Bitesize: Trollheart's Daily Album Mini-Reviews

Trollheart · 03-03-2015, 06:16 AM

Go on ya good thing ya!

Artiste: Shattered Skies
Nationality: Irish (Yay! …?)
Album: The world we used to know
Year: 2015
Label: None; digital release
Genre: Progressive/ Djent Metal
Tracks:
Collapse of man
The end and the rebirth
Haunted
15 minutes
Elegance and grace
Show’s over
As the sea divides
Flipside
Aesthetics
Saviours
The world we used to know
Chronological position: Debut album
Familiarity: Zero
Interesting factoid: These guys are from Wicklow, and my ancestors used to be kings there, so technically they are my subjects…
Initial impression: Oh man I hate … um … love this.
Best track(s): Elegance and grace, As the sea divides, Aesthetics, The world we used to know
Worst track(s): There’s nothing bad here.
Comments: Oddly, I had no idea these guys were Irish when I bought the album, which I did just because I happened to like the name, and the few samples I heard. I didn’t even know they were prog metal, so that’s two bonuses. Unless this turns out to be crap. Well I thought I would hate the short intro piece, being just static really but then it broke into an emotional piano piece and I really like it. It’s less than two minutes long though and slides into “The end and the rebirth”, and for a moment I think I’m hearing an electronica album until the guitar bites through, and now we’re rocking!

The vocalist puts me in mind of Damian Wilson or Sean Filkins, and in fact his name is Sean, Murphy, while the guitars could maybe be pulled back a little in the mix; at times they almost drown him out. Very powerful, energetic stuff though. “Haunted” has a lovely jangly guitar intro before it just explodes all over the place in a really good way, but again the vocals are a little swamped. I am a little disappointed to see on their Bandcamp page they describe themselves as “London-based”. Well, sure, but why not Irish? You know, you can take the boy out of Ireland but … something something. Anyhoo, they do admit to being from Wicklow and Dublin, so I guess that’s okay. Great banging piano intro to “15 minutes”, whose running time does not reflect its title. Excellent vocal harmonies, when you can make them out, somewhat in the mould of Arena, and I love it when the guitars cut back to allow the piano to take centre stage for a moment.

“Elegance and grace” presents itself as one of the best tracks so far, but I must admit the guitarist is getting on my nerves a little. It’s like he thinks he has to hammer out the chords all the time and doesn’t know how and when to dial it back. I guess this is what they call djent, from what I read. The track sounds like it should be a ballad, but the man on the frets has other ideas. Still a great song though. The keys, when they’re allowed to poke through the guitar assault, really add a layer of grandeur to the music, such as in the opening to “As the sea divides”, before the axes grind all over it with, quite frankly, unnecessary violence. You can hear the piano still going in the background but it’s almost completely drowned out till the guitar fades back out and lets it have its head.

We also get to hear vocalist Sean Murphy strut his stuff properly before he’s swamped again, which is a real pity, as it’s kind of ruining the song. If this is djent metal, I’m not so sure I like it. The piano-driven “Aesthetics” is a lovely song, closest they come to a ballad, and the guitarist mostly holds himself back here, which is nice. Is there a choir in there? Could be. Title, and closing track, is pretty brilliant too.
Overall impression: While the guitar may be a little too punchy for me, a bit in-your-face, this is still a fantastic debut, and the fact that the boys are Irish, well sure I have to support them don’t I?
Hum Factor: 7
Surprise Factor: 9
Intention: Follow these guys!

Trollheart · 03-03-2015, 02:50 PM

Artiste: Kim Wilde
Nationality: British
Album: Another step
Year: 1986
Label: MCA
Genre: Rock/pop
Tracks:
You keep me hangin' on
Hit him
Another step (closer to you)
The thrill of it
I've got so much love
Victim
Schoolgirl
Say you really want me
She hasn't got time for you
Brothers
Missing
How do you want my love?
Don't say nothing's changed

Chronological position: Fifth album
Familiarity: “Close” plus most of her singles
Interesting factoid: Well you probably all already know (or don’t care) but Kim is the daughter of sixties pop sensation Marty Wilde. Yeah, I thought you wouldn’t care...
Initial impression: n/a
Best track(s): Another step, The thrill of it, Brothers, Missing, Don’t say nothing’s changed
Worst track(s): Hit him, She hasn’t got time for you, Say you really want me
Comments: I’m pretty sure I bought this after having been impressed by “Close”, her next album, even though this preceded that. If you see what I mean. But whereas I don’t think this album comes, er, close to that opus, it’s still a very good album, and a lot of other people must have thought so too, as it’s her biggest selling album in the US and gave her a number one hit single. Sadly, that single is a cover of the old Supremes number You keep me hangin’ on, though she does give it an eighties makeover and turns it into the kickass dance tune it was always meant to be. Still, I’m not one for covers, especially when they give an artist a hit. And I could certainly do without the funk pop of Hit him, but then we get to the meat of the matter.

