abilitr nel fondere in un unicum
praticamente inscindibile antico e moderno, sacro e profano.Non si
spiega altrimenti questa preziosa sintesi di tessiture electro e
salmodiare medievaleggiante, come se l'immaginario mistico di Dead
Can Dance ed Ataraxia fosse di colpo proiettato in una dimensione
tecnologica contemporanea, situata giusto in bilico tra il
minimalismo di Detroit e le ossessioni trance di casa Warp. La
risultanza (e vale la pena di citare i precursori Qntal) brilla
fascinosa nell'equilibrio del dosaggio, sapientemente misurato nonché
ineccepibile nel merito della scrittura: brani piuttosto lunghi,
godibilissimi, dove il cantato in latino si adagia su un retrogusto
gregoriano virato in prospettiva digitale, ideale viatico per una
prolungata estasi emotiva.Nell'ideale contrasto tra ombrose
tentazioni esoteriche e luminosi slanci paradisiaci, nell'ibridazione
di sobria strumentazione acustica e rigorose partiture sintetiche,
vige lo zenith di un'opera cangiante, fresca e contagiosa: "Offerimus
Tibi", "Simili Modo" e "Suspice Sancte Pater",
trascendenti gemme soniche tra le altre, sono qui a testimoniarlo.Un
disco davvero splendido, uno dei migliori dell'annata in corso: una
conferma notevolissima. Michele Dicuonzo
Nephilius
I have listened to this record for a
whole month, and I really like it.The thing about it is the blend of
polyphonic male and female voicessung in latin, and the chilling
electronic sound of synthezisers empoweredwith guitar, bass,
drum-machine and various percussion, tastefully arranged.My thoughts
wander to the likes of Dead Can Dance. What strikes me is "Whyhaven't
anybody thought of it before?". The record has a strong gothic
feel, whilethe lyrics, taken from medieval books of lithurgy, adds to
its sense of seriousessand mystique. O Quam Tristis, whose name is
taken from the psalm "Stabat Mater", has found a unique
angle on making baroque ethereal synth music. They capture your
attention and hold it throughout the record. Highly recommended to
listen to on a late evening with a glass of red wine. (PMK)
Glasnost
Ätherisch schwebender Mittelalter Wave
in höchster Vollendung. Nahtlos anknüpfend an ihr erstes Album
zelebriert das Ensemble ein heiliges Ritual, ohne sich dabei als
Propagandisten für irgendwelche religiösen Kulte zu verstehen. Es
geht einzig und allein um die klangliche Ästhetik und die Schönheit
der Musik, sowie um die universelle Mystik, die sich darin verbirgt.
Die gelehrten Schöpfer sakraler Musik vergangener Jahrhunderte haben
sich einiges dabei gedacht und keine schnöden Popsongs geschrieben,
sondern Klangformen von tiefenpsychologischer Wirkung geschaffen. Mit
der gebotenen Ernsthaftigkeit und Respekt transzendierten diese
erhabenen Ideen in den Kompositionen von O QUAM TRISTES ins Zeitalter
elektronischer Musik. So werden Flöten und Engelsgesänge von
feinsten elektronischen Rhythmen gewogen und auf atmosphärischen
Flächen getragen. Die Arrangements sind dynamisch, besitzen
Einklang, Steigerungsphasen, Finale. Es zeigt sich, wie
stimmungsvolle Musik mit Ambient Charakter sehr wohl in einem dem
Cold Wave entlehnten Rhythmuskonzept funktioniert, welches
gelegentlich an KIRLIAN CAMERA erinnert, und daß es keineswegs
zwingend ist, sich dem dümmlichen Trip-Hop Geknatter anzubiedern,
wie es in diesen Zeiten leider viele Bands des Genres tun. Die
lateinischen Texte entstammen alten christlichen Liturgien. Aber den
Schmarren wird wohl keiner mehr glauben. Die Exotik der Worte und die
Märchenhaftigkeit der verblendeten Götterbeschwörungen sind hier
das Faszinierende und das Schöne. Ein sinnlicher Rausch. *379102*
LD 50
Az O Quam Tristis elôzô lemezét az
Ataraxia hoz, a Dead Can Dance hez, a Rosa Crux hoz hasonlítottam, a
mostani, Le Rituel Sacré c. anyaggal kapcsolatban már nehezen
tudnék erôs hasonlatokkal élni. A latin nyelvu, érezhetôen nagy
szeretettel felénekelt témák számomra roppantul érdekesen
ágyazódnak a zenébe, amelyben a ritmikát adó, lassú és
könyörtelen, de közben nem hangsúlyos basszdob ill.
basszusfutamok adnak alapot, a dobgépet csak az erôsen effektezett
szintetizátorok enyhítik.Nagyon visszafojtott , titokzatos,
rejtôzködô lett az egész lemez, boldogak, bár felszabadítóak a
számok, mindegyik mögött árnyék lapul. Szent rítusokról beszél
a lemez, talán pont úgy, ahogy Buddha beszél a kérdésekrôl:
mindegyik kérdést kitépve a talajból, új kérdéseket találunk
a gyökereiken. Bele sem merek gondolni, hogy milyen erôvel fog
hatni az O Quam Tristis harmadik anyaga, akárhányszor hallgatom meg
a Le Rituel Sacré t, bele fog telni egy idôbe, amíg közös
nevezôre jutok vele.Kihívás, kemény dió, ez is ízt ad neki, nem
is akármilyet.I compared the previous album of O Quam Tristis to
Ataraxia , Dead Can Dance and Rosa Crux and I would be stuck very
much with such similes concerning their newest material, Le Rituel
Sacré . The Latin religious vocal themes which had been sung with
great respect and love fit quite peculiarly into the music in which
the firmament is given with a slow, relentless but not emphasized
bassdrum and basslines; only the heavily effectized synth pads give
the music some sort of an easing up.The whole album is very repressed
, secretive, hiding in waiting, however happy and free the songs are,
they all have something looming in their background. They speak of
sacred rites, perhaps just the way Buddha speaks of questions:
whenever you dig out a question out of the ground, you will encounter
new questions grabbing its root. I do not even dare to think how
strong the third album of O Quam Tristis will be, however much I'm
listening to Le Rituel Sacré , it will take a lot of time for me to
get a common axis with it.This is a challange, a very hard nut, this
gives it a real flavour, a special one.
Le Fantastique net
Ce jeune groupe français (formé en
1999) s'est, dcs son premier album Funérailles des Petits Enfants,
donné pour projet d'adapter des textes sacrés (Grégoriens, entre
autres) au csur de musiques plus contemporaines (électroniques) ou
folkloriques (y compris orientales ou africaines). Entre sacré et
profane, O Quam Tristis s'acquitte de cette tâche avec talent
(souvent) mais aussi maladresse lorsque qu'une rythmique trop typée
"groovebox" vient jusqu'r gâcher le final d'une des
compositions les plus intéressantes de l'album ("Vénérabiles
Manus Suas"). Si la manipulation de textes sacrés se fait ici
avec respect, l'intégration forcée de l'électronique aux
instruments acoustiques (dulcimer, flute r bec…) nécessite
également de traiter la modernité avec de memes égards au risque
de dénaturer le propos et d'empecher la greffe de finalement
prendre. Loin d'etre un échec, Le Rituel Sacré est pourtant un
excellent album, r part et qui mérite son succcs, tout en nous
laissant dans l'attente d'un troisicme opus que l'on espcre d'ores et
déjr un hybride parfait...
Rock Hard Italy
Giunti alla seconda prova, sempre sotto
l’egida della nostrana PoW, i francesi OQT non deludono le
aspettative, rilasciando un lavoro di indiscutibile interesse e
spessore artistico. Come in un inatteso quanto gradito incontro tra
Dead Can Dance, Ataraxia e (soprattutto) Qntal, il quintetto
transalpino plasma sonoritr che si perdono nei secoli andati,
incastonandole all’interno di sottili ed efficaci trame
elettroniche, con la drum-machine chiamata a velare di modernitr (si
fa per dire, intendiamoci!) canzoni senza tempo, eteree, affascinanti
e seducenti. Una splendida voce femminile (fragile quanto ammaliante)
ed una ispirata voce maschile creano uno splendido intreccio tra
heavenly voices e canti gregoriani, e l’utilizzo del latino per
tutti i testi contribuisce a rendere ancor piu affascinante la
fusione tra musica e parole. Gli OQT sanno incantare, e non hanno
bisogno di chissr quali trucchi o diavolerie: tutte le 13 canzoni che
compongono il lavoro meriterebbero una doverosa menzione, e la forza
della band sta proprio nel realizzare dischi senza cadute di tono,
coinvolgenti ed affascinanti dall’inizio alla fine. Assieme ai
grandi Speaking Silence, una delle piu belle realtr della scena
francese. Roberto Filippozzi
FluxEuropa
A French group playing folk-rock in
Latin with ambient washes? This just had to be fun, and for
discovering this and some other neo-mediaeval artists I'm indebted to
The Soil Bleeds Black for their page of weblinks to kindred projects.
But although O Quam Tristis can legitimately be described as folk
rock or electro-mediaeval, the modern dance beats render it closer to
gothic/ethereal/darkwave than Fairport Convention.O Quam Tristis
takes its name from a quotation (“Oh, how sad…”) from the
mediaeval Latin hymn 'Stabat Mater', a poem about the Virgin Mary and
her profound sorrow at witnessing the death of her son. The group
comprises Tomek Ashkenazy Isaac, Hugues Dammarie (who also sings in
Bleeding Like Mine), Katrina Koslowska, Emeric Lenotz and Anna
Virsky.The lyrics are Latin chants taken from The Holy Mass and
various anonymous liturgical texts. Organic and electronic
instruments accompany but never drown the core vocal element. This
ensures coherence, indeed purity of concept, whilst balancing this
with attention-holding variation.'Gratias Agimus Tibi' typifies the
approach with a daring but highly successful combination of vocals,
gurgly electronics, modern percussion, typical synth sounds and the
sound of pipes and hurdy-gurdy or some electronic approximation.OQT
can at times sound like Dead Can Dance or Enigma, but Carl Orff is
just as likely to have been an inspiration. Le Rituel Sacré follows
OQT's debut album, Funérailles des Petits Enfants. Highly original
and great fun. RIK – 6 March 2003
The Palace Of Worms label has released
a couple of interesting compilations in the past, and this new
"chapter" follows the trace of the previous ones in terms
of quality bands and mostly unreleased tracks. Particularly this is
some kind of continued story after the release of "Storm The
Palace" three years ago, where contributed some very interesting
and recognised acts such as Rosa Crvx, Ataraxia, The Protagonist,
Nothvs Filivs Mortis, Halalaz' Runedance, Ontario Blue, etc. This new
disc is focussed again in the dark and middle ages and on many of its
ever intriguing topics such as holy war, plagues, religion, and so
on. I mean, the story facts are many, and the inspiration for these
bands contributing, accordingly, varied.
The CD is split in two parts, each one
containing eleven bands. "Act IV: The Unexpected Arrival"
begins the story with a short instrumental intro by Unto Ashes, an
appropriated composition with keyboarded-medieval melodies and
introductory drums. Next are the Germans Belborn with "Flammentod",
a band I have never liked due to its sometimes simplicity and mainly
to its lack of originality, a some kind of pop dark folk with lyrics
sung in their language. Much better is the following, and one of the
highlights of the compilation, they are Regard Extreme and "Amour
Te Volerai", here we see a huge difference between a more
artificial sound of the first track and a great composition with its
nice medieval touch with troubadour reminiscences; enter the whole
reign of this excellent track. We change of style and found a nice
band, The Blue Hour, deep sincere male voice simply accompanied with
acoustic guitar, bass and slight backing ambient, I would say a some
kind "neofolk" piece but with a proper orientation that I
hope to hear again in form of a full album, very interesting anyway,
the track is under the name of "The Night Is Windless".
Sieben gives a piece named "Beckon His Slaughter" that is
no other thing than a new version of the title "Barley"
included in their first album, a track which was sung by Sally
Doherty and Jane Howden. In this new one we can hear a renewed
version more adapted to the current style of the band and with the
main voice of the now only member, Matt Howden, added by Jane's
backing vocals. A very nice new approach. "Far From Home"
by The Machine In The Garden" is an acoustic ballad with soft
but passionate female vocals inclined to a dark wave style,
interesting at least. I had listened an album by the Italian project
Furvus, and was not very attracted of the general result, however,
"The Deum Moro" is much more convincing, a medieval
composition with Latin preaching voice and chants, some kind of
sacred piece with clavichord sound, organs and some orchestrated
parts. In a similar way, and quite oriented to the general atmosphere
of the compilation, we have the next band, Hexentanz (a project of
Psychonaut and of The Soil Bleeds Black members), with the track
"Asmodeus" Rise"; after an introductory and mysterious
atmosphere it turns out to be a very lively composition with strong
real drums and flute joined by a peculiar reciting female voice.
Apostazja
Z zaciekawieniem siegnelam po druga
plyte francuskich bardów - w jaki jeszcze sposób mozna eksplorowac
lacine i laczyc ja z elektronicznymi dzwiekami? O Quam Tristis nie
zawiodlo - mozna to robic rzeczywiscie swietnie. Material na Le
Rituel Sacré wydaje sie bardziej rozbudowany, dojrzalszy muzycznie,
choc sposób interpretacji utworów nie odbiega od wczesniejszych
osiagniec zespolu. Obawialam sie, iz muzycy powtórza rytmy i
elektroniczne dzwieki zaprezentowane na Funérailles des Petits
Enfants, co mogloby troche znudzic, oni jednak dolozyli do bitów
lekkie melodie, które tworzy nie tylko naturalna melodyka laciny i
linii wokalnych, ale takze pojawiajace sie bogatsze instrumentarium -
gdzies w oddali slychac flet, dzwonki... Le Rituel Sacré to
wspaniale polaczenie modlitw sredniowiecznych mnichów z
mozliwosciami wspólczesnych instrumentów elektronicznych i kobieco
- meskimi wokalami, bedacymi bez watpienia mocna strona O Quam
Tristis. Pozycja obowiazkowa dla milosników sredniowiecznych
klimatów, a fani elektro tez beda mogli sie troche pobujac...
/Izolda/
Neo-Form
Bei "Funérailles Des Petits
Enfants" handelt es sich um das Debut der französischen
Formation O Quam Tristis, das 2000 bei dem italienischen Label Palace
Of Worms erschienen ist. Der Bandname, der aus dem Lateinischen
übersetzt soviel wie "Welch Schmerz" oder "O wie
traurig" bedeutet, mag dem Stabat Mater entlehnt sein, einem
Marien-Hymnus aus dem 13. Jahrhundert. Musikalisch bewegen sich die
fünf Musiker zwischen Mittelalter und Moderne, ähnlich wie bei
Formationen wie Dead Can Dance oder Ataraxia. Es treffen
mittelalterliche auf poppige Elemente, die teilweise sogar
orientalisch angehaucht sind, wie am Beispiel von Lied No. 3, "Ad
Te Ad Altare", aufgezeigt werden kann, wo der Gesang in diese
Richtung schlägt.Sehr schön ist die Mischung des Gesangs - sowohl
wohlklingender weiblicher, als auch männlicher Gesang, der sich
textlich als auch klangtechnisch an den gregorianischen Gesängen
orientiert. Sämtliche rezitierten bzw. gesungenen Texte stammen aus
dem Gregorianischen Manual und sind somit in Latein gehalten, welche
auch im Booklet nachgelesen werden können. Der Titel der Scheibe,
"Funérailles Des Petits Enfants", bedeutet soviel wie
"Totenfeier der kleinen Kinder" und mag auf den
schwermütigen Aspekt, den die Künstler hier vertonen, hinweisen.
Dieser Aspekt wird in der Gestaltung der CD selbst in Form eines
darauf abgebildeten altertümlich aussehenden Friedhofs
wiedergegeben. Nichtsdestotrotz sind die Lieder nicht allesamt
melancholisch behaftet, wie es bei mittelalterlichen Melodien oftmals
üblich ist. Dies wird verstärkt durch den exzessiven Einsatz von
elektronisch-poppigen Elementen, die hier eine wunderbare Symbiose
mit den Heavenly Voices eingehen. Auch leicht folkige Elemente in
Form von akustischen Gitarren (wie man sie bei Ataraxia kennt) oder
mittelalterlichen Flöten kommen zum Einsatz, wie z. B. bei Lied No.
8, "Ultimo Confessio" oder wie bei Lied No.11, "E
Lucius Ante". Diese Flöten tauchen auch zusammen mit anderen
experimentellen sphärischen Klangpassagen bei Lied No. 13,
"Prudens", auf, wo sie das Lied auf sehr schöne Art und
Weise abrunden. Auch World-Musik-Elemente kommen zum Einsatz, wie z.
B. auf dem darauf folgenden Lied, "Kyrios", die gepaart mit
Orgeln dem Lied einen eher düsteren, aber sehr sphärischen Touch
verleihen.Wirklich bemerkenswert finde ich die gesangliche Kunst, die
die Musiker hier an den Tag legen. Vom fraulichen Gesang ganz zu
schweigen, wird auf Lied No. 10, "Deum Est Tu Phanti", auch
der männliche Part auf sehr eindrucksvolle und keineswegs nervige
Weise dargeboten. Ein unbedingter Anspieltipp, ebenso wie das erste
Lied "Omnes Generationes".Weitere Anspieltipps wären Lied
No. 2, "Gloria Patri", das sehr wavige, als auch folkige
Elemente aufweist, sowie Lied No. 4, "Oremus", wo
wunderschöne Geigenpassagen das Lied begleiten.Fans der
experimentellen Musik mit folkloristischen, mittelalterlichen
Anleihen und dem Einsatz von elektronischen und poppigen Sequenzen
mögen bei dieser Scheibe vollstens auf ihre Kosten kommen. C Anna D.
/ Nauthiz
Felinea
Le latin est peut-etre une langue morte
pour beaucoup d'entre nous mais pas pour ce groupe du centre de la
France qui le rend vivant tout au long de ce second album. "O
Quam Tristis..." a un réel intéret pour l'époque médiévale
('Offerimus tibi') et cela se ressent au sein de leurs compositions
virevoltantes : 'Separari permitas'. Se basant sur des oeuvres
liturgiques pour faire naître des évocations sonores respectueuses
d'un passé pas si lointain a leurs yeux, ce quintette d'aspiration
classique n'hésite pas a lier des sons électroniques a des
instruments d'un autre âge a l'image de 'Venerabiles manus suas'.
Surprenante a la premiere écoute, cette alliance de sonorités
moyenâgeuses avec des instrumentations contemporaines se révelent
vite attractive ('Gratias agimus tibi'). 'Credo' marque l'alternance
dans les compositions avec son chant parlé, sans exces. La musique
sert le propos et le rythme se veut l'écho aux paroles comme sur
'Suscipe Sancte Pater'. "O Quam Tristis..." titille
l'attention sur un 'Placeat tibi' presque euphorique mais c'est avec
le final majestueux dénommé 'Et incarnatus est' que le rituel sacré
s'épanouit dans le coeur des profanes
Bruja.cl . Chili
No menos que "innovación"
podría definir a "O Quam Tristis...", banda francesa que
cultiva una extrana pero hermosa fusión y mezcla de música medieval
con electrónica contemporánea, cantos en latín(que aluden a textos
litúrgicos) y algo de Heavenly Voices. La música de OQT es un viaje
de otro mundo el cual logra construir pasajes que evocan magia y
misterio. Para los que tuvieron la dicha de escuchar en su
oportunidad la opera prima de ésta banda " Funerailles des
Petits Enfants" (obra maestra para mí gusto... y el de muchos)
de seguro no encontraran exageradas mis palabras para con ésta
banda. Mágica ! Su segunda placa editada por los todopoderosos de
Palace of Worms "Le Rituel Sacré", mantiene similares
códigos respecto a la estructura musical de la banda, música
medieval, todos los textos en Latín, electrónica, y la armoniosa,
profunda y seductora voz de sus componentes... aunque cabe destacar
que éste CD a primera escucha cae mucho más en las bases
electrónicas que su antecesor... pero !ojo! No es por querer estar a
la par con tooodaa la cantidad de bandas que introducen el electro...
OQT nunca ha sido lo contrario, es la armonía y el híbrido perfecto
entre ésta música y los estilos antes mencionados, una banda como
pocas, 100% digna de conocer y admirar, es una de aquellas bandas que
nunca te arrepentirás de escuchar, todo un deleite para los oídos
más exigentes y sedientos de emociones...... una joya!
Starvox
In 1993 historian Alejandra Araya and
designer Daniel Davilla formed the artistic project called Luna in
Caelo. A year later with the edition of Enrique Stindt and Philippe
Boissier, the band played the Santiago, Chile underground scene. The
group is not just a musical group, but use literary and visual means
to achieve their artistic success. A manifesto given at one of their
concerts explains their “neo-expressionists” position:
“Neo-expressions. Despaired, angry, sad, and anguish, shouting from
the guts, looking into a dark and confusing interior, exploring the
‘expression' as a way to set the soul free, interior need, that's
the scream of the soul, universal expression of the pain, our new
expression.”It's a tall order. This, their first album, (they have
since recorded a second, Miedo A Morir (fear to die) with a different
line-up) is an interesting mix of sounds. After the mesmerizing and
seductive tones of air in track one, Pena (doubt), we given a
danceable beat in Conciencia (concience). Very Dead Can Dance, very
Changelings, very Black Tape for a Blue Girl. Perhaps some Rhea's
Obsession placed well in there. The voice of Alejandra does have a
Siousxie like quality to it, that passionate, drawling softness. I
especially am impressed by the guitar work of Philippe Boissier, who
brings a plaintive -, yet strong wail to the entire mixture. The bass
of Enrique Stindt is a good supportive sound, sometimes taking the
lead in songs, but usually being the background sound that pushes
along the rest. Enrique Stindt's drum playing is solid and finishes
off the sound. I like this album. I enjoy this album as excellent
background noise as I work at the computer for hours writing reviews.
But I don't love this album. I don't find it inspirational, I don't
find it particularly uplifting, nor an evolvement of music from the
artists mentioned above. It's interesting. It's quality. But it's not
brilliant. And it doesn't live up to the packaging. Some bands,
(Mission, Killing Miranda for instance) you get what you see on the
label. This doesn't. “Luna in Caelo deals with the feelings, the
fears, the dreams, the pain of the individual, it's the
representations of the sensations and the states of the human soul.
And, above all, of those situations in which we all try to hide.
Travelling towards out inner selves can be turbulent, painful and
dark, but that landscape, that destiny, is infinite and majestic.
Luna in Caelo hurts, frightens, bewilders, but at the same time, sets
free." A taller order than their manifesto…and unfortunately –
doesn't measure up as well as it could/should. It is not the language
difference. I tried that angle. The music is good. It's just not good
enough to live up to what has been promised. Jezebel
Sensorium & Suburbia
Giunti alla loro terza release ed
attivi sin dal 1993, i cileni Lvna In Caelo danno alle stampe per la
nostrana Palace Of Worms un mirabile affresco sonico in grado di
ridefinire il concetto di musica gotica, al pari dei magnifici
transalpini Dark Sanctuary.Sublimati impeccabilmente dall'ispirato
vocalismo di Alejandra Araya, i tredici brani di "Aqvellos..."
sfiorano vertici di assoluto lirismo, ammantato di ulteriore
suggestione per tramite della scelta di preservare l'idioma madre nel
cantato: "Pena", "Plvral" e "Cercos"
risultano cosi' composizioni stupende, intrise di un carisma
tenebroso ed onirico di indubbio spessore. Ossessionati dalla
presenza della morte e dalla caducità degli umani destini, questi
sudamericani assemblano un suono cangiante, camaleontico, ma
fortemente evocativo: pulsazioni bassistiche abissali di scuola Joy
Division, fratture spazio-temporali che citano Ataraxia e Dead Can
Dance, vibrazioni chitarristiche emotive in grado di rimandare ai
mirabili Breathless di "The Glass Bead Game", iati di
polvere cosmica prossimi a certe astrazioni aphextwiniane (cfr.
