Good news for those who are curious to find out what Father Robin gets up to next on his travels through the fantastical world of Airoea because Karisma Records have just announced the release of “The Songs & Tales of Airoea – Book II” from Prog Rockers THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN (TCOFR for short).
“The Songs & Tales of Airoea” Trilogy itself unfolds over a period of three decades in an archaic alternate world. In Book II (“Ocean Traveller – Metamorphosis”) Father Robin journeys to the underwater city of Oriasaleah and over the Sea of Ayrouhr to the Grand Reef, where our intrepid explorer faces grave danger at the hands of the island people.
The album opens with the sacral and atmospheric track “Over Westwinds”, and carries the listener further on a dynamic musical journey that uses lush and varied soundscapes, which evoke visions of the golden era of progressive rock. An abundant, and well-thought out, use of a variety of instruments, such as flute, mellotron and glockenspiel, alongside more traditional rock instruments, is neatly packaged in a production that is both dynamic and organic, making “The Songs & Tales of Airoea” Trilogy a gem waiting to be discovered by fans of progressive rock.
For those eager or curious for a taste of what Book II will sound like, Karisma Records have today released a single from the album. Titled “The Grand Reef” it can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at:
TCOFR features members from some of the most revered progressive rock bands from Norway, WOBBLER, JORDSJØ, TUSMØRKE and seasoned post-rockers THE SAMUEL JACKSON FIVE, and their concept Trilogy was thirty years in the making.
The result in a cohesive triple concept album that features 18 songs in total which are spread out over three albums. With Book I having been released in September of this year, Book II will appear on the 8th December in CD, Digital and LP formats. The complete Trilogy is available as a Deluxe Limited Edition Triple Coloured Vinyl Box Set on Old Oak Records.
Contributors on the Trilogy include Thomas Kaldhol (MT. MELODIÉ, THE SAMUEL JACKSON FIVE), Lars Fredrik Frøislie (WOBBLER, IN LINGUA MORTUA, WHITE WILLOW), folksinger Aleksandra Morozova (MT. MELODIE, OSLO PHILHARMONIC CHOIR), Kristoffer Momrak (ALWANZATAR, TUSMØRKE, LES FLEURS DU MAL), Håkon Oftung (JORDSJØ) and illustrator Lars Kvernberg.
Tracklisting on “The Songs & Tales of Airoea – Book II” (which follows on directly from Book I) is as follows:
07. Over Westwinds 08. Orias & the Underwater City 09. Ocean Traveller 10. Lady of Waves 11. Green refreshments 12. The Grand Reef
Emerging from the remains of the band FANGORN back in 1993- 94, THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER was formed by WOBBLER frontman Andreas W. S. Prestmo, who was joined by childhood friends Jon and Henrik, with whom he shared a joint interest in folk tales, mythology, fantasy literature, psychedelia and adventurous music.
Dark Essence Records have welcomed Norwegian Black Metal veterans KOLDBRANN to their roster, and are ready to release the band’s fourth full-length album in the spring of 2024. Before then, however, fans will get a taste of some new material from the band, in the shape of a two-track, limited edition, 7″ vinyl single.
Known for their uncompromising take on Black Metal, and with a fearsome “backs to the world” attitude, KOLDBRANN have been at the forefront of the Norwegian Black Metal underground scene since the band was first formed in 2001.
Led by Mannevond’s characteristic pitch black raw vocals and Kvass’ clever Norwegian lyrics, KOLDBRANN have, from day one, delivered their obscure and unique riffs, unsullied by any trends. The band’s studio output matches perfectly with their notoriety on stage.
Commenting on their upcoming collaborations with Dark Essence Records, the band had this to say:
KOLDBRANN are elated to announce that we have entered into a pact with the esteemed Dark Essence Records, one of Norway’s premier extreme metal labels. After twenty years abroad, it was about time we brought our music home!
Our fourth full-length album is mastered, and all the sordid details will be revealed in due course, but, while we wait, we are excited to be able to serve you up a proper taste of what is to come on the 1st December, when our single will hit the streets.
