TROLLRINGEN

A wonderful acoustic and electric folk-prog odyssey, full of color and good taste. This album is highly underrated, one of the most beautiful released this year, and perhaps one of the most beautiful ever created. Trollringer is inspired by the novel by Norwegian writer Sigurd Hoel: Trollringen is a historical saga, a mystery novel, and a domestic tragedy. It was inspired by Hoel's childhood discovery of a hangman's block used for the decapitation of a murderer in 1833. From that image emerged the story of a utopian, a young farmer named Haavard, whose struggle in his time?against religious intolerance, mindless conformism, and political and intellectual stagnation?has implications for anyone or anything labeled "radical" in our time. Anders Buaas, a recurring guitarist in the heavy metal scene (most notably playing with Paul Di'Anno and Tim "Ripper" Owens), leads this project as a composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, playing guitars, bass, keyboards, and some percussion.

Anders Buaas is a great musician: an underrated guitarist and a skilled performer with several instruments. He is a brilliant artist, both as a composer and creator. Trollringer is his eighth solo release, all with a cinematic tone and often inspired by horror or the haunting atmosphere of old tales and legends.

The album alternates between acoustic and electric passages with elegance and taste, with each song shaping an epic chapter in the story Buaas sets out to tell. The album opens like a film script, with a prologue that defines the atmosphere and context. The opening credits then appear, an instrumental piece just where a movie would introduce its titles. "Best I Can Be," one of the singles, is sung splendidly by Tanya Wells. A short instrumental follows, leading into the title track, Trollringer, one of the album's acoustic highlights. Gradually, it adds layers, culminating in a beautifully rendered saxophone part by Steinar Børve that intertwines seamlessly with Buaas's guitar.

And so the album progresses until we reach "As I Draw My Last Breath," the album's best track. Here, Buaas's vision becomes clear: what she distills into these complex compositions, both through rich instrumental layers and an increasingly profound narrative.

The lineup also includes: ? Henrik Madsen and Rune Erling Pedersen on drums and percussion ? Steinar Børve (of Panzerpappa) on soprano saxophone ? Joakim Biondi on piano ? Guest vocals: Tim Condor, Tanya Wells, and Miriam Kjølen, who appear on all four vocal tracks

Trollringer is primarily instrumental, with six lush and expressive instrumental pieces and four sung tracks, each performed with precision, warmth, and emotion. The result is a cohesive and beautifully orchestrated journey through folk, progressive, and cinematic narrative.

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