The title track is a glorious slice of pop/rock, the first really guitar-driven track, very uptempo as indeed were the two tracks preceding it, but this is the best so far. Nice big dirty guitar and peppy piano in The thrill of it, while I’ve got so much love leans a lot more in an AOR direction, with Victims keeping the tempo high and with a nice rock vibe about it. Odd thing about this album is that it seems to be intentionally laid out in two halves, with all the fast tracks on one side and all the ballads on the other. I would have preferred more of a mix to be honest. You have to of course like a song that goes by the title of Schoolgirl, but it's a bit dancey and poppy for my tastes. As is Say you really want me, which has very funky guitar and brass but annoys me. Mind you, it brings us right on to the ballads, of which there are five in all.

Odd that none of them were ever released as singles, as there are some fine songs here, and where a song like Schoolgirl or You keep me hangin’ on made it into the charts, I feel something like Brothers, Missing or the closer would have done very well, but it was not to be. There’s a lot of seventies Motown soul in She hasn’t got time for you, which reminds me in places of Judie Tzuke, and a sax riff right out of Glenn Frey’s You belong to the city, and to be honest it’s a bit dreary. Brothers has much more punch about it, while there’s a great Spanish guitar intro to one of the standouts, Missing, on which Wilde gives one of the most passionate vocal performances of her career. There’s a certain bleak feel to How do you want my love and then the album closes strongly on another standout.

One of the few songs written by her solo, and indeed produced by her, Don’t say nothing’s changed is a world away from most of the songs on this album, a deep, thoughtful, tender ballad with beautiful backing and a hook that many of the other songs fail to land in your heart. Listening back over to this now for the first time in years, I realise it’s actually not as good, track-for-track, as I had remembered it, and “Close” is a far better album. Still, for someone written off by most people as the girl who had that “Kids in America” song, she’s done a very decent job here. Another step, indeed.
Overall impression: A worthy album that has rather more flaws than I originally remembered
Hum Factor: 8
Surprise Factor: n/a
Intention: n/a

Bulldog · 03-04-2015, 04:43 AM

One of these days I've really gotta just put the kettle on, put my feet on the desk and take an afternoon to have a good read through this thread in detail. The sheer determination and effort you've clearly put into this is absolutely mindblowing.

Trollheart · 03-04-2015, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bulldog

One of these days I've really gotta just put the kettle on, put my feet on the desk and take an afternoon to have a good read through this thread in detail. The sheer determination and effort you've clearly put into this is absolutely mindblowing.

Thank man! That really means a lot. I've been trying to keep it going, as it slipped for a while, but with Star Trek Month taking place in the Couch Potato I haven't had that much time to devote to it recently. I keep trying to make sure it's kept updated though when I can.

Pet_Sounds · 03-08-2015, 09:53 PM

I doubt if I'll even get through all of Billy Joel's 13 album discography in 2015, so I'm not challenging you.

Trollheart · 03-09-2015, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds

I doubt if I'll even get through all of Billy Joel's 13 album discography in 2015, so I'm not challenging you.

I think Batty said it best: pussy.

Tom Waits = 22 albums (some of which are done, admittedly)
Asia = 14 albums
Divine Comedy = 10 albums
ELO = 13 albums
Robbie Williams = 11 albums
Steve Earle = 14 albums
Eagles = 7 albums
Kamelot = 10 albums
Genesis = 15 albums
Marillion = 17 albums

Total = 135 albums
Pshaw! I did that many for Metal Month II!

I AM the King!

Looking forward to your Billy J reviews though. Great choice.

Horror · 12-12-2015, 01:42 PM

So, would you be open to reviewing a sort of short album? It's I think 20 minutes long and I bet you haven't heard much like it. I think if memory serves it's either Italian and Japanese or just Japanese but, not in the Jpop way you're thinking of. It's my favorite type of music from one of my favorite artists so, let me know. I'll give you the youtube link and all. I'll be pretty surprised if you know her though.