"Tormento", "Encierro"), nonché un tribalismo
decadente che sutura in guisa sinistra le coltri del rito.La forza di
una scrittura cosi' brillante sta nella varietà dei temi proposti,
che peraltro non rinnegano le radici del genere, ovvero, nello
specifico, i Cure del periodo di mezzo ed alcune classiche intuizione
di scuola 4AD. In definitiva, un platter francamente affascinante,
fresco ed ispirato, che i cultori del genere (e non solo) non
dovrebbero assolutamente lasciarsi sfuggire. M.Dicuonzo
Grave Concerns
Santiago, Chile natives dubbing
themselves as "neo expressionists". Luna in Caelo
translates to "Moon in the sky" & the album title
means, "Those tearing screams called silence". An
innovative release that's experimental & quite varied. Sort of a
cross between This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins, & the more
experimental works of Controlled Bleeding. Founder & vocalist,
Alejandra opens the disc w/ a pretty & hypnotic lament called
"Doubt". "Sorrow" is a ghostly wall of sound w/
loud droning guitars amidst drowning clouds of smoke & chanting
reverb. "Conscience", "Goodbye", "Trapeze",
& "Plural" picks up the pace w/ a sort of trip hop,
indie rock, psychedelic flavor w/out abandoning the ethereal,
isolated shoegazer elements. "Mad" is a mournful, brooding
soundtrack for the bitter soul, while "Torment" continues
much in the style of a Projekt familiarity w/ soothing tides of
ominous airs. "Sieges", "Confinement", &
"Whisper" resume in all their bittersweet, ambience of
drones & cascading laments. Worth checking out."
D-Side
Formé à Santiago du Chili, Luna in
Caelo, aujourd'hui basé à Mexico, en est à son troisième album.
On sent alors tout bête de découvrir ce groupe seulement maintenant
car les ambiances générées par le quatuor sont de toute beauté.
Entre cold-wave et noisy-pop, les émotions émanant de leurs
chansons font de Luna in Caelo les dignes successeurs de The Cure ou
Cocteau Twins sans que jamais vienne à l'esprit un quelconque
plagiat. Les guitares et la jolie voix d'Alejandra Araya font la
force de ce groupe à mille lieux des tendances actuelles. Ces "Cris
appelés Silence" méritent d'être écouté avec
béatitude.Yannick Blay. D-Side N°9
Projekt
Luna in Caelo is a band from Santiago
de Chile, which started in 1993 as a guitar & voice project by
Daniel Dávila and Alejandra Araya. Lvna in Caelo means "the
moon at the sky" in latin. After adding drums and bass, and
playing live, Luna in Caelo released it's first CD in 1998. In 1999
the founding members moved to Mexico City, their second CD Miedo a
Morir (fear to die), was released in 2000. The basic idea of Luna in
Caelo's sound is to create atmospheres and feelings related to the
human soul, dreams and nightmares. The lyrics talk about the fact of
the material condition of the human being and how scary is to know
that we are just flesh and bones, how scary it is to die. Working
with basic rock instruments, Luna in Caelo builds music landscapes,
based on reverberated guitars and voices, solid bass lines and almost
tribal drum patterns. It could be a mix between the Cocteau
Twins,early Cure, Popol Vuh and My bloody valentine. Laid on the
crest of the music, is the astounding vocals. Alejandra's voice is
one of the most elegant you can heard; harkening the transcendental
lilt of Lisa Gerrard and the sweet gaity and cadence of Elizabeth
Fraser. This madrigalic heavently voice takes on an almost religious
identity. Aquellos... represents the diversity of moods that the band
used to build on stage by the time this record was done."
Elegy
Formation chilienne basée à Mexico
City, Luna in Caelo sort ici son troisième album toujours pénétré
d'une thématique spirituelle très New Age, à l'image de leur
musique. La voix féminine envoûtante, aux accents de chanteuse
irlandaise évoque à la fois Loreena McKennitt et Enya, tout en
glissant parfois vers Elizabeth Fraser. Cette dernière se meut en
rythme avec une musique planante, aux accents parfois trance proches
du Loop Guru mais sans électronique, ce qui est assez surprenant,
voire sonnant comme de la variété chinoise (début de "Trapecio"
).Comparé aux deux albums précédents, celui-ci semble plus
travaillé, les morceaux y sont plus riches, et la voix d'Alejandra
Araya-bénéficiant de l'expérience de la scène-, explore plus de
registres. Une telle diversité a l'inconvénient de donner un album
inégal, cependant, il serait dommage de se priver du plaisir d'en
écouter les meilleurs morceaux qui méritent vraiment notre
attention.
Ink19
Formed by historian Alejandra Araya
(vocals) and designer Daniel Dávila (guitar) in Santiago, Chile in
1993, Luna In Caelo ("the moon in the heavens") released
their first album in 1998, shortly before moving to Mexico City.
Aquellos... ("those tearing screams called silence") is a
rerelease of that first album, together with two previously
unreleased mpeg videos (for "Duda" and "Locus")
and new artwork.Solidly in the goth camp (though the band called
themselves "neo-expressionists" in a 1995 manifesto), Luna
In Caelo falls somewhere between early Cure and the heavier goth,
tending towards metal, of groups like Italy's Artica. The stark
contrast of Alejandra's beautiful voice soaring above heavy and dark
drums, bass, and guitar forms the core of Luna In Caelo's sound, and
gives Aquellos a sense of dislocation and wrenching loss, a
neverending search for meaning in a bleak, uncaring world.Alejandra's
vocals are intense and deeply emotional, her voice rich and
expressive, crying out with pain and longing.Because all the lyrics
are in Spanish, which I don't understand (and which were neither
printed nor translated in the booklet for the promo CD I was sent to
review), I can only tell you what the songs feel like. "Pena"
("Sorrow") begins with a warm, echoing guitar that fills a
lonely, cave-like space. Then heavy bass and drums crash in,
thumping, pounding, and punishing, only to calm a bit when
Alejandra's lovely voice enters. The atmosphere of the track is
unrelentingly oppressive and dark, the odd echoes and poundings
feeling like the reverberations of a nightmare. Finally we end with
the strummed guitar alone again in the depths of the earth, striking
bright sparks from the stalactites and stalagmites, reflected in a
deep, black pool in the center of a cavern dreamed into being."Locus"
has no words (nor even wordless vocals), yet it was my favorite track
on the disc. A fine piece of dark ambience constructed almost
entirely from guitar sounds, the track could easily be the soundtrack
to a horror film. At first you hear only a single note droning for
what seems like forever, then slowly others pluck at the edges of
your awareness, some of those notes also held for an eternity before
fading away beneath deep, dark rumblings, echoes, and throbs. Many
visions could come from so suggestive a music as this, but one of
mine was of a man awakening in total darkness, slowly groping his way
until he touches cold stone walls enclosing a small room whose door
has no keyhole, the horror slowly growing as more cold stone is found
in the center of the room, a low carved rectangular box raised off
the floor, a heavy slab broken and pushed aside, then a slow
shuffling and moaning in the darkness as the groping man touches a
face of bone and hollow eye sockets, a face that lies at the center
of his own being...Not exactly appropriate for an afternoon stroll in
the park, but excellent darkwave music in the European style. Well
worth checking out if you enjoy angelic female vocals paired with
darkly beautiful guitars, drums, and bass. Dave Aftandilian
The Sentimentalist
Luna in Caelo was one of the first, if
not the first, "dark" bands inChile. The present CD
presents to a larger audience this almost unknowngroup, founded and
directed by the Chilean historian Alejandra Araya,whose mezzo-soprano
here is often strongly reminiscent of Siouxie; thealbum is certainly
not "unusual" in the goth-rock genre, but it remains very
curious and compelling. As with other good goth-rock projects, the
bass is absolutely key here (it is unfortunate that the bassist,
Philippe Boissier, left shortly after the album was recorded). The
lyrics are all in Spanish; song titles such as "Duda"
(Doubt), "Pena" (Sorrow), "A-Dios" (Goodbye) and
"Tormento" (Torment) suggest various themes of the album.
The Italian label Palace of Worms is to be congratulated for their
rescue and reissue of this weird and wonderful record.--Gilles de
Montmorency
Rock Hard Italy
La PoW ristampa il primo lavoro dei
cileni LIC (autori di 2 album), aggiungendovi i 3 brani registrati
per la compilation “Encuentros Cercanos” (1996) e 2 interessanti
tracce video. Il disco uscì in origine nel '98, quindi i brani
possono suonare leggermente datati e meno maturi del materiale
rilasciato in seguito, ma tutto sommato questo debut si lascia
ascoltare scorrevolmente, seppur senza strabiliare (ora come allora).
Spesso e volentieri propensi a brani darkwave vecchio stampo (alcuni
di essi curiosamente vicini ai primi Anathema nelle trame
strumentali, benché ai LIC manchino la classe e le capacità
dell'immensa band inglese…), ma anche capaci di spostarsi verso
lidi più sfuggenti ed ‘ambientali', i nostri dimostrano di valere
più di alcune realtà ingiustamente incensate (pensiamo a Pilori,
tanto per capirci…). Certo, la registrazione mostra evidenti lacune
(il drumming ha un suono per lo meno discutibile…), ma le qualità
del gruppo vengono comunque alla luce, prima su tutte la piacevole
voce della storiografa Alejandra Araya, la quale dimostra di saperci
fare anche senza impressionare. I succitati brani del '96 sono
tipicamente darkwave, senza particolari alti o bassi, mentre le
tracce video consistono in un'esecuzione live di “Dvda” (breve
song per sola voce) ed in una sorta di clip di “Locvs”, con
immagini in bianco e nero che rimandano ad ambientazioni industriali
in disuso. Non un disco fondamentale, certo, ma le tracce bonus
incluse in questa ristampa ne fanno salire le quotazioni. Roberto
Filippozz
Sonido obscuro
Para empezar esta revisión basta
decirles que Luna in Cælo es la mejor banda de la movida dark en
Sudamérica . La banda empezó a mediados de los noventas en Santiago
de Chile por sus dos cerebros: Alejandra Araya (voz) y Daniel Dávila
(guitarras), denominándose a su música -por aquellos años- como
"neoexpresionismo" por la manera de liberar el alma como
una universal expresión del dolor , lo que -por supuesto- los ha
reflejado en las líricas de este sorprendente disco, original de
1998 en Chile por Rolo Records. El sello Palace of Worms Records(con
grandes bandas como: O Quam Tristis, Runes Order, Stay Frightened o
Vehemence Realized) mediante la batuta del gran Guido Borghetti
reedito el disco con los 3 primeros temas de la banda que datan de
1996. Además de la corecta y simple presentación del cover del
disco, este cd posee -además- como bonus tracks 2 videos en mpeg:
"Duda", grabado del concierto en el Circo Volador de México
y el clip de "Locus". Musicalmente hablando Luna in Cælo
asemeja bondades inesperadas para una banda de estos lares,
personalmente, pienso que tienen mucha influencia de los Mors
Syphilitica y de los geniales Faith and The Muse debido esencialmente
a los guitarreos del genio de Daniel Dávila que nos hace remontar al
dark clásico en tracks como "A-Dios","Plural" la
cortísima "Conciencia", "Sombra" (muy a las
bandas shoegazing!) o hasta ambientaciones tipo Steve Roach en
"Locus" y "Tormento". Líricamente, la banda es
lo máximo, ya que en cada tema refleja los distintos puntos de vista
del alma en búsqueda de su liberación, quizás mediante el dolor?
destacan, así: "Trapecio", "Encierro", "Duda",
"Pena", "Lluvia" y "Plural".
Finalmente, demás está decir que la voz de Alejandra le da un toque
especial de sentimiento a cada tema por lo que -junto a todo lo
anteriormente descrito- pensamos que esta banda debería, ya, ser
reconocida mundialmente.
Aether sanctum
My first encounter with Bleeding Like
Mine was on the excellent Black Tape For A Blue Girl tribute 'Of
These Reminders...' (one of the very few tribute CDs which makes
compelling listening from go to woah) so I knew I was in for a
treat. I suspected Bleeding Like Mine would offer a laid back yet
spine-chillingly beautiful set of songs, and I was not to be
disappointed. It sleepily fades in with the piano and drums of
'Untitled #5', with the heavenly voice of Holly Emmer offering both
half audible lyrics, and using her voice as an additional musical
instrument. From that point the album ebbs and flows through more
than an hour of sweeping piano-based tracks. At times it couldn't but
remind me of Dead Can Dance sans strong Celtic and medieval
influences, particularly when Curt (who seems to be the core member)
adds his steady vocals to the mix. Thematically the songs tell a
series of mournful tales, frequently of emptiness and abandonment.
Like the renaissance style artwork on the cover the album is a
masterpiece,one which you can put on and reflect on the mysteries of
life. Yet through the album the piano is a constant, provided at an
audio level that is strong enough to set the rhythm and melody,
without being overpowering. While the majority of the album is
composed of mid-tempo, ethereal musings other tracks slip into the
background, almost to be overlooked - as with 'Garland'. A few tracks
stand out such as the haunting 'Nothing seems the same', which
literally took my breath away the first time I heard it. The same
could be said for 'Will this ever touch me again'?. Musically
competent and aurally stunning. - Haydn Black.
Black
We´ve presented Curt and Holly Emmer
of BLEEDING LIKE MINE with a large Interview in our last issue and
now the first CD-Album of these American Duo was released on PALACE
OF WORMS. Curt told us the truth and together with his wife Holly,
Michael Rush (Voice), Ian Wickramasekera (Voice), Eric Gosnell (Bass)
and Gil Petrovic (Guitar) he made an album with 13 tracks , which
includes a few songs from the last Tape-Release of BLEEDING LIKE
MINE...for example "Idaho" and "Willow". Together
with some newer material I like this album as a whole and it makes me
think: "Why don´t they sign a contract with PROJEKT RECORDS?"
Beside LOVE SPIRALS DOWNWARDS, SOUL WHIRLING SOMEWHERE and BLACK TAPE
FOR A BLUE GIRL, Curt and Holly Emmer could join the big
PROJEKT-Family and the concept of Sam Rosenthal. Also BLEEDING LIKE
MINE seem to be influenced by these three bands above and sounds very
emotional, silent and melancholy, too. It´s an atmosphere from deep
out of the soul and all so the mood is very melancholy-dark, there
are a few light and hopefully moments, which stimulates the audience.
Also it´s a fact, that BLEEDING LIKE MINE are a little bit rougher
and kantiger as for example BLACK TAPE FOR A BLUE GIRL and so the
visionary picture of Curt and Holly, was drawn by dark washed out
colours ... dark waves meets rough cliffs and an invisible power
pulls you down in the depths of the black sea ... Musically BLEEDING
LIKE MINE presents a big palette of different styles; served on a
silver tray with dark and breakable keyboard-levels, and improved
with a little bit of monumentality. This monumentality is explained
best with themes like "ostentatious", "emotionalism"
or "filigree". If I like to describe "The Eyes of
Lovelost" here as a masterpiece, than you have to know, that you
must explore the beauty and characteristic of the this album on your
own way. It´s a journey between visionary and reality and every
audience will be fascinated by the aura of BLEEDING LIKE MINE. I´ll
give this CD 9 of 10 possible points, because it´s absolutely
breathtaking beautiful. At least...here are some tips: "Nothing
Seems The Same", "Idaho", "Like Winter´s Rain
Melting Away" or "Will This Ever Touch Me Again".(Thomas
Wacker)
Raro
Authors of a charming "darkambient"
with experimental outlines, the americans Bleeding Like Mine relase
their exordium CD under the label " Palace of Worms" (a
label already known for the relase of the homonymous international
dark compilation and for a tribute record to the group Death in
June). More than a real group, they are a solistic project by the
polinstumental Curt Emmer: an author around whom whirls a group of
musicians including the singer Holly. Her ethereal voice enlights
the most startling moments from a peculiar affresco of whispering
sadness, suspended between dark ambients of ancestral memory and
suffered atmospheres of avveniristic decadence.(F.M.Arati/traslated
Andrea Meleri)
Judas kiss
Palace of Worms are getting quite a
name for themselves, not only have they release the self titled
compilation which just screamsexcellence but they also release
Heilige Tod, a tribute album to Death In June, which feature some of
the biggest names in the underground European post industrial scene
covering the favourite DIJ tracks. Now POW have released Bleeding
Like Mine's Debut CD "In the eyes of lovelost". This CD is
beautifully recorded and could quite easily fit into the Projekt
records camp so very easily, as they would fix snugly between the
likes of Soul Whirling Somewhere and Love Spirituals Down, which
gives an indication as to what their sound is like. Ethereal music
built up with layers of male and female vocal, dark Keyboards and
Raphaelite imagery. (Lee Powell)
Carpe noctem
Melancholic, vaporous, and slowly
churning, the music of Bleeding Like Mine possesses a signature
stamp. Curt and Holly Emmer (and guests) sculpt music where ghostly
ambiences meet cyclical piano melodies and ethereal vocals,
particularly the haunting vox of Holly, whose singing is occasionally
multi-tracked into an eerie chorus. Their music is a place where
rhythm loops often enter but acts as yet another of the interweaving
elements, not driving the music as much as accompanying it. Bleeding
Like Mine employ a minimalist style but keep their music from being
redundant through effective use of dynamics, subtly shifting accents,
and intelligent sound design. This is best exemplified by "Like
Winter's Rain, Slowly Melting", the album's stand-out track, a
beguiling song propelled equally by a mysterious, looped keyboard
melody, wind-like electronic sounds, and airy vocals. As on many
songs, the different parts rise and fall in volume, floating in and
out of the greater musical framework. The vocals throughout the album
are reminiscent of Lycia in that they are slightly unclear and often
a part of the cloud of sound, adding a greater sense of mystery, even
though lyrics are provided. Near the end, some repetition creeps into
the album, but given that it's sixty-four minutes long, it certainly
gives listeners a good amount of material
Dancing With Demons Music P.O. Box
92893, Milwaukee, WI 53202-0893 - Indigo
Edge of time
I think Palace of Worms month by month
are going to give a strong alternative to Projekt Records, and
Bleeding Like Mine could be the main weapon in the battle. All the
concept, sound, and emotions remind of these ethereal-Projekt-gothic
masterpieces of Love Spiral Downwards, and especially Black Tape For
A Blue Girl. Maybe Bleeding Like Mine is not as depressive as the
latter one; they have chose the melancholic stillness, and the main
character of this album is quite, silent, and deep indefinite sadness
with some colors of light. Musically, here we find all the best
traditions of ethereal gothic male/female duets, beautiful romantic
melodies, and dark keyboard sounds supported by the foundation of
bass and guitars. Who said there are no more ethereal gothic
discoveries? Letemotions possess you... (AO)
Dark Wings
Italy's Palace of Worms label presents
us with BLEEDING LIKE MINE, an American duo (Curt and Holly Emmer)
presenting a dark and depressing journey of the soul 'in the eyes of
lovelost'. Holly's heavenly voice soars over Curt's rich, ambient
soundscapes putting you in an entranced state of melancholy and
sadness. From the chilling opening of 'Untitled #5', the eerie
atmospherics and sorrowful vocals of 'Willow' and 'Nothing seems the
same' to the upbeat electronics of 'Like winter's rain, slowly
melting' the listener will lose him/herself in beautiful, textured,
desolate atmospherics and poetry of confusion, despair and
disillusion. "If only she'd mold a love to last, instead of
constant dissolution" sings Curt with his dark, brooding vocals.
Then come the album's finest of finest moments in 'Idaho', fully
demonstrating Holly's luscious vocals over relaxing piano and guitar
and 'Dramatique' where Curt's deep, dark vocals come at you over
pounding piano and guitar distortion. Then the instrumental finale
'Untitled #8:Chapter 4' utilizing strange droning samples to create
an isolated feel, leaving the listener ultimately mystified and
bewildered. bleeding like mine's 'in the eyes of lovelost' is a
masterpiece of lush ambience quite unlike anything I have heard
before. Curt's electronic compositions are breathtaking, and Holly's
vocals are sure to make her the new queen of heavenly voices. This is
definitely my pick for album of the year 1997. Buy it, turn the
lights off, play it. Lay back and let it take you somewhere
elsewhere, whoever thought sadness could be so beautiful. (Nick
Tuohey of Dark Wings, RTR FM 92.1 Perth, Western Australia)
Milk
Bleeding like mine is proof that
ethereal music does not need to wear a pretentious face in order to
possess an artful similarity to romantic classicism. In fact, BLM
strays well into its own territory of originality while softly
nodding to other artists working in the same clouds---namely Dead Can
DAnce and Chaos of Desire-era Black Tape...---earning these gentle
comparisons not for foul play, but by simply being absolutely
gorgeous. Honesty, not opportunistic scene jumping, guides the
unforced, inspired hands of Holly (vocals) and Curt Emmer
(instruments) as they look down upon the ashes of their (perhaps)
once fragile emotions. Recorded entirely on four-track in their home
studio, In The Eyes... is an introspective, warm tour through
abstract impressionism. Many of the songs utilize the ebb and flow of
ambient washes of synthesizer drones and tribal percussion patterns,
while Holly's heavenly vocals add one of the most important
ingredients to this near perfect collection of ethereal gems --- one
of this genre's essential debuts."
Bizzarre 10
American duo's debut that wouldn't
sound out of place on the 'ethereal' Projekt label.Yes they have much
in common with the bands like Black tape for a blue girl and Soul
whirling somewhere.But equally a lot of their ispiration comes from
the likes of Dead can dance and the Cocteau Twins.The aura is dark
and melancholic all washed by swirling melodies and exotic
rhythms.Dual male and female vocals adds shadow and shade,and
reaffirms connections with the above bands. Emotional pleas from the
heart which strike a chord in the depths of the psyche,mournful and
harrowing.
Dark Lilith
Aqui temos outra das várias bandas de
Hugues Dammarie, que aqui se chama Franck Lopez, mesma alcunha de que
é chamado no Opéra Multi Steel. Aqui a coisa é mais suave e mais
densa ao mesmo tempo do que nos seus outros projetos. Claro, sempre
com a obscuridade do Dark, sendo mais aperfeiçoado e continuando ao
seu debut e antecessor In The Eyes Of Lovelost . Quase não há
vocais, e quando os há, são angelicais, quase sussurrados,
praticamente inexistindo instrumentos pesados e distorcidos como
guitarra, baixo e bateria. A coisa é quase toda nos teclados e voz.
No entanto, como a capa já demonstra, a música aqui contida é pura
desolação, angústia e sofrimento, como uma doce morte. Além de
Hugues Dammarie (ou Franck Lopez), contamos com Curt Emmer e Holy
Emmer nos vocais, responsável pela parte celestial aqui. E na
verdade, o lado mórbido e funesto que as músicas trespassam, nas 16
faixas, é abordar o único tema da renúncia ao amor perdido. O
sutil estilo neo-clássico é a música ambiente perfeita para o
acompanhamento triste, letras reflexivas, tornando e clima relaxante.
A percussão é geralmente muito moderada, com o canto tomar em
oscilando dos Balcãs ou do Médio Oriente. Conheça esta outra
faceta do multi-bandas Dark's, Hugues Dammarie ou Franck Lopez, não
importa, chame-o de Dark French Man! ADL – 8,0
Rockerilla
'Stay Frightened' and 'Bleeding Like
Mine' are two young and enthusiastic American bands, new to the
ambient music; we think they will be worth of your attention. The
Italian 'Palace of Worms' has just released their new CD's, named
respectively 'Still' and 'In the Eyes of Love Lost'. Listening to
'Still' you get caught up in 74 minutes of ascensional drone fluids
that will inevitably lead you to narco-trips experiences among unreal
dreamscapes, processed in our mind like blinks of sidereal stillness
caressed by neon flashes. These feelings get more celestial and
heavenly with the music played by 'Bleeding Like Mine', mainly thanks
to the lyrical tones of the female singer that surpasses the harmonic
circles of the thirteen compositions. Highly contemplative solutions
for a psico drama about love, piano counterpoints and melodies
pierced by an elegy straining to evoke the spirits of a lost dream.
(A.Chimenti/translated by Valeria Ferrari)
Mozgalom
Több kiadónál jelent már meg lemeze
az amerikai BLEEDING LIKE MINE-nak, s mindenhol szép sikereket
hozott nekik, az eladási számok alapján. A zenekar valahol félúton
mozog a ködös atmoszférájával a KIRLIAN CAMERA és a korai DEAD
CAN DANCE , IN THE NURSERY által kialakított stíluson, de merít a
Cold Meat Industry-féle vonulatból is. Talán ezt hívják
elektro-darknak, talán nem. Az biztos, hogy nagyrészt elektronikus
hangszerek szólalnak meg és ezt teljesíti ki a fátyolos n?i és
férfi hang (ez utóbbi hallhatóan elkötelezettje Brendan
Perry-nek). Nem színvonalon aluli, de azért jól besorolható
produkció a zenekaré, jól illeszkedik a P.O.W. kiadó csoportjai
közé, nem csoda, hogy annak egyik favoritja is egyben.
