MIDNATTSOL „Nordlys”

Music: Folk/Gothic Metal
Website: http://www.midnattsol.com
Country: Germany
Cool songs: Open Your Eyes, Konkylie, Wintertimes, Octobre

Some time ago, it seems that around 2005 I got a CD from my friend, with a recommendation, that I should listen to it, because it was containing some good material. When looking at the front cover I did not have any idea what the hell could it be. I decided to give it a try and that is how my adventure and true love for MIDNATTSOL started. It was ‘Where Twilight Dwells’, their debut album. I was stunned and seduced by Carmen’s sweet voice and those pretty nice melodies. Now it is 2008, a new year has brought a new album of MIDNATTSOL. I have to admit, my expectations were not huge and…

And I was wrong! Because the CD is a different story now, so much different from their previous album. First of all, you will notice a tremendous change in the group’s sound and mental status. But do not be afraid, because that fantastic climate is still present. I love ‘Where Twilight Dwells’, even though I do not like its drum line or still quite artificial voice manner. Carmen’s vocal is spellbinding and I was hammered to my armchair by it, but now she is fucking high! Finally we do not have an album where the singer sounds just like any other gothic sissy, claiming to be the forgotten princes of darkness. Damn all of them. Carmen shows that strong and different vocal can be an attribute, a pro, not a con.

As for the instruments, finally everything works just perfectly. The guitars are heavy enough, although they do not pulverize with power. We do not want it to be a butchery, but a climatic and poetic music. Although believe me, where there is time to kick some ass, Daniel and Fabian rip those strings like bulldogs! Their melodies are really cool and perfectly fit the gothic genre. Sometimes there were moments when I had an impression of listening to good old BLACKMORE’S NIGHT. Well, now I love them more, for taking what is the best from Ritchie, but without brainless copying. Listen to ‘River of Virgin Soil’ and you will immediately recognize some of his cool motifs. But they underwent some cool upgrades and now are much heavier and cooler than previously. The same goes for the drums. As I mentioned earlier, I love their previous album, but I hate its drums, being so fucking automatic, that someone must have been deaf to confuse them with real fills. And now we get a purely professional drum sections, played perfectly, with huge attention to details. Now it is audible that Chris is totally involved in the process of performance, that no electronic shit disturbs the poetry of this music. Well done again.

The compositions are varied – I have to admit, that Carmen and the gang has always had good ideas when it comes for melodies. Therefore once it is quite fast and vicious even, suddenly everything changes dramatically and we end up with a melodic and romantic composition. Plus a lot of motifs which chop and change all the time. The compositions are built on a classic fundament, with stanza-refrain stuff, embellished with melodic background. The intros to the songs are not long, usually the vocal appears at the very beginning, and it is a good method. Today we have so many longish intros to songs, that one might go and prepare oneself a dinner, came back and notice that the intro is still on. That is quite annoying. In other words what we have here is a pure musical kaleidoscope, with millions of pieces of glass, very colourful glass, showing different pictures every time we look at it. And one very interesting gem: ‘Octobre’ which is a bonus track available on the limited version of the album. It is a real power-like pearl, sung by Daniel Droste, who amazes with his vocal abilities (it is not something outstanding baring in mind the fact that he sings in AHAB).

I have to admit that MIDNATTSOL have made a damn good job by recording ‘Nordlys’. I’m just wondering how did they manage to record such a fresh album, while being involved in so many additional music projects (R:I:P, PENETRALIA). Well, maybe they were working on that album while playing in those bands… who knows. Probably that is why they have made such a huge progress which is audible from the first sound! All I know is that ‘Nordlys’ is my number one in this year’s gothic/folk top ten and that my love for the band has grown. Now I worship them. Interesting and complete, with heart and brain. This is the essence of music.

note: 9/10

Tracklist

1. Open Your Eyes
2. Skogens Lengsel
3. Northern Light
4. Konkylie
5. Wintertimes
6. Race of Time
7. New Horizon
8. River of Virgin Soil
9. En Natt I Nord
10. Octobre (bonus track)

Total playing time 54:44

Line-up

Carmen Elise Espenćs – vocals
Daniel Droste – guitar
Fabian Pospiech – guitar
Daniel Fischer – keyboard
Birgit Öllbrunner – bass
Chris Merzinsky – drums