HYBRIS

Usually I try to avoid reviewing well-known albums. I concentrate on lesser known bands, on post-Soviet bands, on one-shot bands etc. This review is made mainly by a silent request from Erik “The Dutch Rocket“ Neuteboom ;)

I got both “Hybris” and “Epilog” on 90-min CD-R two years ago along with some ANEKDOTEN, LANDBERK, SINKADUS and other CDs. Funny enough, I’ve already written reviews on most of them, but this is my first ANGLAGARD review. I put the CD on and it has blown me away with opening “Jordrok”, one of the most captivating pieces of music ever written. I think thousands of progheads know opening tune by heart and can tell it from hundreds of others. Lame are attempts of contemporary bands that try to make anything “Jordrok”-related, usually getting together 50-60 tunes at once and receiving cacophony as a result. “Jordrok” is one of my favouritest instrumentals ever, complex, melodic, awesome!!! Very dark and moody, with best elements from almost any Prog band ever existed – KING CRIMSON, GENESIS, CAMEL, GENTLE GIANT, ELP…

Unfortunately, any other piece written by ANGLAGARD fails in comparison to that one. I know there’s little sense in comparison here, but I can’t help myself. Other tracks are long, well-structured and complex, they feature singing (rather average but very fitting) in Swedish, but I can’t make myself LOVE them. I respect them, I listen to them (pretty rarely though), I know that they have made immense impact and influence on the whole Scandinavian Prog scene…and beyond! I appreciate their manner and usually seek for something related. My searches once were satisfied with SINKADUS – I found them to be more folky, less technical but with more SOUL and EMOTIONS in their music.

I like ANGLAGARD a lot. I would like to get reissued CDs of both “Hybris” and “Epilog”. But I won’t call them my favourite Scandinavian band even taking into account everything they have done. Tastes are different y’know ;) Highly recommended nevertheless…if you’ll manage to find it!