Starvox
An ingenious and highly ambitious idea,
Palace Of Worms records presents this doubleCD compilation of
mystical music inspired by Tarot magick. Twenty-two artists
contribute one track each to represent one of the major Arcana cards
of the traditional Tarot deck. The final result took several months
of organizing and planning, but the finished product is one of the
most unique and powerful collections of dark music that could make
its way into anyone's collection. Impressive artwork and photography
is featured in the beautiful 20 + page lyric booklet, as well as
interesting and often times personal artist information. As one would
logically expect, the music represented here is perfect to score
sessions with the Tarot, which require a conducive mood for focussed
channeling and meditation. The majority of the music is very
trance-like, excessively dark, lengthy, and transitory. The overall
finished product is starkly emotive and probes deeply at the
unconscious. Personally, I have never been a big fan of
coldwave/experimental/ ambient music, but there is something very
special at work here. Hypnotic synthscapes, modulated static and
eerie piercing frequencies, ritualistic drumming, whispers, and
narrative samples are part of the many successful elements that weave
their way into an awesome, fluid collection of stark sound that will
help to relax and open your mind. Though the entire CD is not made
up of strictly ambient music. In fact, there are many well-known
acts that appear with more solid and structured songs, such as the
World Serpent mediaeval act Soil Bleeds Black, the ultra spooky
Loretta's Doll, Projekt's new age leader Arcanta, the vampyric
theatrics of Autumn Tears, and the classic occult-driven work of
Endvra. In Winter Bleeding's track for the Lovers card is as well
one of the most noteworthy tracks on the CD, invoking a mopey,
romantic mood with the use of darkwave and traditional Goth rock
elements. A new offering from Vehemence Realized appears, and is a
promising reassurance that this sadly underrated band will definitely
be continuing to produce the same quality bleak, deep vocalled and
soothing darkwave that their debut CD “Severe” represented so
successfully. Stay Frightened's contribution for the Hermit is
incredible: utterly heart wrenching reverberated vocals, smooth
processed acoustic guitars, and a ghostly flute/oboe type counter
melody. The loneliness, the desperation, and the absolute dejection
of this song is inexplicable, but like the Hermit, which represents
self-reliance and illumination within, there is indeed an underlying
hope and beauty to this track that helps you feel a little less
foolish for crying every time you hear it. The second CD closes with
the folkish melancholy of Dead Leaves Risings' take on the Universe.
It too has a similar sweetly acoustic and profound quality to it as
Stay Frightened, though it is unfortunately an instrumental and we
are deprived of this band's brilliant and enthralling male vocalist;
nonetheless it was an appropriate and somewhat uplifting way to draw
this epic volume of mystery and gloom to a close.This eloquent
collection is on every level a one hundred percent success, no doubt
surpassing what its creator's aspired for it to be. matthew
Outburn
"I absolutely love the concept of
this album: Twenty two exclusive tracks inspired by the Tarot
deck's Major Arcana, and emergent from musical genres long-inspired
by the mystical, the cryptic, and the magical. The international
selection of goth influenced artists is refreshingly diverse, with
backgrouds spanning a spectrum of dark musical styles-from ambient
ethereal(4th Sign of the Apocalypse, Athanor) to apocalyptic
folk,(The Soil Bleeds Black, Dead Leaves Rising) to
neo-classical(Pilori, Chants for the Fallen) to the more
traditional goth sound(Stay Frightened, Autumn Tears). Some
particularly exquisite tracks include Arcana's "Strength,"
which intertwines sepulcheral male vocals and operatic female
vocals over sounds of string and timpani, and Ontario Blue's "Hanged
Man," an eerie ethereal chant both totally bleak and yet somehow
terribly lovely. Another outstanding track is Nothvs Filivs Mortis'
"Aeon," an exercise in contrasts; it opens with sorrowful
pipe organ, cathedral choir, and gentlepriestly Latin, and suddenly
gives way to foreboding noise percussion, demonic speach an anguished
vocals, and beautiful orchestral harmony. The thematic album art is
gorgeous, comprised of surreal photographic artwork by Michael
Riddick of The Soil Bleeds Black. Familiarity with the Tarot will
surely enhance the level of enjoyment and appreciation of this
album-yet even for the unfamiliar listener, this is a strange,
beautiful, an intriguing musical journey among the achetypes of the
subconscious."
- Lara Haynes
Heimdallr
The Power of a New Aeon est une double
compilation regroupant 22 artistes et groupes différents, issus de
la scène post-industrielle, néofolk, ambient rituel et dark wave.
Sortie sur l'excellent label italien Palace of Worms, le thème
central, le tarot, représente non seulement ce jeu de carte
ancestral sensé prédire l'avenir, mais également une source
inépuisée de symboles liés au mysticisme et à la magie. Chaque
musicien donne ainsi sa version musicale des différentes cartes à
disposition, comme le jongleur, l'ermite, le soleil, la lune, la
mort, la justice, la force … etc. On retrouve avec plaisir les
ambiances atmosphériques rituelles (4 th Sign of the Apocalypse, Ah
Cama-Sotz, Loretta's Doll, Dream Into Dust), les contrées sombres et
mélancoliques, apaisantes autant que mystiques (Stay Frightened, In
Winter Bleeding, Conscientia Peccati, Athanor, Bleeding Like Mine,
Vehemence Realized, Arcanta) ou les ambiances médiévales (The Soil
Bleeds Black, Arcana, Chants of the Fallen). Endura, et par extension
Ontario Blue, confirment tout le bien qu'on pense d'eux. Pilori ne se
trouve pas là où on les attendait, proposant un titre ethno tribal,
cédant la place à Dead Leaves Rising au registre d'un folk noir.
Cela fait par contre plaisir de voir figurer un groupe qui m'est cher
et qui n'a pas assez souvent la place qu'il mérite, Opera Multi
Steel, ainsi qu'une formation espagnole des plus prometteuses, Nothus
Filius Mortis. Une très belle compilation, diversifiée à souhait,
excluant toute fausse note, et dotée,cerise sur le gâteau, d'une
pochette admirable dans sa conception artistique. Fort recommandable
! Stéphane Fivaz
Neue europaische kultur
This represent some kind of
'celebration - release' for Guido and the Palace Of Worms crew ,
considering that it carry the number 10 in the list of titles
produced till now by the italian artist . With quite a tradition in
releasing fantastic conceptual compilations (witnesses stay the
'Palace Of Worms' and 'Storm The Palace' samplers , which are already
seen as somehow cult titles in the dark wave scene , and not without
good reason ) it is not a surprise this new release comes as a total
triumph for all the lovers of the neo-classical - dark wave sounds.
Everything began with the idea of Thomas Wacker of Black Magazine ,
of releasing a compilation based on the Tarot cards , but due to the
usual financial difficulties , this project remained only an idea and
it will would have remained still an 'idea' even now , if Guido
(Palace Of Worms) would not have decided to sponsor and produce this
unique release . As for the final result , I will just tell you the
line-up and letting you to decide the quality and the avant-garde of
"The Power Of A New Aeon" , so , here's the artists : The
Soil Bleeds Black (Juggler), 4th Sign ofthe Apocalypse (Magician),
Conscientia Peccati (High Priestess), Opera Multi Steel (Empress), Ah
Cama-Sotz (Emperor), Loretta's Doll (Heirophant), In Winter's
Bleeding (Lovers), Dream Into Dust (Chariot), Arcana (Strength), Stay
Frightened (Hermit) Pilori (Wheel of Fortune), Athanor (Justice),
Ontario Blue (Hanged Man), Autumn Tears (Death), Vehemence Realized
(Temperance), Endvra (Devil), Bleeding Like Mine (Tower), Chants for
the Fallen (Star), Phsychonaut (Moon), Arcanta (Sun), Nothvs Fillivs
Mortis (Aeon), and Dead Leaves Rising (Universum). Indeed , a
wonderful release, including only exclusive tracks from these known
or new promising artists. And let's not pass over the simply
marvelous booklet lavishly illustrated by Michael Riddick (The Soil
Bleeds Black) , which is from far his finest artist art work till
this moment , stunning ! A fabulous release that will appeal with
sure to many of you ! Highly recommended !
Gothic russian zine
New compilation of Palace of Worms
label is rather a pretentious release in all senses of the word -
"The Power of a New Aeon" is a musical "reading"of
Tarot cards. On this double CD, 22 bands presented special exclusive
tracks and each of them is related to one of 22 senior Tarot Arcanes.
It's clear the idea is grandiose, but ultra-complicated. Actually,
the majority of moderncompilations tend to present exclusive
tracks, but what is meant by "exclusive tracks"? Very often
they appear to be banal remixes, but rarely real exclusive tracks,
previously unreleased. But what can we say about this compositions?
Very often it is a material, which condemned for the album and that's
the reason, why those "exclusive" tracks are marked by
certain deficiency. A bit rarely, the bands write songs for
compilations - it's very often the case with tributes, when a band
records exclusive cover version. Of course I don't know how the
compositions from this compilation were written, but probably the
most part of the bands approached the creative process rather
seriously, penetrating deeply into esotericism of Tarot, but frankly
speaking, one has a feeling that majority of bands just made
slapdash, either gave their old stored songs out to be new ones, or
producedsome "noisy droning" track.
That is the saddest moment - why should noisy droning take place if
music deals with Tarot or Runes? I can't get it. The group of
American knights & princes THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK presented a
neo-medieval composition under "Jester" card; beautiful
melody and female vocals - a good track. "Magician" card is
a thoughtful kind of magic droning by 4TH SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE.
CONSCIENTIA PECCATI - "Higher Priestess" card, an eastern
droning with pleasant whispering vocals - rather qualitative ritual
composition. "Empress" card - well made
pop-medieval-darkwave track by OPERA MULTI STEEL: beautiful male and
female chant vocals, performing something like "medieval",
based on jolly drakwave music - QNTAL's laurels don't let some people
rest. Cult dark ambient group AH CAMA-SOTZ presents rather
traditional drone under "Emperor" card - somber and
magnificent composition. LORETTA'S DOLL - militaristic ambient
composition to "Papa" card - a pale sounding one. "Lovers"
card is presented by IN WINTER BLEEDING - beautiful Electro-ethereal
composition with male vocals, not so original, but touching. DREAM
INTO DUST presented a composition according to "Chariot"
card - this is Another dark ambient. ARCANA worked on "Power"
card and no wonder their track appeared to be "powerful"
without exaggeration - dark neoclassic composition - first
masterpiece on the compilation. Another masterpiece came right after
the first one - the track by STAY FRIGHTENED under "Hermit"
card: sad and beautiful gothic ambient composition, rather original
and distinctive track. PILORI worked on the "Wheel of fortune"
card but unfortunately their eastern ritual composition can't be
marked for originality. ATHANATOR worked on "Justice" card
- guitar-ambient track, too experimental for my ear. ONTARIO BLUE -
extremely long ambient track: "Hanged" card and it really
suits the title - I was ready to hang myself of boredom. AUTUMN TEARS
- oh miracle! After all boring ambient tracks, theircomposition is
like a breath of fresh air - excellent ethereal - the third
masterpiece of this compilation: "Death" card.
"Abstemiousness" card was presented by VEHEMENCE REALIZED -
good ethereal rock, but without special revelations. In comparison to
ONTARIO BLUE, ENDURA (both are the projects of Steven Pennick) is
livelier and more interesting - magnificent "cinematographic"
gothic ambient - "Devil" card. BLEEDING LIKE MINE worked
on the card called "Tower" and it's not difficult to guess
the style - traditional gothic ambient with male/female vocal duo.
Oh, that's a real hit - CHANTS OF THE FALLEN - wonderful ethereal
track with angelic female vocals and medieval melodic. This band's
worth paying attention to - "Star" card. PSYCHONAUT -
another drone under "Moon" card. ARCANTA - great track and
the fifth masterpiece; extremely beautiful neoclassic composition
with opera male vocals - magnificent and hopeless under "Sun"
card. NOTHUS FILIUS MORTIS - not bad "synthesizer"
neoclassic composition with whispering vocals, not a masterpiece, but
comprehensible - "Eon" card. The card called "Universe"
is presented by DEAD LEAVES RISING - beautiful guitar instrumental
track, smooth and sad. After listening to the given item, one has not
such a pleasant feeling - on the one hand there is a great number of
famous bands, but on the other hand there are only few real
masterpieces which are simply lost in the mass of pale noisy drones.
Of course my interest in Tarot is not that strong, I don't know...
may be if one uses this compilation as an addition to practice,one
will probably feel something special, but to my mind, the musical
content appeared to be a bit weak. To add one more thing, one should
mention that Senior Tarot Arcane pack was used as a basis, created by
Alister Crowley (which is noticeable in the card names - Eon and
Universe). I would also like to pay your attention to CD booklet,
designed as Tarot cards by Michael Riddick (THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK) -
this man has gottalent and the fact of his being a master of gothic
design is not a secret for anybody...Andrey "coroner"3/5
Il Giornaleradio.it / Starvox
Un'idea ingegnosa ed altamente
ambiziosa: Palace of Worms presenta questo doppia compilation in CD
che consiste in musiche mistiche ispirate dalla magia dei Tarocchi.
Ventidue artisti contribuiscono con brano ciascuno per ognuno
rappresentare una delle principali carte dell'arcana che
costituiscono il mazzo dei tarocchi. Il risultato finale ha richiesto
diversi mesi di organizzazione e pianificazione, ma il prodotto
finale è una delle collezioni di Dark Music più potenti ed uniche,
una compilation che i collezionisti più ambiziosi non si lasceranno
certamente sfuggire. La fotografia ed il lavoro artistico utilizzate
nell'interessante libretto delle liriche (più di 20 pagine) sono di
effetto e include spesso informazioni personali sugli artisti che
hanno collaborato. Come chiunque si aspetterebbe logicamente, la
musica di questa compilation è perfetta per il sottofondo dei
momenti di lettura dei Tarocchi, un momento che richiede un'atmosfera
particolare tendente alla meditazione ed allo scambio interpersonale
focalizzato. La maggior parte della musica ispira la trance ed è
espressivamente oscura, di durata superiore alla media e crea
sensazioni transitorie. Il prodotto finale è assolutamente emotivo e
scava profondamente nell'inconscio. Non sono mai stato,
personalmente, un grande fan di musica coldwave7experimental/
ambient, ma qui vi è qualcosa di molto speciale al lavoro. Panorami
di sintesi ipnotici, staticismo modulato e frequenze perforanti dal
suono fantasticamente soprannaturale , tamburi ritmici, sussurri, ed
assaggi narrativi fanno parte di molti degli elementi di successo che
si intrecciano in questa imponente e fluida collezione di puro suono
che aiuteranno chiunque a rilassarsi e ad aprire la propria mente.
Questo anche se non tutto il CD è composto da musica stile ambient.
Infatti, ci sono molti gruppi ben noti che si presentano nell'ambito
del CD con brani maggiormente strutturati e solidi come il gruppo
World Serpent con "Soil Bleeds Black" e la molto sinistra
"Loretta's Doll" da il leader della new age Arcanta da
Projekt, le musiche teatralmente dai toni "vampiristiche"
di Autumn Tears, e il classico lavoro sospinto nell'occulto di
Endvra. Il brano "In Winter Bleeding" per la carta degli
amanti è uno dei pezzi più riusciti del CD, con la sua invocazione
di musiche dall'aria un po' avvilita e creando un'atmosfera romantica
utilizzando lo stile darkwave ed elementi di rock Goth (gotico)
tradizionali. Vi è inoltre un nuovo pezzo del gruppo Vehemence
Realized ed è dunque una promettente rassicurazione che questo
gruppo, che gode purtroppo di scarsa considerazione, continuerà a
produrre la stessa qualità di musica tetra, dalle basse
vocalizzazioni e dal sound rilassante di darkwave che il loro CD di
debutto "Severe" aveva rappresentano con molto successo. Il
contributo del gruppo Hermit con il loro "Stay Frightened"
è incredibile: le vocalizzazioni che si ripercuotono sono totalmente
struggenti, ghitarre aucustiche dal procedimento liscio ed una
melodia del tipo oboe/flauto creano l'addizionale dimensione
fantasma. La solitudine, la disperazione, e l'assoluto avvilimento di
questa canzone è inspiegabile, ma come "Hermit"
(l'eremita), che rappresenta il contare su se stessi ed illuminazione
interiore, vi è senza dubbio una corrente sotterranea di speranza e
bellezza in questo brano che ci fa sentire un poco meno scemi per
quelle lacrime versate ogni volta che la ascoltiamo. Il secondo CD si
conclude con la melanconica e folk "Take On The Universe"
dei Dead Leaves Rising. Anche questo brano alla la stessa qualità
aucustica e dolcemente profonda del brano "Stay Frightned",
ma purtroppo è un pezzo strumentale e perciò siamo privati della
voce avvincente del brillante cantante di questo gruppo; ciò
nonostante questo brano finale ha un non- so- che di appropriato ed
esaltante che conclude questo epico raggruppamento di mistero e
malinconia. Questa eloquente collezione è un successo al cento per
cento sotto ogni aspetto, senza dubbi sorpassando le aspirazioni del
suo creatore. matthew
Gothic Paradise
This double-cd release presents some of
the greatest acts in Gothic Darkwave, Ethereal and Dark Ambient
music. Many of the artists created tracks specifically for this
release. Each band interprets a trump of the Tarot card deck. I'm
not familiar with each of these, but I am a fanatic of the great
music presented on this compilation. It also comes with a nice
booklet illustrated by Michael Riddick of The Soil Bleeds Black one
of the participating musical artists on this CD.
Beginning the compilation off on Disc 1
is The Soil Bleeds Black with their very authentic sounding medieval
sounds with their track "The Juggler". Each track delves
into a different mystery, with a slight variation in musical style.
4th Sign of the Apocalypse picks up with a very dark interpretation
of the next track "Magician". The sounds of wind, rain and
slow drums overshadow the musical tones and deep droning voices. Each
track wonderfully blends together on this first disc with the
highlights for me featuring In Winter Bleeding with their very
emotional rendition of "Lovers". Another highlight is one
of my favorite in Dark Gothic Ambient music, Arcana presents one of
their greatest songs "Strength". The second disc is packed
with as much emotion, feeling and great music as the first. Again,
I'll just touch on the highlights as each track is a wonderful work
of art in music and expression. Autumn Tears presents another of
their operetic majesties with "Death". And they never lack
any emotion or power in each of their tracks, as is true with this
one. Vehemence Realized graces us with their true-to-form dark,
brooding style with "Temperance". Bleeding Like Mine is
also featured on this disc with their dreamy stylistic track "Tower".
And, I can't end this review without mentioning the track included
by Arcanta. Ayres once more never ceases to amaze me with his
wonderful talent as exhibited in "Sun", his contribution to
this wonderful compilation. If you like anyone of these groups
mentioned in this compilation, you will definitely enjoy the entire
two-disc set. It is completely packed with great music! I give it
almost a perfect rating and highly recommend it.
Darklife Issue 6 Belgium
This is the first album for Ť O Quam
Tristis… ť from France. Their medieval folk will certainly appeal
to fans of Dead Can Dance, The Soil Bleeds Black, Ataraxia and such
bands. The music has a lot of variety with occasional electronic
elements. There is also an upbeat version of Ť Beati Immaculati ť
as a hidden track, but I think this music is better pure and not too
complex. Some of the very good songs on Funérailles Des Petits
Enfants are Ť Ultima Confessio ť, Ť Kyrios ť, Ť Omnes
Generationes ť and Ť Gloria Patri ť. As you can see on these
titles, knowledge of German or English wouldn’t help you much in
understanding the lyrics. All the texts are taken from the Gregorian
Manual and the heavenly voices of Anna and Katarina combined with
eclectic male chanting in Latin will certainly evoke great emotions.
Certainly something to discover if you have neverheard of them and
definitely enjoyable to listen to.Peter Jan Van Damme
Underground society
Un superbe album de dark médiéval,
sombre ŕ souhait, oů cohabitent avec tact, instruments folk
acoustiques [flűtes, mandolines... ou dulciner ?] et instruments
modernes. Le chant en latin apporte une touche mystique et
mélancolique, un peu magique, sans tomber dans le registre
grégorien. La voix de Katrina Koslowska se rapprocherait plutôt des
voix bulgares. La parité hommes / femmes est vraiment harmonieux et
les arrangements trčs bien exécutés. C’est un album qui reste
trčs actuel tout en plongeant ses racines dans le passé et la
tradition. Quoique, officiant souvent dans un registre assez calme
[dark oblige], la basse trčs présente et les percus empęchent tout
effet soporifique, et puis on trouve aussi des morceaux assez
enlevés, par exemple "Sit Nomen Domini" qui tourne fort
bien [que n’ai je une jolie demoiselle ŕ mon bras pour l’enivrer
d’un tour de danse d’une chose... Et de la trousser dans le
bocage...] mais lŕ, je m’égare...[ et si je peux émettre une
petite critique, certains sons de synthés font un peu D110 et
mériteraient d’ętre plus personnalisé]... Un disque onirique et
initiatique, une passerelle entre le moyen âge et les temps
modernes, une sorte de champignon magique qui porte ŕ la ręverie...
Bon j’arręte lŕ, je deviendrais lyrique, et je retourne écouter
cet album...
Neue europaische kultur
When you say "France" , you
say Voltaire , Moliere , Napoleon , Descartes , good country wine ,
romantic girls with a touch of 'Lolita' syndrome , old castles ,
picturesque fields and mountains , large streets , etc. But when I am
thinking at France I instinctively think at Opera Multi Steel , this
wonderful eclectic project of cold dark wave tha released this year
the "Eternelle tourmente" masterpiece , which I highly
recommend to anyone that read these lines. O Quam Tristis is a side
project of the four members of OMS and "Funerailles des petits
enfants" is their first album so far. Although it is just their
debut material , the sound is extremely clear with an exceptional
production and very original ideas. But what can you expect from this
album ? It will be hard (and most probably wrong) to put a label on
this material , because there are so many styles mixed that it is
almost impossible to name them exactly : we find dark wave of the
first class ("Omnes Generationes" , "Beati
Immaculati"), cold ethereal touches ("Ultima Confessio"),
complex electro-medieval sounds ("Gloria Patri" , "A
Deo Salutari"), cold and warm voices in latin ("Oremus"
, "Prudens"), classical guitars and synthetic drums ("Ad
Te Ad Altare" , "Deum Est Tu Phantu"), gregorian
chants and goth opera...in one word...'european' music at its best (a
mix between Qntal and Dead Can Dance will not be a too bad
description of this album , after all). The album is pretty long ,
the 15 tracks representing a perfect background for everyone who
enjoy the medieval music (but not only...) in a modern version . An
exceptional album that might be very well the next 'album of the
month' (or of the year ?!) in any magazine of the genre. Quite a
classic !
Metal Shock Magazine.
Chi conosce i dolcissimi e malinconici
Collection d’Arnell Andrea e gli Opera Multi Steel troverŕ questo
progetto sicuramente interessante, trattandosi di un "supergruppo",
formato da membri di entrambe le bands. Il monicker č preso da uno
dei versi dello "Stabat Mater" di Pergolesi, i testi dal
manuale di preghiere gregoriane; l’intento č, probabilmente,
quello di rivisitare il medioevo e l’opera sacra in chiave moderna.
Si sono mantenuti il profondo spirito mistico ed I ritmi vocali delle
preghiere, dalla invocazione polifonica alla ripetizione cadenzata
rituale, variando, invece, gli interventi musicali. Ci sono le
suggestioni acustiche e melodiche di "Omnes Generationes";
l’elettronica melodica, accompagnata da chitarra acustica, flauto e
mandolino (quasi una colonna sonora) di "Gloria Patri";
l’aderenza al medioevo di "Ad Te Ad Altare"; la sacralitŕ
dell’organo di "Beati Immaculati". Il risultato č
felicissimo, sotto tutti i punti di vista: compositivo, esecutivo e
di atmosfera (sentite anche l'ipnotica "Kyrios", tenuta
solo da un ritmo elettronico, un effetto e la litania ripetuta delle
voci). C’č qualcosa da scoprire ed il senso di questo segreto č
sempre presente. Certo, quel remix in chiave elettro dance di uno dei
brani č cosě atroce, che avrei potuto stroncare il cd solo per
quello; ma č una traccia fantasma, che parte dopo parecchi minuti,
non siete costretti a sentirla. La proposta č inusuale (anche se
esistono esempi tedeschi simili, tipo Corvus Corax) e bisogna fare un
po’ l’orecchio, all’inizio, a suoni e ritmi elettronici in
questo contesto (anche perché alcuni non sono granché azzeccati per
un lavoro del genere); ma il risultato č pregevole e ben amalgamato.
