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neofolk

Of The Wand & The Moon * Nighttime Nightrhymes (cd 1999 euphonius records)

I had never heard of this band, so I can’t tell you anything about it’s history. I read about this cd in a metalmagazine, but there is no metal on this cd. Guitars, they are to be found, but only acoustic. Further there is violin, flute and whispered singing. The attentive reader may have gotten the impression that this is a neo-folk cd and indeed, it is. Not the worst neo-folk cd I have heard either! Musically Of The Wand… are quite similar to Backworld. The music is very tranquil and pretty sad. The whispered singing is beautiful. I wouldn’t have blinked twice if this cd came from World Serpent, but in fact it comes from Voices of Wonder! Anyway, should you like neo-folk music and get the opportunity to hear or buy this one, don’t hesitate!

Naevus / Spiritual Front * Bedtime / Bathtime (picture 10″ 2005 old europa cafe)

Two ‘pigheaded’ (the Dutch expression says ‘ownway’ which I like better) on a nice picture 10″. I didn’t have anything of Naevus, so this split was a nice opportunity. Naevus opens with a too typical and rather boring neofolk track, but then follow two weird tracks that are more of my liking. Spiritual Front’s first song is a romantic atypical song in which I don’t even recognise the band. Then comes a great song with a piano background and a more typical song for the band. A nice release, but visually as ‘audially’. <14/4/06><3>

Lux Interna * Thruth And Beauty And All Their Severity (demo 2000)

In a gigantic envelope I received the demo tape of this American band. The content was (visually) not as impressive though. The tape is a copied TDK-tape and the cover is a small print-out with only the bandname and a photo. Further enclosed were some A4 prints with the lyrics.
The tape opens with a minimal neo-folk song. Only an acoustic guitar and gothlike vocals (an 80’ies ‘grave’ voice). Also the second song starts in that manner, but at the end there is a heavy vocal-distortion. The third track is electronic, a not too good experimental, slightly industrial thing and then we switch to face B. More minimal industrial, but this time with some accompany of synth on the background and strange effects on the guitar and the vocals at times. The second track of side B starts nicely, but ends in a chaotic beat/drum thing.
Anyway, the folksongs are actually quite good. Somehow the minimality stressed the nice melodies and gives the music a certain charm.
The sound-quality isn’t very good though and the package might have been better as well. On the other side: it is a demo!
The material that I got gives me nothing to go on, so I’ll just give you the address that I found on Heimdallr, where I read about this demo myself.
Joshua Ian Levi and Kathryn Cielewich * Lux Interna * 273 Richmond Ave #12 * Buffalo NY 14222 * USA

Luftwaffe * Event Nihilisti (cd 2006 punch records)

This album is the reason that I postphoned my orders for some time. I wanted to have this cd so bad, that I decided to wait until it was available before ordering anything else. When in the meantime I heard the mp3 snippets on the label site, I was slightly disappointed, but now hearing the cd I am not! ‘Neofolk’n’roll’, Luftwaffe from the USA makes a crazy and original kind of music that is extremely enjoyable, weird and wonderfull. The cd first has mostly their well-known (violent) drum-oriented tracks and towards the end come more tranquil songs, even traditional Irish music. I discovered Luftwaffe on Mp3.com long before there was Myspace and then there were hard-to-get small releases. In 2004 “Trephanus Uhr” was available more easily and this new magnificent album can be bought from most distros. Luftwaffe deserve that! They have been making their own kind of ‘neofolk’ (by lack of a better term) and continue their pig-headed path. They got attention from ‘big names’ in the scene such as Douglas P., Boyd Rice or Richard Leviathan who collaborated on this or other albums, but didn’t end up on any of the ‘big labels’. Punch from Italy is a good step forward though. I think now everybody has the possibility to get to know Luftwaffe. Not for the lovers of Forseti-like neofolk, but more for those who enjoy crazy music such as that of Boyd Rice. Samples, drumming, screamed vocals, weird texts and great ‘neofolk’n’roll’. <4/12/06><4>

Luftwaffe * Trephanus Uhr (cd 2004 lupine arts)

If you are not familiar with this American band, this is a great opportunity to get to know them. 17 Tracks covering their entire career which spans several years. Many tracks I already had, but some are new to me. Great and weird music going from industrial, drumming tracks to some kind of ‘neofolk’ (but then better). For more information about the band, read my other Luftwaffe reviews. <15/6/05><4>

