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Euphonius

Parzival * Die Kulturnacht (cd 2012)

I was curious if Deezer would have Parzival releases that I do not and then I saw this new album! It was not even listed on Discogs and just today I got a Tesco newsletter with the cd in it. Inspite of the year 2012 still fresh I guess. “Die Kulturnacht” does not have the oldstyle EBM sound of Parzival, but an orchestral sound, sometimes pompous with drumming, sometimes more neo-classical, but usually with the typical vocals. Parzival manages the sound quite well, but I noticed that I enjoy the previous albums better. A suggestion for people into martial industrial and pompous neoclassical music.
Links: Parzival (note, when I write this (12-2-13) Google has blacklisted the website because of malware!), Euphonious Records

Parzival * Urheimat (cd 2011)

1999, I just started to get acquinted with the neofolk scene. Then suddenly there was this new band that released its debut on a metal label: Of The Wand And The Moon. That same label released the debut album of Parzival and the rumour was that Kim Larsson also did the Rammstein-like vocals of Parzival. I described the debut as a mix between Gae Bolg and Enigma. Parzival made heroic medieval music with techno rhythms (the famous ‘Amen break’) and very destinctive, extremely low vocals. I like the album, but perhaps because of the 3 year gap between the second album (released on a label that I do not know), I never bought anything of Parzival again, inspite of very nice compilation contributions. Somehow I started downloading the albums that I missed a little while ago and while looking for a real copy of the magnificent “Deus Nobiscum” album (2006, sold out, I now ordered a second hand copy) I noticed that Parzival released a new album on the label on which they once started. Parzival had developed towards more of a Laibach style with pompous orchestral industrial and choirs. “Urheimat”, however, reminds of what nowadays is called “old style EBM” in several tracks, while the others are more in the Laibach vein. Not as good as “Deus Nobiscum”, but still very original and enjoyable.
Links: Parzival, Euphonious

Parzival * Anathema Maranatha (cd 1999 euphonious records)

Here is one to test your imagination. First, the singer of Rammstein starts to sing, not only in German, but also in Latin, Gregorian even sometimes. He does this accompanied by heroic medieval music and the rhythms are sometimes drumming and sometimes techno rhythms. If this description allows you to form something in your head with this sound, you are pretty close to what Parzival sounds like. This is really weird shit, but it is very funny and definitely original. In a way you can say that it is a mix between Gaë Bolg and Enigma and I definitely never heard anything like this. I believe this is a side-project of Of The Wand And The Moon, but I can’t find anything about that in the booklet.
Unfortunately this cd is very short (34 min) and it is also older than I thought. Who cares? As long as the music is alright!

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!