Vi piacerŕ. Comunque, si sente che i componenti non masticano troppo
i generi sintetici, secondo me. E allora, mi chiedo: perché questo
cd? Spero non per seguire la moda del momento. (la) Laura Archini
Heimdallr
Nous avions découvert O Quam Tristis
le printemps dernier, avec la démo de ce qui est maintenant un album
ŕ part entičre. Outre les titres déjŕ entendus auparavant,
s'ajoutent une quintessence de morceaux tous aussi indispensables les
uns que les autres. Pour vous rafraîchir la mémoire, O Quam Tristis
est un quintette parisien passionné de culture médiévale et tirant
d'ailleurs son nom du début d'un verset du Stabat Mater. Les textes
en latin, choisis dans le Manuel Grégorien, se rapportent ŕ un
chapitre consacré ŕ l'enterrement des enfants en bas âge, d'oů le
titre éponyme de l'album. Si Opera Multi Steel ont peiné ŕ se
faire un nom et une reconnaissance fortement méritée, les voilŕ
maintenant rassurés car la descendance se présente sous ses plus
beaux atouts. En effet la comparaison au mythique groupe français
n'est pas fortuite, tant la démarche d'O Quam Tristis s'apparente
aux textures synthétiques et médiévales, aux sons et ambiances si
particuliers de leurs aînés. "A Deo Salutari - Gloria Patri"
s'annonce comme une somptueuse traversée du Moyen-Âge riche en
couleurs et émotions. Les voix de Katrina et Anna se complčtent
merveilleusement, la barre est placée d'entrée trčs haute. "Hic
Accipiet" lčve le voile sur un tempérament plus combatif qu'il
n'y paraît, les percussions martiales en avant, dégageant avec
finesse une retenue délicieusement ravageuse. La musique se veut
chatoyante, riche et subtile, et l'emploi du latin comme unique
langage agrémente ces sensations de retour aux sources, puiser nos
racines . L'emploi de flűtes, dulcimers contraste merveilleusement
avec les sonorités plus durs de l'électronique et des boîtes ŕ
rythmes, créant ainsi une musique intemporelle et enjouée. La
guitare acoustique se révčle infiniment chaleureuse sur les superbe
"Ultima Confessio" et "E Lucis Ante", apportant
une nouvelle palette aux ambiances électro-médiévales dominantes.
L'album se clôt magistralement sur "Dirigatur Domine",
nous ramčnant les pieds sur terre pour un atterrissage aux douceurs
inespérées, sur fonds de déclamations latines entremęlées
d'incantations divines, suivies d'un titre caché laissant échapper
un aspect beaucoup plus électro. Une superbe śuvre dont on ne se
lasse pas, une étoile est née…. Stéphane Fivaz
Dark Entries
Wauw, maar dit is schitterend!
Etherische, door synthesizers gedomineerde wave en Latijnse gezangen.
Dit valt niet echt in een hokje te steken: gothic, dark wave,
electro, medieval: het zit er allemaal in. Een vergelijking met de
muziek van Elijah’s Mantle en Qntal is nog het meest geschikt om u
- lezer - een idee te geven van hoe dit klinkt. "O Quam
Tristis…" zou een nevenproject zijn van het Franse Opera Multi
Steel maar van dat groepje kunnen we ook niet meer zeggen dan dat we
er ooit al eens van gehoord hebben. Deze "Funérailles des
petits enfants" is hun debuut. De Latijnse liturgische teksten
zijn afkomstig van het ‘Gregorian manual’ en zijn afkomstig van
liederen die vroeger bij de begrafenis van kleine kinderen werden
gezongen. "Omnes generationes" is betoverend mooie
darkwave: een mannen- en een vrouwenstem en synthesizerklanken.
"Gloria Patri" houdt het midden tussen medieval en
primitieve electro. "Ad te ad altare" is een soort Oosterse
Dead Can Dance met drumcomputer. "Oremus" heeft weer zo’n
synthesizerdeuntje dat doet denken aan electropioniers ŕ la
Kraftwerk, Suicide of vroege Human League… "Sit Nomen Domini"
heeft dan weer veel van The Cocteau Twins vooral omdat de stem en de
zangstijl van de zangeres hier heel erg op die van Elisabeth Frazer
lijkt. "Benedicite" valt vooral op door de sample van een
demonisch lachje. "A Deo salutari" is een goed voorbeeld
van zo’n nummer dat op Elijah’s Mantle lijkt, met koude,
troosteloze synths. "Ultima Confessio" is gothic met gitaar
en een Corpus Delicti-achtige stem. "Hic accipiet" is een
kort, sober nummertje: een vrouwenstem en percussie. "Deum est
tu phantu" heeft instrumentaal wat van een oud Cure-nummer
("Seventeen Seconds", "Faith", "Pornography";
die periode). "E lucis ante" heeft een huppelend
synthesizermelodietje dat eerder geďnspireerd lijkt door niet met de
new wave gerelateerde synthesizermuzikanten als Mike Oldfield.
"Kyrios" - hét hoogtepunt - begint heel etnisch, dan
steken ijzige orgelklanken en opnieuw die bezwerende Corpus
Delicti-stem de kop op. In "Prudens" zit een mooie fluit,
een zware beat en iets dat lijkt op gesamplede vogelgeluiden. "Beati
Immaculati", nog zo’n prachtig nummer, is melancholische dark
wave drijvend op (kerk)orgelklanken. "Dirigatur Domine" is
een parlando en een zingende vrouwenstem over Arabische klanken. Tot
slot krijgt u nog een ‘hidden track’, een herhaling van . "Beati
Immaculati" maar nu met een electrobeat. Dit mysterieuze,
volslagen onbekende groepje brengt hier met dit veelzijdig debuut zo
maar eventjes één der beste releases van dit jaar. Dit is voor ons
dé revelatie van het jaar 2000! [HV]
Metal shock
Chi conosce i dolcissimi e malinconici
Collection d’Arnell Andrea e gli Opera Multi Steel troverŕ questo
progetto sicuramente interessante, trattandosi di un "supergruppo",
formato da membri di entrambe le bands. Il monicker č preso da uno
uno dei versi dello "Stabat Mater" di Pergolesi, i testi
dal manuale di preghiere gregoriane; l’intento č, probabilmente,
quello di rivisitare il medioevo e l’opera sacra in chiave moderna.
Si sono mantenuti il profondo spirito mistico ed I ritmi vocali delle
preghiere, dalla invocazione polifonica alla ripetizione cadenzata
rituale, variando, invece, gli interventi musicali. Ci sono le
suggestioni acustiche e melodiche di "Omnes Generationes";
l’elettronica melodica, accompagnata da chitarra acustica, flauto e
mandolino (quasi una colonna sonora) di "Gloria Patri";
l’aderenza al medioevo di "Ad Te Ad Altare"; la sacralitŕ
dell’organo di "Beati Immaculati". Il risultato č
felicissimo, sotto tutti i punti di vista: compositivo, esecutivo e
di atmosfera (sentite anche l'ipnotica "Kyrios", tenuta
solo da un ritmo elettronico, un effetto e la litania ripetuta delle
voci). C’č qualcosa da scoprire ed il senso di questo segreto č
sempre presente. Certo, quel remix in chiave elettro dance di uno dei
brani č cosě atroce, che avrei potuto stroncare il cd solo per
quello; ma č una traccia fantasma, che parte dopo parecchi minuti,
non siete costretti a sentirla. La proposta č inusuale (anche se
esistono esempi tedeschi simili, tipo Corvus Corax) e bisogna fare un
po’ l’orecchio, all’inizio, a suoni e ritmi elettronici in
questo contesto (anche perché alcuni non sono granché azzeccati per
un lavoro del genere); ma il risultato č pregevole e ben amalgamato.
Vi piacerŕ. Comunque, si sente che i componenti non masticano troppo
i generi sintetici, secondo me. E allora, mi chiedo: perché questo
cd? Spero non per seguire la moda del momento. (la)
Sanctuary
L'enchantement mélancolique
quasi-millénaire charrié par la musique Médiéval traverse les
âges telle la brume dans les plaines pour nous revenir plus
puissante que jamais, O QUAM TRISTIS nous en apporte la preuve avec
ce somptueux recueil (Funérailles des Petits Enfants) remodelé
façon électro. Travaillé en latin, langue antique par excellence
invitant ŕ une langoureuse méditation. Pour la petite histoire les
textes ont été tirés de " Gregorian Manual ". Les voix
féminines (style heavenly-voices) d'Anna et Katrina, contrastent
fortement avec celles masculines plus gutturales, pour s'enchevętrer
dans un labyrinthe inextricable de cśurs, de solo, et finalement se
fondre dans des sons électros futuristes parfois légers parfois
nettement plus sombres ; comme une plainte balayant les agressions du
temps. Les mélodies envoűtantes du clavecin, de la guitare
acoustique respectivement du synthétiseur et de la flűte ajoutent ŕ
l'ambiance subtile d'un spleen environnant flottant dans une
atmosphčre ancestrale. Pour apprécier un tel bijou, il est
nécessaire de se retirer dans un endroit approprié tel qu'un vieux
château entouré d'une foręt regorgeant de mystčres et de fermer
les yeux, il n'est point ŕ douter que les plus imaginatifs d'entre
vous, arriveront sans nulle doute ŕ revivre une scčne de l'Epoque
des Chevaliers de la Table Ronde. Et comme pour revenir ŕ la réalité
d'un monde impitoyable, les 15 titres (de courte durée pour la
plupart) écoulés, une chanson cachée nous réserve une surprise de
taille plus qu'intéressante, en effet, le tout est nettement plus
électro ; comme une sorte d'incursion dans un monde autre que celui
évoqué plus haut, plus dur, chassant sans ménagement une
expérience médiévale de toute beauté.
Suburbia
Se dovessi definire quest'album con una
sola parola userei raffinato, oppure spiazzante. Trovarsi ad
ascoltare canti gregoriani con sotto un tappeto elettronico elegante
e molto vario č cosa rara, soprattutto di questi tempi. Per una
volta infatti ci si allontana dai soliti pezzi campionati e si viene
a contatto con una dimensione "strana" dove delle voci
delicate e sognanti declamano vecchi inni latini impreziositi da un
sound pronto a sperimentare ogni soluzione. Momenti piů inquieti (
"Gloria Patri" uno dei pezzi piů belli dell'album) si
alternano a canti sognanti ( "Deum est Tu Phantu")e a parti
piů sperimentali ( la brevissima ed industriale "Hic Accipiet"
o la finale "Dirigatur Domine" con annessa sorpresina) che
offrono un piatto il piů saporito possibile. Certo, un'ora di questa
musica a molti potrebbe risultare indigesta, ma la realtŕ che sta
sotto a "Funérailles Des Petits Enfants" testimoniandone
la sinceritŕ e tutelandone il fascino riesce a convincere anche gli
scettici (ascoltatevi la ipnotica "Kyrios" se volete la
prova di come anche da un inno possa uscir fuori un pezzo trip-hop da
sballo). Forse un album che non fa per tutti, ma certamente un'opera
coraggiosa e fuori dagli schemi che merita di essere presa in
considerazione. Se poi vi trovate a canticchiare per strada odi
latine, beh, io vi avevo avvertito...
Outburn
Modern interpretations of medieval and
ancient folk music has become more prevelent in today's landscape of
dark music.With hypnotic vocals, tribal drums, bagpipes, and various
other natural instruments.........An unusual approach comes from the
medieval synth band, O Quam Tristis. Italian label Palace of Worms
has just released their debut, Funerailles Des Petits Enfants, which
features incredible male and female vocals singing texts from the
Gregorian Manual in Latin over modern electronic rhythyms and
atmospheres combined with traditional instruments and harmonies."
Darken than the bat
This is the first album O Quam Tristis
from France. Their medievel folk will certainly appeal to fans of
Dead Can Dance, The Soil Bleeds Black, Ataraxia and music like that.
The music has a lot of variety to sometimes more electronical
interference's. There is also an up to beat version of Beati
Immaculati as a hidden track, but I think this music is better pure
and not too complex. Some of the very good songs on Funérailles Des
Petits Enfants are Ultima Confessio, Kyrios, Omnes Generationes and
Gloria Patri. As you can see on these titles, knowledge of German or
English doesn't help you understand the lyrics. All the texts are
taken from the Gregorian Manuel and the heavenly voices of Anna and
Katarina combined with electic male chanting in Latin will certainly
evoke you. Certainly something to discover if you have never heard of
them and definitely enjoyable to listen to.
Starvox
Palace of Worms Records two releases of
2000 are the 2CD tarot-themed compilation and the debut release from
this French gothic band with peculiar punctuation "O Quam
Tristis...". While some of the releases on Palace of Worms are
more sentimental and reflective (i.e. Stay Frightened, Vehemence
Realized, Bleeding Like Mine), "O Quam Trisits..." are more
got oriented, not too far from the label's Runes Order release.On
first listening, the early Depeche Mode-like rigid and raw drum
machine tracks as well as the Latin vocals are most noticeable. With
very dark (and quite well done) art work, the album is surprisingly
upbeat. While there is an underlying feel that reminds me of Elijah's
Mantel, the synthetic bass, occasional sound effects, and double bass
dance beats keep bringing me back to thoughts of Runes Order's P.O.W.
release *Waiting Forever*. There is more going on here, track 8
"Ultima Confessio" presents an acoustic guitar based tune
starting somewhere between an early Thanatos tune and a deep throat
Cleopatra band, and then slips back into their upbeat style with
keyboards and synthetic drums. The flute on "E Lucis Ante"
is pleasantly happy coming between the harmonized and upbeat male and
female chants. Other songs feature soft organ sounds as well as
dulcimer. The CD over all is more upbeat than it is reflective. All
vocals are in Latin, originally liturgical ones taken from the
"Gregorian Manual", and are all printed in the sleeve.
These texts were usually sung during the young children's' burial
ceremonies. The band says that this was the inspiration for the album
title which they decided to keep in French. If you enjoyed last years
*Storm the Palace* compilation from Palace of Wormsor other
contemporary gothic with a medieval twist, this would be a good
release to pick up.
Glasnost
"Omne animal triste post coitum",
konstatierten dereinst die Florentiner Electro-Terroristen PANKOW.
Gar nicht so traurig wie der Name ist der Klang der
lateinischsprachigen französischen Band O QUAM TRISTIS. Falls es in
diesen dekandenten Zeiten noch jemand interessiert, wie sich
mystisch-romantische Wave Musik anhört, dann sei diese CD empfohlen.
Sprache und Geist führen zurück in
ein altertümliches Südeuropa mit lateinischen Wurzeln. Gesänge,
Rhythmen, Melodien aus einer nebulösen Geschichte, insgeheim
überlebt, wiederbelebt, neu erfunden?
Eigentümliche Melodien und
Gesangspartien mit weiblicher und männlicher Stimme in fremden
Worten entführen zusammen mit mächtigen Orgeln, betörenden Flöten
und manch anderem zauberhaftem Instrumentarium in die unbekannten
Welten der Vergangenheit. Schwer auszumachen, wo im Einzelnen die
historischen Quellen und Inspirationen liegen, O QUAM TRISTIS
verschmelzen alle möglichen Einflüsse aus der alten Folklore
Europas, wie auch aus orientalischen Breiten mit modernen Klängen
und elektronischen Sounds zu einer Fiktion voller Fantasie und Anmut.
Ein sicheres Gespür für Harmonie und gesangliche Präzision machen
das Lauschen der Lieder und sakral angehauchten Verse zu einem
äußerst angenehmen Erlebnis. Ein bißchen von der typischen
multikulturellen Mentalität postkolonialer französischer
Pop-Avantgarde, wie man sie von LIMBORG und WUNDERLICH kennt, ist
hier zu spüren. Die Band kreiert wirklich ihren ganz eigenen und
sehr gelungenen Stil. Wave im ureigensten Sinn, ein sehr langes, aber
durch die Vielfältigkeit nie zu lang erscheinendes Album. *379101*
Gothic russian zine
For many people "goth" means
nothing but serious and gloo my music genre. It's adequate for most
goth bands and styles but there are exceptions as well. The
"gothyness" of this very release leaves no doubt though at
the same time it's characterized by some kind of patologic
cheerfullness and lightness (or, may be, it's just my perverted
perception). O QUAM TRISTIS is a French band, but judging by the
names and surnames of its members at least half of them are of Polish
origin. My "unknowledge" of French still lets me understand
the name of the album means " Funeral of Infants" or
something similar. Gregorian chants in latin were taken as the lyrics
for this album - those used during children's funerals. Thorough
description has evidently created associations with some kind of dark
ambient? But I have promised "joy" and lightness. The
answer is simple - stylistically it's very light music, something
from synth-goth area. Light-minded and sometimes very popsy melodies,
samples and sounds are combined with male and female vocals, singing
lofty chants. This attempt to "modernize" mediaeval music,
creating something like synth-mediaeval is quite successful and
interesting and it sounds very pleasantly and amusingly, though
several years ago there was another attempt to "electronize"
mediaeval. I am speaking of QNTAL. To be honest, O QUAM TRISTIS ...
have to go a long way before they catch up with QNTAL (as for
dynamics, sophistication, atmosphere, playing techniques, etc.)
Though, there are several decent darkwave club hits. As a whole, it's
rather good and interesting release.Andrey "coroner"3/5
Prospective
Weird. O Quam Tristis offers the same
kind of ethnic electro-medieval experiences like their more
well-known country fellows Opera Multi Steel. And not just a little
like them but exactly. The same way as The Merry Thoughts to The
Sisters Of Mercy and/or The Caves to The Cure. Even the male vocals
chantin in Latin and the female voices are like OMS. Is O Quam
Tristis worse than Opera Multi Steel? No, because the quality is also
in the same level. Strange, indeed. Jyrki Virtanen [6/10]
Nova Akropola
I have certainly never heard anything
like this before. That goal is overachieved. And only hope won't ever
have to again, though probably vainly. I'm facing a forceful and wide
stream here and I'm not a rock. Half of it is fountain, half of it is
mud. The problem is that they can't be separated. The Palace was
quite germfree so far. But who'd dare to hold up the invasion of
beauty? Who could judge the original a fake? No risks have been taken
with this project. It's gourmand shit a la mode. I should never have
tasted it. But the fault ain't mine. I've been deceived by the
adjustment. Anything I expected but real worms. Now I'm left
nauseating from every symbol on the run. And must stay very
disciplined to disenter the vomitory. O QUAM TRISTIS... is a French
unit of Polish immigrants on the Italian label singing their
folkloric requiem in plain Latin - who can ask for more? It made the
blue blood boiling in my overnational veins. As to the matter of the
fact, these chants were composed to background the burial of little
children if the title translates. With the lyrics directly imported
from the event's Gregorian manual. What a brilliant concept! It won't
be forgiven having fucked it up so bad. What we get is proudly
amateur computer muzak under the cover of sublime simplicity, un-
scrupulously combining traditional and modern, sorrow and joy, crypt
and club in an electro-medieval combo of rotten taste. From classy
flutes to breaking beats you're given more reason for pleasure than
pain to the sinless. The result of such dish always depends on the
cook. This terrible funeral is pure agony prolonged. Very depressing
news indeed. Its serenity would disgust the devil itself. Without the
gloomy pathos the subject would deserve and be given by anyone from
THERION to TRISTANIA, the treatment is a cynical parody of dark
emotions. Not willfully, of course, that's what makes it worse. There
are so much true feelings involved here that the bold transmissions
will bluntly recoil into a fake snake hissing to itself. The idea's
been simply stolen by the 24. O how sad. Now somebody will have to
copy it right. The music is awful by all arrangements in spite of the
engaging tonality that inevitably comes with the framework. But what
turns it really unbearable is the vocal delivery. There are three
singers here, two female and one male to be precise. To call them
ethereal would be an understatement. They'll take your breath away
like clean sulphur. The gals are the worst witchpitch ever spawned
and the man's colourless whine would please but leprose cats. And
vainly it is Latin, it sounds as Polish as the contemporary Pope.
Only the most evil dead can dance to it.
ELEGY N°13
Formation française voisine de la
tradition médiévale inspirée et quasi reconnue au nom du seul
Ataraxia, Ť O Quam Tristis… ť se distingue par une approche
electro exclue des enchantements antiques du groupe de Francesca
Nicoli. Une electro symbolique est donc juste posée lŕ pour
extraire le groupe d’un milieu néo-baroque trop réducteur.
L’ambition un tantinet pompeuse d’ Ť O Quam Tristis… ť
ressˇˇˇurgit dans les chants, régis selon les canons de l’art
grégorien et par l’emploi de la langue latine, supręme
distanciation par rapport aux plébéiens que nous sommes. Il
n’empęche, cette dérive grandiloquente sur le papier (la
jaquette) se trouve en porte ŕ faux avec l’écoute d’une
simplicité et d’une aura presque pop ! Les voix sublimées de
Katrina et Anna, élégiaques supports d’une idylle passéiste,
s’accomodent fort bien d’une guitare minimaliste, grattée ŕ la
Cure, ce qui n’est pas le moindre des anachronismes quand on
considčre l’emploi du latin dans certains airs entraînants ! Du
coup, on ne sait plus comment aborder ce titre si morbide,
Funérailles des Petits Enfants et cette imagerie d’un gothique
caricatural…Ť O Quam Tristis … ť cache bien son jeu et, passé
l’effet de surprise, on se prend ŕ apprécier cette tentative de
vulgarisation, qui maquille un melting-pot des plus saugrenus ! Bruno
Versmisse.
Zu Shan N°5
Heavenly voices sur des musiques
médiévales soignées, lyrics issus de textes grégoriens,
compositions usant d’instruments traditionnels mais n ‘hésitant
pas ŕ recourir ŕ des effets plus modernes (boîtes ŕ rythmes),
tout semble mis en place dans le seul but d’atteindre des ambiances
toujours plus oniriques, toujours plus somptueuses. Bien que faisant
directement référence ŕ la liturgie et aux śuvres baroques, Ť O
Quam Tristis… ť possčde les męmes influences que les paďens
Stille Volk (ils citent tous deux Mélusine et Malicorne) mais
développe avant tout les parties vocales, polyphonies d’une
efficacité exceptionnelle, ŕ rendre insipides bien d’autres voix
exerçant dans le Gothique ou le Métal .Plus qu’un chef-d’śuvre,
une perle rare …Denis Reynaud
La Lettre de Sappho N°11France
Entre la légčreté des voix et la
musique Heavenly médiévale, les membres d’ Ť O Quam Tristis… ť
dévoilent leur passion commune pour la langue latine et les musiques
anciennes. Funérailles des Petits Enfants, dont les textes sont
extraits du Manuel Grégorien, érige un pont entre les ambiances
médiévales créées par des instruments tels que que le dulcimer ou
la flűte ŕ bec et des sonorités plus modernes avec l’utilisation
d’une boîte ŕ rythmes. Le travail remarquable sur les voix et les
mélodies omniprésentes apportent une fluidité exemplaire ŕ ce
premier album. Funérailles des Petits Enfants s’impose déjŕ
comme un incontournable de l’Heavenly.Fabrice Antoine. La Lettre de
Sappho N°11France
Trinity N° 6/7
Bien que Funérailles des Petits
Enfants soit entičrement construit autour de textes en latin
extraits du Manuel Grégorien, ne vous attendez pas ŕ une éničme
variation funčbre grandiloquente et emphatique autour de la grandeur
passée d’une religion trépassée. L’approche du quintette
hexagonal n’a rien de banal ; si l’aspect vocal domine et
illumine l’album, enrichi par l’échange de voix multiples
(masculines et féminines), la musique apporte un contrepoint
salutaire par ses reflets coldwave laconiques. Sous l’ombre sévčre
de ces chants de célébration divine, Ť O Quam Tristis… ť
parvient ŕ offrir une musique qui n’est ni moribonde, ni
ostentatoire. Ici Ť rien de commun ť, pour reprendre la célčbre
maxime de l’éditeur José Corti, la tristesse lumineuse de
haute-enfance côtoie l’angélisme des limbes.Stanislas Chapel
Russian Gothic Pages
For many people, Ť Goth ť means
nothing but serious and gloomy music genre. It’s adequate for most
Goth bands and styles but there are exceptions as well. The Ť
Gothyness ť of this very release leaves no doubt though at the same
time it’s characterized by some kind of pathologic cheerfullness
and lightness (or maybe it’s just my perverted perception…). Ť O
Quam Tristis… ť is a french band, but judging by the names and
surnames of its members at least half of them have polish origins. My
Ť unknowledge ť of french still lets me understand that the name of
the album means Ť Funeral of Infants ť or something similar .
