TRETTIOARIGA KRIGET

— First review of this album —

In spite of knowing of Trettioariga Kriget and having heard a little of their 70's relesases, I got into them only with their 2007 wonderful release I Borjan Och Slutet (In the beginning and the end). In 2008 I received from Stefan from the band this first compilation of theirs consisting of live shows of the band on two cd's; one dedicated to shows and songs from the past played in Swededn throughout the 70's and early 80's and the second for shows from 2004 (Prog Day, North Carolina, USA) and 2007 (Nacka, Sweden).

CD 1 presents songs from their various albums and the sound quality, while not the best and sometimes murky, is good enough to make out clearly the different instruments and the vocals (and hear the crowd as well); the quality, unsurprisingly, gets better as the year of recording advances (with the exception of Errolito, the last track, which is from 1980). As I don't yet know too well their albums of that decade and am still "learning" that period of the band, I can't say if they included their best tracks, or whether what was available. I can, however, say that I did like some songs such as Handlingens Skugga (with a good guitar solo by Christer Akerberg), Krigssang (with great bass work by Stefan Fredin), Krigssang II (containing bits with high energy level and nice drum work by Dag Lundquist), En Kvall Hos X and Den Stora Kliniken (with their groovy rhythms) and Mot Alla Odds (with its Rush-like opening). I find some songs to be forgettable and this CD could have done as well without them, such as tracks 12 (Blues) and 13 (Som Forut), but all in all, the selection is quite good and rewarding. Errolito, despite its lower sound quality, is a good closing track for this first CD.

The second cd boasts a better sound obviously, more crisp and fresh and is made up of the band's recent output along with old material. Of note are Lang Historia, Jag Och Jag Och "Jag" and I Borjan Och Slutet . The cool thing here is the option to listen to their old material in good quality and fresh sound.

I have to say that listening to this compilation with the old and new material alongside, reaffirms my initial impressions: I seem to prefer their current "incarnation"; their music nowadays has a punch and power that gets to me much more than their 70's rock does. It also sounds to me more explorative in nature as can be evident from their 2007 release I Borjan Och Slutet and for a more specific example, listen to the song Lang Historia from the album Elden Av Ar.

A note on the booklet - it contains the very detailed and interesting story of the band from the time it was founded and the background of each member to the release of this current compilation. Written by Olle Thornvall, the lyricist of the band, he also appears here playing the harmonica on the first cd on the song Confusions (to which he also wrote the lyrics). This is a great read along listening to the songs and reading about the making of the albums, playing shows and all the hardships they faced.

Now, I will confess I am not a fan of live albums in general (nor of compilations) and I usually don't buy those, with certain exceptions, but I know others do. In this case, this is a worthwhile release for the simple reason that it showcases the band in its different periods and in with its different sounds as it progressed from the 70's until our current decade. The sound quality is more than acceptable for the 70's recordings and the energy of the band comes through those performances quite well. It covers pretty well the various releases of the band and shows their playing skills. And finally the booklet I mentioned above is a great read for those interested to know more about the band. I am not too thrilled about this release but for fans of the band, this is a great opportunity to hear the band perform material live from their various albums.

In PA rating system values: Good, but not essential. 3 stars.

