ARKANA

Asgard had improved substantially since their debut, and by this album had developed a distinct style of their own; the bedrock of their sound is still Genesis-influenced neo-prog, but Asgard distinguished themselves from the many bands working in the same vein by placing a greater emphasis on the folky, acoustic side of the Genesis sound, as well as introducing a few traditional folk sounds from around Europe which Genesis had not incorporated into their own music. I still wouldn't rank them amongst the upper ranks of the neo-prog scene, but I'd say this album is a decent listen for anyone who thinks "acoustic folk pagan Genesis" sounds like a good concept for a band.