Gregorian chants in latin were taken as lyrics for this album- those
used during children’s funerals. Thorough description has evidently
created associations with some kind of Dark Ambient ? But I have
promised Ť joy ť and Ť lightness ť… The answer is simple –
stylistically it’s very light music, something from Synth-Goth
area. Light-minded and sometimes very popsy melodies, samples and
sounds are combined with male and female vocals, singing lofty
chants. This attempt to modernize medieval music, creating something
like Synth-medieval is quite successful and interesting and it sounds
very pleasantly and amusingly, though several years ago there was
another attempt to Ť electronize ť medieval music. I am speaking
about Qntal (as for dynamics, sophistication, atmospheres, playing
techniques etc…). Though, there are several decent Darkwave club
hits. As a whole, it’s a rather good and interesting
release.Coroner
Edge of Time Magazine
" Funérailles des Petits Enfants"
is the first album of this project. First of all, I must say that it
is a very eclectic album where musicians bravely collide into one mix
such genres as gothic, darkwave, medieval music, or even electropop.
And it sounds rather good and interesting. If you would like to get
some comparisons, you could take Dead Can Dance in a much more
electronic way, also the comparison with Worls Serpent's Elijah's
Mantle or italian Ataraxia would suit here well. All the 15 tracks
are diverse, and so we get medieval electronics ("Gloria
Patri"), almost danceable darkwave ("Beati Immaculati"),
ethnic with beautiful flute sound "E Lucis Ante," or "Omnes
Generationes" where sweet and heavenly voices by Anna and
Katrina are expressed. In recent years, there have been many bands
that tried to present medieval music in a modern way suitable to
dancefloors, but, in my opinion, not so many bands did it as
successfully as this project. One of the most important things (not
so often in electronic medieval music) is that Ť O Quam Tristis… ť
sounds like a "serious" creation, where everything has its
meaning and whose goal is not to entertain, but to give meaning. All
the texts are taken from the Gregorian Manual and sung in Latin, but
from what I've read, most of these songs are sung at the burial of
young babies. But, even if this background isn't very light, the
music gives quite a light impression and could be listened in various
states of mind. Good production and musicianship is found here, so
for any fan of medieval music this disc is a must. I only hope that
this disc won't be the only in the history of this project. Audrius
OZANA
Prikosnovénie
Une belle surprise avec un album de
touching-pop savamment arrangé.Les chants masculins/féminins
d’inspiration médiévale s’enlacent autour de rythmiques
electro-pop sautillantes.Le résultat est de bon goűt, l’album
réjouissant et charmeur.Catalogue Novembre 2000.Palace of Worms fait
partie de ces labels ŕ part dans le monde de la production musicale
et c’est normal qu’un O.V.N.I comme Ť O Quam Tristis… ť y
fasse son nid. Les français proposent une musique męlant des
éléments musicaux moyenâgeux (rythme et instrumentations, sans
parler du chant) et sonorités contemporaines. La greffe prend ŕ
merveille pour cet album concept (toutes les paroles proviennent du
Manuel Grégorien) subtil et envoűtant quand les voix féminines
s’écoulent ŕ travers les éléments d’un mécanisme précis qui
produit, morceau aprčs morceau sa part de fantastique et de
mysticisme sans jamais lasser une seconde. A mille lieues donc d’un
vulgaire Enigma, Ť O Quam Tristis… ť part d’un concept sans s’y
arręter, osant la confrontation du nouveau et de l’ancien, comme
d’autres l’ont fait (Collection d’Arnell Andréa, Dead Can
Dance…) mais ŕ leur maničre. Tant les amateurs d’Heavenly, de
chant classique que les fans de Dead Can Dance devraient s’y
retrouver parfaitement.Funérailles des Petits Enfants est un coup de
maître.
D-Side N°1
Sa démo quatre titres sortie il y a a
peine quelques mois ayant immédiatement séduit Palace of Worms, Ť
O Quam Tristis… ť persiste et signe aujourd’hui son premier
album sur le label italien réputé pour son aptitude ŕ dénicher de
nouveaux talents. Et c’est vrai, le talent est au rendez-vous tout
au long des quinze morceaux qui composent ces Funérailles des Petits
Enfants. Les membres du groupe y sont fidčles ŕ leur credo qui est
de ne se laisser enfermer dans aucun carcan tout en vivant leur
passion pour la langue latine et le Moyen Age. C’est sans doute
pour cela que leur musique, aussi bien acoustique qu’électronique,
vibre d’un sentiment de liberté qui la rend rétive aux tentatives
d’étiquetage. De la męme façon, l’intransigeante solennité
des textes liturgiques que le groupe a choisi d’interpréter
n’empęche nullement celui-ci de se livrer ŕ toutes les
fantaisies, les voix virginales d’Anna et Katrina et celles,
sombrement romantiques de leurs alter ego masculins n’hésitant pas
ŕ se faire parfois franchement malicieuses (Ť Sit Nomen Domini ť).
Tour ŕ tour médiéval, électro, ethnique ou heavenly pop, Ť O
Quam Tristis… ť , vous l’aurez compris, est avant tout
insaisissable… A vous de l’attraper chez votre disquaire !
Yannick BlayJohn Cultiaux
Unknown
Ilyen lenne a Mediaeval Baebes, ha
végre elengednék magukat egy kicsit az életszeretet talajáról.
Ilyen lenne az Ataraxia, ha elfelejtenék legalább egy lemez erejéig
a gyönyörű diszharmóniát. Ilyen az O Quam Tristis zenéje,
gregoriánba oltva szövi Anna és Katrina a dallamokat,
bele-belefonódik a férfivokálok határozottságán keresztül is
az elektronika, finom dobgép és effektek, ilyenkor dobnám fel még
a Rosa Cruxot meg a Les Secrets de Morphéet, csak hogy két nevet
említsek a sok közül. Boldogan, csibészesen felelôtlen zene, az
Ad Te Ad Altara a nagy kedvenc róla, kora reggeli szemhunyorgató
érzete van, hangszereléstôl függetlenül optimista örökérvénye
van, ezt meg még a Dead Can Dancerôl sem tudnám mindig elmondani.
Mediaeval Baebes would be like this if
they finally let themselves go off the ground of the mindless love of
life. Ataraxia would be like this if they finally forgot those
beautiful disharmonies for even one LP. It's what O Quam Tristis is
like: into Gregorian are the mingling melodies of Anna and Katrina
woven, even through the strength of the male vocals electronics pop
up from time to time, a neat and fitting drum machine with some FX -
this is when Rosa Crux and Les Secrets de Morphée come to mind, just
mention two of the many names. A cheerfully and daredevilishly
light-minded music it is, Ad Te Ad Altara is the huge favourite off
the LP, with the feeling of a thousand blinkings of an eye in the
very early morning, it has an ever-optimistic status regardless of
the mediaeval sound, and this is something I can't really stamp on
Dead Can Dance, even.
Felinea
Accord majeur de membres ayant un jour
officiés au sein de groupes tels que Collection D'Arnell~Andréa ou
Opera Multi Steel, "O Quam Tristis..." affectionne le
latin, la peinture préraphaélite anglaise et tout cela se ressent a
l'écoute de ce premier album. Originaire de la région Centre,
Hugues Dammarie et ses complices donnent de l'ampleur a l'émotion
comme sur 'Gloria Patri'. Quant a 'Benedicite', sa douce mélodie
ponctuée d'un rire déformé aiguise les sens. Avec l'utilisation
harmonieuse d'une voix masculine et féminine au sein du morceau 'A
Deo salutari', l'envoutement nous gagne peu a peu. [ Funérailles des
petits enfants ] reste tres médiéval de par ses sonorités alors
autant dire que la magie s'opere avec nuances suivant les morceaux.
Néanmoins, cet album a le mérite de présenter une approche
artistique enrichissante
Black Kobzar
Perhaps, the best definition of
Vehemence Realized music will be "melancholic urban gothic
music". Michael Otley, whose timbre reminds that of Ian Curtis',
sings truly sad but fortunately not depressively: you want to live.
The music seems to be the golden mean between the usage of live
instruments and electronics though non-live drums sound absolutely
dead here and there. Yet I haven't told the most important thing yet
- all of it would had sounded just nicely if there hadn't been an
instrument I've loved passionately - a trumpet. A simple trumpet -
Bach Strad - but Nathan Roane who played on it, seems to be an
uncommon man. The most delicate sounding of his trumpet is the soul
of Vehemence Realized. You would compare "Severe" to the
early works of Death In June, without a doubt; you can put equals
sign between the tranquillity of VR and that of DIJ but Douglas'
tranquillity is out-of-body and Michael and Nathan's there are strong
but well-controlled feelings are hiding under the calmness. The big
city, at night, under the rain, the steps of passersby are barely
heard, the solitude?
Anton Shekhovtsov
Gothic Topic
Vehemence Realized is a dark and moody
amalgamation of musical sound and sampled effects to fully please the
most die-hard gothic fan. There is a tight control on the vocals and
mixing which makes this recording sound like a major studio
production. A number of horn instruments are utilized throughout this
work to provide a Day Of The Dead sensibility that is celebrated
annually in Mexico. Since the release of Severe, T. Nathan Roane has
left the band with Otley now carrying the entirety of the band's
future. Roane's numerous wind instruments play like a premonitory
farewell to this outfit, thereby making the music that much more
macabre and bittersweet. "Afternoon" introduces the
listener to sampled background sounds and dark, brooding
orchestration. Drum pummels are like hammers against a coffin. The
vocals are carefully placed between the channels to provide a
different sound through each ear, which is most apparent while
wearing the headset. The trumpet carries through a cavernous space to
give an eerie feel of Christmas melancholia and memory. "Rooms"
spatially evolves and revolves into a soundscape that is like
floating through a tunnel darkly. A touch of bongo placement
accompanies the keyboards and vocals where we are provided with a
view of a isolationism fraught from memory which haunts us during the
most mundane of hours. "Severin" opens with a whisper "
I try, there is no one for me." This seems to be a double
meaning type of song. Drum sounds beat in time, imitating a heart
heavy with dismay as the feet drag in exhausted abandon. We are
strangers on a train, weary travelers with a ticket to nowhere. It is
a political song in a way, depicting the one who is pulled from our
arms during upheaval and unrest. It almost sounds like gunfire and
missiles, harmonizing with a trumpet which calls to the newly
departed. It can also be interpreted as a song of love and loss where
the "gunfire" is misspent fireworks that have shot off and
finally lost their spark and their zeal. "Prayer" treats us
to a spoken rendition of the lords prayer that is suffused underneath
the sound. Metaphorically, the lyrics can be interpreted as a battle
between devotion and sexuality. It is also a moody and mournful tome
of love and loss. "Old" is a beautifully mournful yet
serene rumination that provides a movie like soundtrack inflection.
Otley vocally handles the aging aspect with subtle intonations and
turns of lyric. Roane provides the background harmony tenor to the
memory that is unfolding through the song. One can visualize an
elderly person pondering their reflection in the mirror. They
envision pulling together to find the extra strength to make it
through yet another lonely day among the ruins of memory. "Beckon"
samples a variety of sounds. This was reminiscent of one who falls
asleep in front of the television while their dreams call out to them
from the nether reaches. Throughout the song, the samples sound like
loops of thunder, rain and ocean waves upon the shore. The steady
drum beat that plays in tune with the trumpet balances our desire and
reality through frequent upbeat tones layered across the soundscapes.
"Hope" utilized more electronic effects with a mid tempo
beat. The song was delivered in a relative soto voce, pulling us
further into the headset of one who is drawn to their lover but so
deeply fears the loss of their love. All the emotions seem to collide
causing such confusion that examination of these emotions leaves one
unsure of what they truly feel. "Revere" creates an
intriguing instrumental hybrid of world music, dark wave and ethereal
rhythm patterns. It is a cacophony that is reminiscent of a room
playing back all the sounds that were ever played within its walls.
The sounds of love, joy, and heartache collide and feed off each
other as an auditory snapshot to a sad room where now there is only
silence. One could actually envision the artist sitting in the middle
of the room while the walls played back these fragmented audio
memories. "Source" ends the disc with very smoldering,
pensive, deep, and dark tones, which segue into a gentle mid tempo
rhythm. The vocals are heavily reverbed in a circuitous fashion.
Snippets of dialogue from Roane weave between the song, relaying a
memory of religious belief, and the discourse between insanity and
demonic possession, while Otley's vocals provide a macabre mirror for
this backdrop. "Loathe" is the most guitar-laden track on
the disc where the music is at the forefront while the vocals take a
back seat. Acoustically this could pass for a something as created by
the Fields of the Nephilim as it has that type of stylized intensity.
Vehemence Realized utilized horn instruments in the most pleasing way
which added additional texture and moodiness to the songs. It is not
often that this instrument is utilized in dark music, hence the
fluidity and deft handling of it to convey the added touches of the
morose is a tribute to this artist. Otley's vocals skillfully handled
the multiple inflections required to place the songs within a
particular dark parameter. His deep voice resonates without trying to
sound like a "clone" from any other dark music vocalist.
Much of this work seems to convey double meanings as evidenced by the
shifting lyrical content and changes of mood throughout each track.
The lyrics are not included, thus the listener is provided with an
audio canvas that allows them to tug at their own memory to paint the
scope of the setting. Overall, this CD would make a great late night
accompaniment to the mental musings of dark music fans. It is also
sublime for dreary overcast days. It is with great pleasure that I
look forward to the follow up work of Otley and his musical visions.
Mike Ventarola
Side-Line
One of the most hopeful and passionate
CD's comes from Vehemence Realized originally from Virginia, but now
relocated to Pennsylvania. Severe offers us a somber mood with
beautiful song arrangements including the use of the trumpet in songs
such as "Prayer" and "Revere". By no means do
they clone the band called Death in June, which many people compare
them to. The dark vocals by Michael Otley are deep and give us a
romantic touch. I feel the musical blends on the CD are very
sombering melodies and they do this very well. The music on Severe is
very transforming and creates a peaceful yet gloomy soundscapes in
songs like "Afternoon", "Old", and "Revere".
The song "Hope" demonstrates well-programmed
drums/percussion loops that gives us much energy from the band. If
you're into bands like Belle Morte or The Cruxshadows, than you
should really like this band, but they still hold their own
personality and beauty. One thing I would like to mention non-related
to the music on the CD is the pictures that can be found inside and
on the back of the CD jacket are one of a kind and very cool. After
listening to the CD, it is almost like you have just encountered a
religious experience of some sort, and you can make that how ever you
want it to be. Just listen to the music and you will be very
impressed. Julie Johnson
Imbalance chemical ezine
While welcoming an embrace by the pale
lanky fingers of goth disciples? Vehemence Realized defies genre
classification and conspires to remain the work of souls and shun
fashion. Vehemence' doesn't constrict itself to any time or era. The
music stands alone? building and evolving on it?s own bed of
indefinable space. Severe is rich and layered without losing a sense
of simple elegance. Like reflecting memories? mournful reverie and
funeralic celebration? this project lures you like a dark siren
beckon. The mechanical beat of drumming?s a somnambulistic
procession. Guitar strings? a catatonic mental state. The signature
horn weeps and calls you home. Michael Otley?s vocals are beautifully
dark? deep? heavy and abstruse. His voice feels warm like some thick?
nourishing elixir. At moments? he whispers as if telling you a lovers
secret. The occasional input of Nathan Roane?s voice contrasts?
shining brighter? with urgency? force? emotive deliberation and
spastic theatrics. Lyrically? Severe sits parallel with the music;
delving between subjects of detachment? confusion? and loss without
submitting to the ease of being trite. The reoccurring theme is
dichotomy. Light? dark? depressive? uplifting? cold? warm? clarity
and confusion... Yet the album is cohesive; a collection of varying
shades of human emotion seldom revealed so honestly. Still? each
track brings forth elements uncommon to the next? producing lullabies
of sober beauty to sermons of scathing intensity. Starting with
enticing comfort and ending like a tragic life of something
exquisite. Christina Q. Pudding
Suburbia
Con una front cover del genere non
poteva che essere un gran disco: elegante, evocativo e crepuscolare,
"Severe" rappresenta l'esordio discografico degli splendidi
Vehemence Realized, da Richmond, Virginia.La loro proposta rientra
nel novero del gothic dark più atmosferico, sebbene i dieci episodi
del platter siano comunque avvolti da una coltre color antracite,
quasi a voler rimarcare orgogliosamente i tenebrosi dettami propri
del genere e le influenze soniche d'uopo, identificabili nel mito Joy
Division nonché nei primi, criptici Death In June.La peculiarità di
"Severe" si evince comunque nel tessuto strumentale di
ampio respiro, grazie all'apporto pianistico particolarmente
sofisticato, ma anche e soprattutto al contributo di una tromba
davisiana che ammanta di ulteriore, sinuosa suggestione i brani qui
inclusi. La tessitura elettronica é peraltro essenziale e votata
alla rifinitura del contesto compositivo, mentre il cantato risulta
francamente eccellente, cupo e vibrante nella sua ieratica
espressività.La risultanza sta in un'opera di notevole spessore,
tale da brillare mirabimente in episodi del calibro di "Room",
"Severine" e "Hope", senza trascurare in ogni
caso il resto del disco, che si mantiene su livelli ottimali.
Ennesima conferma dell'intrinseca qualità delle proposte targate
Palace Of Worms, per un ensemble dal futuro assicurato.Disco
caldamente consigliato. M.Dicuonzo
SpyderMunky
Severe is an album I've been
anticipating for some time now. Last year I threw a party to
celebrate the conclusion of my military service, and was looking for
a band or two to play. Somewhere along the lines I was talked into
hiring Vehemence Realized, who I'd never actually heard. I suppose
it's risky to go around hiring bands of you've no knowledge, but in
this case I got lucky (very lucky). From the moment Nathan and
Michael started playing, my head was filled with deep somber music of
the kind that finds a small corner of your brain and sticks around
long after the show is over. It was both an enjoyable and moving
performance. My only disappointment was that, since they hadn't
recorded a CD yet, my all-too-faulty memory was my only momento of
the occasion. So like I said, I'd been waiting for this album's
release, and I wasn't disappointed. Michael's voice has every bit the
impact I remember, and Nathan uses the trumpet with a sense of the
ethereal that I'd thought impossible on a brass instrument. All told,
Severe is a fantastic piece of work. I listen to it often, and look
forward to VR's future projects.
Starvox
This is one of the most original and
unique bands I've heard in a long time. Labeled darkwave by some and
admittedly finding a home with the goth subculture, Vehemence
Realized transcends any real genre classifications. Lead by the
painstakingly profound and heartfelt vocals of Michael Otley and
highlighted by the classic infusion of horns by T. Nathan Roane, the
songs on this CD are as personal as they are testimonies to their
musical talent. The band makes no secret about the origin of these
songs. For instance, "Afternoon" is about the depression
that sets in while being alone for the holidays while the very
disturbing "Source" (a live track) recounts a terrifying
personal incident surrounding religious convictions. In effect,
Vehemence Realized rips open their souls and presents them to the
listener – never assuming anything, never asking for anything
except that you listen. I cannot recommend this CD enough.
Punchline
I had no idea these guys were from
Richmond. Goes to show how little I get out. Vehemence Realized has
put out a sprawling soundscape of ten songs on Italian label Palace
of Worms. They play a fairly standard style of Gothic music, which is
to say it's solid, concise, and thankfully not too lengthy. Although
there's over an hour of music here, the attention span is not taxed,
and songs like "Rooms" and "Beckon" bring fresh
approaches to what can be an agonizing genre. The latter reminds me
of the B-side to The Cure's Disintegration (you know, that "Same
Deep Water As You" kind of thing). "Prayer" is a bit
too heavy for me, but its declarative and ominous nature is no doubt
appealing to many. Regardless of how you look at it, the vocals still
remind me of Bauhaus at times, which really isn't doing anything new.
But frequent flyers of the Goth scene will like this. No doubt.
Flux
Vehemence Realized are Michael Otley
and T Nathan Roane, who are currently based in Richmond, Virginia.
The album is clearly articulated both vocally and musically, but the
vocals are affected, there is a menacing undercurrent of samples and
harsh industrial effects, and there is a nostalgia-evoking trumpet
reminiscent of early Death In June. By way of contrast, Gabriel Shane
Beverly provides screeching guitar on the closing track. Vehemence
Realized are an interesting and distinctive addition to the ranks of
apocalyptic folk artists. My only complaint is the kitty on the cover
which appears to be indicative of a feline epidemic now sweeping the
exponents of this genre.
Equilibrium music
Palace of Worms seem to be able to pick
bands with a similar essence that have helped the label to find its
very own niche in the scene. "Severe", the debut album for
Vehemence Realized, comes as another fine addition to this Italian
label's catalogue. The band have created an atmosphere that somehow
manages to combine elements of Joy Division (like the throaty
dramatic vocals and the discomforting and nostalgically poetic mood
of the music) and Death In June, achieving as you might imagine quite
unique results. The use of a live trumpet here will certainly bring
to mind the Norwegian Beyond Dawn to any fan of the band and traces
of Black Tape for a Blue Girl will eventually also seep into your
mind when playing this. The album possesses a very sad and desolate
ambience, but it feels more like a conformed sort of feeling than a
desperate and angry one. A fine addition to any fan of
Darkwave/Gothic music seeking to find beauty in sadness .
Edge of time
It's strange to hear that group playing
such music comes from United States. The main atmosphere in "Severe"
associates to me with English apocalyptic folk/industrial movement of
the middle 80s, such genious discs as "Nada!" by Death In
June or some tracks on Current 93's album "Swastikas for Noddy."
If you remember Death In June's track "Fields of Rape," you
can imagine atmosphere of this album. Vehemence Realized didn't stop
at this point, of course, and their music is inspired by ethereal
gothic (track "Old" reminds of Black Tape For A Blue Girl),
and I even could compare this project to melancholic Beyond Dawn
(stylistically, both bands don't have much in common, but the
hypnotic melancholic atmospheres are quite similar, maybe that's
because Vehemence Realized, as Beyond Dawn, use trumpet). This group
manages to form romantic,melancholic atmosphere, I even wouldn't call
it dark, maybe such words as poetic or sentimental suit more. The
label characterized it as "walking under our city's night rain,"
and I hardly can find better comparisons. This disc will please fans
of more ethereal gothic/wave/neofolk, it doesn't have this sense of
nihilism that most groups of this style try to transform; Vehemence
Realize offer a sense of hope in many places instead. It isn't only
optimistic album, but it offers many colors of mood. Technically,
this project is also worth of praise. (AO) 4 3/4
Grindcrusher
Esta debe ser una de las más
talentosas bandas Dark que me a tocado escuchar. Vehemence Realized
mezcla elementos de Joy Division, The Doors y Death In June en un
resultado totalmente emotivo. La voz a ratos clara y profunda se
complementa perfectamente con los instrumentos tradicionales más
pianos, teclados y una sección de vientos que realmente te deja en
el cielo. Las letras en temas como "Afternoon", "Rooms"
o la increíble "Hope" son sólo el reflejo de
claustrofóbicas experiencias a través de un túnel lleno de
lamentos, aunque a ratos el CD también nos sorprende con un tema
como "Prayer" demostrándonos que no todo es tristeza. El
CD perfecto para acompañar las lúgubres noches de todos los amantes
del Dark. Creo, que no sería muy atrevido al decirles que este debe
ser uno de los mejores discos que aparecen en esta edición.
Simplemente increíble.
