SACRAMENT

This is WHITE WILLOW's third release and only band leader and guitarist Jacob Holm-Lupo and vocalist Sylvia Erichsen remain. Of the first three releases this is my favourite even though this has the least amount of mellotron on it. Actually the reason for that might be because Jacob had the responsibility to play it on this album.

The album starts off with "Anamnesis" my favourite song on the record. It begins with gentle acoustic guitar and those angelic vocals. We are then treated to a prolonged flute solo and then the vocals come back and some organ. After 5 minutes the song explodes with a guitar solo followed by some aggressive vocals (not so angelic now, haha). The instrumental passage that comes next is amazing ! An organ,guitar and drum melody follows eventually joined by flute. This is great ! "Paper Moon" has a beatiful sounding intro. The drums slowly pound as Sylvia sings away. Check out the soundscape 3 1/2 minutes in.This is a very accessible tune. "The Crucible" is an instrumental.The classical guitar is a nice touch and there is lots of flute as well as organ. Mellotron then floods the song. 3 1/2 minutes in the song changes drastically to an uptempo ANGLAGARD-like melody. Some scorching guitar before 7 minutes to end the song in a dramatic way. This gives us a glimpse of what will come on their next release "Storm Season".

"The Last Rose Of Summer" opens with pastoral flute and acoustic guitar. Male vocals for the first time that actually remind me of SIMON & GARFUNKLE. This is a reflective tune with meaningful lyrics that even mention a willow. Flute comes in and female vocals join the male vocals. "Gnostalgia" is a scandanavian folk song that would have fit well on either of their two earlier albums. Acoustic guitar and vocals to begin then there is a lot of flute that follows and mellotron before 7 minutes. "The Reach" opens with Sylvia singing a nursery rhyme with her voice ending on a sinister note. Some good guitar 2 minutes in and the song eventually speeds up to a full sound. Tempo and mood shifts continue as we get some mellotron as well. The song ends as it began with the quoting of the nursery rhyme. This song is my second favourite with "The Crucible" in third place.

This is easily a four star record, and I would rank this and the debut as my favourites.