Aeterna vol i was released at the very end of 1998 and volume two comes somewhat over a year later. The title is again “Aeterna mittelalter barock gothic compilation” which words I suppose you’ll understand even though they’re German. The back says again “Eine Reise in die musikalische Welt des Mittelalters” which I’ll translate for you, in case you don’t fully grab this. “A Journey in the musical world of the Middle Ages” and that’s exactly what this compilation is, more even than vol i actually, since that cd also had a few modern gothic tunes and vol ii is truely medieval. Even the word “neo-medieval” are not fit for the bands here and that’s something you rarely see in the gothic scene. The bands are unknown and a few better known. Most make a nice medieval kind of music, varying from dance/drink music to ‘gothic voices’ (church kind of singing) and everything in between. Some songs are more modern. All in all a good compilation to buy when you wonder about medieval music. I don’t like this one as much as the first volume, but still this is pretty nice, especially for a compilation. Apparently the label or distributor has more medieval cds, such as four “Miroque” compilations and “Cantara Magica vol. i”. I suppose these sounds are becoming more popular at last.
For link perposes, I’ll note the artists featured: Omi Wytars, Oswald, Die Streumer, Adaro, Vox, Galahad, Van Langen, Dies Natalis, Blackmore’s Night, Mediæval Bæbes, Ophelia’s Dream, Mothwing, Saltarello, Oxford Camerata, Hortus Musicus, Sarband, Carlos Peron & Peter Ehrlich and Hans-André Stamm.