ARKONA - GOI RODE GOI (Cd Review)

01.Goi Rode Goi

02.Yarilo

03.Nevidal

04.Na Moey Zemle

05.Pritcha

06.V Tsepiakh Drevney Tainy

07.Tropoiu Nevedannoi

08.Liki Bessmertnykh Bogov

09.kolo Navi

10.Korochun

11.Pamiat

12.Kupalets

13.Arkona

14.Nebo Hmurde, Tuchi Mrachniye

Masha Scream Arhipova (Vocals)

Sergej Lazar (Guitars)

Ruslan Kniaz (Bass)

Vlad Artist (Drums)

Allow me to introduce to you Arkona, a Russian band who were formed in 2002 by members of local pagan community "Vyatichi"with the intent of creating music that reflected their individual philosophy and musical taste.

Emerging from the Russian underground they made their high profile debut at the
"Yazycheskaya Rus'" festival.By the summer of 2003, ARKONA was ready to record their debut, but disinterest in the band by some of its members saw the band disappear from the scene as quickly as it had arrived.

Eventually they recorded their debut album "Vozrozhdenie” in March 2004.

The album’s release placed them as a contending force back on the scene and with a
new line up return to the circuit in 2005.

The next album "Vo Slavu Velikim” saw a change in musical direction dropping the use of
synthesized sounds, replacing them with authentic folk instruments.

As such, the list of guest musicians grew considerably including the renowned folk musician Vladimir Cherepovskiy as well as members of Svarga and Alkonost.

More albums followed as did european tours at a major festival appearence at the 2008
Ragnarok Festival.

Back at home, they decided not to take a break but to immediately begin working on
their 5th album.

In order to top their previous effort, the band aimed to create a very unique album eventually usuing over 40 musicians and a full-fledged chorus and a string quintet for the first time in their career.

The centrepiece to this album is the 15-minute saga 'Na Moey Zemle' which relates the
adventures of a Slav in European countries. This epic features the voices of members of
'Manegarm', 'Menhir' , and 'Heidevolk'.

Starting with some fantastic harmony vocal and with strings, pipes and chorus it moves into this wonderful drum driven symphonic piece like Turisas jamming with Tristania, Rammstein and Dimmu Borgir, it is awesome!

The next stand out song is 'Tropoiu Nevedannoi'mixing as it does medieval instruments, melody and full on black metal assault, the superb vocal delivey is, as throughout the whole album, sung in Russian,which is difficult to get your head around, but then i sing along to Rammstein so i and you will get used to it.

'Korochun' is a great traditional instrumental,could be from the soundtrack of the Dark Crystal which then leads into this really up beat sing-a-long called 'Pamiat'.

The final song is a big 10 minute ballad, again it is the traditional instrumentation that lifts this way above the average, and in the middle of the song it switches to an ambient soundtrack of birdsong and a flowing river, its weird because its strangley relaxing and i found myself being drawn in, because i sort of jumped when this flute came playfully through the speakers and it plays out to the end.

This is a stunning album, superb production and the quality of musicianship is unquestionable, it's one of those albums where word like "epic" just aint enough!

Rating 10/10

For Fans Of : Turisas, Tyr, Korpiklaani, Clannad, Tristania, Skyclad