After a few promising 7″ singles this is the first album from Tempesta Noire, a neo-folk band from southern Germany. And I must say, I’m positively surprised by the high quality and variety of this release. All tracks sound very convincing and mature. Perhaps neo-folk is not a good ‘label’ for this album. The music has a universal quality, it’s dark acoustic pop, perhaps a bit comparable with Ostara or Lux Interna.
After a short intro follows ‘Book of Life’, one of the highlights, very well built up, with a nice melody and good refrain. The band also shows variety: ‘At night’ is a mysterious instrumental song, with floating electronic sounds. It is followed by another atmospheric ambientish piece, ‘Uncertainty’, with some soft ritual percussion and violin sounds. With ‘Carcasonne’ Tempesta Noire demonstrates a medieval sound, with festive percussion and a traditional old wind-instrument. ‘Rhiannon’ is again a nice acoustic song, a bit romantic and melancholic. ‘Contemplation’ is indeed a tranquil composition, with sounds of birds and repetitive reciting vocals. ‘Junction’ is a highlight, a nice folky piece. ‘Transformation’ is short and strange soundscape. The last song, ‘Evening falls’, is a little different, with a more prominent electronic beat, sounding somewhere between Deine Lakaien and In My Rosary. Not one of the best tracks in my opinion.
