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CRUACHAN Pagan (Karmageddon Media) (2004)
Ireland is a country with a very long and interesting history. The island of the bards has suffered a lot in the past and in recent history, and this is something which reflects the nation’s mentality and culture.
The Irish Metal scene is not extremely big, but has to offer really important bands such as Waylander, Primordial and Cruachan, who have recently released their new album "Pagan".
The history of the band, which was originally called "Minas Tirith", is as troublesome as that of their country.
The band was formed in 1992, and since then they have witnessed the arrival and departure of many different members. The first contract was given to the band by the German label "Nazguls Eyrie Productions", and the result of this collaboration brought to life the band’s debut album "Tuatha Na Gael".
The really interesting mixture of Black Metal with traditional Irish Folk music, and the use of folk instruments helped spread the name of the band worldwide. Big offers started to arrive in Cruachan’s camp, most important being that from Century Media records. The label was offering a good opportunity to the band, but at the same time demanded to have a lot of say as to the songwriting, something that the band found difficult to live with.
The band stayed without a contract for a while and decided to call it a day in mid ’97.
Cruachan are not one of the bands that you can easily forget though... In 1999 the band decided to re-form and that’s when Hammerheart Records (now Karmageddon Media) came to the picture. This time the offer Cruachan received was far better and the band entered the studio and recorded their second album "The Middle Kingdom". The collaboration of the Dutch record company with the band became even stronger, and led Cruachan to release their third album "Folk-Lore" and this year’s "Pagan".
It didn’t take long for me to get hooked on this album. I love Celtic music, and the fact that I also come from a country with a strong cultural backround, such as Greece, helped me to understand exactly what Cruachan wanted to say with this album.
Pagan is not just a music album - it’s a statement. Songs like "Michael Collins", "Viking Slayer" and "Ard Ri Na Heireann" will give you a small lesson in Irish history. The mixture of Heavy Metal with Celtic music creates the ideal atmosphere that the songs need. I also believe that the band’s choice to use narrating vocals is quite smart. Cruachan are modern day storytellers, and that is what makes all the difference and adds to the whole feeling that "Pagan" is trying to convey.
The band’s well-known admiration for Tolkien’s "Lord Of The Rings" is presented through "The Fall Of Gondolin", probably the heaviest song of the album. My favorite moment on the album, though, is "The Gael", a very emotional song in which Karen Gilligan delivers her best vocal performance ever, and the quite enjoyable "Some Say The Devil is Dead", a traditional Irish song who’s origin is unknown.
One of the bonuses of the album is it’s fantastic cover, which is illustrated by John Howe – the official illustrator of the Lord Of The Rings, and the only negative point I can detect is the production. Not that it’s bad, but I believe that Cruachan’s music deserves the very best!
"Pagan" is a very impressive album that I definitely recommend to all people who love music with character and personality. If you are one of those people, "Pagan" is your album. Put it on your CD player, close your eyes and let Cruachan take you on a trip in the time to when honor and pride were more than just words.
****
Review by John Stefanis
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