CD reviews
30 Oct 2003 05:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
karohemdCD Reviews
Just got new medieval crossover material for Octaine. Interesting probably only to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sea_cucumber, jonny_eol and possibly sogoth so they are behind cuts.
Saltatio Mortis - Das Zweite Gesicht
SM are usually a straight acoustic medieval band but have gone crossover on this their second album. Electric guitars, modern drums, industrial beats and sequencers enhance and warp medieval style songs: two remixes of medieval standards (Skudrinka and Stella Splendens), the rest being songs specifically written or arranged for this album.
The style is much like the first two Tanzwut albums, at slightly inferior quality (just like SM are inferior to Corvus Corax), hence nothing new. But there's still some good material in there, my favourites being Heuchler, Dunkler Engel (both nice and stompy) and Zeit (neofolky).
3/5 (4/5 if it hadn't been for Tanzwut doing it earlier and better)
In Extremo - 7
I don't think I need to say much about In Extremo, they are probably the most successful band in the genre, headlining festivals all over Europe.
The tracks are a natural progression from their last studio album Sünder ohne Zügel but with slightly more variety (two traditional straight acoustic tracks). They are moving further towards metal on some tracks as well.
An absolute must for fans but there's nothing new on this album that really grabs. For someone who would like to try them, I'd recommend Vereehrt und Angespien or Sünder ohne Zügel.
3/5
Adaro - Minnenspiel
Found this one thanks to Amazon's "Customers who bought this also bought" link.
Again, medieval crossover but with more emphasis on traditional style minstrel music, both in terms of music and vocals, the modern instruments are moving into the background here. They sound more like somewhere between Blackmore's Night and Schandmaul, with superior and more varied vocals but softer guitars than the latter.
No dancefloor rockers on this one but lots for the chillout room.
4/5
Just got new medieval crossover material for Octaine. Interesting probably only to
sea_cucumber, jonny_eol and possibly sogoth so they are behind cuts.Saltatio Mortis - Das Zweite Gesicht
SM are usually a straight acoustic medieval band but have gone crossover on this their second album. Electric guitars, modern drums, industrial beats and sequencers enhance and warp medieval style songs: two remixes of medieval standards (Skudrinka and Stella Splendens), the rest being songs specifically written or arranged for this album.
The style is much like the first two Tanzwut albums, at slightly inferior quality (just like SM are inferior to Corvus Corax), hence nothing new. But there's still some good material in there, my favourites being Heuchler, Dunkler Engel (both nice and stompy) and Zeit (neofolky).
3/5 (4/5 if it hadn't been for Tanzwut doing it earlier and better)
In Extremo - 7
I don't think I need to say much about In Extremo, they are probably the most successful band in the genre, headlining festivals all over Europe.
The tracks are a natural progression from their last studio album Sünder ohne Zügel but with slightly more variety (two traditional straight acoustic tracks). They are moving further towards metal on some tracks as well.
An absolute must for fans but there's nothing new on this album that really grabs. For someone who would like to try them, I'd recommend Vereehrt und Angespien or Sünder ohne Zügel.
3/5
Adaro - Minnenspiel
Found this one thanks to Amazon's "Customers who bought this also bought" link.
Again, medieval crossover but with more emphasis on traditional style minstrel music, both in terms of music and vocals, the modern instruments are moving into the background here. They sound more like somewhere between Blackmore's Night and Schandmaul, with superior and more varied vocals but softer guitars than the latter.
No dancefloor rockers on this one but lots for the chillout room.
4/5
