If you are a fan and listener of releases from Prophecy Productions and their sub labels you will be well aware that they often like the subtler musical form and here they celebrate it with 100 minute 2 CD album of nature enthused and on the whole acoustic music. Be a bit too easy giving it a folk or neo-folk tag but essentially if you like that sort of style you will be well at home here with both old and new friends from within that realm. Mention should also go to the lovely art-work done by Fursy Teyssier who appears on the album musically with Les Discrets as well, I cannot comment on the overall package reviewing from download but I am sure all the stops have been pulled out and it is as lush as the music within.
A fragile guitar fragment from Vali leads into Empyrium’s ‘The Days Before The Fall,’ an autumnal ballad perfect for this time of year. The German’s create a texture that is like leaves falling from the trees with gentle vocal harmonies leading into a more boisterous instrumentation as the elements become more inclement. There is lots here I have not heard of such as Nest whose ‘Summer Storm’ is wholly atmospheric with glistening shards beaming from the acoustic guitar and the distant rumbling of thunder. Vocals low in the background kind of reminds of McCoy and this takes me to Elyzium era Nephilim territory. On the other hand October Falls are no stranger ‘Vima’ is however just a gentle passage of acoustic guitar, again fragile but beautiful and evocative and not perhaps what you would expect from M. Lehto and his albums as a whole. Violin and soaring vocals come from Ainulindalë which goes into what reminds of a bard telling a tale. Taking their name from Tolkein and the ‘Singing Of The Holy’ these French folk fit right in here. Les Discrets are instantly recognisable. First by the dreamy guitar work on a short instrumental piece then on main track ‘Apres L’ombre’ with gentle vocals babbling away and gradually building up. Something from outside Europe had to get a look in and Musk Ox from Toronto bring ‘Solstice’ to the compilation. Birds twitter over a lone guitar, nothing happens fast but gradually a jaunty melody takes over. Very little happens but you really don’t need it to. Havnatt from Norway enchant with the gorgeous vocals of Cecilie Langlie and immediately make me want to hear more from this duo. By contrast the next duo I know all about and it is utterly essential that Dornenreich put in an appearance with Dem Wind Geboren an old number, whilst we eagerly anticipate their next album.
A rare Ulver song resurfaces on disc two, ‘Synen’ is all about Christopher Rygg’s vocal clamour which even on a gentle number is full of drama. Hellhammer is also on hand to hit things very quietly in the background at one point. I should actually mention that of the 21 tracks on this compilation 15 are exclusive to it and another 3 are rare, so there is plenty you will not have heard before. Tenhi from Finland are a group who I have heard a lot of recently, their track ‘Kausienranta’ has shamanic sounding vocals, lovely piano melody and even a bit of a symphonic feel in full flight, this is one of the compilation tracks with the most going on in it but it still sticks very much to the general aesthetic. The fact that ex-core members of Armagedda would ever go down this sort of route is surprising in itself but that is exactly what Lonndom are all about and their music has literally gone from a ferocious scream to a mere whisper. Finishing off we have a 14 minute number for those that had still been having trouble drifting off. Syven are Finnish and combine traditional strings along with the Kantele apparently. ‘How Fare The Gods?’ although epic is deeply meditational and a fitting end piece for this lovingly crafted compilation. Little left to say here but this is a close as you are going to get to nature bar a camping trip. Seek it below and you shall find!
www.prophecyproductions.de
