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Ragnarök - Fata Morgana CD (album) cover

FATA MORGANA

Ragnarök

 

Prog Folk

3.38 | 20 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Andis like
4 stars Ragnarök delivers on this album instrumental progressive rock infused with elements of ambient, psychedelia, and folk, giving the music a multifaceted and at times unexpectedly heavy character. The band navigates a sonic landscape reminiscent of where King Crimson meets Mike Oldfield, blending loop-based structures with complex passages and dynamic breaks. The music oscillates between melodic and dark expressions, driven by a desire to both experiment and rock out.

The soundscape is dominated by heavy bass lines and electric guitars, which, together with saxophone, keyboards, and trumpet, create a varied and often contrasting tone. Bongo drums and acoustic guitar add a more organic feel to certain tracks, while the saxophone frequently returns as a leading melodic instrument. Tempo changes and odd time signatures are common, reinforcing the progressive nature of the music.

The production appears balanced, with clear separation between instruments and a sound quality that allows both the heavy and the ethereal parts to shine. Despite the absence of vocals, the overall composition works well, as the instrumental elements are expressive enough to carry the music.

As a whole, the album showcases Ragnarök's ability to combine different genres and expressions. What stands out is the unexpected weight of the music and the frequent shifts in mood. The album surprises with its breadth and is at its best when the band fully embraces its adventurous spirit.

I've always considered this to be the band's best album, even though it differs somewhat from their previous releases. It came out in the 1980s, but don't let that stop you from listening to this instrumental gem. I believe many people would enjoy this record.

Andis | 4/5 |

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