Medieval and Ancient Feelings

[MassOfKthulu]

yes DMR is right about Hammers of misfortune,their first CD has a real medieval atmosphere to it.

[Lama]

I think you're kind of mistaken when you use the word "medieval" to describe the feeling you have while listening to such bands.

Indeed, a band with a so called "medieval" feeling to me would be a band using the harmonies, patterns and colours of real medieval music. I talk about stuff influenced by the "Cantigas de Santa Maria", "el Llibre Vermell de Montserrat", "the original "Carmina Burana" from the XIIIth Century, the trouvères and troubadours material, the Minnesänger tradition, etc.

Most of the bands you mentionned here in this topic might have withdrawn a more or less strong inspiration from some real histroical event, but mainly I think they fantasize about Middle Ages, and thus are closer to a romantic vision from the medieval era, and sometimes from the Tolkien-like litterature, than real medieval History.

Musically, I'd say that these bands are sounding more EPIC than really MEDIEVAL.

Oh well, that's just my point of view, but you know, having studied medieval History and archaeology for years, I tend to like when the vocabular is used in an "accurate" way.

You just keep on surprising me...

[Nathaniel]

@Luis: Yeah, no offense, I understand what you meant, it's just that the word "medieval" is so much misused these days that I felt like giving some precisions. haha

@Lama: Why are you surprised mate? Am i so stupid that you can hardly believe it?

[Nathaniel]

This said, among the bands and albums you put into this category I think that these ones really do the trick:

BROCAS HELM-all of them
SLOUGH FEG-twilight of the idols
DESASTER-Tyrants of the netherworld


But generally this "medieval" atmosphere is so many times used and abused by shitty power metal bands I don't like.

[Kelly]

If I remeber correct, Granmax's second album "Kiss heavens goodbye" from 1978 has a slightly Cirith Ungol-touch...The mistress of eternity!

[GJ]

Aaah! Granmax. Prince of the Southern Ice!

[jared]

desaster - lost in the ages (demo)

this demo has an absolutely magical medieval sound and atmosphere to it, without any sacrifice of power.

[jared]

CONQUEST - 's/t' demo

does this refer to the band from st. louis, missouri? if so, i'd be extremely interested in obtaining a copy of this (hard copy, mp3, anything).

i say this because they're a local band for me, and i've never heard their old material, but their newer stuff is total modern-sounding garbage.


edit: NEVER MIND...found it in poisonoise

[ION BRITTON]

CONQUEST - 's/t' demo

does this refer to the band from st. louis, missouri? if so, i'd be extremely interested in obtaining a copy of this (hard copy, mp3, anything).

i say this because they're a local band for me, and i've never heard their old material, but their newer stuff is total modern-sounding garbage.


edit: NEVER MIND...found it in poisonoise

The later stuff is rubbish indeed, but that particular demo has some killer pure heavy metal tracks

[Nonseinormale65]

Here's some Italian band that could be for you:

Crystal Phoenix -- same(1989)

Dark Crystal -- il sogno del guerriero(1990,only 50 copies made,rated 500 euros,so forget about it --- p.s. i have a copy )

Tegen Hart -- Noise underground(1990)

Wyxmer -- The syre of wyxmer(1991)

But above all i suggest the entire discography of FIABA!!!

[Sgt. Kuntz]

Dark Crystal -- il sogno del guerriero(1990,only 50 copies made,rated 500 euros,so forget about it --- p.s. i have a copy )

How does it sound like? I thought it was more AOR than metal really.

CRYSTAL PHOENIX is cool by the way, very calm and not heavy at all, but i like it nevertheless.

[great_knuthulhu]

If I remeber correct, Granmax's second album "Kiss heavens goodbye" from 1978 has a slightly Cirith Ungol-touch...The mistress of eternity!

Well, the Cirith Ungol part of that is kind of slight IMO, but it's a good album. And Mistress of Eternity is a fantastic tune. A similar piece is Blue Max's "Limited Edition" album from 1976, which has a stronger CU-vibe, at least to my ears. Their song March of the Trolls is a classic... to the dozen or so people who've heard it.

[GJ]

Thanks for the tip, Knut - I trust your good taste:

Blue Max = Ordered now!
(along with Etrusgrave, Diamond Reo - Dirty Diamonds, the first two A foot in cold water albums and Deathrow - Alive in Death)

[Nonseinormale65]

Dark Crystal -- il sogno del guerriero(1990,only 50 copies made,rated 500 euros,so forget about it --- p.s. i have a copy )

How does it sound like? I thought it was more AOR than metal really.

Well,it's not HM but even it is not AOR at all,their roots were into the prog of the 70' with male and female voices,with dark melodic scores because of the keyboards(in the tracks" Non ridere di Me" and "Il Sole"),there are some epic/medieval flavored songs("solo Dei/il sogno del guerriero")and some typical hard and heavy tunes("Su di te" and Rosa Fumetto") --- later i will open a thread about this band,ok?

[Buried By Time and Dust]

This cover looks similar to the Impulse Lp that I have.