I’ve spent a lot of time listening to this album. I’ve started this review 2 different times, only to trash it. You see, this album has caused a plethora of different emotions. At first, it sounded creepy…the acoustic guitar/violin combo has a certain ominous air. After a while, it struck me as almost comical…like Black Metal campfire music. Then, finally, it settled into “take it for what it is” territory. What is it? It is a fine, fine album of dark folk music.
Dornenreich, from what I understand, started life as a Black Metal band. This new album is not a Black Metal album but, inherently, it could be a collection of interludes from a Black Metal album. The music here is not so much about musicianship as it is mood creation. The whispered, sometimes shouted, vocals…the somber acoustic guitar strumming…the mournful violin melodies & subtle percussion…all woven into a thick, light-obscuring sonic tapestry. I pictured many times these songs being played deep within a damp cave in some remote mountain range. Other times, it sounds as if corpse-painted gypsies are dancing around a fire burning in a snow-covered valley with only rocks and dead trees protruding from the seemingly endless white.
This is great, great music to listen to in the dark…headphones, candles, the whole nine yards. I can’t really say any more than that. It’s a fantastic album from start to finish that you’ll most likely find yourself playing over and over.
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they sound a little like agalloch don’t ya think.
on Jun 3rd, 2008 at 15:04I perhaps wouldn’t go as far as to make direct comparisosn with Agalloch, but there are some similarities of course with the acoustic sounds. Been a huge fan of the band since Her Von Welken Nachen and they haven’t let me down since then. Remind me quite a bit of some radio plays for some reason. Definitely an interesting band.
on Jun 4th, 2008 at 12:58Yeah, I don’t know that I’d include Agalloch either…
on Jun 4th, 2008 at 13:25Very disappointing review. This album has substance and mystery–as all Dornenreich albums–and I had expected this site to post a review that explored these depths better. This one should’ve been handed to Apollyon; he’s reviewed Prophecy releases before–I remember his very good review of Tenhi’s last album–and he seems to have the feel for what this music is about. I realize that you are new to the band’s music, but your talk about dancing corpse-painted gypsies and dead trees in endless white is actually an insult to this band. They reach for so much more than that. This is a good album, though not Dornenreich’s best, and more song-oriented and simpler in scope than the band’s previous release. Inve’s energetic performance and melodic sense seems to have invigorated Eviga’s creativity; I was beginning to worry that his ideas were getting stale. Overall, it’s another rewarding Dornenreich album that can be dissected for its subtleties or simply enjoyed for its sweet, sweet melodies–love them.
on Jun 7th, 2008 at 06:34Did you miss the part where I said it was fantastic? Just because we wouldn’t describe it the same way is no way to be disappointed…
on Jun 9th, 2008 at 12:28No, I understood that your opinion of the disc was favorable. I was disappointed that the review didn’t go further, that’s all. I like when a reviewer tries to interpret the artist’s message or comments on it, and I think Dornenreich’s music demands that type of response. I would be interested in reading such a review even if the author concluded that the album was a failure. No — we are in agreement at least: the album is good. I just hoped for a better read. Perhaps you and I read record reviews for different reasons. I am already a fan of the band, so.
on Jun 10th, 2008 at 11:47It’s all good…that’s what makes music so cool…we all get something different from it…
on Jun 10th, 2008 at 12:18