Trollheart · 12-13-2015, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horror

So, would you be open to reviewing a sort of short album? It's I think 20 minutes long and I bet you haven't heard much like it. I think if memory serves it's either Italian and Japanese or just Japanese but, not in the Jpop way you're thinking of. It's my favorite type of music from one of my favorite artists so, let me know. I'll give you the youtube link and all. I'll be pretty surprised if you know her though.

Yeah, absolutely. Drop it here or PM me and I'll get on it.

Trollheart · 12-13-2015, 04:21 PM

Artiste: Folkearth
Nationality: Multi
Album: Balder's Lament
Year: 2014
Label: Stygian Crypt Productions
Genre: Folk/Viking Metal
Chronological position: Twelfth album
Familiarity: Zero
Interesting factoid: Oh yeah, interesting is the word! Folkearth is a multinational, multi-musician project that takes in players from the likes of Spain, Australia, Russia, Belgium, Croatia, Italy, USA and more. There are currently twelve band members from eight separate countries, including Greece, Monaco, Argentina, France, Italy, Germany, Russia and USA, and that's only less than half of the members and countries who have participated over this extraordinary band's so-far eleven year existence. They play a mixture of folk music and Viking Metal, and include musicians from bands in both spheres. Hey! I see both Athestan and Wulfstan from Forefather and Autumn and Winter from Hordak all played in this project at one time.

Tracks:
1. Beliskner: Big power metal style guitar attack with that dark growly voice so familiar to those who known Viking Metal. Hammers (sorry) along like a good thing, with a great warrior's chorus. Sad to say, it seems the vocalist, Metfolvik, of Folkodia and Ravenclaw, died shortly before the release of the album, which is dedicated to his memory (see “Comments” section). Some great female backing vocals here too, and it's a great start to the album, wasting no time and getting right down to it. Definitely more on the Viking Metal side than the folk, though. Certainly stirs the blood.
2. Balder's lament: Somewhat slightly slower but still very powerful with some great guitar work.
3. From Volga to Bosphrus: Kicks the tempo back up again in the vein of the opener, with a real folk reel type thing going on with the guitar. Some powerful and passionate vocal work from Metfolvik too.
4. Farewell to the north: This kind of sounds to me, when it starts, like something by Panopticon, which is no bad thing. Another romping rocker, female vocals added this time from the HOT Hildr Valkyrie (see below), also of Folkodia as well as doing her own solo thing. If I have a complaint so far, it's that this is mostly Viking Metal whereas it's supposed also to contain “normal” folk music, and I see cello, violin and accordion credited, none of which I've yet heard.
5. The crimson wine of battle: Nice flute intro (I think it may be recorder, as one is credited, not that I'd know the difference!) with acoustic guitar, then it kicks up again on the electric, Hildr adding her voice to this one too, sharing vocal duties with Metfolvik. Slightly lower-key to a degree, doesn't charge along like some of the other tracks. Oh, there's the violin now. Very nice. Soft passage here in the middle where Hildr takes the vocal solo before Metfolvik comes back in as the song heads towards its end, which is played out on a great acoustic strummed guitar.
6. Eyes of the volva: Back to the full frontal assault now with a big thundering rush as we hear about demons conjured up by Odin, maybe. Powerful, expressive guitar solo halfway through.
7. Donar's hammer: There's a big ringing powerful guitar to start this off, though it rockets along whereas I thought with a title like that it might be more of a cruncher, a grinder. Some very effective female vocals coming in too
8. The silent warrior: Not as silent as you would think!

Big powerful snarling guitars, with attendant cello, this is a slower song, punching along moodily with again a sort of duet between Metfolvik and Hildr.
9. The wine-sacks of the emperor: Serious folk jam going on here for the first few seconds with violin, accordion and guitar before it takes off, but remains in the same kind of jig/reel rhythm just now with electric guitar and harsh vocals. Great performance from Hildr.
10. Anvil of storms: Again more celtic/folk influence in the music here. A good fast rocker to close, and to, I would assume, serve as the swansong for Metfolvik. Some lovely violin here too.

