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Posts tagged Haggard
Haggard – Tales of Ithiria (2008) (@256)
28 Dec 2008
(Review from metal-archives.com)
Since “Eppur Si Muove”, Haggard was working a long time on an album in order to get it more closer to perfection. Now, 4 years after their previous album, Haggard fans are rewarded with a new album, more epic than the previous one.
“Tales of Ithiria” seems to be close to this perfection and being very well structured: 5 chapters, 1 cover and a few interesting interludes. Originally called “A Dark Winter’s Tale”, the album is not using historical characters and events anymore being more of a fictional medieval story.
“The Origin” is the intro which sets forth the story. With an epic melodic line and using the balanced and deep voice of Nasseri, the song manages to recreate a wonderful medieval atmosphere that will be present throughout the 43 minutes of the album.
“Chapter I – Tales Of Ithiria” continues the intro keeping a melancholic line with the use of violin, cello and piano, supplemented by the soprano voice and the clear and pure voice of Florian Schnellinger. The growls are not missing from the song, perfectly integrated with the guitars which beautifully accompany traditional instruments. The lyrics talk about the advices given by the dying father to his young son, at commence of winter.
In “Chapter II – Upon Fallen Autumn Leaves” the soprano is surpassing herself, as well as the harsh vocals, their duet being remarkable. If in the first chapter the piano had an delicate but important role, in this song he is totally missing, probably because the song wanted to be more agitated and operatic at the same time.
“Terra Santa”, chapter 3 of the musical story is much more slowly although a few growls are scarcely present. The harp and flute have lots of work in this piece, while the piano is quite subtly.
Violin attracts most of the attention in “Chapter IV – The Sleeping Child”, also an agitated song in which the piano is missing. Besides the growls and operatic voice, a choir is present through a few passages. The next track, “Hijo de la luna” or “Son of the moon” in English, represents a great cover, with Haggard lyrics and traditional instruments introduced in the melodic line. A beautiful track based on piano and violin, while the feminine voice is in faultless harmony whit them.
After the final monologue, which is similar to a war prophecy, continues the last song, “Chapter V – The Hidden Sign”, which abuse the violin in a pleasant manner, otherwise a distinguishing instrument for the entire album. Nasseri is excelling in this song, but this time, the soprano sings only a few verses. The lyrics are impressive reaching their peak; the band leader demonstrating his literary talent.
One over another, “Tales of Ithiria” is a beautiful work of art that makes you crave to hear it several times in order to understand and appreciate the entire process of composition and to understand the story of the beautiful lyrics. Haggard is a continuing source of originality through their music.
Line-up:
- Asis Nasseri / guitar, grunts, vocals
- Luz Marsen / drums
- Claudio Quarta / guitar
- Andreas Nad / bass
- Su Ehlers / soprano
- Veronika Kramheller / soprano
- Fiffi Fuhrmann / tenore, crumhorn
- Hans Wolf / piano, organ, cembalo
- Judith Marschall / violin
- Michael Stapf / violin
- Ally Storch-Hukride / violin
- Steffi Hertz / viola
- Patricia King / violoncello
- Anna Batke / flute
- Johannes Schleiermacher / violoncello
- Ivica Kramheller / violone
- Florian Bartl / oboe
- Michael Schumm / timpani, bells, classical percussion
- Andreas Fuchs / corno
- Mark Pendry / clarinet
with
- Mike Terrana / speaker’s voice
- Dieter Roth / solo & rhythm guitars
- Lulyta Garza / voice (9)
- Michael Gründel / tenore
- Sylvia Lindauer / soprano
- Konrad Nägeli / classical guitar
- Julia Schweigger / flute
- Mathias Kirchgebner / guitar
- Rebecca Faviola / concert harp
Track List:
01. The Origin – 1:59
02. Tales of Ithiria – 8:09
03. From Deep Within – 0:28
04. Upon Fallen Autumn Leaves – 6:39
05. In des Konigs Hallen – 2:06
06. La Terra Santa – 4:58
07. Vor dem Sturme – 0:37
08. The Sleeping Child – 6:14
09. Hijo De La Luna – 4:23
10. On These Endless Fields – 1:06
11. The Hidden Sign – 6:25
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Haggard – Eppur Si Move (2004) (@256)
27 Dec 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
After a break of four years and a successful South-America tour Haggard released their third full-length studio album. “Eppur Si Muove” is again a historical concept album and as the title (“And yet it does move”) and cover suggests about the life and work of Galileo Galilei, who lived from 1564 bis 1642.