Judas kiss
Created in January 1996 and based in
Richmond, Virginia. This band produce a highly intimate sound which
is penetrated with a blend of trumpet, voices and other acoustic and
electronic instruments. They have been compared to an early Death in
June and quite possibly to Joy Division. The CD is a hive of 10 slow
tranquil songs and the CD cover is a lovely picture of a little cat
so it gets the thumbs up. ELM
Flow
A really beautiful, really dark and
depressing collection of songs that draws heavily on the legacy left
by Ian Curtis, backed by an amalgamation of synth and sax and the
occasional guitar that is just wonderful. The songs are gloomy and
sad, borderline tense at times but always under control. The best
song by far on here is "Source"-a partially sung, partially
spoken piece about the singer's mother being possessed -- it's almost
painful to listen to, it's so sincere and angry and insular. (Holly
Day)
DaCore
What can I say, besides Vehemence
Realized are one of the finest gothic/darkwave bands that I have ever
heard. The band comes from Virginia, and "Severe" is their
first full-length CD, and it is easily the best CD I have heard in
quite awhile. A very gloomy, somber band characterized by murky
synths, echoing piano, danceable drumming, live trumpet playing, and
wonderfully brooding, deep throated vocals. They create ethereal
atmosphere without being boring. They offer a comforting darkness,
and through the dense layers there is an underlying hint of hope and
a sad yearning for eluded beauty. I highly recommend finding this CD
to fans of darkwave and as well to any who like their music very
dark.*****
by Matt Heilman
Etats limites
Vehemence Realized est un tout jeune
groupe créé en 96, dont le but premier semble être de rendre
hommage au passé ; un passé noir et solennel, hanté par les débuts
de Death In June ; eh oui, les influences sont bien présentes, aussi
bien au niveau de l'instrumentation (trompettes et instruments
acoustiques et électroniques) que de l'ambiance intimiste suscitée.
Idem pour la voix du chanteur,dont le timbre pourrait se rapprocher
de celui de Douglas, voire même de Mac Coy (cf : Fields O.T.N). Les
morceaux s'enchaînent et étonnent par leur subtile monotonie… Le
temps s'arrête… Lamélodie poursuit son chemin… (Fabien)
9 times
Rumor has it Richmond is built on a
burial ground and those who live in the city are fated to return to
it to establish losses and assess hopes...fittingly Vehemence
Realized sounds like this Richmond. Never lacking immense energy and
strength, severe, the first CD release from the band, has a certain
clarity which is significantly admirable. Generally failing to be
light or charming, the integrity of severe is striking, as is its
honesty. Perhaps this leads to its struggle with and for hope, and
the comforts and ruins therein. From the heartbreaking purity of
"Hope" to the claustrophobic tumult of "Source"
severe proves to be just a bit more than dark (which is not to
suggest you shouldn't pick your scabs). Ending with the rise and
fall of motives and movements in "Loathe," this album might
leave you motionless. The brilliance of Vehemence is its sense of
impressionable loss, its barren spirit. See the band and see for
yourself. For further information about Vehemence Realized go to
[www.carpemortem.com/vehemence]. You might still think the truth
will set you free...review by Elisabeth Lifsey
Poor Richmond's Almanac
A couple of months ago I reviewed a
compilation CD which featured a local band called Vehemence Realized.
Well, these guys have since put out their own material and after
talking to band member T. Nathan Roane, I found out that it has been
a year in the making. The determination has obviously paid off.
Severe, the title of this endeavor, is a most impressive debut. What
struck me first about this CD was the production quality. I still
can't believe how orchestrated and fluid each song seems to flow into
the next. Severe is more of a well tuned package than just a series
of songs thrown together at random. Melancholy horns are laced over
hypnotic drum beats and booming, larger than life vocals to create a
somber yet powerful sound. A lot of time and care went into the
making of this one and it shows. With nine songs that make up about
an hours worth of music, this CD is definitely worth buying. Speaking
of the songs, they are well written and I dare say, sometimes a
little creepy. From slightly morbid to melodically psychotic, each
track is intertwined with the overall mood of the CD. Severe, like
the band who created it, will be talked about for quite some time and
personally I'm very much looking forward to seeing one of their live
shows. Fortunately, that can be done at the CD release party which is
coming up on March 25th at Twisters (11:00pm). It's good to have a
new and eclectic addition to the already existing roster of great
local talent. Vehemence Realized shows just what can be done if
talent is combined with dedication. For more information about
upcoming shows and anything else you'd like to know about the band,
give their website a visit at www.carpemortem.com/vehemence. It's
good to have you here guys and we hope Severe is a taste of things to
come.
Ben Field
Rockerilla
Piacevoli sorprese anche dalla ottima
label di Lecco guidata da Guido Borghetti Palace Of Worms il quale
fra le altre cose produce l' album-CD degli statunitensi VEHEMENCE
REALIZED, un duo di Richmond che canta disillusioni e speranze del
nostro tempo con una grafia intensa e pregnante dove risalta una
calda voce virile e il malinconico suono della tromba, elementi
assolutamente decisivi alla natura crepuscolare di SEVERE, al genere
di poetica esistenzialista che affiora attraverso le melodie trafitte
di episodi quali "Afternoon", " Rooms", "Prayer",
"Old", "Hope "... "Severe" insomma
quel che si dice un gran bel disco, di quelli pieni di anima oltre
che di armonie accattivanti ad aperture liriche da brivido, scosse
romantico-decadenti che fanno male e che al contempo mettono di buon
umore: meglio una ferita in piu' che una vita senza emozioni.
(A.Chimenti)
Dark Cell
Richmond, Virginia's darkwave duo
finally capture their unique sound to disc. Those who have seen VR
live, know the power of their sound and this disc shows nothing
less. The fluid trumpet work of T. Nathan Roane is reminiscent of
Death In June, while the pounding bass lines of Michael Otley punch
your ribcage with powerful blows. The music here is refreshingly
simple in many ways (bass, guitar, trumpet, programming, drum
machine), yet complex in others. Each song creates a mood that will
either carry you away lightly or slap you into reality. While I
don't dislike any of the songs (and neither will you), I do have
three favorites: the hypnotic beats of "Severin," the
powerful dance floor favorite "Prayer," and the
melancholic "Old." (Interestingly, these songs are
back-to-back on the CD). Lyrically, this is very personal music. At
times it's almost like venturing into someone else's bedroom. You can
just picture yourself rumaging through someone's desk and finding
carefully hidden correspondence or a cryptic note. It's like entering
the brains of Otley and Roane and just poking around. You'll find
their website to be just as personal...and incredibly enlightening as
to the source and vision of VR.
Dark Velvet Magazine
A couple of months ago I reviewed a
compilation CD which featured a local band called Vehemence Realized.
Well, these guys have since put out their own material and after
talking to band member T. Nathan Roane, I found out that it has been
a year in the making. The determination has obviously paid off.
SEVERE, the title of this endeavor, is a most impressive debut. What
struck me first about this CD was the production quality. I still
can't believe how orchestrated and fluid each song seems to flow
into the next. Severe is more of a well tuned package than just a
series of songs thrown together at random. Melancholy horns are
laced over hypnotic drum beats and booming, larger than life vocals
to create a somber yet powerful sound. A lot of time and care went
into the making of this one and it shows. With nine songs that make
up about an hours worth of music, this CD is definitely worth
buying. Speaking of the songs, they are well written and I dare say,
sometimes a little creepy. From slightly morbid to melodically
psychotic, each track is intertwined with the overall mood of the
CD.Severe, like the band who created it, will be talked about for
quite some time and personally I'm very much looking forward to
seeing one of their live shows. Fortunately, that can be done at the
CD release party which is coming up on March 25th at Twisters
(11:00pm). It's good to have a new and eclectic addition to the
already existing roster of great local talent. Vehemence Realized
shows just what can be done if talent is combined with dedication.
For more information about upcoming shows and anything else you'd
like to know about the band, give their website a visit at
www.carpemortem.com/vehemence. It's good to have you here guys and
we hope SEVERE is a taste of things to come.( Ben Field Poor
Richmond's Almanac)
Gothic.Net
I was a little disturbed by the fact
that this disk has a fluffy white cat on its cover; I'd just finished
listening to A Cat-Shaped Hole in My Heart, so I can be forgiven, I
suppose. Palace of Worms is the label that sports the
much-raved-about Bleeding Like Mine, so I had high hopes for this
disk by Richmond, Virginia band Vehemence Realized, and I wasn't
disappointed. The music is lovely, understated and bewitching. The
vocals remind me, at times, of Thanatos; at other times, the singer's
a little melodramatic, straying dangerously into Glen Danzig
territory, but it's never too distracting and the pretention level is
kept to a dull roar. Overall, Severe is a low-key mix of influences
from the 4AD side of the spectrum--Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance,
This Mortal Coil. But the music also evokes, for me, bits of In the
Nursery and (at times) Death in June--and surprisingly, I thought
some of the melodies even had a Depeche Mode sort of sound to them.
More recent fellow-travelers of Vehemence Realized might be Ninth
Circle or even Trance to the Sun, though Vehemence Realized is less
challenging and harsh than Trance usually is. I was impressed by
the continuity of the sound, which makes the album very listenable.
Inventive polyrhythmic electric drumbeats and beautifully-executed
piano passages mingle with instruments like trumpet and a quiet but
fuzz-soaked guitar to create a unique and unusual sound. It's a
slow, intense, and moody exploration, at times very moving and
strikingly evocative.(Thomas S. Roche)
Children of the Night
A few introductory words by Holly
Lalena Day relating to the holy trinity: middle ages, darkness,and
the subordinate role women played in such a society. For the women
who carried the seed of rebellion, this compilation is their child.
The battle's progress is introduced by a three-act play of that
bloody event. Act one: "The Unprejudiced Plan", beginning
in the form of an instrumental, an innocent portent by PENITENT,
followed by OPERA MULTI STEEL completing the medieval atmosphere to
the full by "Laudamus te". That atmosphere is amplified by
introducing a minstrel Pico della Mirandola, brought to us by the
fantastic ATARAXIA, currently the greatest ethereal band. "Incaballa"
and numerous talents Francesca Nicoli undisputedly possesses. The
medieval mysticism embodied in "Morituri", a song by a
French band ROSA CRUX, is spiced up by a fabulous arrangement. All
this resembles ATARAXIA to a good extent,which is, of course, a big
plus. Freshness and pelthora come to us in the shape of the most
brilliant missionary tradition fresh from Mexico, the fabulous
JARAMAR and "Hija mia". Act one, however ends in the form
of a maidenly tapestry "Luna begets Mercury" by THE SOIL
BLEEDS BACK. Act two: "The Pitiless Assault", straight from
the Panonia plain,with all the courts, haughty nobles and chivalrous
tradition "The March of the Universe", by ARCANA ART from
Szekesfehervar.The pagan sound is also noticeable in the work of a
New York band,MORS SYPHILITICA, which I wormly recommend to all of
you who miss never grieved down HUGO LARGO. The real pitiless assault
arrives with HAGALAZ RUNEDANCE and thir neo-folk ode"When the
falcon flies" - one of the favourites on this compilation
bewitchingly calling for the spirits of CURRENT 93 and DEATH IN JUNE.
However, a true neo-folk fantasy comes from Dallas, Texas -
"PROSCIPTOR" and "our blood and veins from McGoverb
regiment", the heat of a fight, bag-pipes and screaming horses,
with laughter, of course. Straight out of nowhere a dreamy lullaby
"Anaka" and an angelic voice, XVII VIE, of the singer
Karin, from the anthological "LLewella" album, a peral
among ethereal jewels. A brave stepping out of 4AD pattern. The
ending of the second act is the so called "circular sound"
(shifting the balance of the potentiometer left-right) "El valls
delos mentirosos" by EL LUTO DEL REY CUERVO. That's a bit
irritating, but the vocal's very good. The last act, act three:
"The Shameless Defeat" beginning gloomy and coldly, very
imaginatively from production's point of view perfectly played, with
"Dungeon"sounds from the centre for dark thoughts, the
Swedish COLD MEAT INDUSTRY, to all the fans of this house - the band
PROTAGONIST will certanly not disappoint you. Song entitled
"Hesperia" (draft)" adds a big plus to this
compilation, but a minus follows in the form of Spanish AIN SOPH,
NOTHUS FILIUS MORTIS and their "Legio" -secret ritual
again, only this time THE PERSONAL is not sufficiently remoted from
THE COMMON aim, which leads to a dramatization of the rite, and one
ritual certainly shouldn't sound like that. When leaving for
California Robert Plant was looking for a girl who could play the
guitar, weep and sing at the same time, but, disappointed, realized
that such a girl hadn't been born yet. He has unconsciously
influenced the forming of certain STONE 588 whose "Tannhauser"
confutes his famous remark. Brittle vocals and mystique bring us more
neo-folk beauties in the song "Don't weep for me", by
ONTARIO BLUE, a band which seriously represents all that FIRE+ICE
should have been but aren't. This is followed by AUTUMN TEARS's
"This...My melancholic masquerade". The name of the band
and the title of the song, as well as their LP's title "Love
poems for dying children", are so beautiful that, even if they
had recorded silence, they would still be my favourites. Fortunately,
the silence is replaced by an apocaliptic vision of the sunset with a
polyphony of true medieval grace silk, without a doubt this is an
absolute knock-out. The finish of the third act and the compilation
itself is falling into dreams of ambiental oblivion of STAY
FRIGHTENED's "The queen of Elves" -magical beauty passing
through the forests and the streams and disappearing on the horizon
of this last incisions of this marvellous compilation. Thematically
and conceptually well conceived compilation which represents a work
for itself, not just a collection of songs by various artists
gathered in one place. Definitely a homework for anyone who would
want to compile. Palace of worms deserves all credits for this
release. Reviewed by Sri Stevie
Subculture
The Palace of Worms label is fairly new
to me, and likely were it not for my dealing with Ted from Dark
Symphonies I would never have heard about it. "Storm The
Palace," as far as I know, is the first compilation on the
label, as they are fairly young. The compilation has a theme and it
is centralized on the period of 1000 to 1400 A.D. medieval Europe;
easy to imagine why, while the music is divided into three sections
or acts: "The Unprejudiced Plan", "The Pitiless
Assault" and "The Shameless Defeat".
The first contributor is Penitent, AKA
Karsten Hamre, who opens with an excellent piece called - what else?
- "Intro", a synth work that wouldn't feel out of place on
"The Beauty of Pain." This is followed by Opera Multi
Steel, the excellent Italian artists Ataraxia, Rosa Crvx - a band I
was hitherto unaware of - and Jaramar, an interesting
eastern-influenced selection. US based Soil Bleeds Black round off
the first section.Thus far, Penitent and Ataraxia stand out best for
me, both compelling and emotional pieces, with convincing atmosphere
and technique. Rosa Crvx is somewhat disappointing, but Jaramar
satisfies as an interesting Indian-flavored component of "The
Unprejudiced Plan", non-typical of the rest of the tracks.The
next section is introduced once more by Karsten Hamre, this time in
the form of his side-project Arcane Art - an original gothic/darkwave
admixture with spoken word. Mors Syphilitica follows. Then a great
selection from Hagalaz' Runedance (wife of Emperor's Ihsahn).
Proscriptor, XXII Vie and El Luto Del Rey Cuerve round off.Well,
again, the more conspicuous of the artists meets my taste, this time
being Hagalaz' Runedance and Arcane Art. El Luto Del Rey Cuervo add
an effective piece with a definite personality of their own that will
likely prompt me to investigate their presence further, but the rest
are somewhat lacking, although not drastically so. Proscriptor's
track is somewhat kitsch with its scottish bagpipes and female
screaming, but does offer a change of pace nonetheless. "The
Shameless Defeat" consummates with the last 6 artists of the
compilation; Protagonist, Nothvs Filus Mortis, Stone 588, Ontario
Blue (great project of Pennick from Endvra), Autumn Tears and Stay
Frightened. I'm immediately taken in by the feelings of desolation
inspired by Pennick's Ontario Blue; this may the highlight on the
entire disc, next to Penitent. The Protagonist continues in the
quasi-soundtrack theme of his earlier work, and Autumn Tears bring
forth lovely, albeit somewhat synthetic-sounding, darkwave; I know
not why. Stay Frightened is perhaps least characteristic of the
style of the entire compilation, more fitting of a Manifold Records
sampler, but in no way less enthralling than the others.So to
summarize my thoughts, what we have here is a very diverse and
professional compilation, and an excellent way of sampling some of
the impressive array of artists on this label and others that play a
related music. Palace of Worms do not compromise on quality as even
the poorer tracks have a unique flavor and ambience. Along with the
addition of unreleased songs and remastered studio tracks, this
definitely wins my approval as quite a welcome change for the
demonized and frostbitten metal enthusiast! A label we shall
hopefully hear more of in the future... Yury Arkadin
Bespreking
Het zou ons inderdaad niet verwonderen
mocht u deze cd al meerdere keren in de cd-bakken zijn tegenkomen.
Het zou ons nog minder verwonderen mocht u - om indruk te maken op
een locale gothic schone -telkens met een gebaar van misprijzen de cd
stante pede niet terug in de bakken hebben gestopt wegens, 'ik ken de
groepen niet...' Wel wat u niet kent kunt u leren kennen vandaar
alsnog een bespreking in het Dark Entries - webzine van deze cd.
'Storm The Palace-Worms AD MCXVIII' biedt ons maar liefst 18 (meer
als 75 minuten muziek) nummers die soms frivool, soms dreigend de
sfeer der donkere tijden -die tijd waar de wetenschap het langzaam de
magie verdrong met oorlogen en ellende als gevolg- laten herbeleven
(zonder daarvoor zonodig in de teletijdmaschine van ene Barabas te
moeten stappen). Van onbekend en obscuur (Jaramar, Arcane Art,
Proscriptor, El Luto Del Rey Cuervo, Nothvs Filivs Mortis, Ontario
Blue,...) tot al even obscuur maar toch net iets bekender (Pentitent,
Ataraxia, Rosa Crux, Protagonist, Hagalaz Runedance, The Soil Bleeds
Black,....) passeren de acts één voor één langs ons immer
kritisch oor. Opvallend; elke track klinkt toch weer anders hoewel ze
wonderwel bij elkaar weten aan te sluiten, een consistent geheel dus
deze verzamelaar. Rustig meewiegen op mystieke ambient of
engelachtige heavenly voices, zich laten onderdompelen in bombast of
mystieke sferen opsnuiven tijdens de middeleeuwen kon het allemaal.
Hoogtepunten, al zijn er geen echte uitschieters, zijn Rosa Crux met
de originele versie van hun eerste single 'Morituri', Mors
Syphilitica, Hagalaz Runedance, Opera Multi Steel en Ataraxia al hebt
u het recht het hiermee volstrekt oneens te zijn. Slotsom; een rustig
en ingetogen cd'tje van het obscure en mystieke soort dat is
weggelegd voor de fan van middeleeuws en magisch/spiritueel aandoende
gothic.
Blakula
A ny záver jednu kompilacku ponekud
odlišne ladeného stylu i když jména jako Proscriptor, Penitent ci
Hagalaz Runedance asi nejsou v metalu nic až tak neznámého ac
hudba samotná zde s metalem má pramálo spolecného. To platí i o
zbylých patnácti spolcích, jednotlivcích ci projektech obcas s
pro nás ponekud exotickými názvy jako El Luto Del Rey Cuervo,
Nothvs Filivs Mortis, Mors Syphilitica ci Jaramar. Ale jakáže hudba
nachází se na tomto CD, táže se již jiste nedockave zvídavý
ctenár. Inu, všelijaká, rekla by pohádková babicka. Tu s
melodiemi si pohrávající, tu do depresivních nálad upadající,
jinde esoterická tu zas psychedelická, náladová, podnetná,
temná, historizující, mexická, skotská, germánská ... 6, 6 a
ješte jednou 6 songu reprezentujících vetšinou samostatné
oficiální výtvory zúcastnených interpretu každopádne tvorí
zajímavý prehled pro ty, kterí by si rádi poslechli krome metalu
neco jiného a ne jenom Dead Can Dance.
Edge of time
Personally to me, this compilation is
the best one in this issue (together with "What is Eternal").
This time Palace of Worms decided to release a concept album that
aims to present best artists performing in dark medieval style. Some
steppings outside this concept are present, like, for example,
Ontario Blue which we maybe can call ethereal or something else, but
it seems that they don't have much in common with artists performing
in the atmosphere of Dark Ages. Hagalaz' Runedance is also clearly
folky, but after all it's very hard to find where one style ends and
another begins. The main thing is that here we've got an exceptional
collection of talents, and only one track isn't worth of this
compilation (at least for me), which is Nothvs Filivs Mortis's
"Legio." Each medieval/ambient/folk fan will be glad to
find such known artists as Ataraxia, Penitent, The Soil Bleed Black,
Protagonist, or Hagalaz' Runedance. Seven tracks here are previously
unreleased, which makes this album even more worthy. This compilation
disc is exceptional also because it is divided in three parts: The
Unprejudiced Plan, The Pitiless Attack, and The Palace's Defeath,
each of them contains groups/projects having similar musical concept
or atmosphere. For me, this compilation CD creates an impression of
dynamically changing emotions, which grow and then calm down.I won't
pick any favorites, because most of the bands are at the same high
artistic level. Better don't miss this compilation. (AO)
Judas kiss
As the tides of time swept over the
world, Europe entered is darkest period in its short History, The
Middle Ages. A time that was ravaged by war and diseases, when the
poor lived in squalor and the rulers of the kingdoms owned all that
they oversaw. It was also a time that the Church battled head on with
the powers of magic and superstition - to worship a false god meant
death at the hands of Gods men. Chaos and madness ruled supreme. It's
out of this living hell on Earth comes yet another gripping
compilation for the prolific Italian label ;Palace of Worms. Storms
collects together some of the more well known bands and performers
form the ethereal, traditional folk inspired scenes, and presents
them together superbly to create a total ambience of the times. Some
of the tracks served up by the bands are taken for their previous
releases, such as the Prosciptors,Our Blood from the excellent Cold
Meat Scottish tribal release,The Venus Bellona and Judas Kiss
favourites Ontario Blue track taken from their outstanding debut CD
Shine . Previously unreleased tracks hail from the excellent
Protagonist and the moving Stay Frightened. Like the other
compilation releases by POW, runs from track to track incredibly
smoothly and achieves successfully what it set out to do. Yet again
another outstanding releases from a label which should be watched
very carefully in the future as it may well take over from some of
the more established labels which have become more complacent over
the years.
Etats limites
Dans la lignée des compilations
produites par Roger Karmanik (Cold Meat Industry), Storm The
Palaceest une véritable réussite. On y retrouve d'ailleurs quelques
noms du label suédois, et pas des moindres: Penitent, Protagonist,
The Soil Bleeds Black, Proscriptor… qui nous permettent d'emblée
de situer le registre musical emprunté par Palace Of Worms : musique
ambiante, atmosphérique, industrielle, ou également médiévale,
moyenâgeuse…Trois formations françaises laisseront leur marque
sur cette production : Opera Multisteel, XVII° Vie et les
inévitables Rosa Crux (avec le titre Morituri… un choix parfait).
Nous retrouverons également quelques “classiques” ; citons
Ataraxia et Ontario Blue (projet parallèle à Endura). Pour ce qui
est des découvertes,d'heureuses surprises d'Espagne,
d'Italie,d'Angleterre, avec Jaramar, Mors Syphilitica, Hagalaz,
Runedance, El Luto Del Rey Cuervo,Nothus Filius Mortis, Stay
Frightened… et, pour plonger dans une parfaite mélancolie : Autumn
Tears,Arcane Art et Stone 588… Un moment inoubliable… Essentiel !
(Fabien)
Sorted magazine
This whole classically-influenced
atmospheric/ethereal malarkey has really taken off recently and has
even been made sexy by the Mediæval Bæbes. Of course, with the
demise of the great bands of the genre, Dead Can Dance and This
Mortal Coil, there's a large void to be filled. In steps Palace of
Worms with a proposition no self-respecting floaty Goth band could
resist - an album based on the music and history of the Dark Ages.
And so we have "Storm the Palace: Worms AD MCXVII" a
flouncey, foppish, and occasionally dark, collection of assorted
musics about slaughter, crusades, disease, and, of course, death. The
bands lining up to spout incomprehensible Latin and ye olde Englishe
include some gloriously pretentious names as Mors Syphilitica (a
personal favourite), Hagalaz Runedance (sounds like a brand of
ice-cream), El Luto Del Rey Cuervo and Nothvs Filivs Mortis (whew!).
