Isildurs Bane Mind Vol2
Homepage : http://www.isildursbane.se/
1. Extroversion (Phase 1) [1:03]
2. Opportunistic Medicine [8:00]
3. Cheval Volonté De Roche [19:04]
4. Extroversion (Phase 2) [2:11]
5. Exit Permit [23:32]
6. La Rūche, Studio Nos 3, 4 & 7 [5:57]
7. Holy Fools [11:43]
8. Ataraxia [3:40]
9. Extroversion (Phase 3) [2:12]
10. Extroversion (Phase 4) [1:14]
11. The Flight Onward [9:22]
12. Celestial Vessel [23:44]
13. Unity [3:25]
14. The Pilot [5:22]
15. Das Junkerhaus [5:22]
16. Extroversion (Phase 5) [1:39]
17. The Voyage [16:09]
18. Exit Visa [6:48]
19. Extroversion (Phase 6) [4:07}
Line-up: Mats Johansson - keyboards, theremin, accordion Jonas
Christophs - guitars Klas Assarsson - vibes; melodic, classic,
Latin & electronic percussion Kjell Severinsson - drums &
percussion Fredrik Johansson - bass Guest musicians: Joachim
Gustafson - violin (& Conductor) Peter Schoning - cello Bjorn
Lindh - flute Fredrik Davidsson - trumpet & flugelhorn Ola
Akerman - trombone Lars Hagglund - grand piano Janne Schaffer -
guitar Fredrik Emilson - bass Bengt Johansson - percussion
Someone please tell me what is it about Sweden. Does some Nordic
God of Music spend his long winter vacations conjuring up these
magical musical spells that gave us Anglagard / Anakdoken / The
Flower Kings/ Pain Of Salvation and now Isildurs Bane? If so I
want to buy him a very large drink.
When I first heard Mind Volume One I was astounded by the
complexity of the music that seemed to cover a lot of my personal
delights from the Jazz Rock fusion of Frank Zappa to those deep
dark symphonic places already explored by Anglagard and Anakdoken.
It was an astounding album and why I didn't review it earlier I
do not know. Perhaps the words just escaped me. Something I said
to a friend at the time perhaps still neatly sums up that album
"Imagine the 'classical' albums of Frank Zappa sounding how
they really should have sounded i.e. with MELODY"
In 2001 the band presented us with Mind Volume 2, a instrumental
two hour plus musical extravaganza recorded 90% live containing
some tracks new and covering some tracks old. However 'covering'
is not the word maybe 'reinterpreting' is the better expression
With this astounding album Isildurs Bane have managed to take my
favourite CD collection deconstruct it and present it back as a
fresh musical vision. From the Jazz-Rock world we have the ghosts
of Frank Zappa and Miles Davis jamming out with the dark side of
Camels Andy Latimer. From the orchestral world Mahler meets
Beethoven meets Williams. All within that enchanted Swedish
symphonic rock soundscape.
Isildurs Bane have been around since 1976 and I keep wondering
why I had never heard of them until last year. The problem with
Isildurs Bane is that perhaps they are just too good. It's a
marketing mans nightmare:-
Is this Rock Music or is this Classical Music or is this Jazz-Fusion?
The band class themselves as an "electronic chamber
orchestra" the CD's are certainly presented more to look
like a 'ECM' 'serious' modern classical recording, which some
rock punters may find off putting. This appearance is not helped
by the inner notes which explain each tracks influences in a very
'Radio 4' way. Art for Arts sake? Then someone mentions those 'dreaded'
two words 'Progressive Rock', the (wrongly?) associated stigma of
which then succeeds in putting off whole other sectors of the
modern classical and jazz fanships.
If you must use one phrase to pigeonhole Isidurs Bane its that
they are a 'Progressive Music' band and, at least to me, that
phrase has no musical boundaries.
To sum up Ill link something -
A friend from America mailed me recently and asked me to convince
him there and then why he should hear this band. I sent him this
message back
"Turn 'Real player' on sit back and link here":
http://www.isildursbane.se/sound/flight.ram
http://www.isildursbane.se/sound/mind2_exit_permit.ram
Ian
Oakley January 2002
Copyright Bathtub of Adventures 2001
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