The Viking in the Wilderness - reviews and news

(43:55; P k music) Track list: 1. Polygonal 4:24 2. Fundamental 6:37 3. In Shambles 5:35 4. Sketch 5:12 5. Counterfactual 5:27 6. Blues 4:29 7. Dream Machine 5:43 8. Nicotine 6:28 Line-up: Michalis Tsiftsis - guitars Yiannis Vagianos - bass Yiannis Papadopoulos - piano Nick Thessalonikefs - drums Greek band Arbor is, from what I understand, a fairly recent unit, a quartet of like-minded people that founded a band for, among other reasons, mutual ecological concerns. Using music as their tool to share their concerns about topics in this category as well as, to quote the booklet that follow this CD, to celebrate the enduring resilience of nature through their music. "Arbor" is the band's debut album, and was released through the label P k music towards the end of 2024. Jazz is the field this foursome have chosen to explore, and they venture into this landscape in an instrumental manner. The piano and the guitar are the clear lead instruments here, usually alternating in hav...

(28:26; Harmonize Oracle) Track list: 1. Chained Spirit 4:05 2. Phoenix 6:17 3. Crawling Among Shadows 9:27 4. Shield Wall 4:05 5. Another Holy War 4:32 Line-up: Not stated Cypriot band Harmonize Oracle started out back in 2012, and used the band name Harmonize for the first decade and a bit. They released their first full length album "Warrior in the Night" under that name back in 2020 as a matter of fact. Now they band have returned with the band name revised to Harmonize Oracle, and the self released mini-album "Before the Oracle". The contents of this production is one new song, one song from their debut album, and a total of three cover songs to boot. And from this handful of compositions, it is their new song that impress me most. From a more atmospheric laden opening that reminds me ever so slightly of Iron Maiden and on to a big, majestic metal tune with orchestral overlays and rich guitar backing that combines into a compelling whole that have a little bit ...

(44:38; M&O Music) Track list: 1. Adrenalin 3:25 2. Twenty First Century Slave 4:10 3. Queen of the Broken 3:50 4. Evolution 4:03 5. Chameleon 4:13 6. Pray for Rain 3:38 7. Hey You 4:28 8. Miracle Cure 4:49 9. Boys (Eyes on the Road) 3:51 10. Seven Veils 3:34 11. The Morning After 4:37 Line-up: Arnaud Bled - bass Johann Evanno - drums, programming, vocals Michel André Jouveaux - vocals, keyboards, programming Nicolas Raymond - guitars David Spatola - guitars, keyboards, programming, vocals with: Julien Boucq - guitars Multinational band Trank appear to have been formed sometime around 2016, and came to some prominence back in 2021 when they released their debut album "The Ropes", which was later reissued in a deluxe edition too. Now in the late fall of 2024 the band has returned with their second album "The Maze", which was released through French label M&O Music. I see that the label has chosen the heavy alternative rock designation in order to classify th...