There are some more well-know (and easier to spell) names in there
too, like Penitent, Rosa Crux, Stone 588 and Autumn Tears. The
tracks that stand out are those that sound a bit different, in
particular Proscriptor's 'Our Blood and Veins from the McGovern
Regiment' - a highland war romp complete with bagpipes, military
drumming and some bizarre sound fx. Nothvs Filivs Mortis' 'Legio' is
another, with its dark, oppressive feel. This is no reflection on the
16 other bands, each of whom acquits themselves well on the more
classically-oriented music. Each and every band shows a high level of
ability, both musically and, where applicable, vocally, in some cases
playing music rather different from their usual style. This is a
concept compilation that works very nicely and would make a great
soundtrack to a book by David Eddings or Raymond E. Feist. (Girl the
Goth)
The zodiac chronicle
This compilation is a quite exceptional
output featuring mostly dark ambient and medieval bands like "The
Soil Bleeds Black", etc. It is divided into three chapters which
are musically connected. While the first two chapters seemed to be
the most 'medieval sounding' ones we have acts like The Protagonist
on chapter three to create a certain kind of contrast. The whole
album is quite depressing to listen to, I think, but there are also
more refreshing parts in it, drawing brighter images on your mind. To
mention some more featured acts, I would point out on Penitent,
Hagalaz' Runedance, Arcane Art or Autumn Tears.People not familiar
with this kind of music or the mentioned bands might be interested in
this CD. Others who already own most releases of these dark bands
should also check this compilation out as nearly all tracks are
previously unreleased ones! (Andreas Bauer)
Flow
The newest CD of the annual Palace of
Worm's compilation releases focuses on Medieval-period music-and, for
the most,part, the songs are completely true to the genre
restrictions with modern instruments taking place of the traditional
ones in parts; the songs that don't really qualify as Medieval music
are good enough to be included in the compilation. The pieces on
these CDs are contributed by bands from all over the world from the
heartland of the US to Mexico to England and Sweden. Some pieces on
this especially worth mentioning are Opera Multi Steel's "Laudamus
Te"-an echoey vocal/percussion that coul be hours longer and
still be enjoyable; XVII Vie's "Anaka"-which features a
truly incredible female vocalist who could probably get work as a
professional opera singer. I probably can't get away without
mentioning that I wrote the liner notes for this disc, and a big huge
gigantical part of me doesn't even want to try. It was an incredible
honor to be asked to participate in this project, and I still can't
listen to this thing without feeling absolutely awed that I had even
the slightes part in it. (Holly Day)
Rockerilla
Della stessa etichetta la bella
compilation STORM THE PALACE:WORMS A.D. MCXVII, un viaggio nel
Medioevo europeo rievocata da una schiera di 18 gruppi cha
presenziano con un brano a testa. Un compendia che sembra la saga
della primavera in musica e che porta in rassegna nomi graditi come
Penitent, Rosa Crux, Jaramar, Protagonist, Hagalaz Runedance, Opera
Mundi Steel e moltri altri. Se amate queste cose non rimarrete certo
delusi. (A. Chimenti)
Last sight
Runes Order's fourth full-length
release is an extended nocturnal voyage into a cold, windswept land,
where the darkness is held at bay only by the light of musical
beauty. The fourteen songs on Waiting Forever (Memories Remain)
combine powerful percussions -- that balance on the knife's edge
between march drums and ritualistic dance beats -- with sweeping
synth melodies of an often strongly melancholy character. Aside from
a couple of instrumental pieces, the songs are all adorned with
vocals that nicely complement the moods set by the musical
arrangements. Memories, loss, and a general sense of finality
permeate the lyrics, which are performed by the members of Runes
Order themselves (Claudio Dondo, Paola Magarelli and Daniele
Magarelli), and, in a few instances, by Diego Merletto of Frozen
Autumn, and Ersilia Di Addamio. The guest vocalists are well chosen,
and add much nuance to Runes Order's songs. Particularly strong are
"Solitude" and "Memories," both sung by Diego
Merletto. "Solitude" very effectively evokes the atmosphere
of loneliness, with subtle chimes, slow string themes, and ticking
staccato beats marking the passing hours. Merletto's grand,
introspective voice rings out as if inside a vast room, and from
across the other end of this space echoes the frail words of Paola
Magarelli, answering Merletto's solitary musings. Paola also
introduces "Memories" with a brief spoken passage, setting
the stage for Merletto, who once more delivers an almost operatic
vocal performance. Dynamic percussion, and multiple layers of
expansive melodic synth themes carry along the words, and soar to a
strong crescendo at the end of the song. A number of the tracks are
very foreboding in mood; none more so than "The Last Delight."
Here the distant, beautiful chanting of Ersilia Di Addamo is
countered by deep, almost droning synth atmospheres, a truly Teutonic
beat, and -- for a brief moment -- by the echo of the "führer"
himself, reaching down the corridors of time like the memory of a bad
dream. The following piece "...Of Shame" builds on the
disconcerting qualities of "The Last Delight," with Claudio
Dondo himself whispering words that speak of nothingness and
emptiness.This song is again underscored by a rich stream of synth
harmonies, and an intense, marching beat. Not all of Runes Order's
songs are exclusively garbed in black, however. While their music
always leans toward the melancholy, they at times do create some
highly dance-oriented songs. Standing like a monument amongst these
is "The Razorblade," an eleven minute tour de force of
layered synth percussions and windy melodic atmospheres, with Ersilia
Di Addamo's feline vocals cutting through the air, supported by
Claudio Dondo. Also written with the dance floor in mind are the
songs "Through The Years," "Angel," "Waiting
Forever," and above all "The Intruder," which is
perhaps the most compelling track on Waiting Forever, featuring not
only Runes Order's hallmark dark and melodic thematic qualities, but
also a prominent and highly danceable beat. Dondo performs the vocals
in his subdued whispered fashion occasionally accentuated by
electronic treatment, and voice samples in French are interjected
into the saturated stream of thematics throughout. The compressed
format of the song (3:12) does not detract from its power, yet, it is
certainly a track that justifies the CD player's "repeat"
button.Runes Order hail from Genoa, Italy; and Waiting Forever
(Memories Remain) is their first release on the likewise Italian
label Palace Of Worms.With other recent releases from such bands as
Stay Frightened and Bleeding Like Mine, as well as Heilige Tod (a
tribute compilation to Death In June), Palace Of Worms is
establishing themselves as a darker sibling to such labels as Projekt
and Hyperium.(Michael C. Lund)
Grinding into emptiness
This is the fourth release from Italy's
Runes Order, a project founded in back in 1988. The vocals are more
realized on this record than any of the past, and guest vocalist
Diego Merletto of The Frozen Autumn lends his voice to the tracks
"Solitude" and "Memories". His vocal style is
deeply melodic and choir-like, and it's droning, slow tempo fits the
music well. On both songs his voice is treated with a thick echo that
makes it sound they recorded him in a massive oil drum. The
confident female vocals of Paola Magarelli and Ersilia Di Addamio
complement the music nicely, binding the atmospherics with
something more down to earth to latch on to. The tracks they
contribute to are the stronger ones, and their vocals give the music
a more complete feel. The themes on this record have very melancholy
overtones, and taking the album's title and the cover photo of a
playground slide into consideration it seems that the sadness comes
from a yearning for the past. There is a vague percussive element to
each track that sets the stage for the swells of electronic melodies
that come to the forefront of the sound and give the music it's
life.(Ben Didier)
Glasnost
RUNES ORDER steht nicht für
irgendwelchen zweifelhaften Zauber, sondern für italienischen
Electro Wave der Oberklasse. Nebenbei hört man so typische verlorene
Synthie Klänge und Rhythmen mit Sprache aus der KIRLIAN CAMERA
Schule - "Through The Years". Klare Highlights sind auf
diesem Album die melancholischen Songs "Solitude" und
"Waiting Forever", denen FROZEN AUTUMN Sänger Diego
Merletto seine unvergleichlich schmeichelhafte Stimme leiht, und die
seinem Gesang perfekt auf den Leib geschrieben sind. Fulminant ist
das überlange "Razorblade Winter" mit seiner spannenden
Sphärik, den pochenden Grooves und zuletzt einem weiblichen Gesang,
der dem Stück eine treibende, pathetisch poppige Stimmung gibt.
Erinnert etwas an die EBM-Versuche von PRIMORDIA. Die darauf
folgenden Tracks verschmelzen damit zu einem euphorischen Werk. "The
Last Delight" wartet mit düster bedrohlichem Ambient Sound aus
dunklen, brandenden Synthieflächen, fernem Dröhnen und hypnotischem
Metallschlag in guter CMI Tradition auf. In "Of Shame"
paart sich die gedrückte Stimme alter LYCIA Scheiben mit den hellen
Analog Synthies alter TANGERINE DREAM. So bleibt nichts, was man sich
bei diesem Album noch dazuwünschen könnte. Eine der genialsten
Veröffentlichungen im Dark Electronic Bereich. Ein wahres Kompendium
der elektronischen Musik. (GLASNOST Media Publishing)
Edge of time
Two years of silence, and now we have
the 4th album of one of the best dark-electro performers from Italy.
Together with Kirlian Camera, they are my favorites in Italy's
electronic scene. The new album can surprise everyone with its
multi-colorness of moods and musical decisions. Depressive dark
electronic music on "Solitude" is changed with
dancefloorish "The Razorblade-Winter", later with ambient
passages on "Blackage" or psychedelic melodies on "Sickness
of Beauty". Beautifuly arranged melodies change the slow
flowing, the mood varies from nostalgic ("Waiting Forever")
to threatening ("The Last Delight"), or quiet and romantic
("Endless").Maybe the term "dark electronics"
isn't too suitable as not everything is dark in here, but tracks like
"Solitude" (my favorite) are real masterpieces of gloomy
electronic music. Frozen Autumn vocalist also contributed to this
album and fans of Runes Order will find the new martial version of
their cult song "Through the Years". (AO)
Flux
Waiting Forever (Memories Remain) (1998
PO6W-2) is the fourth album from Runes Order - Claudio Dondo and
Daniele Magarelli. Dark folk/goth-rock vocals,dark atmospheres, and
Kraftworky synthpop electronics make this a dynamic and exciting
album which squarely targets my personal musical taste.
Mozgalom
Nem tudom, hogy mekkora a kereslet erre
a m?fajra („elektro-dark”), de a kínálat eléggé nagy. A RUNES
ORDER (senkit ne tévesszen meg a név, nem sok közük van, akár a
divatos rúna-mágiához is) egy olasz csapat, akiket a helyi
népszer?ségük miatt szerz?dtetett a P.O.W. kiadó. Zenéjükben
nagyon közel állnak a KIRLIAN CAMERA által képviselt vonalhoz, s
a nyolcvanas évek szintetizátor- new wave zenekaraihoz. Klasszikus
elektronikus zene, klasszikus eszközökkel, jó stúdióban felvéve.
Nem rossz, de nem is jobb annál, mint amit várhat az ember. Akik
viszont ezt szeretik, s vannak azért páran, azok itt bátran
kopogtathatnak
Starvox
Quietly and sensually the music from
the second release from this band makes its way out of the speakers
and into the bowels of whatever disparity you are feeling in your
life. Frightening how the simple sounds and soft tones of vocal can
actually grab you – but it is in this that BLM succeeds. Curt and
Holly Emmer have again made something that is in the world of Black
Tape for a Blue Girl, Libitina, lovespiralsdownward and takes their
own place among them. The vocals of Holly Emmer and guest vocalist
Hugues Dammarie, from O Quam Tristis… (who also performs flute)
gently weave a curtain of despairing words and emotions through the
lyrics of Curt Emmer. It seems we are going through a devastating
breakup and feeling every shift in love, hate,despair, desolation,
loneliness, regret, hope and betrayal. This is the epitome of the
volume of poetry written by the 16 year old feeling his or her first
breakup – but yet with the ability to write like an adult. It is
almost as we are taken through the five stages of death. Denial,
anger, etc. In fact, Denial is the second track and it states
clearly, succinctly what goes though so many minds initially after
thebreak-up….. No, I know you'll be back, what with the life we are
building, and the castle wallaround us…..or between us? And the
fear, as one wonders how one will go on, “without the strength of
you open arms I will surely not survive.” And then the questions
and perhaps, subtlety– the anger, “When will you realize the
mistake you've made?” And more anger comes in Shallow and beyond
where the anger starts to build lyrically and continues to do so in
"Waiting for the harvest never to come". And then gradual
start of acceptance, “You can't replace the past, can you? Even if
you watch the movie” You can start to hear it. The questioning of
it all –"Did we ever know love at all?”. And then the
proclamation in "Untitled #27: Renewal,“ "Teach me to
have, and to hold and to feel the powers of love once again.” And
that wonderful time, when you know that you will never feel like this
again, you won't listen to that album that makes you think of the
other person, you won't go to that diner again, “Never again will I
relive the time of you.” But the real acceptance comes later, in
track #16, “ I'm a better person for losing you. I've learned all I
can from the memory of you, not it's time for me to go on…. it's
time for you to go.” But does it really come at all? In the liner
notes, Track #16 has lyrics, on the CD itself, it doesn't. Leaving
the listener to contemplate if the resolution of a broken heart has
truly come or is it wishful thinking and hope of the writer? I think
the only shortcoming of the lyrics is the over use, abuse we may say,
of the question and the question mark. Of the 16 songs this CD
offers, 8 have questions, most have more than one. And although this
may sound like I am being picky – I think there may have been more
innovative ways of phraseology than that and, reading the lyrics, as
I am want to do – it gets tedious. I do understand the doubt and
questioning that obviously is done during times that are described
and emoted about throughout this album, but it is the artists' job to
bring a new twistand a unique way of relating those questions. But
enough said on that. The voices of Holly and Hugues are actually
perfectly suited for the music and blend well with it, creating a
perfect marriage. I would have loved to hear a duet with the two,
feeding off the softness, yet intensity of their voices. The
strongest of the male songs, coupled with the music, not only the
vocals, is "Faith Abandoned"….there is something very
hypnotizing of it all, of the repetition and Hugues lovely tenor
dancing over the notes. As for the female led songs, all are strong,
her alto voice finding lovely nuances with a note, almost in the vein
as Monica Richards can do – but softer, more angelic sounding.
There are some mysterious, if not basically quirky things about this
band. One, despite checking out several websites, I could find no
history of the band, more info on the members, or from where they
come. I~think~ the States would be the answer for Curt and Holly, but
assume Hugues is from Europe (I am guessing France or Italy) as the
fact that English is not his first language seems apparent on several
tracks. Two, rather uniquely, they are very forthright about where
the majority of the album was recorded – in the apartment of Holly
and Curt. What strikes me about that is the normal fashion of
creating a “name” for home studios to look more professional as a
band has been abandoned. Now, I know quite a number of bands and
their albums who have never even seen the inside of a professional
studio, but you would never know from the liner notes, and perhaps
more importantly from the quality. I don't think is a bad idea for a
band to do– creating a fictious name for a studio they record in.
But the honesty of Curt and Holly is refreshing and somehow makes me
give them perhaps more leeway in quality – which they don't need
anyway. The music is lovely and relaxing. All I wanted to do while
listening to this album was to get into a warm bubble bath in a room
filled with candles and drink a lovely glass of rich burgundy.
Soothing despite thesubject. Jezabel
It is most certain that I do not follow
nowadays any similar band with the characteristics offered by the
Americans Bleeding Like Mine, but this, their second album, proves
once again that they are a musical expression with nearly no
comparison in a, let's define like this, dark ethereal wave ambient
scene (if there is really such thing nowadays). I remember listening
with pleasure some bands of this "kind" or of a similar
"style" many years ago, I remember the trace left by some
interesting projects from the British 4AD label, and I do not forget
a great band called Black Tape For A Blue Girl. Likewise, the first
Bleeding Like Mine album ("In The Eyes Of Lovelost",1.997
see our review in our 9th issue) was a proof of what I now reaffirm,
the Italian label made again an intelligent election releasing this
new album. I do not want to compare BLM strictly with the label and
band above mentioned, it is a question of making you reader an
approximate idea of how this Americans sound like and also due to the
fact that this is not the type of style I usually listen to nowadays,
that means, I have no idea if there is more projects out there
achieving so many interesting compositions as BLM are doing (I doubt
it)
SDC
This is a compendium of minimalistic
electronics background to create above a very dark, melancholy, even
tragic style, based in static melodies, solitary pianos, soft male
and female voices, and a "romantic" feel projected in the
general style and within the lyrics, which are reflection of personal
relationships, total solitude and even despair. We find behind BLM a
main man, Curt Emmer, responsible of all the instrumentation and
compositions, aided in most of the vocals by Holly Emmer, and a guest
for this album, Hugues Dammarie of the French band O Quam Tristis.
Curiously, instrumentals have their own unpronounced texts (a thing
that also practised the aforementioned band), like the first track
named "Untitled #8, Chapter 4" with its reiterative effects
and drones of a soothing effect and its almost unappreciable piano.
"Denial" is a classic ballad of their own style, the soft
and sensitiveness of Holly's voice, and her capacity to drown the
listener among creations of what it seems a dark simplicity, but full
of a strange captivity kept by a few ambient sounds and the permanent
attraction of a few piano notes, very nice and painful at the same
time. "In Your Flesh The Key: Chapter 2" is the first
intervention of the French singer, a sobriety above a kept darkness
maintained again with scarce conceptions, but fully effective, and
beautiful minimal melodies. One of the best is simply called
"Untitled #18", Hugues increases his deep affection with
the elegant presence of his flute playing a brief enhancement of what
later becomes simply a lineal track in the same spirit of others
found in the album. "Shallow And Beyond (Phrases 5 & 6)"
is characterised by its eternal and static background where simply
the kindness of the female interlaced voices revive its spirit,
without letting aside its sombre feeling. Again the icy female voice
and its languid intervention tries to revive inside the notes of the
piano contained within the sad "Waiting For The Harvest Never To
Come", one of my favourites, undoubtedly, and its "less is
more" conviction. Another one among the most important is
"Untitled #23". This is a second composition with the
blooming flute covering a more rhythmic percussion and the male
singer showing again his effective voice, without forgetting the
eternal piano that makes a very nice couple with the wind instrument.
"And Now it's Gone" represents the most isolationist side
of BLM, completed not only with the permanent and static floating of
the instrumentation but with an echoed voice that builds a great
quietness to simply travel deep inside. After having passed through
the first half of the album and having listened such tracks, we have
the impression that its magnetism have undoubtedly captivated us.
More states of tragic solitude behind the notes of "10.000
Years...Or Tomorrow", a short song but highly evocative. The
album offers also a little more dynamic pieces like "Did We Ever
Know Love At All?", where the pulse and the bass line give a new
and simple tone increased by the lineal male vocalist and perhaps
growing the interest through the ever attractive notes for piano.
"Waiting...: Chapter 2" brings back the sensation of
permanent and precious stagnation of mind and spirit, the
instrumentation plays this role and the girl's voice and her precious
singing fill the air with that passive conception replete with
quietness, even the time seems to stop here making our thoughts fall
in an ending spiral of sadness. Curt, likewise during some
accompaniment in the previous track, whispers with a shy voice within
"Untitled #27: Renewal", being this again a piece of a
floating atmosphere, but showing a prolonged despair increased by the
text. More pearls in this part of the album under the name of "Faith
Abandoned", here is where Hugues makes more obvious his slight
eastern influences on his voice, while the music means one of the
more tragic events adorned with the sobriety of a fixed piano melody.
"In Your Flesh Lies The Key (v.2)" is a new version of the
third track, this time sang by the echoed Holly's enchanting voice,
backed by some music abstraction; really good. "Never Again Will
I Dream... (The Tower: Chapter 3)" presents a male singer with a
deeper voice adding a more direct feeling contrasting with some
volatile melodies, and containing easy percussions that just have the
function of sustaining the sadness of the main instrument. We reach
the final step towards future splendid brilliant elegant songs, the
epilogue is "The Hardest To Let Go", quite symbolic showing
even abstract feelings from the music background and a text without a
voice that circulates during its duration among our inner thoughts.We
are not reviewing similar discs lately on SDC, but I do recommend
this nice release, to fill some of the coldest autumn afternoons in
great solitude. A wise decision by Palace Of Worms: to bring us again
to Europe this American and already consolidated project. F. Paco
González.
Glasnost
Das Cover zeigt einen Haufen
menschlicher Knochengerüste. So morbide ist die Musik auf den ersten
Eindruck nicht, jenseitig ist sie aber allemal. Wie ein stiller
Teich, der keinen direkten Durchfluß hat, denn der Sound steht
schwermütig und dreht sich um seine eigene Achse. Ein autarkes
System, dessen Kreislauf sich aus der Symbiose von Wasser und Luft
bildet. Als Dunst und Nebel steigt das Naß in der Wärme empor, um
dann in perlenden Tropfen in der Kühle wieder herabzuregnen. Eine
Welt im Netz des Zaubers.
Für den Musikstil von BLEEDING LIKE
MINE gibt es keinen eigenen Begriff, vielmehr gilt unter Kennern der
Name des visionären Labels Projekt Records als Synonym für diesen
speziellen Stil von nebulösen, bittersüßen Klängen, die sich in
unendlicher Schwelgerei ergehen. Klassisches Instrumentarium,
naturinspirierte Klänge, spaciges Piano, sphärische Glocken,
beschwörende Stimmen - männlich wie weiblich - die wie
majestätische Schiffe über die sanften Wellen des Sees gleiten und
von der Dichte der Klangsubstanz getragen werden. Ein Sound, wie man
ihn von BLACK TAPE FOR A BLUE GIRL und ihrem Umfeld wie ARCANTA und
FROLIC kennt, ruhig und aller Welt entrückt, minimalistisch
schwebend und kalt.
Doch damit nicht genug. Das Album
erzählt mit den Texten der Lieder auch eine Geschichte, und zwar
gleiten in aufwühlenden Worten die Emotionen einer sterbenden Seele
vorüber. Also doch eine sehr morbide Angelegenheit, Todeslyrik und
Todesklang in hoher künstlerischer Ästhetik, wie sie nur jemand
zelebrieren kann, der Leben, Traum und Tod in einer sprituellen
Einheit verbunden sieht. *350702*
The Sentimentalist
Ah, the happiness of feeling sad... Why
not enjoy it even more with thisexcellent new CD by Bleeding Like
Mine, as we trudge over the vast,barren landscape of desolate
emotional plains after the anguishingbreak-up, punctuating time by
playing with the carcass of lost love--andlet Never Again Will I
Dream... repeat over again and again withoutcaring... Strong features
of the album are the keyboards and arrangementby Curt Emmer, who also
wrote most of the (self-autopsy) lyrics. Theexcellent vocals are supplied by Hugues
Dammarie (from Palace of Wormslabelmates "O Quam Tristis...")
and the heavenly-sounding Holly Emmer.Expect 16-songs of passive and
aggressive despair, loneliness, gloom,mourning... slow and bleak.
--Gilles de Montmorency
D-side
Voici le deuxième album de Bleeding
Like Mine, duo composé de Holly et Curt Emmer. Contrairement à In
the Eyes of Lovelost, leur précédent album où différents
musiciens apportaient une aide substantielle, ils ont fait appel
cette fois-ci à un seul et unique musicien-chanteur, le français
Hugues Dammarie d' "O Quam Tristis..." Les mélodies et
différentes harmonies du groupe sont toujours aussi éthérées,
soutenues par des percussions relativement discrètes.La voix mais
aussi la flûte d'Hugues Dammarie apportent beaucoup au céleste
couple, se combinant parfaitement aux textures contemplatives de Curt
et à la voix d'Holly Emmer.Romantisme et mystère forment une sorte
de halo autour des chansons de Bleeding Like Mine conférant à Never
again will I dream... une profondeur peu commune chez les groupes
oeuvrant dans les mêmes eaux mornes et marécageuses. Un groupe
comme Black Tape for a Blue Girl devrait en prendre de la
graine.Yannick Blay
Side line
2nd full length for Bleeding Like Mine
The American formation Bleeding Like Mine just released their 2nd
full length "Never again will I dream" on Palace Of Worms.
After a promising debut-cd and the excellent opener of the
side-project O Quam Tristis (released on Palace Of Worms and in the
line of Qntal), this new opus takes us away in a symbiotic and
esoterically trip of gothic, folk and neo-classical. The bewitching
and graceful female vocals embellish the cold textures with a deep
melancholic splendor. Compositions from the heart conceived as a
contemporary concerto!
