'Asgard' is an Italian formation created at the end of the 80s by the keyboardist 'Alberto Ambrosi' and which released 5 albums in a first period the last 'Drachenblut' dating from 2000, then nothing for 20 years, until this new opus 'Ragnarrøkr'. At first listen, we are struck by a very particular and very personal style not necessarily commun which mixes folk, progressive rock and metal with influences in Germanic culture.
It is a well-stocked opus which is offered to us since it contains 11 compositions for an hour of listening and, from the start, with the short 'Trance-Preparation' we already have a preview of this improbable mixture that ‘Alberto Ambrosi' masters completely with an alternation between folk sung parts and energetic progressive instrumental sections. With 'Rituals', it's a fusion of folk and metal with a melody that quickly tames, the flute and vocal harmonies further amplifying this traditional atmosphere, then, 'The Night of the Wild Boar' is much more progressive and gets closer to formations like 'Arena', the folk side being much less present and 'Visions' of more than 7 minutes, takes us into an epic atmosphere in a maze of varied sections in which it is good to get lost with a metal frame throughout the title. The rest of the album continues to surprise us (for my part, happily) with a short but energetic 'Kali-Yuga', the long progressive development 'Shaman' which is made up of various varied and imaginative parts which makes it the centerpiece of the album, 'Battle' which unfolds a quiet melody supported by a powerful bass in a baroque style and which intensifies at the end, 'DerTod', in a fairly classic but very effective folk sung in German and 'Danse Macabre' continues in this way, the album ending with, first of all, the short but remarkable 'Anrufung' with its beautiful male vocal harmonies supported by a slow tempo of drums in the first part and which accelerates the tempo in a second part and finally the 2nd long development of the album of more than 9 minutes unrolling a slow melody in a powerful and melodic progressive metal.
In summary, after long years of absence, 'Asgard' returns with a remarkable album in a unique style while remaining very accessible which should appeal to an audience who likes mixtures with in this case a imbrication of progressive, metal and folk all supported by easily assimilated melodies... | |
