With that preamble out of the way what can you say about Skullflower? Well, for me, Skullflower mark the epitome of drone. This is the tortured, dark abyss that Sunn O)) and Khanate frequently head towards but witnessed from ground zero. There is little in the way of respite and absolutely no get out – if you play this record you’re in it for the whole soul-draining, apathy-inducing 109 minute sleigh-ride into hell…but what a ride! Like staring at static on the television for too long, Skullflower’s genius is that their music is the perfect canvass for the imagination to run riot. Like a horror-movie where the bloodletting is just off-camera, the thrill of the sonic carnage is that it allows the listener to undertake their own personal journey while listening rather than straight-jacketing you into someone else’s trip. Patterns emerge from the murk, the hint of a tune buried in the screaming noise that may be real or may just be your brain trying to make sense of the thing – on my third run through I still can’t work out which it is and it doesn’t detract from the music any.

Like the Red Sparrowes, SKullflower’s song titles tell you more than lyrics ever could, and a glance at the track-list reveals titles such as ‘Starlit mire’, ‘Enochian tapestries’, ‘chaotic demons fly into my eyes’ and ‘gateway to blasphemous light’. In the light of such engaging word-play it is clear that skullflower are positively effusive when the mood takes them, but are more than satisfied to let the songs do the talking.

I have only one criticism, and it is one that I have seen opined elsewhere, a mere CD is not quite enough to contain the sonic beast that is SKullflower. While I pride myself on having a CD player that is the envy of my friends and the cause for endless lamentations by my neighbours, it is just not possible to indulge at the required volume. True, a good pair of headphones go a long way to solving the problem, but the true environment for these purveyors of sonic terror is the concert hall where the bass does more for one’s health in one night that a life-time of prune smoothies might achieve. That, and the minor niggle that it is not available on vinyl, is about all that I can find to fault with this remarkable achievement.

Skullflower are pioneers, so far beyond their contemporaries that they exist in another realm entirely. This is music as art in its purest form, created to satisfy its creator’s demands first and foremost. To witness such a feat is a rare privilege and it is worth noting that there are only 300 copies of this CD in Europe, so getting hold of one is something of a priority if you are a fan of extreme music. It doesn’t get more extreme than this.

Virstele Pamintului is not an album that can be fully appreciated on the first listen. As I write this article I am listening to the record for the fifth or sixth time and still I am only beginning to unearth its myriad charms. Opening with eerie pipe music that lurks somewhere between a darkened, snow filled forest and the world of Sergio Leone, it is immediately clear that this isn’t the slickly orchestral black metal to be found in bands such as Dimmu Borgir, rather it is the sound of an ambitious and original band exploring their heritage and culture in order to create something quite unique. As the song builds, adding atmospheric vocals and guitar there is a real feeling of expectation for the storm that is about to come, but Negura Bunget are patient and happy to let the music take its course rather than rush to an instant fix of metal as some might. As the music reaches its peak and the vocals become tortured screams the band open up a barrage of guitar and drums in a well-produced and precise assault that will leave the listener breathless. Having set the scene thus, second track ‘Dacia Hiperboreana’ enters on a warm bed of synth music that opens up into a beautiful, reverb-drenched guitar part that is more Pink Floyd than Darkthrone while the vocals ache with raw emotion. It is a stunning track laden with melody as much as power and there is a real beauty contained within the brutality that set Negura Bunget apart as a truly special band.

‘Umbra’ is a dark track that contains more than a hint of Vangelis’ soundtracks in the mid-ninties (1492 springs to mind), with complex and tribal drum patterns underpinning the synth elements.  ‘Ochiul inimii’ is a powerful song that sees acoustic guitars duelling with the increasingly agitated drumming, before the electric guitars tear in, burning a hole in your speakers in the process. Folk elements and metal collide here to stunning effect, while the guitar solos are satisfyingly high in the mix allowing you to appreciate the talent of these musicians as well as their commitment. ‘Che de Roua’ sees the shimmering guitars return to usher in the track, building rapidly into a mountain of noise as the band launch a stinging attack that features clean singing and acoustic elements to offset the ferocity of the band. ‘Tara de dincolo de negura’ is just astonishing, as neo-classical elements and brutal metal collide in a track so brutal it could sear the flesh from your face. ‘Jar’ is a mood piece, all atmospheric synth and eerie sound effects, although it provides welcome breathing space following the claustrophobic  maelstrom of the previous track. ‘Arborele Lumii’ takes the opportunity following so icy a track to smash the vibe to pieces with churning guitar and guttural vocals and then ‘Intoarcerea amurgului’ closes the album with huge, throbbing swathes of earthen bass, acoustic guitar and spoken vocals.

