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Hardingrock: Grimen
03/08/07 || Euthanatos
This is an interesting project, hailing from Norway, and has none other than Ihsahn from almighty Emperor in the ranks. It’s a folk band, basically, with poetry and metal poured into the mix.
Most of the stuff here is based on violins and acoustic guitars, with electric guitars, female vocals, rasp metal vocals making appearances every now and then. There’s even some electronica in “Faen På Bordstabelen”. Try saying that three times really quick.
The “vocals” per se aren’t really that frequent in this album, though. Mostly it’s all spoken, much like reciting a poem. I can’t really tell you if they are poems or not because I can’t understand a word of Norwegian. Sounds cool, though, you know, Scandinavian languages and all that always seem cool and true and cult. Yeah.
But on occasion, like in “Fossegrimen”, the balance between Ihsahn’s high-pitched metal screams and Starofash’s female vocals are well accomplished and becomes one of the better moments here.
The violins are really what make this project special, though. And by “violins”, I’m obviously just being the ignorant foreigner, as they are actually Harding fiddles. As in harding rock? Get it? Get it? Absolutely stunning and beautiful, it brings tears to ones eyes as you imagine yourself traveling through the Norwegian icelands. Wow, that was gay.
In all honesty, Ihsahn’s vocals weren’t really necessary here, I could have totally done without the extreme/pagan/whathaveyou part of the band’s sound, after all, the folk part with a bit of metal/rock in the instrumental comes through quite perfectly. Sometimes there’s just no need to force things. Better yet, make that it’s never worth forcing things. Let them be as they were meant to be.
Definitely recommended for those who enjoy Skyclad, Cruachan and more folk-oriented rock.
The cover: Very impressive painting. A+.
7 dance, little leprechaun, dance out of 10.
- Information
- Released: 2007
- Label: Nyrenning Forlag
- Website: Hangingrock MySpace
- Band
- Heidi S. Tveitan (Starofash): vocals, keys, guitars
- Ihsahn: vocals, guitars
- Knut Buen: harding fiddle
- Tracklist
- 01. Daudingen
- 02. Fanitullen
- 03. Faens Marsj
- 04. Margit Hjukse
- 05. Den Bergtekne
- 06. Faen På Bordstabelen
- 07. Grimen
- 08. Fossegrimen
- 09. Nykken
- 10. Huldreslеtten (Bygdatrеen)
