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experimental

Ostara * Ultima Thule (cd 2003 eislicht verlag)

This is the third cd of Ostara and so far all have been ‘shocking’ in some respect. First too accessible neofolk, then too poppy neofolk but Ostara gets away with it and after a while the first albums proved to be brilliant. Then a year ago, mr. Leviathan ‘warned me’ that the new cd could contain some metal elements and as the year 2003 continued ‘rumours’ said that the new cd would be more ‘rocky’, so when “Ultima Thule” eventually DID come out, I waited a while before ordering the cd… So… the cd indeed opens with who a whole range of rock songs and around the end more songs that would have been the more ‘natural development’ for Ostara. Musically it is still Ostara, but different. The melodies, Leviathan’s vocals, rhythms, samples and the keyboards are still recognisable, but these electric guitars… I have heard the cd several times now and I start to hear the recognisable elements, but I am still not used to the rocking guitars…

Ostara * Kingdom Gone (cd 2002 eis & licht tonträger)

I don’t buy most neofolk cds, but of course there are also bands that I do like and Ostara is one of them. If you follow the band a little, you will already have 5 of the 12 tracks of this cd, which is a bit of a pitty. “Kingdom Gone” opens with the brilliant “Bavaria” that we of course already got from the mp3.com page. “Hammer Of Ages” is new and nice. “The Trees March North” was already available on the 10″. “March Of The Rising Sun” is an experimental ‘industrial’ track showing that Ostara means to continue to push the boundaries of the genre. Songs 5 and 7 (“Overworld” and “Never Weep”) were already available on the picture 7″ and 10″ and also 10. “Divine Wind” comes from the “Whispers To The Soul” 10″. The new songs 6. “Sword Of Reverie”, 9. “Life’s Symmetry” and 11. “Transsylvania” are very beautiful (especially the last), quite melancholic actually. And speaking of pushing boundaries, 8. “Talenokai” is some kind of techno/trance like track that is nice, but a bit too long. The closer is a slightly darker track “Kingdom Gone”. Overall resulting in a wonderfull cd of almost an hour.
The back had the well-known photo of Richard Leviathan and Timothy Jenn, but Leviathan will continue Ostara alone with guest musicians.

Orplid * Barbarossa (10” 2000 eis & licht tonträger)

After some problems with the printers of the cover, here is finally the new release of Orplid. A 10” that has to be played on 45 rpm with a long track on each side. Both songs are dedicated to the German language and culture and both are so to say poem on music. On side A the lyrics are so to say ‘screamed’ over minimal music and around the end when the song runs out of text there is some victorious music with fierce drumming. Side B has more spoken word accompanied by drumming. It took me a few times before I started to like “Barbarossa”, but I am again very happy with the music of Orplid. When oh when will they release another full-length?

Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio / Spiritual Front * Satyriasis (cd 2005 cold meat industry)

On first sight these are not the first bands that I think about for releasing a split cd. On second hand, why not? Both bands make their own style of ‘neofolk’ (by lack of a better word), like ‘musical jokes’, make repetitive music and have something with sex. So the two bands decided to make a split cd. “Satyriasis” is only 35 minutes, the first and the last tracks are cooperations between the bands, the rest are tracks by the two bands alone. Not all new, but the styles of the bands go well together and this cd is certainly very enjoyable.

Omne Datum Optimum / Gaë Bolg and the Church Of Fand * Oran Môr 1. Aryant ol. 1 (12″ 2000 cynfeirdd)

I have been looking forward to this split 12″. Both bands appear with brilliant contributions on the “Eistedfodd” compilation of the same label that released this 12″. Gaë Bolg also has a good full-length cd out on Cynfeirdd as well. This 12″ is the first of the “Oran Môr” trilogy in which these two bands and Nothvs Filivs Mortis will have a split 12″ with the two other bands.
“Aryant ol. 1” begins promising with ODO’s piano, beats, singing and later marchdrums. In comparison to their “Eistedfodd” contribution, this track is rather tranquil. The second track of ODO is not that good. It’s tranquil, with vocals and a few strange sounds and actually this sounds a bit too much like Gaë Bolg!
Gaë Bolg opens with a tranquil track with a heavy beat. This track is not very good. The second track is even poorer. It is some kind of soundscape with a few flutes. Also I don’t hear in these two songs that they are actually recorded with 12 members!
So musically this 12″ isn’t that exciting. The only positive point about this 12″ is the exquisite inlay with beautiful medieval caligraphs from the hand of Ars Magna 118+ (ODO?) who also plays the “Bic” in Gaë Bolg.
The 12″ contains a card in which you can order an upcoming Gaë Bolg picture vinyl, which will be only available for “subscribers”.
Should you want to get this split 12″, be quick, because there are only 333 copies available. I’m actually more looking forward to hear more of Nothvs Filivs Mortis though…. <9/9/00> <2>
Well, the performance of Gaë Bolg in Amsterdam was definately a 5 out of 5 though!! <10/9/00>

Ode Filipica * Off… (7″ ?)

