MALOKARPATAN + KATLA + OSI AND THE JUPITER

14 December 2017

Лейбъл: Various
Издаден: 2017
Aвтор: Никола Шахпазов
Оценка:

Cold days (and nights) are upon us and they call for many, many highly atmospheric, soaked with heathenism and folklore releases to make the forthcoming Koleda and Jul celebrations at least a bit comfier and filled with dreams of pagan gods and battles from ages unkown.

This edition of SHORTEST STRAW focuses on three new albums that shine with ethnic music and Nature’s everlasting inspiration.

MALOKARPATAN – ‘Nordkapatenland’ (2017)

Slovaks MALOKARPATAN had us already with their 2015 debut album ‘Stridžie Dni’ but now are back – stronger and drunk with power from some magic potion, no doubt. ‘Nordkapatenland’ is a highly potent witches brew from Slovak and Czech folk tales (of bandits, witches and hallucinogenic shrooms), lots of heavy metal riffing in the vein of good ol’ MERCYFUL FATE and IRON MAIDEN plus some ominous black metal atmosphere and samples from old Slovak historical movies. Very effective even without those magic shrooms.

5/6

KATLA – ‘Móðurástin’ (2017)

One of the main questions after drummer Guðmundur Óli Pálmason’s departure in 2015 was whether SÓLSTAFIR could recover from that loss and continue strong and proud onwards. And so, the results are in! While this year’s SÓLSTAFIR album plainly sucked, Palmson’s band KATLA simply deliver.

‘Móðurástin’ sounds both spontaneous and calculated, truly Icelandic, standing out with out-of-this-world vocals, post rock guitars, semi-acoustic passages and eventual metallic outbursts. Very much suited for autumn and winter, just like we like ‘em.

5/6

OSI AND THE JUPITER – ‘Uthuling Hyl’ (2017)

Apart from the fact that most tracks here bare truly Scandinavian titles, ‘Uthuling Hyl’ is undoubtedly a tribute to the old gods of the North.

OSI AND THE JUPITER deliver varied, wonderfully executed music that would befit any top-notch European neo folk band. With a good deal of deep tribal percussion, cello, acoustic guitars, shamanic chants and the use of a Talharpa, ‘Uthuling Hyl’ stands out as a wonderful release, only a step away from the WARDRUNA masters.