Comments: A touching tribute to the late Metfolvik is on the Metal Archives under his page. It reads ”Thus our hearts and eyes are weepping (sic) for you, our friend forever shall be, in our minds forever shall be, Immortal! You enter the Hall of Brazen Shields as a True Warrior, Who fought brave till the last breath...” The album cover reflects this too, showing a Viking funeral which ties in also with the title of the album. Overall a pretty satisfying album, though given the description of Folkearth I would have liked to have seen a better mix of metal and actual folk music, rather than just snippets before each song tore off into a Viking Metal headbang. Good album, though, even if it didn't quite deliver on the original promise as I understood it.

Trollheart · 12-15-2015, 06:38 AM

Artiste: Julia Wolfe
Nationality: American
Album: Anthracite Fields
Year: 2015
Label: Cantaloupe Music
Genre: Contemporary Classical
Chronological position: Kind of doesn't work; she's created hundreds of short pieces, collaborations, works etc. Just take it that this is not her first recording.
Familiarity: Zero
Interesting factoid: It's not often I come across someone whose music is said to “inhabit a place of its own, a place where classical forms are recharged by the repetitive patterns of minimalism and the driving energy of rock” as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Wolfe#Solo The Wall Street Journal puts it, nor one who has won the Pulitzer Prize for music!
Tracks:
1. Foundation: It's very quiet for most of the opening (runs for like nineteen minutes) apart from some clashing drums and piano I think that break out, then a low male vocal choir starts chanting, getting faster and more insistent, then female choir coming in too. Some more music added in now, guitar I think and maybe oboe or clarinet as the female vocals take over. We're about ten minutes in now. Big punching vocal in the fifteenth minute, attended mostly by stabbed piano and now the male vocal choir is advancing into the piece, the two eventually joining for a choral rendition to take the track towards its end. Not really my kind of thing, but good for what it is.
2. Breaker boys: This one's only (!) fourteen minutes long, and starts off more boppy and uptempo, getting right into it with a peppy clarinet and double vocal from the male and female choir. Sort of think I preferred the first track already! Yeah, it's only four minutes in but I already don't like this much at all. There's nothing of the gentle undertones of the first track in this; it's just a little too lively. Okay, suddenly it's beginning to settle down on a slow male choir. Wolfe uses something she calls the Bang On A Can Allstars and to be honest, in minute nine it sounds like that's exactly what's happening, as female vocals rise into the mix. Now it takes off into a sort of rocking rhythm somewhat in the vein of “We didn't start the fire” to a degree. Yeah, liking this less as it develops.The stupid chant of “I am the king of the castle” at the end does nothing to change my mind.
3. Speech: Something of an Indian twist to this, more choir work , slow doomy percussion. Meh.
4. Flowers: Nice acoustic guitar start, soft and flowing, gentle voices. Some very nice violin and cello, a lot more relaxed.
5. Appliances: And a twelve-minuter to end. It's been something of an endurance test and I can't really see this one making it any easier an experience for me. Sort of broken-up vocals here, with some nice but slightly distorted piano. Gets pretty intense, but to be honest I'm just waiting for it to be over now.

Comments: I wouldn't want to put down what she does, as I'm sure this is a great composition, but it is definitely not for me. I prefer my music a bit more, shall we say, musical? Frownland probably loves this, which tells you how much I don't. It's clever, it's deep, it's well-produced, but it's not something I'd listen to again.