The vocal section, especially the one for soprano had been much enforced here compared to previous albums and they have been placed more to the foreground. One might argue that they started to use a bit too much the genre-typical “beauty and the beast-scheme” as sounding most obvious on “Per Aspera Ad Astra”. Though it doesn’t sound at all overblown and as trying to cover some musical incapability by placing an attractive female vocalist with a pleasant voice in front. The female voices, all presented by classically trained sopranos by the way are as well not suffocated by a wall of keyboard sounds.
The contrasts between beautiful classical sections and aggressive metal ones might be here even more blatant than ever before, growlings are more apparent than their first two albums. Yet still everything fits together very nicely.
Line-up:
- Asis Nasseri / guitar, grunts, vocals
- Luz Marsen / drums
- Andreas Hemberger / electric & acoustic guitar
- Robin Fischer / bass
- Gaby Koss / Soprano
- Veronika Kramheller / Soprano
- Fiffi Fuhrmann / Tenore, crumhorn
- Hans Wolf / piano, organ, cembalo
- Judith Marschall / violino
- Michael Stapf / violino
- Steffi Hertz / viola
- Kathrin Hertz / violoncello
- Ivica Percinlie / violine
- Florian Bartl / oboe
- Andreas Peschke / Tenore, flauto
- Mark Pendry / clarinetto
- Michael Schumm / tympani, tamburo
- Anna Reitmeir / violoncello
- Matthias Kirchgassner / guitars
- Dieter Roth / electric & acoustic guitars
- Laura Belli / Alto
- Maria Kraus / Soprano
- Saverio Belli / Tenore
- Matthias Utz / bariton
- Dorothea Zelinsky / violino
- Markus van Langen / voice
- Miguel Michin / corno
Track List:
01. All’inizio e La Morte – 6:52
02. Menuetto In Fa-Minore – 1:17
03. Per Aspera Ad Astra – 6:40
04. Of A Might Divine – 8:21
05. Gavotta In Si-Minore – 1:00
06. Herr Mannelig – 4:52
07. The Observer – 4:42
08. Eppur Si Muove – 8:21
09. Larghetto – Epilogo Adagio – 2:14
10. Herr Mannelig (Short Version) – 6:10
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Haggard – Awaking the Gods Live in Mexico (2001) (@256)
26 Dec 2008
(Review from metal-archives.com)
This is the first (and to-date only) live album of Haggard, featuring their complete line-up in the land of Aztecs.
“Awakening The Gods” combines the highlights of their two studio albums and adds the live intensity of the band to the songs. One would think that Haggard’s merry band of classical instruments would be drowned out in a live performance, but that is not the case! Everything is heard perfectly, and it really and truly sounds fantastic.
The only downside of this great album is that there is not that much audience participation.
Track List:
01. Intro-Rachmaninov Choir – 2:14
02. Mediaval Part – 1:50
03. Lost – 4:39
04. Prophecy Fullfilled-And The Dark Night Entered – 7:03
05. Menuett – 1:21
06. Origin Of A Crystal Soul – 7:15
07. Awaking The Centuries – 10:11
08. Courante – 1:29
09. In A Full Moon Procession – 6:09
10. Final Victory – 7:04
11. In A Pale Moon’s Shadow – 11:03
Links in comments.
Haggard – Awaking the Centuries (2000) (@256)
25 Dec 2008
(Review from progarchives.com, metal-archives.com)
Like their previous work this album is a concept one, this time about Nostradamus’ life and prophecies. Lyrics (partly as narrations) are in three languages: Latin, German and English.
Not much has changed in the presented music style here. Certainly the way Haggard accomplish this blend by using a full classical ensemble comprising of 20 musicians has to be called quite unique. On the other hand that goes without saying is this high-contrast style using grunt vocals next to beautiful classical tunes of cellos, violins, clarinet, oboe and so on for sure not everybody’s “cup of tea”.
Switching vocalists and type of vocals – from the dominant male grunts, the cleaner male vocals and the female ones, bordering to operatic qualities, that gives you dynamics. Another way to do that is of course tempo switches but Haggard’s key to success here is having so many instruments available that they can just simply change the orchestration every now and then. Classical string instruments have always sounded well – combined with distorted guitars and piano (an instrument which is used a whole lot on this album), it sounds very well here.
Haggard manages here very well to reflect life and music of this era garmented with a modern “metallic” sound.