For their sophomore release "Krigssång", the guys from Trettioåriga Kriget decided to take the powerful heavy prog approach of their debut album to a subtler level, administering the rougher moments more in a refurbished balance that gave more room to less explicit sonic explorations. This factor also allowed the band to state some relatedness to the standard of symphonic prog at times (some people have mentioned German symphonic bands such Novalis, and I would add Wallenstein, but mostly to my ears, TK's symphonic side is closer to "Remember the Future"-era Nektar). The namesake opener is obviously based on a blues tempo, which receives a particularly sophisticated treatment all the way through its 4 ½ time span since TK remain loyal to their art-rock ambitions. Track 2 'Metamorfoser' starts digging deeper into the sort of slow tempo that had been delivered in the opener's main motif, only this time the energetic moments that eventually emerge bear a jazzier tendency and state a more consistent presence, in this way catalyzing the main motif's melodic development. I have the feeling that both tracks would have benefited greatly from longer expansions and a major use of mellotron (or whichever other keyboard that drummer Dag Lundqvist might have used at the time) in order to properly explore the epic potencial further and see where things can go from there. Anyway, this is what there is and what you see is what you get. 'Jag och jag och jag' is an acoustic pastoral ballad that is stylistically connected with the sort of folkish spirit that one can expect from the candid side of 70s art-rock: since the central mood is quite introspective, this ballad serves as a convenient moment of simple solace before the arrival of 'Mitt mirakel' (originally omitted from the 70s vinyl but luckily recovered for the 2004 CD re-edition), a fine example of the interesting things that TK are capable of when they systematically incorporate clever jazzy flavors into their heavy prog sound: the rhythm duo's dynamics is excellent, and so are Åkerberg's deliveries on guitar harmonies/lead phrasings. Once again I find myself longing for a different, alternative Universe in which this track is longer and with a fuller global sound, although essentially I don't have any complaints at all about the track's compositional structure. 'Murar' is basically structured around the linkage of two different jams: the faster one is reserved for the second place, in this way allowing the overall mood to give the impression of elaborating a controlled sonic discourse headlong for a specific climax. So far here are the rougher passages in the album, but there is some more roughness in store concerning some moments of the forthcoming suite. The album's final track is the 17 ½ minute long 'Krigssång II', an excellent, exciting suite that ultimately fulfills its musical ideas in a hyperbolic accomplishment of an usual progressive leitmotif - an extended, well-articulated series of sections properly arranged to conform an ambitious taste for art in rock. Here is where the band's moderate flirtations with symphonic prog lie and get an effective development. Fredin's bass playing sounds somewhat Squire- related in places, although by no means should anyone read that Yes is some notable influence on the band. A special motif that reappears recurrently (sometimes augmented by synth) helps to reassure the whole expansive track's cohesion. In terms of harmonic expansions and motif linking, this piece is monumentally successful; the jam that gets started around minute 5 brings some colorful psychedelia while it lasts, and it also prepares the room for the following defined section. A jamming that takes place a few minutes later sure reminds me of Nektar and "Inside"-era Eloy (to a degree, at least). The slow passages are energetic enough as to encapsulate some of the melodically driven pomposity that is one of the undeniable trademarks of symph prog. For the coda, things turn to a faster tempo and an increased groove: the fact that the rhythm section gets jazzy helps to keep things ordained as the rhythm goes on intensifying the mood. Actually, I would have loved to hear some impressive guitar lead as the track approaches its end: otherwise, on a good note, the fade-out has been arranged in a very clever fashion, stating an eerie reiteration of the coda's harmonic basis. A very good ending for a very good suite, indeed. The 2004 CD edition comprises three live bonuses besides the official repertoire plus the originally intended track 4 that I have mentioned earlier. Compared to the debut album, this one is noticeably less explosive in general and less expansive regarding the first half: the last half compensates for it largely. TK is by now a heavy prog band with a refurbished interest in developing a new, more refined side to it.