03-03-2015, 06:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Go on ya good thing ya! Artiste: Shattered Skies Nationality: Irish (Yay! …?) Album: The world we used to know Year: 2015 Label: None; digital release Genre: Progressive/ Djent Metal Tracks: Collapse of man The end and the rebirth Haunted 15 minutes Elegance and grace Show’s over As the sea divides Flipside Aesthetics Saviours The world we used to know Chronological position: Debut album Familiarity: Zero Interesting factoid: These guys are from Wicklow, and my ancestors used to be kings there, so technically they are my subjects… Initial impression: Oh man I hate … um … love this. Best track(s): Elegance and grace, As the sea divides, Aesthetics, The world we used to know Worst track(s): There’s nothing bad here. Comments: Oddly, I had no idea these guys were Irish when I bought the album, which I did just because I happened to like the name, and the few samples I heard. I didn’t even know they were prog metal, so that’s two bonuses. Unless this turns out to be crap. Well I thought I would hate the short intro piece, being just static really but then it broke into an emotional piano piece and I really like it. It’s less than two minutes long though and slides into “The end and the rebirth”, and for a moment I think I’m hearing an electronica album until the guitar bites through, and now we’re rocking! The vocalist puts me in mind of Damian Wilson or Sean Filkins, and in fact his name is Sean, Murphy, while the guitars could maybe be pulled back a little in the mix; at times they almost drown him out. Very powerful, energetic stuff though. “Haunted” has a lovely jangly guitar intro before it just explodes all over the place in a really good way, but again the vocals are a little swamped. I am a little disappointed to see on their Bandcamp page they describe themselves as “London-based”. Well, sure, but why not Irish? You know, you can take the boy out of Ireland but … something something. Anyhoo, they do admit to being from Wicklow and Dublin, so I guess that’s okay. Great banging piano intro to “15 minutes”, whose running time does not reflect its title. Excellent vocal harmonies, when you can make them out, somewhat in the mould of Arena, and I love it when the guitars cut back to allow the piano to take centre stage for a moment. “Elegance and grace” presents itself as one of the best tracks so far, but I must admit the guitarist is getting on my nerves a little. It’s like he thinks he has to hammer out the chords all the time and doesn’t know how and when to dial it back. I guess this is what they call djent, from what I read. The track sounds like it should be a ballad, but the man on the frets has other ideas. Still a great song though. The keys, when they’re allowed to poke through the guitar assault, really add a layer of grandeur to the music, such as in the opening to “As the sea divides”, before the axes grind all over it with, quite frankly, unnecessary violence. You can hear the piano still going in the background but it’s almost completely drowned out till the guitar fades back out and lets it have its head. We also get to hear vocalist Sean Murphy strut his stuff properly before he’s swamped again, which is a real pity, as it’s kind of ruining the song. If this is djent metal, I’m not so sure I like it. The piano-driven “Aesthetics” is a lovely song, closest they come to a ballad, and the guitarist mostly holds himself back here, which is nice. Is there a choir in there? Could be. Title, and closing track, is pretty brilliant too. Overall impression: While the guitar may be a little too punchy for me, a bit in-your-face, this is still a fantastic debut, and the fact that the boys are Irish, well sure I have to support them don’t I? Hum Factor: 7 Surprise Factor: 9 Intention: Follow these guys! __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

03-03-2015, 02:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Artiste: Kim Wilde Nationality: British Album: Another step Year: 1986 Label: MCA Genre: Rock/pop Tracks: You keep me hangin' on Hit him Another step (closer to you) The thrill of it I've got so much love Victim Schoolgirl Say you really want me She hasn't got time for you Brothers Missing How do you want my love? Don't say nothing's changed Chronological position: Fifth album Familiarity: “Close” plus most of her singles Interesting factoid: Well you probably all already know (or don’t care) but Kim is the daughter of sixties pop sensation Marty Wilde. Yeah, I thought you wouldn’t care... Initial impression: n/a Best track(s): Another step, The thrill of it, Brothers, Missing, Don’t say nothing’s changed Worst track(s): Hit him, She hasn’t got time for you, Say you really want me Comments: I’m pretty sure I bought this after having been impressed by “Close”, her next album, even though this preceded that. If you see what I mean. But whereas I don’t think this album comes, er, close to that opus, it’s still a very good album, and a lot of other people must have thought so too, as it’s her biggest selling album in the US and gave her a number one hit single. Sadly, that single is a cover of the old Supremes number You keep me hangin’ on, though she does give it an eighties makeover and turns it into the kickass dance tune it was always meant to be. Still, I’m not one for covers, especially when they give an artist a hit. And I could certainly do without the funk pop of Hit him, but then we get to the meat of the matter. The title track is a glorious slice of pop/rock, the first really guitar-driven track, very uptempo as indeed were the two tracks preceding it, but this is the best so far. Nice big dirty guitar and peppy piano in The thrill of it, while I’ve got so much love leans a lot more in an AOR direction, with Victims keeping the tempo high and with a nice rock vibe about it. Odd thing about this album is that it seems to be intentionally laid out in two halves, with all the fast tracks on one side and all the ballads on the other. I would have preferred more of a mix to be honest. You have to of course like a song that goes by the title of Schoolgirl, but it's a bit dancey and poppy for my tastes. As is Say you really want me, which has very funky guitar and brass but annoys me. Mind you, it brings us right on to the ballads, of which there are five in all. Odd that none of them were ever released as singles, as there are some fine songs here, and where a song like Schoolgirl or You keep me hangin’ on made it into the charts, I feel something like Brothers, Missing or the closer would have done very well, but it was not to be. There’s a lot of seventies Motown soul in She hasn’t got time for you, which reminds me in places of Judie Tzuke, and a sax riff right out of Glenn Frey’s You belong to the city, and to be honest it’s a bit dreary. Brothers has much more punch about it, while there’s a great Spanish guitar intro to one of the standouts, Missing, on which Wilde gives one of the most passionate vocal performances of her career. There’s a certain bleak feel to How do you want my love and then the album closes strongly on another standout. One of the few songs written by her solo, and indeed produced by her, Don’t say nothing’s changed is a world away from most of the songs on this album, a deep, thoughtful, tender ballad with beautiful backing and a hook that many of the other songs fail to land in your heart. Listening back over to this now for the first time in years, I realise it’s actually not as good, track-for-track, as I had remembered it, and “Close” is a far better album. Still, for someone written off by most people as the girl who had that “Kids in America” song, she’s done a very decent job here. Another step, indeed. Overall impression: A worthy album that has rather more flaws than I originally remembered Hum Factor: 8 Surprise Factor: n/a Intention: n/a __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

