The Viking in the Wilderness - reviews and news

(47:11; M&O Music) Track list: 1. 6 Feet Under 4:05 2. Empty Space 4:07 3. City Lights 3:30 4. Higher 4:14 5. Get Out 3:20 6. Rebirth 4:06 7. Hear My Call 5:34 8. Home Again 3:12 9. Roller Coaster 4:17 10. Yours to Keep 3:50 11. Are You There 3:26 12. Last Goodbye 3:30 Line-up: Celine Himmer - vocals Olivier Chovet - guitars, keyboards Guilhem Bretillon - bass Fabien Husson - drums Francois Masciopinto - guitars, keyboards French band After Us All is a bit of an unknown entity for me, and some initial searching for more information about the band doesn't yield too much to go by either. Their homerpage states that they released their initial EP "Breaking the Dark" back in 2019, at that point using the band name After Us. Other sources indicate that the band was formed in 2019 and the EP dates back to 2021. The band is now using the moniker After Us All, and have recently released their debut album "Rebirthed" through French label M&O Music. This is one of...

(44:01; April Records) Track list: 1. Lyleland 8:32 2. 53 Days of November 6:53 3. Drone 6:35 4. Three Tree 4:53 5. Mingus 5:33 6. Chroma & Luma 5:49 7. Ember 5:49 Line-up: Peter Kohlmetz Møller - Fender Rhodes, keyboards Mads la Cour - flugelhorn, trumpet Simon Krebs - guitars, lap steel Nikolaj Bundvig - drums Morten Jørgensen - bass Danish band Andorra was formed back in 2020 or thereabouts, and from what I can see they have been an active creative unit on stage as well as in the studio ever since the band was officially formed. Following their initial self-titled album in 2021 and their sophomore production "Current" from the spring of 2023, Andorra have just released their third studio creation now at the start of 2025. This album is called "III", and was released through Danish label April Records. It is an elegant entry into the jazz universe we get with this band, and it is an instrumental and strikingly compelling and sophisticated take on the jazz trad...

(31:05; Deus Sabaoth) Track list: 1. The Priest 4:40 2. Mercenary Seer 4:26 3. Cycle of Death 4:29 4. Executioner 3:45 5. The Blind 04:06 6. Faceless Warrior 5:38 7. Beginning of New War 4:01 Line-up: Nikolas Exul - vocals Ercld - drums Alyona Neith - bass with: Session musicians - guitars, violin, piano Ukraine band Deus Sabaoth was formed back in 2023, and following the release of some initial singles the band launched their debut album "Cycle of Death" now at the start of 2025. A production that was self released by the band. It is a foray into the extreme metal environment we get in this case, and it is one that have incorporate quite a lot of elements from classical music too. Rather than making use of symphonic overlays or effects of a more grandiose nature, this is a band that mix and blend the classical and extreme metal traditions in a rather different manner. Delicate chamber music opening sequences revolving around the piano and the violin is a bit of a staple on t...

(41:50; Archivist Records) Track list: 1. What Steppes Dream About 4:41 2. When the Wild Wind and the Soul of Fire Meet 5:58 3. Tearing Winds of Innerself 3:43 4. Preparation for the Ritual 5:06 5. He with the Horse’s Head 5:37 6. A New Down 5:12 7. I Am the Path 4:27     8. Shaman 7:06 Line-up: Oleksandr Baev - vocals Oleksandr Sitalo - bass Oleh Talanov - drums Anton Vorozhtsov - guitars, sitar, percussion, synthesizers Oleksiy Pasko - guitars Ukraine band Hell:On have been a going concern for 20 years at this point, with this seasoned unit releasing new material at a fairly regular pace over the years. They have seven full length album to their name as of 2025. The most recent of these is "Shaman", which was released through Ukraine label Archivist records back in the spring of 2024. Extreme metal is the chosen hunting ground for this band, and they go about it in a rather intense and vibrant manner. A bit of a prerequisite needed to enjoy this album is to find pleasur...

(51:14; Rahel Talts) Track list: 1. Meie Elu 6:10 2. Restless 5:22 3. Conversations I 6:01 4. Conversations II 5:04 5. Conversations III 6:40 6. Conversations IV 2:15 7. Bella Center 9:32 8. New and Familiar 10:10 Line-up: Karmen Rõivassepp - vocals Rahel Talts - piano Jakob Sørensen - trompet, flugelhorn Donatas Petreikis - saxophones, flute Linda-Anette Verte - violin Egert Leinsaar - violin Sandra Klimaitė - viola Theodor Sink - cello Jacob Djursaa - guitars Mariusz Praśniewski - bass Jesper Lørup Christensen - drums Kasper Grøn - percussion with: Mads Haupt Clausen - trombone Ernesta Vauraitė - flute Denmark based Estonian artist Rahel Talts is an active composer and performer as a band member as well as when exploring her chosen musical landscapes as a solo artist. In terms of the latter part of her escapades she has been quite the busy creator indeed, with three albums to her name in the last few years. "New and Familiar" is the name of the most recent of these, which w...

(42:56; Zack's Music) Track list: 1. Til Mor (Prolog) 1:02 2. Murky Waters 2:46 3. Unfiltered Serenity 6:29 4. Point of Departure 2:59 5. While We Wait 5:59 6. Antidote 6:16 7. All at Once, Once Again 4:55 8. Punktum 5:29 9. Could Have Been 5:08 10. Vuggevise (Epilog) 1:53 Line-up: Kristoffer Vejslev - guitars Peter Price - bass Simon Forchhammer - drums with: Ned Ferm - saxophone Jakob Sørensen - trumpet Danish threesome Red Gazelle Trio started out back in 2016, and in the nine years since their formation they have released three studio albums. The first of these a self-released production, and later on they have released their albums through the Danish boutique label Zack's Music. The most recent of these is called "On a Human Level", was released at the start of 2025. It is an often soft and elegant take on the jazz music tradition we get on this production, where the core trio of a band has been supplemented by guest musicians contributing with trumpet and saxoph...