Trettioåriga Kriget is a living legend of vintage Swedish prog. Not unlike Kaipa, the band reunited in the last years and managed to retake their musical vision and still today remain an active item (if intermittently). This is where the similarities end, since the musical trend of Trettioåriga Kriget, at least for their debut gem album, is one of heavy prog open to the inclusion of jazz-inspired complexities and frontal psychedelic expansions. The band's heaviness even predates Rush for a few months, given the big doses of zeppelin and Sabbath elements jointly effective with electric blues flavors. But mostly, "Trettioåriga Kriget" is a genuine prog statement from a band that bears a clear vision from the starting point: the band is not just exploring the realms of art-rock, it is deeply involved and going for it all the way. 'Kaledoniska orogenesen' kicks off the album like a metallic eruption of whirlwinds aiming to sweep anything off of the ground: such menacing emergence of guitar, bass and drums almost makes Black Sabbath sound like Bread, at least for a few seconds. Funny how this song begins in a chaotic way that is usually reserved for explosive endings. Anyway, once the main body is installed, the vibe displays an energetic mixture of blues-rock and heavy-oriented psychedelia in a progressive framework; it won't be long before the inception of some jazzy deviations in the rhythmic development adds an interesting variation to the overall mood. Zima's ultra-high pitch makes the vocal deliveries fit well within this particularly powerful instrumentation, be it that he shouts or sings. Both his range and style can be bones of contention among prog fans and reviewers, but anyone who listens to this album from a clinical point of view can notice that he is the right singer for the band regarding both sound and repertoire. The track's finale is quite explosive, but actually it is more schematic than the opening passage. This opener has really heated things up, a definitive attention catcher. Track 2 'Röster från minus till plus' states a more constrained mood, sounding like a jazzy Hendrix, plus mellotron washes that display some eerie elements from the background. The track's development hints at a hardening in the mood, but it is only delivered very subtly: anyway, the empowered bass sound makes it crucial for the track's consistence, especially in those moments in which Åkerberg has to leave the riffing in order to solo. The final moments may lean closer to King Crimson with a slight Sabbath twist and an added touch of jazz in the rhythmic structure. Things won't get any softer with 'Fjärilsattityder': the power trio sound elaborated by the instrumentalists continues to be explored enthusiastically and gracefully, with a robust bassist and a confident drummer who state the nucleus for the whole band's dynamics. 'Mina löjen' opens with a frantic prologue, very much obedient of the jazzed heavy-prog framework that has been consistent so far; the emergence of a sung section based on acoustic guitar brings some calm, as well as a reference for the track's subsequent development that alternates lyrical and powerful moments in an ordained fashion. 'Ur djupen' is the album's shortest piece - basically, it is a slow rocker with a slightly complex rhythmic developments and a catchy bluesy intro. Actually, there is an earlier, longer version of this track that appears a bonus track in the CD edition: you can tell by the album's version alone that this track had a lot more going on than what was recorded in this album. This bonus shows that this is not an undeveloped track, but a (sorely) reduced refurbishment. The album's final 7 ½ minutes are occupied by 'Handlingens skugga' - it starts bearing a similar mood to the one displayed in the previous track, but some complex interludes bring in an interesting dynamics despite their brevity. The coda is an energetic jam that gives room for Åkerberg to deliver his best soloing in the album: I'm not totally charmed with the abrupt ending, since all the other tracks had benefited from appealing conclusions, but this is just a minor objection to a track that I enjoy so much. My personal highlights are tracks 1, 2 and 4. Overall balance: an excellent item that should grace any good prog collection.

The original and headstrong progressive TRETTIOARIGA KRIGET takes a giant step towards pop/rock and shorter tracks on their third album. A step backwards you should think but IMO they developed their very personal style to a peak on this album.

It is less progressive than the previous two albums but the songs are much stronger here. The band is tighter than ever and every riff is razor-sharp.

The addition of a fifth member who handles keyboards and sax adds a jazzy feel to many songs but TK balance these jazz-elements carefully and let them just give their songs a tint while the sound throughout is solid rock. The pushing bass, the distinct guitar-work and the sonorous voice are still the trademarks for TK but the music is more refined and has a sharper edge on this album.

Strangely enough I find the two symphonic instrumental pieces (Andra sidan and Moln på marken) the album's weakest points, they are too simple and lack finesse. The rest is a bunch of rocksongs with nice melodies, strong riffs and progressive elements. TK:s best album!

This debut from TRETTIOARIGA KRIGET shows a rather wild and agressive band that play hard and rough on their instruments respectively. The singer also has a very powerful voice but especially the bass is very raw (Wetton-like) and uses distortion from time to time. Musically I think it's rather wreckless, they really want to break the boundaries and play their strange riffs and chords with great selfconfidence. They don't compromise on their own style. Yet, this becomes the album's only weak point: they sure have an original sound and play a complex kind of progressive rock with strange time-signatures and try out new ideas (this is IMO their proggiest album) - but the songs are not really good/catchy/strong/melodic. The production is also not that brilliant but music is after all what matters...

I think this is the best one from TRETTIOÅRIGA KRIGET for prog-fans. Especially for the epic 18 minute- track on side two of the original LP. TK:s sound might make you think of RUSH or KING CRIMSON (Wetton- era), the bass is loud and heavy, guitar dominates and keyboards just sketches the background to this band's very personal sound and style. Unfortunately non-swedish people can't appreciate the deep, philosofical lyrics, but they can enjoy the rich voice of the opera-trained singer. IMO this album lacks consitency because the first four tracks are very different in style, and Murar (Walls) is just a rather boring studio-jam. Regardless of this, the music on this album is sparkling, well-played, innovative and right down progressive. It's heavy and intricate, full of twists and turns and would probably have reached a greater number of fans if the swedish lyrics hadn't turned them away.

