NUCLEUS

Edited Nov.6/08 This album has finally clicked with me ! About time I guess. I could never understand why so many people listed this record as their favourite ANEKDOTEN release until now. This is violent, grungy, brutal and dissonant, yet there are lots of mellow and pastoral sections that are mostly melancholic.The contrast is stark.This album was recorded at Studio Largen where both "Vemod" and the two ANGLAGARD albums were recorded. And yes ANEKDOTEN thank ANGLAGARD and LANDBERK in the liner notes.

"Nucleus" opens with experimental sounds before the angular guitars and pounding drums come crashing in, i'm sure this is what mayhem sounds like. Huge bass as the mellotron storms in. Things get quiet as the vocals come in, Nicklas and Anna sing the verses and Jan-Erik sings the chorus. Check out the awesome guitar assault around the 3 1/2 minute mark. "Harvest" features haunting melodies, and the music goes from mellow to heavy throughout this tune as Nicklas does the vocals. It opens with some atmosphere as reserved vocals come in. Cello follows then guitar, chunky bass and pounding drums smash their way in. It settles as this contrast continues. Love the vocals after 3 minutes. Check out the guitar before 4 1/2 minutes ! The vocals and sound 6 minutes in is fantastic as it builds in intensity. Mellotron ends it. Two amazing tracks but the next one is even better."Book Of Hours" is my favourite song on here. It opens with drums and I cannot express how much I like the sound of the atmospheric keys that come in. It's building slowly and mellotron comes in around 3 minutes. A full sound 4 1/2 minutes in. It settles quickly though as vocals arrive. A full sound again before 6 1/2 minutes as drums pound and the mellotron is at gale force. It settles down again with a haunting mood 8 minutes in.That is blown away by an explosion of sound a minute later. Incredible !

"Raft" is a haunting and experimental instrumental. It's like an intro to "Rubankh" which is the heaviest track on here. It's also an instrumental. So much bottom end on this one. There is a calm as mellotron floods the soundscape, but it doesn't last long as the powerful sound is back. "Here" is a really good, dark, melancholic song with restrained vocals and lots of cello. "This Far From The Sky" is another favourite of mine that has a frantic opening that quickly turns quiet, it's frantic again ! Angular guitar is followed by gentle vocals from Jan-Erik and beautiful mellotron. This song really sways back and forth from the violent assaults to the pastoral calms. Amazing track. "In Freedom" also features a lot of mellotron and cello, with Jan-Erik and Anna singing the lyrics. I like this one. The bonus track "Lunar Surface" is a spacey instrumental that doesn't vary much. It's a semi-improvised track that was recorded during the "Nucleus" sessions.

I admit I am an utter fanboy of this band. Masterpiece !