The two tracks on the single were both recorded during the same studio sessions as the upcoming album, and are accompanied by some disturbing artwork by the talented Salowe Vision.
The single includes the tracks “Den 6. Massedød (Manna fra en annen himmel)” on the A side and, “Inhumanitær Inngripen” on the B side and will be available in Oxblood Red 7″ vinyl format, limited to 500 copies, as well as digitally.
It is now available to pre-order from both Dark Essence Records and directly from the band at:
Aside from Mannevond on Guitars and Vocals, and Kvass on Guitars, KOLDBRANN’s lineup today includes Voidar on Guitars, Leonid Melnikov on Drums, and John Grave on live Bass.
KOLDBRANN’s next live appearance will be as follows:
2023 02 Dec: Pest Fest, Copenhagen, Denmark 09 Dec: Eindhoven Metal Meeting, Netherlands 15/16 Dec: December Darkness, Norrköping, Sweden 2024 28-31 Mar: Inferno Metal Festival, Oslo, Norway
Norwegian Black Metal veterans TAAKE, headed by iconic founder Hoest, will hit the road in March 2024 on a series of 14 dates, supported by fellow countrymen NORDJEVEL and Austria’s THEOTOXIN.
Throughout his lengthy career spanning over thirty years, TAAKE’s frontman Hoest has made sure that TAAKE manages to stay relevant and remain at the forefront of the Black Metal genre, losing none of the unique sound that has drawn legions of fans to the band, but at the same time never allowing that sound to stagnate.
Hoest’s stage presence and electrifying performances, backed by a lineup filled with highly skilled and experienced musicians, have thrilled crowds over the years, and will continue to do so.
TAAKE is also scheduled to play a number of dates in the final months of 2023, as follows:
27 Oct: Vulcan Arena, Oslo, Norway 28 Oct: Rockeklubben, Porsgrunn, Norway 11 Nov: Odyssey to Blasphemy IV, ResonanzWerk, Oberhausen, Germany 17 Nov: Kulturhuset, Bergen, Norway 18 Nov: Slaktkyrkan, Stockholm, Sweden 24 Nov: Alchemica Music Club, Bologna, Italy 25 Nov: Revolver Club, San Donà di Piave, Italy
TAAKE’s eighth full-length album “Et Hav av Avstand” was released on Dark Essence Records on the 1st September this year. Recorded and produced by Bjørnar Erevik Nilsen (VULTURE INDUSTRIES) at his Conclave and Earshot Studios in Bergen, and with front cover photo by Bende Csaba, track listing for “Et Hav av Avstand” is as follows:
Denne forblaaste Ruin av en Bro
Utarmede Gruver
Gid sprakk Vi
Et Uhyre av en Kniv
Available in CD, Cassette, LP (the first pressing of which contains an A2 Poster), Ltd Edition White and Transparent LPs (limited to 1000 copies each), and Digital formats.
When Karisma Records released WIZRD’s debut full-length album “Seasons” in the autumn of 2022, they introduced to the world a band who chose to include all the best, and most interesting, aspects of Rock, Indie, Jazz and Prog within their sound – and then proceeded to break a few rules. The result was an album that was filled with beautiful vocal harmonies, stunning melodies, quirky jazz grooves and a rock’n’roll drive to die for.
Now, having begun work on their next album, WIZARD and Karisma Records have once again come together, this time to release a cover of the seminal BLACK SABBATH track “The Wizard”. As the band explains:
Hello hooray! While we are busy recording our second album, we thought it would be good to bring you all a little nugget. This song was a part of our set list a few years back, when we did some shows where the audience could vote and choose in advance what kind of artists we should do a cover of. We all love Black Sabbath. Duh, who doesn’t!? This track is a blast to play, and somehow we feel some kind of kinship to it…and not only because of the title!
We hope you will enjoy it. Here it is; “The Wizard” by Black Sabbath, à la WIZRD!
“The Wizard”, which is only available in Digi format can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at
WIZRD’s lineup is comprised of Hallvard Gaardløs (SPIDERGAWD, DRAKEN and more) on bass and lead vocals, Karl Bjorå (MEGALODON COLLECTIVE and more) on guitar and vocals, Vegard Lien Bjerkan (SOFT FFOG and more) on keyboards and vocals, and Axel Skalstad (KROKOFANT, SOFT FFOG and more) on drums.