03-08-2015, 09:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
Pet_Sounds Remember the underscore Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: The other side Posts: 2,488	I doubt if I'll even get through all of Billy Joel's 13 album discography in 2015, so I'm not challenging you. __________________ Everybody's dying just to get the disease

12-13-2015, 04:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Artiste: Folkearth Nationality: Multi Album: Balder's Lament Year: 2014 Label: Stygian Crypt Productions Genre: Folk/Viking Metal Chronological position: Twelfth album Familiarity: Zero Interesting factoid: Oh yeah, interesting is the word! Folkearth is a multinational, multi-musician project that takes in players from the likes of Spain, Australia, Russia, Belgium, Croatia, Italy, USA and more. There are currently twelve band members from eight separate countries, including Greece, Monaco, Argentina, France, Italy, Germany, Russia and USA, and that's only less than half of the members and countries who have participated over this extraordinary band's so-far eleven year existence. They play a mixture of folk music and Viking Metal, and include musicians from bands in both spheres. Hey! I see both Athestan and Wulfstan from Forefather and Autumn and Winter from Hordak all played in this project at one time. Tracks: 1. Beliskner: Big power metal style guitar attack with that dark growly voice so familiar to those who known Viking Metal. Hammers (sorry) along like a good thing, with a great warrior's chorus. Sad to say, it seems the vocalist, Metfolvik, of Folkodia and Ravenclaw, died shortly before the release of the album, which is dedicated to his memory (see “Comments” section). Some great female backing vocals here too, and it's a great start to the album, wasting no time and getting right down to it. Definitely more on the Viking Metal side than the folk, though. Certainly stirs the blood. 2. Balder's lament: Somewhat slightly slower but still very powerful with some great guitar work. 3. From Volga to Bosphrus: Kicks the tempo back up again in the vein of the opener, with a real folk reel type thing going on with the guitar. Some powerful and passionate vocal work from Metfolvik too. 4. Farewell to the north: This kind of sounds to me, when it starts, like something by Panopticon, which is no bad thing. Another romping rocker, female vocals added this time from the HOT Hildr Valkyrie (see below), also of Folkodia as well as doing her own solo thing. If I have a complaint so far, it's that this is mostly Viking Metal whereas it's supposed also to contain “normal” folk music, and I see cello, violin and accordion credited, none of which I've yet heard. 5. The crimson wine of battle: Nice flute intro (I think it may be recorder, as one is credited, not that I'd know the difference!) with acoustic guitar, then it kicks up again on the electric, Hildr adding her voice to this one too, sharing vocal duties with Metfolvik. Slightly lower-key to a degree, doesn't charge along like some of the other tracks. Oh, there's the violin now. Very nice. Soft passage here in the middle where Hildr takes the vocal solo before Metfolvik comes back in as the song heads towards its end, which is played out on a great acoustic strummed guitar. 6. Eyes of the volva: Back to the full frontal assault now with a big thundering rush as we hear about demons conjured up by Odin, maybe. Powerful, expressive guitar solo halfway through. 7. Donar's hammer: There's a big ringing powerful guitar to start this off, though it rockets along whereas I thought with a title like that it might be more of a cruncher, a grinder. Some very effective female vocals coming in too 8. The silent warrior: Not as silent as you would think! Big powerful snarling guitars, with attendant cello, this is a slower song, punching along moodily with again a sort of duet between Metfolvik and Hildr. 9. The wine-sacks of the emperor: Serious folk jam going on here for the first few seconds with violin, accordion and guitar before it takes off, but remains in the same kind of jig/reel rhythm just now with electric guitar and harsh vocals. Great performance from Hildr. 10. Anvil of storms: Again more celtic/folk influence in the music here. A good fast rocker to close, and to, I would assume, serve as the swansong for Metfolvik. Some lovely violin here too. Comments: A touching tribute to the late Metfolvik is on the Metal Archives under his page. It reads ”Thus our hearts and eyes are weepping (sic) for you, our friend forever shall be, in our minds forever shall be, Immortal! You enter the Hall of Brazen Shields as a True Warrior, Who fought brave till the last breath...” The album cover reflects this too, showing a Viking funeral which ties in also with the title of the album. Overall a pretty satisfying album, though given the description of Folkearth I would have liked to have seen a better mix of metal and actual folk music, rather than just snippets before each song tore off into a Viking Metal headbang. Good album, though, even if it didn't quite deliver on the original promise as I understood it. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