TRETTIOARIGA KRIGET were born at the dawn of the 70's in Saltsjöbaden,a seaside resort of Stockholm.They started as a 6-men band,including two drummers (!),before they shorten the line-up to four members by 1972.During the summer of 74' they recorded their first album,which was released in August of the same year under the eponymous title.

TRETTIOARIGA KRIGET had their own music views,far from tne jazz/rock or folk/symph sound with the intense melancholy adapted by the Swedish bands of the time.Their debut is a nice example of hard progressive rock with superb breaks loaded with strong guitar playing,frenetic rhythms and heavy bass lines.Main influences come from mid-70's KING CRIMSON,especially guitarists Christer Åkerberg and Robert Zima had to be great fans of ROBERT FRIPP,imitating his complex breaks and intricate bluesy style of playing.A talented and very tight rhythm section provides the appropriate background to the guitarists,who sometimes even recall YES' Steve Howe guitar chords.Vocals are sung in Swedish by Robert Zima (despite he was of Austrian origin !),who has a very psychedelic and deep style of singing and,as for other instruments,you'll just find a couple of moments with very distinctive flutes and mellotron in the background.So,mainly this is a guitar-dominated album with a hard,bluesy sound filled with complicated structures and sudden breaks.Every progressive rock fan can find something to like in this album,which is another very strong release coming from the 70's Swedish prog rock scene...

It's great that these guys still are at it and releasing good progressive rock. Although this album do not reach their two first classic albums but it's still a good album. I consider this album not as good as their last one "Elden av år" but still good. They've kept their original sound wich only sounds like Trettioåriga kriget and I wish they keep releasing albums. There are some really classy moments on this album but some songs just don't do it for me so the rating becomes 3.5. Good but not essential.

First and best by this great band. Lots of energy and superb musicianship with great songwriting. One of the top albums in the heavy progressive rock and should be considered a classic album. Should be in every progfans collection. Get it now!

I Början Och Slutet is the eighth studio album released by the influential Swedish band Trettioåriga Kriget (Thirty Years War). It's different from the others, but from the first to the last minute the group's unique identity can be heard: music usually simple but not banal, the musicians are very talented but not exibicionist, and a constantly powerful sound without the need to go the bombastic way. The songs have the strong presence of bass and guitar riffs, and the keyboard is used normally only for harmonies, not melodies. The singer's timbre is quite peculiar and, in the case of this band with almost 40 years of history, it has aged well: the voice is still the same, only a little lower-pitched. We start with a signature track, showing all these qualities except for the voice. The music goes on a continuous crescendo, leading directly to the first song. In this album the tracks keep a certain relation between themselves, the sound is usually continuous, with no breaks between the songs. The album title means "In the beginning and the end"; it has a vague concept, some of the songs tell about the story of a poet/musician, with titles like Childhood (Barndom) and Youth (Ungdom). These tracks are in the first half; in the second half, the character is a grown up and some of the lyrics may have been written on the road, with references to Mexico (Desert - Öknen) and Berlin (S-bahn). While the album has a constant sound, the music is always in movement, with lots of variety. There are three instrumental tracks: I Krigets Tid parts I and II, sharing a common theme, opening and closing the album; and Ungdom II, which is a continuation of the previous track, Ungdom. The band also shows some new sounds, particularly from the keyboard. The package is a luxurious digipack covered with band's artist Johan Gullberg, keeping the same quality shown in the last few releases. It includes a 20 page booklet with band photos, the original lyrics and - for the first time - their English translations, a very welcome addition. The Kriget vocals always have a good dose of emotion, so it was easy to forget about the lyrics and concentrate on the quality of the music. However, with the translation, one can finally fully appreciate all the aspects of Kriget's music. In the previous 2004 brilliant reunion album Elden Av År, Trettioåriga Kriget showed the same strength they had in the '70s, putting other reunion albums to shame. It was as if the band had never disbanded in 1981. In this new album we can confirm the previous one's quality wasn't just the adrenaline of the reunited group: I Början Och Slutet shows a vibrant band, in continuous evolution. It's a solid work, with not a single bad moment. It's 54 minutes and 12 tracks are gone before you know it, and you'll want to reach for the play button and listen to it all over again.