TRETTIOÅRIGA KRIGET

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.