Having met whilst studying at the Jazz Conservatory in Trondheim, each of the band’s four members bring with them a variety of influences and skills, thereby allowing them to test the limits of their musical horizons – something they don’t hesitate in doing.
Norwegian fans of WIZRD will have the chance to see the band live before the end of the year when they are scheduled to play the following dates:
A video of the band in the studio, rehearsing the track “All Is As It Should Be”, from their 2022 album “Seasons”, by WIZRD ‘s producer, the Norwegian film score composer and JAGA JAZZIST drummer Martin Horntveth, can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/kzP2VOduRCU?si=V56As-7dRKrZ2HU1
When NYRST released their debut full-length album “Orsök” in 2020, the Icelandic Black Metallers demonstrated a ferocious musical ability that was unusual for a band so early in their career. Filled with deliciously dark melodies and intense vocals, “Orsök” clearly signposted the path that the band was destined to follow in its musical endeavours.
And NYRST’s follow up album “Völd” builds on the band’s early promise, and the desire of its members – Snæbjörn on vocals, Eysteinn and Davíð on guitars, Egill on bass, and Sveinbjörn on drums, to create the coldest, most eerie and barren of soundscapes possible.
As the band explains from their base in Reykjavik:
This release marks a big milestone in our career as a band. We’ve developed a lot as musicians since the release of “Orsök” and we took a very different approach to writing and composition. Our intention was to bring all the best elements of our previous work and implement new ideas along with a different theme, which in turn resulted in a much heavier, grim but melodic album.
Being based in Reykjavik has no doubt helped NYRST’s ambition to bear fruit, because “Völd” was written and rehearsed within a few kilometres of an active, lava-spewing, volcano, whose very presence has allowed the band to draw inspiration from a stark landscape whose beauty is underscored by a brooding, ever-present, danger.
“Völd”, which, roughly translated, means “force, power or might”, is an unapologetic homage to Iceland’s immense volcanoes. Its music conjures forth images of the unrelenting and unforgiving harshness of nature that has dominated every living being in this land.
With album artwork by Nightjar Adam Burke, layout by Skaðvaldur, and photography by Þorsteinn Dagur Rafnsson, track listing for “Völd” is as follows:
Völd
Sundra skal sálu
Hrímvíti
Fjalli∂ andar
Eilíft eldhaf
Drottnari nafnlausra gu∂a
Af fjarri ströndum
“Völd” will be released on Dark Essence Records on the 8th December in CD, Digital and Lava Smash Vinyl formats as well as on Cassette, and is now available for pre-order from:
ARABS IN ASPIC are no newcomers to the prog scene, having been at the forefront of 70’s inspired progressive rock and proto-hard rock for fifteen years. Based in Trondheim, Norway, the band’s roots can be traced to the Golden Era of rock, with a sound that is a mix of loud, heavy guitars and drums, 12 string acoustics, funky bass and percussion, screaming Hammond organs, soft Rhodes, Mellotrons and 70’s Synths, topped with plentiful vocal harmonies.
With seven full-length albums to their name, the lineup of Jostein Smeby on Guitars + vocals, Stig Jørgensen on Organs + vocals, Erik Paulsen on Bass + vocals, Eskil Nyhus on Drums + cymbals and Alessandro G. Elide on Percussion + gongs, include, within their sound, aspects of classic rock, funk, pop, prog, heavy rock, bossanova, and a capella.
When ARABS IN ASPIC signed to Karisma Records for the release of the band’s seventh full-length album “Madness and Magic”, it was the labels intention to also release the entire ARABS IN ASPIC back-catalogue. With the first three albums having been released in 2021, Karisma is now ready to release the next three albums on the 1st December, not only as individual albums, but also as a limited edition box set which comes just in time for Prog fans wishing to give (or receive) something special for Christmas.
