
Waldteufel - Rauhnacht [Percht - 2007]Something rather weird and feral this way comes in the form Waldteufel debut album, bringing together Germanic folk and traditional music, sampled brass and classical music, ritualistic/ bizarre percussive matter and often long draw investigation in avant gard sound scaping- all with a with a hunting /werewolf theme tied into it. The album mangers to sound both timeless and as old as the woods, but at the same time there’s all manner of odd and peculiar sound touches along the way- like bizarre avant asides or lower odd tones swishing around the songs bases, giving the feeling of a acid tingered folk tales or fairy tales. Most of the six tracks are rich with Germanic male vocals that weave and hover over a mix Shamanic drumming, violin, accordion, cello, viola, bodhran, bells, flute, whistles, trumpet, bass guitar. All inbred with the feeling of vast every green forest and the strange folk and spirit who dwell with in there dark heart’s .This will certainly appeal to those who have enjoyed Sturmpercht's work but this has a more creepy & not so playful edge, with electro noise elements added here and there. And long creepy and murderous journeys into avant garde elements in particular the last track Ur-Odin which comes of like a more forest bound/ritual version of Nurse with wound as a sound canvas of weird rolling wood sounds, droning voices, owl calls and general tripping in the forest weirdness is built to wonderfully effective heights over the tracks 12 minute running time. Another very enjoyable and bizarre entry in the growing avant folk/ bizarre Germanic scene, showing once more some that of the most inventive and plainly different music is come out of germany at present.      Roger Batty
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