12-15-2015, 06:38 AM	#10 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Artiste: Julia Wolfe Nationality: American Album: Anthracite Fields Year: 2015 Label: Cantaloupe Music Genre: Contemporary Classical Chronological position: Kind of doesn't work; she's created hundreds of short pieces, collaborations, works etc. Just take it that this is not her first recording. Familiarity: Zero Interesting factoid: It's not often I come across someone whose music is said to “inhabit a place of its own, a place where classical forms are recharged by the repetitive patterns of minimalism and the driving energy of rock” as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Wolfe#Solo The Wall Street Journal puts it, nor one who has won the Pulitzer Prize for music! Tracks: 1. Foundation: It's very quiet for most of the opening (runs for like nineteen minutes) apart from some clashing drums and piano I think that break out, then a low male vocal choir starts chanting, getting faster and more insistent, then female choir coming in too. Some more music added in now, guitar I think and maybe oboe or clarinet as the female vocals take over. We're about ten minutes in now. Big punching vocal in the fifteenth minute, attended mostly by stabbed piano and now the male vocal choir is advancing into the piece, the two eventually joining for a choral rendition to take the track towards its end. Not really my kind of thing, but good for what it is. 2. Breaker boys: This one's only (!) fourteen minutes long, and starts off more boppy and uptempo, getting right into it with a peppy clarinet and double vocal from the male and female choir. Sort of think I preferred the first track already! Yeah, it's only four minutes in but I already don't like this much at all. There's nothing of the gentle undertones of the first track in this; it's just a little too lively. Okay, suddenly it's beginning to settle down on a slow male choir. Wolfe uses something she calls the Bang On A Can Allstars and to be honest, in minute nine it sounds like that's exactly what's happening, as female vocals rise into the mix. Now it takes off into a sort of rocking rhythm somewhat in the vein of “We didn't start the fire” to a degree. Yeah, liking this less as it develops.The stupid chant of “I am the king of the castle” at the end does nothing to change my mind. 3. Speech: Something of an Indian twist to this, more choir work , slow doomy percussion. Meh. 4. Flowers: Nice acoustic guitar start, soft and flowing, gentle voices. Some very nice violin and cello, a lot more relaxed. 5. Appliances: And a twelve-minuter to end. It's been something of an endurance test and I can't really see this one making it any easier an experience for me. Sort of broken-up vocals here, with some nice but slightly distorted piano. Gets pretty intense, but to be honest I'm just waiting for it to be over now. Comments: I wouldn't want to put down what she does, as I'm sure this is a great composition, but it is definitely not for me. I prefer my music a bit more, shall we say, musical? Frownland probably loves this, which tells you how much I don't. It's clever, it's deep, it's well-produced, but it's not something I'd listen to again. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

03-04-2015, 04:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	One of these days I've really gotta just put the kettle on, put my feet on the desk and take an afternoon to have a good read through this thread in detail. The sheer determination and effort you've clearly put into this is absolutely mindblowing.

12-12-2015, 01:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
Horror Music Assassin Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Hell. Posts: 192	So, would you be open to reviewing a sort of short album? It's I think 20 minutes long and I bet you haven't heard much like it. I think if memory serves it's either Italian and Japanese or just Japanese but, not in the Jpop way you're thinking of. It's my favorite type of music from one of my favorite artists so, let me know. I'll give you the youtube link and all. I'll be pretty surprised if you know her though.