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.

This 8th album is inspired by the novel of the same name, a historical saga narrating a farmer's struggle against sectarianism and conformity. The lyrics are based on his compositions, focusing primarily on the instrumental, with a string section and a sax.

"Prologue" is a direct attack, a guitar arpeggio on an unpretentious, unpretentious melodic folk tune. "Opening Credits" for the sound, reminiscent of the work of Mike Oldfield, the guitar both fruity and plaintive. A beautiful exercise that encourages dancing and not keeping one's arms crossed. A gentle southern western digression to avoid getting worked up. "Best I Can Be" is an Arab-Celtic melody, sailors often traveling between these two opposing lands; an acoustic gradient to be taken up in music theory classes, the sound flowing seamlessly over the soft female vocals. "Intermission," with its majestic flutes, offers a borderline new age sound from the Apsaras, a moving beauty, short but intense with sensitive guitar playing. "Trollringen," one of the two long tracks, a peregrination on Steinar's intrusive sax, an intoxicatingly basic piece that swells midway through to showcase the dexterity of his fingers on the enjoyable heavy progressive finale; a very good track. "Sunrise" picks up on the western banjo guitar, the kind from Ireland, before racing across the American wilderness. A swirling folk sound with its distinctive guitar playing, leaning towards the pastoral.

"The Balance of Being One," for the warm ballad with male vocals, a guitar that harks back to the great Knopfler for its adventurous spirit, the string section magnifying the solemn side. "The Last Drop" continues with acoustic guitar and simple percussion. The Latin American sound breaks away with the bewitching flamenco air, somewhere between Al Di Meola and Manitas de Plata. "As I Draw My Last Breath" changes direction, with a repetitive synth and a bewitching rhythmic base, yet it's no longer reminiscent of previous albums; this invigorating moment finally gives way to Tim for the verse and the return to the singular psychedelic-doom-folk-spatial feel. The acoustic guitar sets this cumbersome, unclassifiable track before letting Anders take off in a bucolic solo. "End Credits" has a rustic, pastoral, bucolic, cinematic feel worthy of a movie ending credits, check out Cal or Local Hero; a velvety, marshmallowy tune, a lollipop to be eaten with delight.

A different approach to his work, moving away from instrumental symphonic rock. Celtic rock, Americana, a touch of cinematography for atmosphere, voices and the scene is set. Originally from Progcensor.