First up we have “Pictures in a Dream”, ARABS IN ASPIC’s fourth album, originally released in 2013 on Black Widow Records. The band’s love of experimenting with sounds and recording methods is at the forefront, along with some rather unconventional use of microphones to capture the sound in the studio itself, rather than directly from the source. For example nine microphones are used on the Hammond organ alone. The inevitable result of this was the need for a lot of tweaking, and not so much control, and very much a different kind of sound for 2013.
The re-release itself is based on all of the original recordings, but everything has been re-edited and remixed from scratch, thereby removing some of the pitfalls that came with having so many microphones in the room. Some of the vocals/lyrics have been replaced with lyrics from the archives, along with some new ideas, and a few instrumental overdubs, rendering the album even better than its predecessor.
Remastered by Jacob Holm-Lupo (WHITE WILLOW, OPIUM CARTEL, SOLSTEIN etc) “Pictures in a Dream” also sees the band changing the song sequence to make a new listening experience that creates quite a different mood.
“Pictures in a Dream” will be available in CD, Digital and Limited Edition Blue/Yellow Vinyl formats. With artwork by Julia Proszowska, and RUPHUS vocalist Rune Sundby guesting on two songs, tracklisting is as follows:
Rejected Wasteland / Pictures in a Dream (feat. Rune Sundby)
Let Us Pray
You Are Blind
Felix
Ta et steg til siden
Difference in Time
Lifeguard@sharkbay
Prevail to Fail (feat. Rune Sundby)
Hard to Find
Vi møtes sikkert igjen
Next up is the fifth album from ARABS IN ASPIC “Victim of your Father’s Agony”, which first saw the light of day in 2015, again on Black Widow Records, and which has now also been re-edited and remixed from scratch, with a change in the song sequence and instrumental overdubbing, and once again Jacob Holm-Lupo can be found at the remastering helm. It is possibly the band’s most diverse to date, due to the large numbers of songwriters on this particular release.
This new version of the album starts with a short instrumental inspired by the band’s first concert in France which took place at sunset, 300 meters from the most beautiful beaches of the Atlantic and in front of 2000 ecstatic prog nerds. “One”, is an oldie that didn’t quite fit on the previous couple of albums, but has been a staple in their live shows since 2009.
“Italian Class” started as an instrumental called “The Turk and the Italian Restaurant”. With no proper Italian vocabulary, the band cobbled together bits and pieces from the most well known Italian nursery rhymes and performed the song live at a festival, where some found it brilliant, and others were offended or embarrassed on the band’s behalf! “Sad Without You” is about the sudden realization that you’re eventually going to lose your loved ones, whilst “The Flight of the Halibut” features no less than 16 lead guitars in unison.
With artwork by Julia Proszowska, “Victim of your Father’s Agony”, will be available in CD, Digital and Limited Edition Blue/Yellow Vinyl formats, and tracklisting is as follows:
Saint-Palais-sur-Mer Part 1
One
Italian Class
God Requires Insanity
Saint-Palais-Sur-Mer Part 2
Sad Without You
Flight of the Halibut
Tv3
Victim of your Father’s Agony
And then we have what will be the sixth and final re-release, “The Magic of Sin”, which was originally titled “Syndenes magi” and was a turning point in the career of ARABS IN ASPIC. After “Pictures in a Dream” and “Victim of your Father’s Agony” the infrastructure of the “new Arabs” was set. They had lots of songs ready to go, but, after attending a spectacular KING CRIMSON gig in Oslo, the band decided that their new material wasn’t up to par, and they had to do better.
Returning to his home in Trondheim, Jostein Smeby wrote what was to become the 12-minute song “Syndenes Magi”. He called up cover artist Julia Proszowska and asked her to write down some keywords for a concept album. She delivered an excellent selection of keywords about anxiety, which inspired the composition of the rest of the album. Originally written in English, countless attempts to make the vocals blend in with the music failed and Smeby tried to write a verse in Norwegian instead, and there it was! Re-writing the rest of the lyrics in Norwegian, “Syndenes magi” was released on Apollon Records in the fall of 2017, and received a lot of international attention, despite having only Norwegian lyrics.