Line-up:
- Florian Bartl / oboe
- Karin Bodenmüller / soprano voice
- Christian / tenor voice
- Fiffi Fuhrmann / tenor voice
- Kathrin Hertz / violon, cello
- Steffi Hertz / viola
- Luz Marsen / drums, percussion
- Robert Muller / clarinet
- Danny Klupp / guitars
- Andi Nad / bass
- Assis Nasseri / vocals, grunts, guitars, kettle drums
- Kathrin Pechlof / harp
- Peter Prysch / French horn
- Thomas Rosato / bass voice
- Florian Schnellinger / percussion
- Michael Stapf / violin
- Andrea Sterr / violin
- Georg Uttenhaler / double bass
- Hans Wolf / grand piano, church organ, synthesizers
- Christoph von Zastrow / flute
with
- Evert Fratermann / orchestral percussion
- Ilka Mende / violin
- Fabian Schwarz / acoustic guitar
- New Moscow Radio Choir / chorus
Voices of Pestilencia
- Ulrich Muhlmann / Nostradamus
- Carsten Jacob / Monk
- Christiane B.Horn / Woman 1
- Eveline Gerhardt / Woman 2
- Wolfgang Weibmüller / Man
Moscow Radio Choir
- Elena Rastvorova / conductor
- Olga Uschakova / soprano
- Maria Kutuzova / soprano
- Ekaterina Oblesova / alto
- Katja Prasolova / alto
- Vladimir Tarasov / tenor
- Oleg Kuzmin / tenor
- Anton Vasiljev / bass
- Evgeny Astafurov / bass
Track List:
01. Intro – Rachmaninov-Choir – 0:38
02. Intro – Pestilencia – 1:54
03. Chapter I – Heavenly Damnation – 2:58
04. Chapter II – The Final Victory – 3:35
05. Chapter II – Saltorella La Manuelina – 0:57
06. Chapter III – Awaking The Centuries – 9:34
07. Chapter III – Statment Zur Lage Der Musica – 1:18
08. Chapter IV – In A Fullmoon Procession – 5:18
09. Chapter IV – Menuett – 1:19
10. Chapter V – (Part I) Prophecy Fullfiled
11. Chapter V – Courante – 1:12
12. Chapter V – Rachmaninov-Choir – 2:34
13. Lost (Robin’s Song) (Bonus) – 4:38
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Haggard – And Thou Shalt Trust The Seer (1997) (@256)
24 Dec 2008
(Review from progarchives.com, metal-archives.com, amazon)
Haggard was founded in 1991 and started playing unoriginal and a little bit uninspired death metal. They managed to change their musicial style to something way sophisticated – then Haggard became one of the first classical/orchestral/symphonic metal bands in the world.
Black Sabbath meets Johann Sebastian Bach? This may be a very loose description of the 16-member outfit from Munich, but the fact is their roots lie as much in death metal as in classical/medieval music. Their albums combine some fine classical moments (cello, flute, oboe, harp, violin as well as dreamy female vocals) with the iron riffs, growling male vocals and raw violence of death metal bands.
The album has a very tight structure and powerful songwriting combining metal and classical music perfectly — a balance between heavy (metal) and soft (classical) music. What an excellent harmony. The band has a perfect balance between modern electrical instrument skills as well as those acoustic ones, all performed flawlessly.
Along only 41 minutes there are great operatic chores, death metal vocals, heavy guitars, but mostly about 15 traditional organs that give Haggard their own identity and sets them appart from the rest of the bands that follow this music pattern.
Line-up:
- Florian Bartl / oboe
- Karin Bodenmüller / soprano voice
- Fiffi Fuhrmann / crumhorn
- Kathrin Hertz / violoncello
- Steffi Hertz / viola
- Danny Klupp / guitars
- Kerstin Krainer / violin
- Lutz Marsen / drums, kettle drums
- Robert Müller / clarinet
- Andi Nad / bass
- Asis Nasseri / vocals, grunts, guitars
- Kathrin Pechlof / harp
- Sasema / soprano voice
- Florian Schellinger / bass voice
- Hans Wolf / piano, synths, cemballo
- Christoph von Zastrow / flute
with
- Schalleluja Kammerchor / chorus
Track List:
01. Chapter I – The Day As Heaven Wept – 5:46
02. Chapter II – Origin Of A Crystal Soul – 5:55
03. Requiem In D-Minor – 2:08
04. Chapter III – In A Pale Moon’s Shadow – 9:38
05. Cantus Firmus In A-Minor – 2:32
06. Chapter IV – De La Morte Noire – 8:02
07. Chapter V – Lost (Robin’s Song) – 4:25
08. Outro – A Midnight Gathering – 2:59
Link in comments.