NEW REVIEW - URUK HAI/DRUADAN FOREST/BANNWALD KINGDOMS LONG DONE - 2020 ANTIQ LABEL FR + ENGLISH
URUK HAI/DRUADAN FOREST/BANNWALD SPLIT
On commence par un voyage dans le temps (vous me direz, chez Antiq c'est un peu une spécialité !) loin des délires black lives machin, covid 19, effondrement du capitalisme, bref, loin de ce présent qui nous bouffe la gueule et qui chaque jour nous rappelle a quel point on vit une époque merveilleuse. Heureusement la musique est un échappatoire fantastique ! Et en parlant de fantastique on est en plein coeur du sujet puisque les trois groupes présents dans ce split font bel et bien dans le fantastique, la fantasy en musique. Nous nageons ici en pleine époque médiévale, avec ce que l'on peut appeler du dungeon synth, ou du medieval synth, bref, plein de noms possibles.
Bannwald est le premier a commencer les hostilités avec trois titres splendides nous donnant vraiment l'impression que nous allons assister a une joute de chevaliers en manque de guerre. L'ambiance médiévale est parfaite, les mélodies divines ! Si vous lisez le Scribe de temps a autre vous savez que j'aime bien le dungeon synth, interviews et reviews en témoignent ! Eh bien sachez-le, Bannwald fait partie de ceux qui placent la flamme du genre bien haut ! Sur le site d'Antiq on apprend que la personne derrière Bannwald est l'un des fondateurs du medieval ambient dans les années 90, ce qui ne surprend pas lorsqu'on est confronté à la qualité musicale du projet. La vidéo qui suit est intéressante pour en savoir plus : on y trouve Hyver Mor présentant le split...
URUK HAI/DRUADAN FOREST/BANNWALD SPLIT
We start with a trip back in time (you'll tell me, at Antiq it's a bit of a specialty!) far from the delirious black lives machin, covid 19, the collapse of capitalism, in short, far from this present that eats us up and that every day reminds us how wonderful times we live in. Luckily music is a fantastic escape route! And speaking of fantastic, we are right in the heart of the subject since the three bands present in this split do indeed do fantastic, fantasy in music. We are swimming here in the middle of medieval times, with what we can call dungeon synth, or medieval synth, in short, full of possible names.
Bannwald is the first to start the hostilities with three splendid titles giving us the impression that we are going to witness a joust of knights in need of war. The medieval atmosphere is perfect, the melodies divine! If you read the Scribe from time to time you know that I like the dungeon synth, interviews and reviews testify it! Well know it, Bannwald is one of those who set the flame of the genre high! On Antiq's website we learn that the person behind Bannwald is one of the founders of medieval ambient in the 90's, which is not surprising when you are confronted with the musical quality of the project. The following video is interesting to learn more: it features Hyver Mor presenting the split...(sorry it's in french)
As Hyver Mor explains us, Bannwald is an Austrian project, created by an Austrian bm band from the 90's, so...Abigor can be? Let's see...Still, the quality is there and it feels good...
Second thief of the split : Uruk Hai, still Austrian, and existing all the same since 1999...In this native Tolkienian, the tone is more martial and seems to be an invitation to the war that is coming...the atmosphere here is much heavier and oppressive than in Bannwald. A bit as if this split began with a festive banquet and then moved towards the inevitable battle. In the two tracks of Uruk Hai it is clear that the links with black metal become clearer, including musically.
Uruk Hai, although a warrior, makes us dream, and the title "The Birth Of An Uruk Hai", taking us back to the adventures of the Lord of the Rings, is absolutely magical!
To finish, it will be the Finn of the stage who welcomes us! And there still not a beginner, since Druadan Forest exists since 1998! The project led by V-Khaoz, also member of many black bands, like Grieve, for example, gives us here to hear a delight for the ears with this long title of more than twenty minutes, with whispered voices, in a black ambient/dungeon synth style which is not without recalling that of our national pride, Erang.
A very nice album that honors the dungeon synth and its derivatives, in a splendid case, a digipack beautifully illustrated by Marine Février, herself a member of the superb French dungeon synth project Arsule (see here my interview with her : https://www.webzinelescribedurock.com/2019/12/interview-avec-arsule-dungeon-synth.html )
A beautiful album that does justice to the still unknown genre that is the synth dungeon...You can go there with your eyes closed...ears open, by the way you will find a link to listen to the bandcamp of the split just below !