Strange 7″ from Portugal that was “recorded on december 90”, whatever that may mean. “Off…” contains soft industrial with vocals with a strange distortion and here and there some drumming. Most of the time nothing special, here and there quite interesting. I found this one on the Tesco discount list.

Nový Svet * Cuori Di Petrolio (cd 2000 hau ruck!)

I don’t think Tesco had read my review of the debut cd of this band when they send me this cd. I don’t really like this first album. I did hear that the second cd was a bit more ‘serious’, but I don’t think I would have bought it myself.
But indeed, the second albums is a bit more serious than the first cd. There is more industrial, a bit of ambient, but most of the music is still the typical, silly music with the most dull vocals since TILT! But since the more industrial parts of the first cd sounded a lot better than the rest, this second cd is a big improvement. And actually the vocals start to sound more funny than just irritating, so do I grow used to them or do I start to see the joke?
Anyway, for those of you who don’t know the “Paccia a Paccia” cd, the music is tranquil and often rather silly folky, jazzy or whatever it is music, with very peculiar vocals. On the debut it sounded a bit like a drunken guy trying to sing, this time it’s the same kind of voice, but more ‘real’ singing. “Cuori Di Petrolio” contains a healthy amount of industrial sounds.
This is still not my favourite cd of all times, but I like it a lot better than the first cd and I guess it may be funny to play when you’re in a silly mood.
And a tip for those who are not familiar with this band yet, first try this one and if you think you can stand more sillyness, get the debut then. <10/11/00><2>

Nový Svet * Faccia a Faccia (cd 1999 hau ruck!/wkn)

A strange release of Albin Julius (better known as Der Blutharsch). I know Nový Svet, from Julius’ “Wo Die Wilde Kehrlen Wohnen” compilation 7″, where NS actually contributed the nicest track. The first time I listened to “Faccia a Faccia” I was quite irritated by the silly music on this disc. Now that I heard it a few times, it is quite funny in a way, but not something that I will play for enjoyment…
Try to imagine a group of people singing silly melodies in Spanish (?) as if they are totally drunk. With (traditional) instruments they produce even more silly melodies and once in a while you can hear some industrial or dark ambient tunes. The first 10 songs are fairly short and in this vein, the last track lasts for some 20 minutes and I think it is this track that makes people compare NS to Der Blutharsch. Not that I hear many similarities myself, but the last track is a bit more industrial of sound with churchbells and to me this is the best track of this cd by far. After a boring gap of nothing, the usual ghosttrack in the vein of the first 10 songs.
Conclusion? I guess only “love it or hate it” covers this silver disc. A second cd is announced for the end of this month, but I don’t think you will read about it in these pages.
This cd still says “World Serpent Distribution” by the way, but I think you better try Tesco! <9/9/00><2>

Novo Homo * In Some Brutal Way He Was An Artist (10″ 2000 hau ruck!/wkn)

After having heard a couple of Hau Ruck! releases, I could expect this one to sound rather strange as well. And indeed it does.
“In Some Brutal Way…” opens with a soundscape that goes over in a martial sound. It is slow and minimal. The second track is a minimal rhythmical track and the third track is more dance-like. Also a dance-like track at the beginning of face B and this track has some robot-voice in it as well. Then some minimal industrial sounds with marchdrums and the last track sounds a bit like an electro/dance track. For experimental purposes quite nice, but musically not too good.

Nothing * Nondescript (cd 1999 the root of all evil records)

Nothing is a name that sounds pretty familiar, but not a band I had anything of. I have no idea if there are more bands with the same name. Anyway, the logo gives the impression that this is a metalband, while this is not really true.
The cd opens with an atmospheric track (piano, synth) and continues with a dark metaltrack with no guitars. I know this sounds silly, but that is actually exactly what Nothing sounds like. The vocals and drum(computer) remind of metal, but there are synths instead of guitars (I think). The music varies from tranquil to quite heavy. Further you will find industrial, noise, avantgardistic experimentalism, samples and atmospheric tunes.
All in all this is a very varying and strange cd, especially because the vocals are mixed far to the background and the idea that you listen to metal with no guitars. I am not too crazy about this myself.