It is always nice when a band releases a cd and immediately comes to present it in a club near you. Yesterday Dies Natalis gave a very nice show in Landgraaf and of course they were also selling the cd. A few comparisons between the performance and the cd.
However on stage the band presented some quite powerfull neo-folk music, the cd is mixed quite ‘thin’ and in most songs lack the powerfull drumming and vocals that the band on stage does have. Around the end of the cd there are two songs (10 and 11) which do have the sound that the band deserves.
The show started with mostly tranquil songs in the vein that we are familiar with through the 10″ that was released on Eis & Licht last year (and which is also reviewed in these pages). This is also the kind of music that is on this cd. Later in the show came rather bombastic and powerfull songs of which are only a few on the cd. I hope these kind of songs are new and will be available soon.
There is quite a big role for the keyboards, which in many parts are actually too simple and do not help the songs much in my opinion. Fortunately the band also proves that they can be helpfull in a few songs.
Two songs of the 10″ are also to be found on “Vom Gedanken…”. Undoubtely very helpfull for those who do not possess one of the 510 copies, but those who do have this 10″ would probably prefer new songs.
As it seems the cd is self-released in a digipack with a simple lay-out. I know it is available from Eis & Licht, so I suppose it will get the usual Eislicht distribution.
Overall I must conclude that the cd does have its moments, but to me it is mostly just another neo-folk cd. I hope a new cd will have the more powerfull songs on it. The band has been on stage for two hours or so, so they definately must have enough material to release a new cd in not too much time.