Regarding what has now become “The Magic of Sin”, which was once again remastered by Jacob Holm-Lupo in his Dude Ranch Studios, Jostein Smeby commented:
When it comes to the remix of the album, that is the hardest project we’ve ever done. We were really happy with the record – so if it was going to get remixed, then the result had to be even better. The band wasn’t entirely in agreement about a remix at all, but the composer had some unfinished business regarding English lyrics.
I tried singing the original English lyrics again. And it sounded just as bad as last time. What do you do then? Well, you delete all the Norwegian vocals and work until it gets better. Working with the remix and remaster of «The Magic of Sin» has taken more than twice the amount of time than writing, recording and mixing the original version took.
Obviously, since “The Magic of Sin” is something of a very special album to the band, for so many reasons, its new release also merits something a bit special, so, aside from the usual CD and Digital formats, the album will also be available in the form of a limited first pressing of the LP version in orange/black vinyl which comes in a unique tri-fold cover revealing more of Julia Proszowska’s striking cover art. If its combined with the original “Syndenes Magi” LP, all five panels of the painting will be visible.
Tracklisting on “The Magic of Sin” is as follows:
The Magic of Sin
Down in Darkness Pt 2
Down in Darkness Pt 3
All three albums will also be available as a Limited Edition Box Set titled “IV – VI”
All versions of all the albums can now be pre-ordered from:
ARABS IN ASPIC’s next live appearance will be on the 11th November alongside Dark Essence Records artist LUMSK at the Verkstedhallen & Lobbyen in Trondheim
When you’ve played on more than 300 albums, with a variety of artists including Norwegian Jazz legends such as NILS PETTER MOLVÆR, EIVIND AARSET, STIAN WESTERHUS and GEIR SUNDSTØL, together with bands and artists such as MADRUGADA, KAADA, JOHN PAUL JONES, ANE BRUN, ANNELI DRECKER, MARIT LARSEN and XPLODING PLASTIX, it’s inevitable that the desire to create and perform something of your own will emerge sooner or later.
And indeed, so it was for legendary drummer ERLAND DAHLEN, who has joined with Is it Jazz? Records to release “Racoons”, his fifth studio album, demonstrating that not only is he a versatile artist who can adapt his skills to the needs of other musicians, but that he is also a solo artist renowned for his creative ideas. Ideas that make use of his ability to play a multitude of percussive instruments to create a massive, intricately layered sound, that is unmistakably his own.
And today, ahead of it’s 27 October release, Is it Jazz? Records brings us a second track from “Racoons” to pique our interest in the album. Titled “Auto”, the track can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of sources at:
I based “Auto” on the drone from a Dulcimer Lute, which I combined with drums/percussion, synth, voices and electronics. In the intro you can hear an old tape recording of the Folk singer Knut Slettetveit, which my father recorded in the late 80’s. The title itself is an homage to the Kraut Rock era .
When he started recording his own music, Dahlen’s original idea had been to release just one solo album, this being 2012’s “Rolling Bomber”. However, things didn’t go quite to plan, and his solo work became more significant to him, something for which his fans are grateful.
For his latest album, Dahlen both made, and used, a lot of unique instruments, as he explains:
On “Racoons” I play a lot of custom-made instruments. Lars Hurlen has built different log drums for the album, and Harald Hougaard has built a custom-made zither bass. I also use custom-made chromatic blossom bells, and different metal items, such as huge serving plates.
“Racoons” was recorded with Bjarte Stensli in March 2023 at the Rainbow Studio in Oslo, with additional recording and mix by Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard W. Hagen from Xploding Plastix.
With cover art by Tom Korsvold, tracklisting on “Racoons” is as follows:
Sun Pt. 1
Stride
Auto
Slow
Mud
Foggy
Sun Pt. 2
“Racoons” will be available in CD, Digital and LP formats, and can now be pre-ordered from:
Dahlen has received numerous industry awards for the albums on which he has appeared, including 13 Spelleman Awards, having been nominated an extraordinary total of 38 times. He can also be found behind the drumkit of a number of Norwegian and International film scores.