This is an album that defies compartmentalisation and comparison. It stands apart from other black metal bands through its bold invention, yet it is inextricably linked to that movement through spirit. There is a flame that burns brightly at the core of Negura Bunget, a deep-seated connection to the earth and to the natural environment (indeed limited copies of the album come packaged with a sprinkling of the very earth which inspired the album) which sees the music flow as naturally as the scenery that imbued the album with its spirit. This is a stunning album that will undoubtedly appeal to black metallers but which, I feel, has a wider appeal because the underlying themes are so primal and so inherent to anyone who yearns for freedom and nature rather than the trappings of day-to-day life. Negura Bunget are a force of one, a truly unique band who deserve recognition and respect in abundance because here they have created a masterpiece, a musical work of art which will inspire and astound in equal measure in the years to come.

Opening with ‘Toast to famines’, a beautifully phrased lament which recalls Seafood’s haunting vocal harmonies, set to the most skeletal of background beats and eerie violin. It’s a stunning opening that builds over its meagre four minute runtime to a gentle crescendo before ‘Teethy’ trudges in upon a jazzy drum beat and downbeat minor chord vocal harmonies that see the band stretch into Arcade fire territory, but without that band’s sense of orchestrated chaos. ‘Language’ comes next, a song that swells out of guitar drone, with vocals that recall a barbershop quartet at a funeral so mournful are they in execution. ‘Lazarus and dives’ follows and it comes as something of a relief after the deep introspection of the previous track. Simulated vinyl noise and piano come together with programmed drums to create a haunting track that wouldn’t sound out of place on NIN’s Ghosts set; It’s a high point of the record and it is a remarkably beautiful track that sucks you into a reverie.

‘Come, join the sea’ is almost a hymn, based around haunting vocals and a simple piano melody that slowly builds as elements are added into the mix until the whole thing reaches a painful crescendo that echoes around the listener. ‘Attrition’, meanwhile, offers an overwhelmingly distorted bass coupled with an organ to create the backing track to one of the most memorable melodies on the disc. Once again Wive demonstrate their ability to make the most complex and ostensibly difficult musical arrangements accessible and the song is cleverly arranged to make sure that the noise elements never overpower the mix. ‘The day the earth burnt to death’ continues with the NIN-esque elements as a Spartan beat underpins this most melancholy of tracks, and the echoing vocals are gloriously understated. ‘Widows’ surely wins the prize for most unconventional percussion, while the melodies again recall The Arcade Fire’s more experimental moments. ‘Tongve of Callvs’ opens on an unnerving note before powerful yet jazzy drums underpin the track. ‘Slvmber’s edit’ closes the record with piano lost amidst a wall of static and ghostly half-heard voices. It is the perfect ending to this difficult, beautiful, unearthly album.

Wive are a fascinating prospect. They bear similarities to various US indie acts such as Low and Arcade Fire, as well as to Icelandic adventurers Sigur Ros, but ultimately their sound is all their own. The music is sparse, beautiful and yet occasionally deeply complex and there is a harrowing element to the melancholy vocals that would be all but unbearable if it wasn’t for the faintest glimmer of hope that appears from time to time to rescue the listener from the worst excesses of their imagination. That this record is highly recommended almost goes without saying, but it is not a record that I would play with great regularity owing to its sombre nature, rather it is something to be taken out, marvelled at and treasured when the mood strikes. It is hard to imagine hearing a more beautiful or emotive piece of music all year and if you can track down the first run, the first 1000 copies come in a beautiful hand printed bag.

The Sonisphere club nights are back and coming to a town near you! With a bunch of new venues on board and more than 60 nights in over 15 cities between now and Sonisphere 2010 there are no excuses! So get yourselves down to one of these nights to hear tracks by your favourite Sonisphere Acts and get warmed up for Knebworth.

There will be tickets to win at every single club night – and a variety of weird and wonderful things that you have to do to get them. Can you handle putting up your tent whilst being sprayed with super soakers? How’s your best IGGY impersonation? There will also be a handful of Sonisphere Rock Royalty VIP packages up for grabs so keep your eyes and ears open!
This is your chance to meet like minded fans, talk Sonisphere and buddy up before the big weekend. Enjoy!