FluxEuropa
Bleeding Like Mine's Never again will I
dream... is a dark but gentle combination of voice, piano and
atmospheres that will appeal to goth sensibilities. It follows BLM's
debut album In the Eyes of Lovelost (1997).The lyrics, the foundation
of the music, most of the instrument playing and some of the vocals
are down to Curt Emmer, but he is joined by Hugues Dammarie of O Quam
Tristis (vocals and flute) and by Holly Emmer (vocals). Hugues does
most of the singing and has a distinctly rich and deep voice, which,
given this particular musical context, is often reminiscent of
Brendan Perry.The 16 tracks address the single theme of resignation
to lost love. Curt's subtle neo-classical ambient music is the
perfect accompaniment to the sad, reflective lyrics, rendering so
much heartbreak so very mellow and relaxing.Percussion is generally
very restrained, but becomes a little busier on 'Did we ever know
love at all' on which the music and Hugues' vocals take on wavering
Balkan or Middle Eastern inflections, as they also do on 'Faith
Abandoned' which has a dark industrial feel.Hugues sent me a promo of
this recording following a recent enquiry I made about O Quam
Tristis. It's a couple of years old but quite beautiful and still
worth hunting down.RIK - 6 March 2003
Projekt
With Bleeding Like Mine's long awaited
follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut and POW's bestseller,
Curt extends the stylistic platform which BLM has become known for.
Similarities to the freshman release abound, yet this release goes
beyond the former, with bolder percussion and rhythm developments, as
well as subtler, more emotional statements that attack the heart both
lyrically and musically. The addition of the dynamic and deep vocals
of Hugues Dammarie (of Palace of Worms signed "O Quam
Tristis...") combined with the ever surreal, multi-tracked
heavently vocals of Holly Emmer clearly take this release to the next
level. A rare, beautiful work which combines three equal parts to
create a magical whole.
Ink19
Bleeding Like Mine's (BLM) darkly
gorgeous album Never Again Will I Dream... evokes the desolate
shadowlands between the love that has been lost and the new love that
has not yet been found with painful clarity and an achingly beautiful
sense of deep melancholy. Curt Emmer's keyboard work for BLM is just
outstanding, painting incredibly moving images and feelings out of
deceptively simple melodies or even just a few spare notes. Dark
synth, drums, and percussion lay the foundation for most of the
tracks, augmented at times with perfect touches of cello, flute, and
other instruments (all played by Curt, except flute on two tracks).
Two vocalists lend their considerable talents, with Holly Emmer's
contributions tending toward the lovely, fragile, and plaintive and
Hugues Dammarie's being more aggressive, deeper, and often distorted.
Points of comparison for the overall feel of the album might include
Raison d'Etre, Arcana, or SoulWhirlingSomewhere (the last especially
in terms of the lyrics), but really BLM are in a class very much
their own.I can't do proper justice to BLM in words, and encourage
you to simply buy the album if the above description intrigued you.
Failing that, I can tell you that Never takes you through the depths
of loneliness and despair, but also guides you to the hard-won
heights of healing and moving on with your life. So many of the
tracks on Never moved me so deeply that I really don't know where to
start. Perhaps with "Untitled #23," and its throbbing bass
drum, bell, atmospheric synth, and keyboards anticipating the advance
of a demonic, trilling flute. Hypnotic, magical, and haunting, the
instruments, together with the spooky, echoing, multilayered male
vocals, set the stars spinning across the black velvet night,
unknowable yet maddeningly familiar, laughing at our so-called wisdom
that lasts just the span of one meager life. Or "And Now It's
Gone," with its mournful, watery synth, wavering and tenuous;
breathy percussion; echoing keyboards; and heavily treated female
vocals way in the background delivered almost painfully slowly, the
whole evoking a feeling of drifting lost far away at sea, with no
familiar lighthouse to call you home now that your love is gone. And
ending with "The Hardest to Let Go," its low synth foghorn
sounds blowing lonely, highlighted with bell-like tones, and
beautiful keyboards, meditative but strong, the keys building slow
confidence as the track proceeds, just like a healing heart does,
then fading to the solo foghorn synth; the track has no vocals, which
say loudly by their absence that all the lost voices in the lover's
head have finally quieted enough that s/he can hear the most
important one of all -- their own. Dave Aftandilian
Ver Sacrum
Il ritorno dei Bleeding Like Mine, dopo
l'eccellente In the eyes of lovelost uscito nel '97 sempre per
l'etichetta italiana Palace of Worms, ci giunge davvero gradito.
Questa formazione americana produce un'elegante musica eterea, dai
toni minimali, fortemente romantica. Dal punto di vista sonoro
immaginateli come il punto di incontro tra i Black Tape for a Blue
Girl e gli Stoa: troviamo le melodie struggenti e malinconiche dei
primi, le loro canzoni elettroniche composte in stile moderno, con il
minimalismo dei secondi, l'uso del piano, qui quello elettrico e
fortemente effettato con l'eco. Questo malinconia spleen già citata
si ritrova tanto nella musica che nei testi, piccoli quadri di
ordinario - e proprio per questo universale - "mal de vivre".
Il disco raggiunge quasi l'eccellenza nei brani cantati da Holly
Emmer, voce femminile elegante anche senza essere particolarmente
virtuosistica, e nei due episodi con la voce maschile di Curt Emmer,
la colonna portante di questo progetto. Purtroppo il canto in sette
delle sedici canzoni del disco è affidato a Hugues Dammarie, già
voce nel progetto O Quam Tristis. Sarà per la qualità non eccelsa
della registrazione (il disco è stato praticamente inciso tutto in
casa) ma le sue linee vocali piatte e monotone al procedere
dell'ascolto risultano stancanti. Peccato perché il disco sarebbe
stato, con un altro cantante o semplicemente con il coinvolgimento
maggiore degli Emmer, un vero capolavoro. Merita comunque la vostra
attenzione perché i Bleeding Like Mine sono - e Never again...
musicalmente lo conferma - una delle realtà più originali e
interessanti nel campo della musica eterea.
Judas kiss
Tranquil ethereal music is what Stay
Frightened are all about. Music that floats around and calms every
morsel it touches. This debut CD is all of this and more and is the
work of one man, Conrad L. Dickey. His saddened voice compliments the
music perfectly and produces a magically dreamy soundtrack for those
darkened romantic evenings spent with the person of your dreams. (Lee
Powell)
Grinding into emptiness
This release is deep, moving and
beautiful, and is nothing short of amazing. Stay Frightened has
released a few tracks on various compilations (most notably, ` Of
These Reminders' a tribute to Black Tape For a Blue Girl), but this
is their first full length release. The music could be compared to
the gliding feel and subdued vocals of Lycia meets the deep vocals,
minimilsitic electronics and melancholy feel of Black Tape For a Blue
Girl. The basis of the sound is symphonic style electronics with
piano keys occasionally trickling through, and then in the background
you can vaguely make out the deep low-key vocals. The individual
tracks of this album tend to run together, however, this does not
take away from the quality of the piece, but enhances its unity. This
release will probably not please all but it is a must for any fans of
the Projekt label. Stay Frightened prove beyond the shadow of a doubt
that our best songs sing of our saddest thoughts.-Josh Fotheringham
Aether sanctum
In many ways much of what I said about
Bleeding Like Mine's "Eyes of the Lovelost" applies to Stay
Frightened's "Still". Both occupy the same end of the
spectrum for what has become know (fairly or not) as "that
Projekt sound", (and yes, they also appeared on 'Of These
Reminders, with an excellent reworking of 'Could I Stay the Honest
One?') yet while Bleeding Like Mine is the soundtrack for a Lazy
Saturday afternoon, Stay Frightened is the sound of a sunny Sunday
afternoon. The vocals of Conrad L. Dickey (who appears to be the sole
member) are so harmonic the ooze in between the music. When he sings
it is adding another layer to the music, but it doesn't detract with
the arrangement. He adds a healthy dose of emotion where required.
Many of the song titles tell the story: 'The rain and bruises';
'Windblown luminaries' and 'Languid blue smile', although it's not an
album of stand out tracks, I found it best enjoy the work as a
cohesive whole. A number of the tracks break the six minute barrier
(The longest 'Soar Away' clocks in at just over 12 minutes), and
occasionally they will drift out of your consciousness, you will
always be drawn back in to what is a very relaxing album. If you
don't really like your music ethereal, ghostly and wispy, than this
is definitely not for you.If you've often sat humming to yourself
thinking "Gee I think some of these Projekt bands are a little
too noisy, They should pop some Prozac " then this is a must.
Flow & Beatsezine
Melancholy, beautiful and ethereal,
this disc is made up mostly of synthesizer instrumentals along the
lines of Black Tape for a Blue Girl and Dead Can Dance. The few
vocals there are come off more as another instrument layer to the
pieces, instead of the focus of the song.Extremely relaxing to listen
to but leaning heavily towards the Sad Music side of things. Holly
day
Black
Who or what is STAY FRIGHTENED?!? I
just would like to know and hear more and more from this group or
this person that sneaked into my heart and my head because I cannot
get it out of my head....I know STAY FRIGHTENED only from the two
compilations "Of these reminders"(Project Rec)and "Palace
of Worms" sampler.The two pieces of music were very
instrumental, so I was very surprise to hear suddenly a man's voice
on the present advance-tape,a voice that played up to me as it did
once Michael Plaster of Somewhirling Somewhere,but STAY FRIGHTENED is
different because he don't use only calm and wonderful keyboards but
as well a piano melodies that you can remember quickly and cannot get
out of your mind. But at the end you feel immensly sad and melancholy
and you have to tear away yourself to turn to reality.The cd includes
11 tracks with a run of 74 minutes....just to give an idea of what is
in the store for you.There should be mentioned especially the piece
"Windblown luminaries","Violence of ghosts","In
my dream..." and my absolute favorite is "And there one
wish will die". The cd is a real treat for the ears and an
absolute must for all fans of calm,gliding music combined with an
expressive, sad but sensitive voice,never heard before. Friends, just
put the electric lights out, light the candles and lean back
relaxed..... (T.Wacker)
Edge of time
Without any doubt, it was one of the
most (if not the most) romantic and still works in the
ethereal/ambient world of 1997. The debut album of this one-man group
is mainly instrumental, and when vocals came in first, I almost
trembled. At the beginning, they didn't fit my taste but later they
started to look quite suitable to the music. Anyway, this music is
much more based on instrumentals than the most of the ethereal music,
and piano playing is really sensitive and beautiful. Absolute
highlights are "Windblown Luminaries" and "And There
On Wish Will Die". The music for the most romantic souls...
(AO)
Bizzarre 10
It seems that this label are the
'Italian' version of Projekt, which is meant as a compliment. Again
another Americen project, featuring Conrad L Dickey whose vocals are
reminiscent of Dead Can Dance and some This Mortal Coil. But
generally the music is in more soundscape or in dreamy ambient
territory which touches on Eno's more esoteric moment.Floaty
keyboards drift in the ether and twinkle like distant stars, relax
and float with this meditative stream.Music to expand the
imagination, to explore the inner universe of 1ight and wonder.
Rumore
These two records wouldn't have looked
out of place in the refined and ethereal catalogue of Projekt; still
they're issued by an italian label, Palace of Worms . We're talking
about Stay Frightened's debut album" Still", piano songs
soffused with inspired echos of David Sylvian and Martyn Bates,
written by Conrad L. Dickey from Mill Creek, and the more affected
work of the romantic Bleeding Like Mine, In the Eyes of Lovelost,
scouring 4AD territories of wide-spread melancholy.
(V. Baroni)
Novelty
This Italian label, maybe most known
for its tribute-CD to Death In June (”Heilige Tod”), here
presents two american bands' first full-length albums. They play
similar kind of music, of an ethereal, electronic kind, with the
biggest difference being that Stay Frightened's album almost doesn't
contain any rhythms or (female) vocals, two elements that make
Bleeding Like Mine a pleasant acquaintance. However, ”Still” is
not a bad record at all, it contains other musical qualities that in
the end make these two records almost equal. ”In the Eyes of
Lovelost” starts with the marvelous ”Untitled #5”, a sombre
song containing hypnotic synthmelodies and drumpatterns, spiced with
Holly's beautiful voice. The rest of the album continues in the same
vein, everything very competent. It all has a German feeling, and it
reminds me of Love is Colder than Death at their best, just better
performed. Unfortunately, the lack of variation makes the album a
nice but rather empty experience. Conrad of Stay Frightened founds
most of his songs on lush piano arrangements, strings and vocals,
which makes me think of the Projekt-band Soul Whirling Somewhere. My
favourite songs are ”The Rain and Bruises” and ”My Guardian
Angel, Falling”, two very beautiful songs where he really shows his
potential. The other nine songs are also good, but not so very
exciting. Nothing you remember once the CD has stopped. Bleeding Like
Mine and Stay Frightened have with their debuts shown thatn they are
good enough to compete with the established bands, and it won't
surprise me if they soon have reached out to a bigger audience. They
deserve it. (Magnus Sundström)
Mozgalom
Nagy kongó csarnokokban felbúgó,
simogató szintetizátorpasztellek és zongorafutamok. Egy fáradtabb,
szép férfihang, amelyet sokszor magával ragad a szomorúság, vagy
a saját maga által játszott dallam. Minden darab ugyanolyan. Több
mint egy óra ebben a nagyon személyes hangvétel? világban, amit
Conrad L. Dickey hozott létre magának. Mindig ugyanaz, éppen ezért
nem is mindig befogadható. Az albumot az apja emlékének ajánlotta,
aki (mint írja) mindig vele van.
Skogsduvan 1
Palace of Worms: is a new started
Italian label. Conrad of Stay Frightened sent me a sampler which he
has contributed to, so of course will I do a short presentation of
it. Conrad´s contribution is the song "Touched in the Place
Where Trust Simply Aches". According to Conrad himself one of
the most touching songs he has ever done. The Palace Of Worms sampler
feature acts from all over the world, such as Raison D´être, Eld,
Lucie Cries, Ataraxia, Monumentum, Bleeding Like Mine and ten more.
The most of the songs on this sampler would most likely be
categorised in the Industrial or the Gothic genre, and all the
different varieties those two genres include. I can´t find one
single bad track on this CD, but of course varies the quality of the
tracks. Oh, I almost forgot. The sampler has the same name as the
label, Palace of Worms. (Klas Lignell)
Judas kiss
This compilation is addictive;baiting
with mysterious dark wave from many a rising phoenix of the new
gothic scene.These exciting bands include MONUMENTUM, BLEEDING LIKE
MINE, RUNES ORDER, ENGELSSTAUB and LUCIE CRIES. The album is bound
togheter by metaphysical,emotional lyrics and beautiful, seductive
music, ENGELSSTAUB's "FALLEN ANGEL (UNHOLY)" is a song I'm
compelled to listen to constantly. The track "SHOAH" from
LUCIE CRIES is enchanting,and MONUMENTUM's "FADE TO GREY (IN
WORMS)" is incomparable.The influence of apocalyptic gothic
folk, DIJ and CURRENT93,is apparent, but PALACE OF WORMS is also
highly innovative,and -in my opinion- flowing in exactly the
direction european darkwave should. A perfect collection of secret
dreams.(Lee Powell) Rockerilla
Here's an international release well
deserving a bit of attention, also because it features 16 bands
oscillating between evocative or obscure and intriguing sounds. The
selection of the tracks made by the Palace of Worms compiler (the
same of the Death In June tribute) is very good; most of them are
really fine. Here are a few clues about some of them: if you loved
the T.A.C., Engelsstaub their match will be; Endraum and Lucie Cries
will make you glad, along with the Protagonist and the tidy Eld,
while Bleeding Like Mine is the american surprise and the Runes Order
will end this nonsense rhyme.(A.Chimenti) Raro
Very interesting is "Palace of
Worms" (P02W-2, CD only), a compilation of gothic bands produced
by the italian label with the same name. The record features
interesting unreleased tracks of some italian bands: "Christine's
Eyes" by Runes Order, "Fade to Grey (in Worms)" by
Monumentum, already featured on their LP "In Absenthia Christi",
but here in a remixed version; "Hommage funèbre (An hommage to
Lino)" by Ataraxia,from Modena, wonderful post-punk track
appeared only on their first demotape ("Arazzi", 1990), and
finally "Easter 1980" by Kirlian Camera. (F.M.Arati)
Novelty 5 (winter 1996):
marks: 6/10 An Italian compilation with
goth/industrial/dark ambient. The opening track is an opera-cover of
the old Visage-classic "Fade to Grey", by Monumentum.
Different and funny the three first times you hear it, then just
different. As the record is Italian, I was a bit surprised that not
less than three of the participating bands are Swedish: The
Protagonist (the mysterious Novelty-writer), Raison D´être and Eld.
If you like mumbling, hissing and chanting voices, drummachines,
glockenspiels, synth-organs, samples and other things that make life
fun, I think you should go and buy this record. Besides, part of the
income is donated to the children in Bosnia. (Björn
Stenfors/translated by Magnus Sundström)
Edge of time
Obscure and emotional side of
electronic world is all in here. Just take a look at the titles -
MONUMENTUM, ENDRAUM, RAISON D'ETRE, T.A.C., KIRLIAN CAMERA, ATARAXIA
- all are well known for their work in gothic/ambient/darkwave fields
and this compilation CD is a good present to those, who want
different performers and different songs on one place. Btw, part of
the proceeds of this release will be handed over to the Bosniac
children. (G)
Mardoror
"Palace Of Worms" es un
recopilatorio editado por el sello italiano PALACE OF WORMS, cuyo
contenido puede interesar mucha gente, pues realmente éste es uno de
los recopilatorios más variados y con más calidad que he podido ver
editado... Sin más, empieza la sesión con MONUMENTUM y una remezcla
inédita de su versión del "Fade To Grey" de VISAGE, muy
buena por cierto en él que Francesca Nicoli de ATARAXIA lleva la voz
con grán mestría. IKON con "Somewhere Else" de su CD
"Flowers For The Gathering" demuestran lo bién que lo
hacen cuando mezclan su Gothic con toques acústicos muy próximo al
Dark Folk. ENDRAUM luego sigue encantándonos con una versión
remezclada de "Mother Earth", un tema precioso de su último
CD "Innerlichkeit". Luego,los americanos BLEEDING LIKE MINE
con "And The Ashes Settle" nos ofrecen un tema etéreo con
acentos neomedievales, demostrándonos el talento que PROJEKT ya nos
adelanto en el tributo "Of These Reminders" a BLACK TAPE
FOR A BLUE GIRL. Los italianos RUNES ORDER nos presentan "Christine's
Eyes",un tema electrónico muy agradable con un desarrollo
interesante en su vena particular. También se incluye el famosísimo
"Fallen Angel" de ENGELSSTAUB,en su versión del Single
"Unholy" remasterizada. A continuación llega el genial
proyecto RAISON D'ÊTRE con un fabuloso inédito "In Emptiness"
en su peculiar linea Industrial Sacroambiental. La sesión sigue con
LUCIE CRIES y "Shoah" de su "Nihil Ex Nihilo",
que solo difiere de la original por una introducción instrumental.
Aparece un interesante proyecto sueco llamado THE PROTAGONIST con
"Imitation" muy en la onda Dark Industrial de COLD MEAT
INDUSTRY a lo IN SLAUGHTER NATIVES. Colaboran también T.A.C. con
"The Rising Of The Current II" de tono electrónico muy
bailable, al limite del Trance. Los suecos ELD nos siguen demostrando
con "Centuries Astray" su amor al Dark Folk y no lo hacen
del todo mal. Otra grán sorpresa es ese "Dementia" de
DUST, alias Mike Van Portfleet de LYCIA y John Fair (primer bajista
de LYCIA que apareció en el CD "Wake"), y claro recuerda a
LYCIA,pero se hace mucho más cercano a lo que ofreció Van Portfleet
con BLEAK, o sea, grandioso. A continuación siguen KIRLIAN CAMERA
con un inédito "Easter 1980",muy buen instrumental muy
atmosférico y ambiental Oscuro. Otra grán sorpresa (razón por la
cual me compré el CD) es un inédito de THE MOON LAY HIDDEN BENEATH
A CLOUD, muy en su onda medieval solemne, imponente y épico,y por
supuesto otra maravilla de composición. Siguen luego ATARAXIA
con"Hommage Funèbre", un tema excelente de acento muy
Gótico Inglés de los Ochenta que poco tiene que ver con su sonido
neomedieval, recordándome quizás a SKELETAL FAMILY. Se cierra la
sesión con los americanos STAYFRIGHTENED y "Touched In The
Place Where Trust Simply Aches", un precioso instrumental
atmósférico, cálido y melancólico en la onda PROJEKT (con los
cuales también colaboraron anteriormente en "Of These
Reminders"). En conclusión, este recopilatorio es más que
recomendable por todos sus inéditos y por su variedad de grupos, y
para más de buen gusto.
Chain D.L.K.
HEILIGE TOD is a tribute to Death In
June compilation part of whose proceeds will be handed over to the
bosniac population through the from-Bergamo association Mir-Sada.This
few words should be enough to convince to buy this cd anyone feels
jointly liable and loves the music of the Death In June and of the
fifteen artists of this very nice collection, but for those who
doesn't become convinced easily we're about to illustrate more deeply
the several episodes of this work.
Sulphureous Church [I] open (somewhere
between industrial and liturgical choirs with their version of the
title-track) and Our Kirlian Camera [I] continue (as ever apocalyptic
and recognizable but this time with "Death of a Man"). Then
it's time for Gerstein [I], aka Maurizio Pustianaz, (with a very nice
acoustic version of "All Alone in her Nirvana") and after
him for Eld [SWE] (can you imagine DIJ idian/country-turned?(!)), for
Runes Order [I] (a very electronic "Last Farewell", ideal
for trips in abysses) and for the Andromeda Complex [I] of Celestino
Pes (a sad "Leper Lord"). The tribute work goes on with
Vinci [FR] (a good example of noise-electro with their "C'est un
rêve"), then with Tombstone (they're very disquieting and algid
too -besides of beeing nearly christmassy at the beginning- with
"Bring in the Night"), with Lady Domino [I] (firs-rate
worrying, hammering and noisy electronics; they play "Blood
Victory") and then for the couple Third Eye/Odinic Rite (which
produced an intro which sounds like an exorcism and a song with
medieval cadenzas). The Swirling Swastikas [I] perform a slow dreamy
song ("Death Is the Martyr of Beauty"), whilst Regarde
Extreme [FR] (with "The Guilty Have No Pride") explores
black spacy marchs scanned by percussion rhythms. Ermeneuma [I]
breaks literally the atmosphere (with a version of "Nothing
Changes" which probably is the only real bad moment of this
compilation because of several reasons) but Deutsch Nepal make good a
piece of damage (again with the title-track in two conjoint versions
-the first one is alien-like and quivering and the other one is
icy-shudder-like- to close).
Soma3
A tribute to Death In June from Italy
with mostly Italian bands where part of the proceeds is donated to
Bosnia. I must confess that I don´t know how many of these songs
originally sounds but I´m not overwhelmed by Heilige Tod, which you
can find three times on this CD, one with Sulphureous Church and two
with Deutsch Nepal. Deutsch Nepal´s contribution together with Eld
from Sweden and Italian Swirling Swastikas (well, that´s also a
name) are the winners on this compilation. Other bands participating
are for example Third Eye, Tombstone with a terrible version of
"Bring In The Night", Runes Order, Gerstein, Kirlian Camera
etc. It´s strange that noone has interpreted my favourite DIJ-song,
"She Said Destroy", but that´s the way it is. (Jonas
Kellagher/translated by Magnus Sundström)
Judas kiss
An excellent compilation from the
italian darkwave label "Palace of worms". This album is a
tribute to the legendary DEATH IN JUNE, and sees 15 tracks from
their dark and murky past being torn into todays dismal light. The
bands strip down each song they choose to cover, andreassemble them
using whatever style they see fit. Apocalyptic folk throught to goth
and darkwave sounds all raise their skull, coaxed along by the
occasional film sample. Some songs sound remarkably like the original
"Fall apart",while others couldn't more different. Each of
these tracks are little gems,glistening in the darkness. Let them
cacth your eye and "Welcome death". A must for lovers of
the avant-gards sounds of D.I.J and Current93.(Lee Powell)
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