Beckahesten – Tydor (Album – Cyclic Law)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Ritual, Experimental.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Swedish Beckahesten trio already strikes back. One year after their impressive debut album “Vattenhålens Dräpare” and the single “Midvinter” released earlier this year they now unleash their second opus. The album has been recorded in different natural places of Norway and Sweden while they invited Kai Uwe Faust (Heilung), Lars-Magnar Enoksen and Anders Hovland to contribute to this work.
Content: Beckahesten remains an enigmatic formation creating dark music. The sound is for sure impacted by Dark-Ambient, but there are still many Ritual elements running through the work. Viktoria Rolandsdotter’s way of singing accentuates the Ritual sensation of the music.
+ + + : “Tydor” is a diversified opus, which has something intimate and ominous. There’s a judicious mix between different influences, but I especially like the Ritual & Mystic flavor emerging at the surface. It has a strong visual appeal, which evokes to me the fascinating universe of the Vikings. The vocals are pretty essential to this work, but Beckahesten still has a natural talent to create overwhelming atmospheres while the slow percussion patterns only accentuate the effect. There are several great songs featured on this work, but “Uven” sounds to me as the absolute masterpiece. I like the subtlety of the sound treatments and the way the song –and the other, has been accomplished.
– – – : I noticed a few Experimental passages, which are less convincing.
Conclusion: “Tydor” confirms the talent of this formation, which in my opinion definitely sounds as one of the hottest newcomers in their genre.
Best songs: “Uven”, “Bruddansen”, “Skogen”, “Maran”.
Rate: 8½.
Artist: www.beckahesten.se / www.facebook.com/beckahesten
Label: www.cycliclaw.com / www.facebook.com/cycliclaw
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