TELL US ABOUT IT!
Why not send us a video clip or picture of you and your mates at a Sonisphere club night. We’ll put the best ones up on Facebook – send to Sonispherefestivals@kililive.com
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  MARCH  
           
  SURREY   SCHISM : QUAKE   5TH   
  WREXHAM   REDEEMER   5TH   
  BIRMINGHAM   EDDIES   6TH   
  WREXHAM   REBELLION ( U 18’s)   6TH   
  MANCHESTER   MOHO   18TH   
  MIDDLESBOROUGH / TEESIDE   SUMO   19TH   
  CARDIFF   BOGIEZ   20TH   
  GLASGOW   CATHOUSE   20TH   
  SOUTHAMPTON   RHINOS   25TH   
  LEEDS   FUEL   26TH   
  CHESTER   KRANK   26TH   
  LONDON   DECADENCE   27TH   
  GLASGOW   CLASSIC GRAND   27TH   
  MIDDLESBOROUGH   METROPOLIS   27TH   

  APRIL         
   
  YORK   DUCHESS   1ST   
  SURREY   SCHSIM : QUAKE   2ND   
  BIRMINGHAM   EDDIES   3RD   
  WREXHAM   REDEEMER   9TH   
  LONDON   DECADENCE   10TH   
  WAKEFIELD   REDEEMER   10TH   
  LIVERPOOL   KRAZYHOUSE   10TH   
  WREXHAM   REBELLION   14TH   
  MANCHESTER   MOHO   15TH   
  MIDDLESBOROUGH   SUMO   16TH   
  NEWCASTLE   LEGENDS   16TH   
  CARDIFF   BOGIEZ   17TH   
  GLASGOW   CATHOUSE   17TH   
  SHEFFIELD   CORPORATION   17TH   
  SOUTHAMPTON   RHINOS   22ND   
  LONDON   DECADENCE   24TH   
  MIDDLESBOROUGH   METROPOLIS   25TH   
  LEEDS   FUEL   30TH   
  CHESTER   KRANK   30TH   
  
MAY         
     
  BIRMINGHAM   EDDIES   1ST   
  WOLVERHAMPTON   CIVIC   1ST   
  SURREY   SCHSIM : QUAKE   7TH   
  CARDIFF   FUEL   8TH   
  WREXHAM   REBELLION   12TH   
  WREXHAM   REDEEMER   14TH   
  SHEFFIELD   CORPORATION   15TH   
  MANCHESTER   MOHO   20TH   
  NEWCASTLE   LEGENDS   21ST   
  MIDDLESBOROUGH   SUMO   21ST   
  GLASGOW   CATHOUSE   22ND   
  CHESTER   KRANK   28TH   
  LEEDS   FUEL   29TH   
  LONDON   DECADENCE   29TH   
  CARDIFF   BOGIEZ   29TH   
  MIDDLESBOROUGH   METROPOLIS   29TH   
  YORK   DUCHESS   29TH   
  
JUNE         
        
  SURREY   SCHISM : QUAKE   4TH   
  BIRMINGHAM   EDDIES   5TH   
  WREXHAM   REBELLION   9TH   
  CARDIFF   FUEL   12TH   
  MANCHESTER   MOHO   17TH   
  WOLVERHAMPTON   CIVIC   17TH   
  MIDDLESBOROUGH   SUMO   18TH   
  NEWCASTLE   LEGENDS   18TH   
  CARDIFF   BOGIEZ   19TH   
  GLASOW   CATHOUSE   19TH   
  CHESTER   KRANK   25TH   
  LEEDS   FUEL   25TH   
  LONDON   DECADENCE   26TH   
  MIDDLESBOROUGH   METROPOLIS   26TH   
  YORK   DUCHESS   26TH   
  
JULY         
       
  SURREY   SHCISM : QUAKE   2ND   
  BIRMINGHAM   EDDIES   3RD   
  CARDIFF   FUEL   10TH   
  LEEDS   REDEEMER   10TH   
  MANCHESTER   MOHO   15TH   
  NEWCASTLE   LEGENDS   16TH   
  GLASGOW   CATHOUSE   17TH   
  LEEDS   FUEL   23RD   
  MIDDLESBOROUGH   METROPOLIS   26TH   

SEE THE BAND LIVE IN EUROPE:

28-Mar Lausanne, Switzerland Le Romandie
30-Mar Cologne, Germany Gebaude 9
31-Mar Hamburg, Germany Molotow
01-Apr Malmo, Sweden Debaser
02-Apr Stockholm, Sweden Debaser
03-Apr Oslo, Norway Garage
04-Apr Gothenburg, Sweden Parken
05-Apr Copenhagen, Denmark Loppen
07-Apr Berlin, Germany Festsaal Kreuzberg *
08-Apr Leipzig, Germany Nato *
09-Apr Hannover, Germany Glocksee *
10-Apr Rotterdam, Netherlands Motel Mozaique Fest
12-Apr Brussels, Belgium Domino Fest@ AB Club
13-Apr Paris, France Point Ephemere
15-Apr Rome, Italy Locanda Atlantide *
16-Apr Bologna, Italy Il Covo *
17-Apr Milan, Italy La Casa Milan 139 *
20-Apr Porto, Portugal Plano B *
21-Apr Lisbon, Portugal ZDB *
22-Apr Madrid, Spain Moby Dick *
23-Apr Valencia, Spain El Tinglado No 2 *
24-Apr Barcelona, Spain Nitsa Club *
26-Apr London, UK Cargo
27-Apr Manchester, UK Sound Control
28-Apr Dublin, IR Whelan’s
29-Apr Cork, IR Cyprus Avenue
30-Apr Glasgow, UK Nice & Sleazy
01-May Newcastle, UK The Cluny 2
02-May Leeds, UK Live In Leeds Festival
03-May Cambridge, UK The Portland Arms
05-May Birmingham, UK The Rainbow
06-May Liverpool, , UK The Masque

 This cd was recorded  live in Tokyo in front of what sounds like an enthusiastic audience helping the atmosphere of an already very good cd. I feel this is one of Sonata Actica’s best cds. The sound is very good, making many of the tracks better than the studio versions. The guitar playing is higher in the mix with crystal clear riffs and solos which are not wild but well played and enjoyable. The performance of the band is good throughout the cd. Plenty of tight musicianship, speedy, rthymic drumming, some good emotive singing in the quieter tracks, decent bass and good guitar work.

 The music is a mix of progressive rock, some heavy stuuff and some classical influences. It’s quite varied and easy to listen to. The first two tracks ‘Weballergy’ and ‘Kingdom For A Heart’ and track 7, ‘Respect the Wilderness’ are similar. Good pacey riff with decent solos, nice keyboard fills and powerful drumming. There are some slower tracks such as the sinister and slightly disturbing ‘End of this Chapter’ and the thoughtful ‘Replica’ where the singing is at it’s best. ‘Black Sheep’ and ‘Wolf and Raven’ has plenty of good guitar and keyboard interplay and steady bass playing. I don’t think therev any bad tracks on the cd. I would recommend this cd and the quite recent cd ‘Unia’ to anyone interested in some well played prog. rock with intelligent lyrics. 

Review by Chris Greenwood

What I missed the first time round is the sheer joy with which these technical riff merchants engage with their music. For all the ludicrous soloing, there’s a real passion for rock which shines through these early releases forcing me to reassess my whole conception of the band. From the opening blast of ‘My spirit will go on’ through to the final strains of ‘once in a lifetime’ you can feel the energy and enthusiasm of these extraordinary musicians. It’s power metal, true, ludicrous (and a little cheesy from time to time), but therein lies the fun of these deeply memorable songs and if you don’t find yourself humming them in the shower then you clearly suffer from amnesia! 

Of course, being re-issues, there’s also the question of whether these sets are worth the expenditure. Quite simply the answer is a yes. Spinefarm have done a fantastic job of re-mastering the records, rendering the tracks with far greater clarity than before and highlighting the blistering solos with which the band have made their name. There’s also the question of extra features, in this case a bonus track (admittedly one which appeared on the Japanese version of the album) and a DVD which features live clips from Japan (filmed in 2005), interviews and commentaries. Sadly we weren’t able to actually get hold of a copy of the DVD so we can’t comment on the quality levels, but if past experience is anything to go by they are unlikely to be poor. 

In all honesty it is worth getting these discs for the sparkling re-master alone, the DVDs offering a mere icing on the proverbial cake. If you have the albums already it is well worth considering a re-investment for as the band themselves admit, this is how they wanted the songs to sound in the first place. If you are new to the band, or a sceptic like me then get out there and check these releases out – you will find yourself amazed. Great stuff.