Sturmpercht — Geister im Waldgebirg

Sturmpercht  create a mix of neo folk, more traditional Austrian / south Bavarian folk matter, rich and emotional string flourishers, with marching trolls rhythms and avant-garde quirky twists and the odd nod towards more laid back prog rock traces. They call there form of music Alpine Folk, which is really very apt as it does bring to mind evergreen forest heavy with snow, strange timid eye forest folk, vast and misty mountain scapes dotted with fairytale like wooden houses, woodland magic and joyful drinking festivals of times past. This is the bands second album with some ltd Ep and singles in-between.

The thing that makes this so rewarding and replayable is the shear amount of different moods and texture of sound on offer here going from; playful old friends slaping each other on the back accordion pump, to slow picked melodic acoustic guitar tracks that hum of lost love. To dramatic  and cinematic string led guitar atmospherics that bring to mind slow walks through winter heavy forest taking in the wonder around you, or troll and  goblin like marches of great grandeur though moonlit  & snow sprinkled glades. Or forest folk wedding marches with trumpeting joy.  To sinister and creepy night brassy swoons alive with dark angle choirs, as if raise out of the forest floor.

All topped off with varied and emotive vocal performance in German, from  playful  tongue rolling folk-ness to more  emotional crooning to atmospheric spoken and layered vocals mainly male vocals but here there undersewn by traces of sweet woodland nymphs. As well as a creative and sparing use of animal and nature sounds, and other little sound touches along the way. Clearly much work has gone into making the songs sound just right both atmospherically and with the  careful placing of varied instrumental pallet that utilizes; acoustic and electric guitars, accordion, various kinds of whistles and elegant string craft- all played in such an beautiful,elegant and accomplished manner.

Really an album that has it all;  varied and creative song craft that’s memorable and atmospheric,  that very much carves it’s own sound identity throughout. This is one trip to the woods you want to make again and again, to visit  Sturmpercht  and all there woodland chums. To find out more, hear samples and buy direct go here