Luftwaffe * Solipstica Nihilisti (10″ 2004 punch records)

l have known the American Luftwaffe for quite some years. Several years ago they had a page at MP3.com and during the years I downloaded all of their available tracks. In all this time I have been able to find only one original item of the band: “The Trepan Of The Clock” (cd+magazine 2002). However Luftwaffe is one of the best kept secrets of the scene they have worked with Boyd Rice, Douglas P. and Richard Leviathan. Their music is original and great, from ‘neofolky’ songs to weird industrial experiments and great repetative tracks with drumming. The title of this 10″ completely covers the philosophy of the band, they are nihilistic and solipsistic of which the last term refers to a “metaphysical belief that only onself exists” (Wikipedia). Also there are references to (Jewish) esotericism and a little bit of religion. No flirting with dubious politics which is also nice for a change.
This 10″ comes in an LP-size cover which is a poster with what you see above on the inside (4x the size of an LP), some kind of Kabbalistic-like symbol.
But back to the music. When you have downloaded all available tracks during the years and/or you have other releases by this band, you will find that many tracks can be found on different places. The tracklists of this 10″ and the “Trephanus Uhr” cd (see below) are for 3/4 the same. This is a bit of a pitty. BUT, Luftwaffe makes great and entertaining music with an original sound. Like I said, the band is a bit hard to follow. This is caused by very limited releases on small labels. This 10″ was released on an Italian label that I didn’t know yet, and is limited to 303 copies, so be quick and/or be on the lookout for the “Trephanus Uhr” cd! <15/6/05><4>

Luftwaffe * The Trepan Of The Clock + Et Nihil (cd+mag 2002 lupine arts)

I have known this American band for a while because of their page on MP3.com. They have got enough tracks there to make your own Luftwaffe cd. This is necessary, because all previous material was very limited and is long sold out. This cd that comes with an A4-magazine with nihilistic articles and a sheet in an envelope. This release is limited to 100 copies.
The cd has only 7 tracks and the better of them can be downloaded from MP3.com.
Anyway, the music of Luftwaffe goes from strange industrial to nice folky music and is very agreeable and finally I have been able to lay my hands on original material. This release is no longer available from the band, but maybe Athanor has a few copies left. Be quick! <29/9/02><4>

Lady Morphia * Essence And Infinity (cd 2006)

Six years after the first cd there is a new Lady Morphia. I didn’t know if I should buy it, so I decided to get an illegal copy first. Good choice, because the album is (in my humble opinion) not that good. There are a few songs that are too typically Lady Morphia and alternately there are poprock songs that are not at all good (and is the band again following Ostara?). The one nice track “Sturmjahre” sounds a lot like the band’s “Wir Rufen Deine Wölfe”. <4/3/07><2>u

Lady Morphia * Recitals To Renewal (cd 2000)

Take Ostara’s “Secret Homeland” and multiply it by X. I’m glad to hear that there are more neo-folk artists around who do not fear the experiment. This is the first full length cd of Lady Morphia and as far as I can tell, the brothers Nick and Chris Nedzynski released it themselves.
“Recitals To Renewal” contains both typical neo-folk songs, both in the ‘World Serpent vein’ and the ‘Eis & Licht vein’, but also has dark ambient, soundscape tracks and more modern sounding neo-folk, a bit like Ostara. Actually the vocals already remind of Ostara… A fact is that Lady Morphia takes things even further than Ostara and there is an even higher level of experimentation. Also here you will hear a rhythm section as times, but also drumming which sounds synthetic, further a lot more samples and more keyboard. Around the end we hear some medievalish tunes and then there are of course the totally electronic tracks.
So if you got used to “Secret Homeland” and you are ready for something more, it is time to buy “Recitals To Renewal”. <9/9/00> <4>

Karnnos * Deatharch Crann (cd 2000 cynfeirdd)

I don’t think that I ever heard about this Portugese band before Cynfeirdd released this cd. I asume that it is their debut, but I did hear that a new cd is anounced by Hau Ruck! already.
Karnnos doesn’t produce a very common sound. Their music consists of tranquil ambient soundscapes and just as tranquil neo-folk that in atmosphere (but not in style) reminds of Of The Wand And The Moon and Backworld. But there is not that much neo-folk on this cd, because a large part consists of strange sounds either or not accompanied by vocals, dark ambient and even some ritualistic sounds.
Overall I find this a pretty good cd, original in sound and definately worth a listen.