Reviews: martial

(bombastic / orchestral / military soundscapes)

Dernière Volonté – Devant Le Miroir

After a first superficial listen to this cd, I thought ‘Hmm, I’ve heard this before’. One day later I noticed myself humming and tapping along. These new songs by Geoffrey D.’s project are just too attractive to resist. Again Dernière Volonté has delivered a fine album full of catchy ‘military pop’.

Karjalan Sissit – Tanssit On Loppu Nyt

Tanssit On Loppu Nyt is the fourth album by Karjalan Sissit aka Markus Pesonen from Finland/Sweden. Just like the previous album Karjalasta Kajahtaa, the new album is released on cd by Cyclic Law and on vinyl byEternal Soul Records. Again we’re treated to an oppressive mix of martial industrial music and atmospheric dark ambient pieces.

Arditi – Standards of triumph

In a few years time Arditi produced quite a string of releases on obscure labels. After a limited 7? single, they now release their first album through Portugal’s Equilibrium Music. The Swedish duo has not changed much about their concept. The blood, suffering and victories of the battlefield are translated into bombastic neo-classical hymns.

:Golgatha: – Kydos – Reflections On Heroism

The first official full-length cd of :Golgotha: is devoted to war and more particular heroism in various forms. From the Japanse kamikaze units of 1945 to the harmony of pen and sword of Mishima to the honourable death on the battlefield in ancient times.

Triarii – Pièce Héroique

With the debut Ars militaria Triarii directly made a name for itself in the martial neo-classical scene. Therefore quite a bit was expected from the follow-up from the German project. Well, they could stand the pressure and have come up with an improved successor.

Gae Bolg – Requiem

Gae Bolg blends medieval sounds with bombastic and martial elements. This new album Requiem is a mass for the dead. It sounds rather tranquil and serene in comparison with some older records.

Lokasenna – Archive II: 1998-2005

Last year the Belgain act Lokasenna surprised with a very good post-industrial release. Now they deliver a second self-released cd-r.

Phragments – Homo Homini Lvpvs

This cd-r by Phragments has a clear apocalyptic and martial atmosphere. It’s the first full-length album of this one-man project from Slovakia.

The Protagonist -­ Songs of Experience

The Protagonist is not the most productive artist on Cold Meat Industry, but when he delivers a new piece of work you are in for a feast.

In Slaughter Natives / Voice of Hate – Split

A limited split single on vinyl. The obscure Spanish project Voice of Hate fills one side, while the other half of the record is reserved for In Slaughter Natives (featuring Tomas Petterson of ORE).

A Challenge of Honour vs. Praetorio – Hadrian’s Wall

This split 10” contains two new tracks by well-known Dutch act ACOH, as well as two tracks by newcomer Praetorio. Both create bombastic neo-classical synth-based music.

Stormfågel – Den Nalkande Stormen

From the very first sounds until the last tones this record surprised and impressed me. Stormfågel delivered a powerful album with a mixture of neo folk, pagan folk and ritual music.

Kreuzweg Ost – Edelrost

Just when I though the stream of war-inspired releases was drying up, Cold Spring comes with “Edelrost” by Kreuzweg Ost. It’s the second album of this German project, after “Iron Avantgarde”.

V/A – Sturmgewitter ziehn durchs land

The first release of this small Belgian label is a split release with four bands which performed at the first Carpe Noctem Festival in September 2004: HERR, Days of the Trumpet Call, Dead Man’s Hill, and Von Thronstahl. It was released with a lot of delay.

Un Défi d’Honneur – Le mort homme

As many know, Un Défi d’Honneur is one of the A Challenge of Hounour side-projects by Peter Savelkoul, hailing from Limburg/The Netherlands. This piece of vinyl comes in an absolutely stunning gatefold cover with marvellous artwork by Nikolay from Levoi Pravoi (whose release I also reviewed at Funprox)…

Pimentola – MM – MMV

Pimentola is a still little-known Finnish bombastic neo-folk act. On this album everything which Lempo, the guy behind Pimentola, released with Pimentola from 2000 onwards is collected. One new track and one (the first ever) remix are added. On this record you can clearly hear the progress Pimentola made…

Levoi Pravoi – March in September

“March in September” is the official debut release, vinyl only, by this Russian/American duo. What immediately strikes me is the fantastic artwork, consisting of a Jugendstil-like drawing combined with natural brown and green…

As All Die / FDH – North American Underground Alliance

Both bands are present with three tracks on this ‘North American Underground Alliance’. As All Die kicks of with a martial-industrial track of pretty poor sound quality, not really originally called ‘Power through will.’ It’s very reminiscent of Archon Satani and the likes: low pitched drumming, dark noises and spoken word passages on death and destruction…

Protagonist, The – Interim

After several years The Protagonist is back with a sign of life. Magnus Sundström has been busy with his other project Des Esseintes and his label Fin de Siècle, but luckily he now found the time to focus on new Protagonist material. The debut album “A rebours” (1998) is one of my favourite albums, so I was curious what The Protagonist would have to offer us this time…

Kriegsfall-U – S/T

At this point little is known of Kriegsfall-U in terms of biography. What is known is that the self-titled Kriegsfall-U is the Hungarian band’s debut release on Cold Spring (licensed from Mozgalom Records). Previously the act participated in a limited split 7″ with Wappenbund, released by Mozgalom…