“Salighet”, the fourth full-length album from Norwegian Prock Rockers JORDSJØ, sees multi-instrumentalist Håkon Oftung (TUSMØRKE, BLACK MAGIC, THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN) and drummer KRISTIAN FRØLAND continue on their musical journey that draws its inspiration from Nordic jazz and folk music, classical 1900s music, and sensory expanding 60s and 70s rock.
With “Salighet” set to hit the streets on the 6th October, and with the possibility of the album becoming one of the most significant Prog albums of 2023, Karisma Records have treated JORDSJØ fans, old and new, to a another glimpse, with the release of the single “Ura”, which can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of platforms at
JORDSJØ explained how a mountain hike led to the creation of this particular track:
“Ura” (The Stone Pile) is based on a poem written after a mountain hike surrounded by fog and rain, and the feeling of losing track of the trail you follow. Even in familiar places where you have wandered countless times, nature can behave in ways that make you lose your way. Life itself can sometimes be perceived in the same way, and new roads and directions can appear out of the fog. The poem was written in the same form as old folk songs, so composing music and rhythms in the same fashion was a very natural process.
As to “Salighet” itself, by melding progressive rock with fantastic melodies and an added Folkish twist, JORDSJØ sets out to explore the various forms of ecstasy. The album’s grand dynamics and dramatics serving as a counterpoint to the mundane reality of everyday existence.
The desire to find mystery and alternate realities amongst all that is banal in our day to day lives is expressed through JORDSJØ’s music and lyrics – the colourful symphonic folk-rock sound bringing to life a dance or a a mountain hike, a fairytale or religious pondering or any other kinds of inner travels.
Mastered by Magnus Guldbrandsen at Jelöy Sound Mastering, and with artwork by Sindre Foss Skancke, track listing for “Salighet” is as follows:
01. Invokasjon 02. Sankeren 03. Salighet I 04. Salighet II 05. Ura 06. Danseritualer fra Jordsjø – Prosesjon & Ekstase 07. Stjernestigen
“Salighet” will be released in CD, Digital, LP, and Limited Edition Transparent vinyl formats, and is now available to pre-order from:
Having played on more than 300 albums with a wide range of artists from different genres, and with four solo albums to his name, drummer ERLAND DAHLEN is set to release his fifth studio album “Racoons” on Is It Jazz? Records on the 27th October.
Obviously, being so much in demand on such a wide variety of collaborations and sessions, it is clear that Dahlen is an artist with considerable skills, who is sensitive to the requirements of other musicians, and who is well able to adapt those skills to whatever the music requires. However, he is also a renowned solo artist with his own creative ideas, and who, by using a multitude of percussive instruments, is able to create a massive, intricately layered sound, that is all his own.
Over the years, Dahlen had accumulated so many musical ideas that didn’t fit in with any other projects, and he grew to realise that he needed a project that would allow him to record and play live for himself.
Originally the plan had been to release just one solo album, 2012’s “Rolling Bomber”. However, since then this solo work has grown in importance for Dahlen, so much so, in fact, that for “Racoons” he actually made and used a lot of unique instruments, as he explains:
I play a lot of custom-made instruments here. Lars Hurlen has built different log drums for the album, and Harald Hougaard has built a custom-made zither bass. I also use custom-made chromatic blossom bells, and different metal items, such as huge serving plates.
Those eager to find out the kind of sound that these create ahead of the full-album release, can do so with the track “Foggy”, which can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of services at
“Foggy” starts off with a drum groove that moves across a drum machine beat. The idea was to let the groove evolve and gradually add more elements in a repetitive drone-like landscape.
“Racoons” was recorded with Bjarte Stensli in March 2023 at the Rainbow Studio in Oslo, with additional recording and mix by Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard W. Hagen from Xploding Plastix.
With cover art by Tom Korsvold, tracklisting on “Racoons” is as follows:
Sun Pt. 1
Stride
Auto
Slow
Mud
Foggy
Sun Pt. 2
“Racoons” will be available in CD, Digital and LP formats, and can now be pre-ordered from:
Dahlen has received numerous industry awards for the albums on which he has appeared, including 13 Spelleman Awards, having been nominated an extraordinary total of 38 times. He can also be found behind the drumkit of a number of Norwegian and International film scores.
Some of the artists with whom he has played, either live or in the studio, include Norwegian Jazz legends such as NILS PETTER MOLVÆR, EIVIND AARSET, STIAN WESTERHUS and GEIR SUNDSTØL, together with bands and artists such as MADRUGADA, KAADA, JOHN PAUL JONES, ANE BRUN, ANNELI DRECKER, MARIT LARSEN and XPLODING PLASTIX, along with a host of others!
On the 3rd November Karisma Records will release “Ignis Fatuus” the 1995 debut album from Norwegian Prog legends WHITE WILLOW, which will be the first of six out of the band’s seven studio album back catalogue that the label will release.
WHITE WILLOW was formed in 1992 by guitarist Jacob Holm-Lupo, who at that time was a member of the POLICE/BRUCE HORNSBY-inspired pop band THE ORCHID GARDEN, and keyboard player Jan Tariq Rahman from local jazz-rock/prog rock band DUGGVÅTE DVE.
The two musicians had come together to see if they had any kind of songwriting chemistry, and, whilst sitting on the floor playing acoustic guitar and clavinet, the resultant track “Snowfall” proved that they did, indeed, have something going for them.
The band’s debut album “Ignis Fatuus” took the global progressive rock scene by storm, with 5000 copies selling out in record time, whilst stellar worldwide reviews and fan mail came pouring in and earned WHITE WILLOW the accolade as “one of the most significant progressive groups of the current era” in Billboard’s “Guide to Progressive Music”.
Indeed WHITE WILLOW’s popularity was such that when the band attended the Los Angeles’ Progfest ’95, for what would be only their second ever live performance, they found themselves playing in front of an audience that numbered in the thousands and who had come specifically to see them.
The songs on “Ignis Fatuus” range from almost pure pastoral folk-rock, as on “Snowfall” and “Till He Arrives”, to out-and-out prog rock, as on “John Dee’s Lament” and “Cryptomenysis” (the latter featuring a guest appearance from VED BUENS ENDE’S Carl Michael Eide). It also included unusual experiments like the renaissance-inspired hymn “Song”, based on the poem by Christina Rossetti.
Whilst WHITE WILLOW didn’t, at the time, consider themselves a prog-rock band, more a folk-rock band that dabbled in symphonic arrangements, “Ignis Fatuus” nevertheless became a classic amongst prog connoisseurs, and the prospect of its re-release has caused quite a buzz on the scene.
The “Ignis Fatuus” re-release has been meticulously remastered by Jacob Holm-Lupo himself, and features the original classic cover art.
Tracklisting is as follows:
1. Snowfall 2. Lord of Night 3. Song 4. Ingenting 5. The Withering of the Boughs 6. Lines on an Autumnal Evening 7. Now in these Fairy Lands 8. Piletreet 9. Till He Arrives 10. Cryptomenysis 11. Sighs 12. John Dee’s Lament
“Ignis Fatuus” will be released in CD, Digital and Limited Edition Double LP in orange/blue vinyl. It can be pre-ordered from:
Whilst WHITE WILLOW has now become exclusively a studio project, helmed by Holm-Lupo and often featuring guest appearances from prominent musicians such as Norway’s guitar hero Hedvig Mollestad, or internationally renowned klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer, the band’s history has been somewhat complicated.
Band members have come and gone over the years with only Holm-Lupo having remained with the band since its inception, whilst WOBBLERS Lars Fredrik Frøislie has been a mainstay since 2001.
WHITE WILLOW’s sound too has undergone changes, but it’s safe to say that it is frequently centered around female vocals and an expanded instrumentation that usually includes a host of analogue synthesizers, mellotron, woodwinds and strings, in addition, of course to traditional rock instrumentation.
As well as “Ignis Fatuus”, Karisma Records will also be releasing the following WHITE WILLOW albums:
Ex Tenebris – 1998 Sacrament – 2000 Storm Season – 2004 Signal to Noise – 2006 Terminal Twilight – 2011
PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT 