"Maps Of The Shadow' Travelling" (2003) |
"Karty Puteshestvija Teni" (2003) |
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English translation of the reviews from the Russian or German magazines and web-resources will be ready as soon as possible
NORD'N'COMMANDER "Maps Of The Shadow' Travelling / Karty Puteshestvija
Teni" [2003/2008]
Mroczna Strefa 04.11.2009
Mark: 8/10
Z ta plyta mialem nie lada orzech do zgryzienia. Co tam orzech! Prawdziwa skale. Spodziewalem sie elektronicznego mroku, a dostalem PIOSENKI w klimacie gothic / folk / electro. Wyglada na to, ze NORD'N'COMMANDER to prawdziwy kameleon i nigdy nie wiadomo co zagra i nagra na swoim kolejnym albumie. A ma ich juz na koncie kilka, zas opisywany przeze mnie krazek jest trzecim materialem w dyskografii, nagranym w 2003 roku, a wznowionym 5 lat pozniej przez Casus Belli Musica. "Karty Putieszestwija Tieni" (po angielsku "Maps of the Shadow' Travelling") to prawdziwy cios zadany typowemu potraktowaniu elektroniki, folku i gotyku. Panowie Aleksander Iszutin i Wadim Proskurjakov czerpia to, co im dogodne z tych stylistyk, a w efekcie dostajemy rytmiczna, (sic!) taneczna i zalatujaca wiocha oraz rosyjskim disco mieszanke, ktora w pierwszej chwili odrzuca, lecz po dokladnym wsluchaniu to wszystko okazuje sie przewrotna i bardzo specyficzna fasada czegos glebszego. Oczywiscie, dalej draznia przypominajace nasze disco polo rytmy i wokale, nadal denerwuje topornosc samych kompozycji, knajpiane brzmienie klawiszy, gitary i automatu perkusyjnego, ale nie przeszkadza to na dobra sprawe w odczuwaniu wrazenia, ze to jest cos, co jest jedyne w swoim rodzaju i trudno to sklasyfikowac, choc juz na poczatku napisalem, ze to w sumie zwyczajne piosenki oprawione w elementy folkowe, gotyckie, industrialne i electro. Faktem jest, ze slychac na tym krazku rozne rzeczy wymieszane ze soba w niebanalny, raczej niespotykany sposob i nazwalbym, ze bardzo slowianski, ale przez caly czas zastanawiam sie ile jest w tym wyglupu, ile wyrachowania i checi zaistnienia za wszelka cene, a ile powaznej tematyki. Wydawca cos przebakuje o metaforach, symbolach, Cieniach, idei dazeniu do Perfekcyjnego Swiata, jednak wietrze w tym jakies przegiecie, bo choc nie pamietam juz zbyt wielu slow w jezyku rosyjskim, to teksty nie zdaja sie byc w klimatach filozoficznych. Jak juz, to raczej fantasy. Bardziej istotne jest to, ze po wysluchaniu tego albumu paradoksalnie ma sie chec posluchac go raz jeszcze, chociaz odrzuca, odstrecza i zwyczajnie wkurw*a. Moze tu wlasnie pies jest pogrzebany i NORD'N'COMMANDER dogrzebalo sie w kazdym z nas takiego, co i proste muzyczne potrzeby ma?... Diovis
NORD'N'COMMANDER "Maps Of The Shadow' Travelling / Karty Puteshestvija
Teni" [2003/2008]
Heathen Harvest, August 01 2009
Two men compose Nord’n’commander, a mysterious band from Russia formed in 2001 and which has released six albums previously. They play a strange mix of pagan folk structurally constructed over a rather strange set of electro sequences and synthetic formations, this particular aspect gives to their sound a rather indefinable character where some hectic and often cryptic mix of styles converge. Their lyrics and compositional ideas are a blend of Pagan folk and philosophical wanderings on multiple levels, the tracks present a vigorous accent that often results emblematically martial and patriotic, contrasting with mystic perspectives that ranges from very emotive and almost happy pieces to more transcendental positions. One of the members has had an extensive journey in the Black metal-Experimental scene from Russia, that is: Mr Vadim Proskuryakov at charge of all the compositions from Nord’n’commander, he has been active as early as 1998 in a band named Death Triumphant, which curiously was typically intoxicated of the particular nihilism and misanthropy proceeding from this genre. The other member Alexander Ishutin is at charge of the vocal section and lyrics. Previously to the creation of this project the members incarnated a project called Wantit, a Techno-Gothic outfit that released two demos where many ideas and concepts were consolidated for the later formation. As a bonus the CD comes with a video showing the two members wandering through very desolated and wasted suburbs, additionally for all those non Russian speakers the lyrics are included both in Russian and English, a distinction that allows additional comprehension on their ideological context.
It is clear that Nord’n’commander presents a romantic character in their conceptual procedure and at least on some part of their compositional structures. They present a musical miscegenation that ranges from folk passages to neoclassical arrangements to typical darkwave subterfuges consolidating a singular and very rare cocktail of influences that finally defies categorization with its form. The instrumental set used is rather simple, keyboards being the main element accompanied by an electric guitar; additionally there comes the vocals which are rather bleak in their display. As result from the exclusivity given to the keyboard as main instrumental formation, the tracks present a very synthetic feel into it that may be tagged as electro sound in some way. Lyrics are evidently philosophic, well conceived and playing with metaphors. Tracks like “Öåíòð Êðåñòà” which means “Centre of cross” reveals for example the spiritual desire for truth and understanding of the principles from nature, the finding of elements and the notions of empirical paganism. While “Íàðöèññ” or “Narcissus” is about a reflection of the presence of beauty as an external manifestation from our own, a psychological perspective and romantic plot at the same time as you see. “Èç Ëèôòà” or “Elevator” comes as a clear philosophical formula that remits to the Platonic myth of the cavern, only with a modern twist and very particular perspective on it. So we have in here a very versatile and intelligent set of lyrics with a level of profundity and poetic spirit, more likely absent from ideologies or dogmas that will certainly attract the listener’s curiosity. The purely based keyboard command has a flaw and that is it’s over synthetic texture given to the work, this comes as a special downer when they try to bring the inflexions from neoclassical music to the tracks. This flat and bleak synthetic sound appears as result evidenced in an inert set of sequences that try to reproduce the beauty that only real instruments could bring, same happens with some bass lines at times. Their vocals are not really studied but they bring some passion and handle well the musical variants and the rhythms.
The general sound of the album is full of feeling, charged with some electric passion filled with inspiration and naturalness that guarantees its fresh appeal. They present a very modern romantic aesthetic, with longing for valuable ideals and musical styles and they fight with all the mediums at their disposition to acquire this goal and that is definitively admirable and really gives their music an original touch through their musical syncretism created. Their knowledge in philosophy and folk tradition certainly favours them as well as their songs maintain this spirit giving solidity to the work. Finally, although the implementation of keyboard gives an odd sonority to the work it does instils distance from the common norm from typical folk or neo-folk rigidity, giving to it a rather post modern perspective in a way and a lot to meditate about such inclusion. Nice effort I must say, I am sure they will improve their qualities and will bring future inspirations to implement within their very particular musical syncretism. Jack The Ripper
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NORD'N'COMMANDER "Maps Of The Shadow' Travelling / Karty Puteshestvija Teni" [demo 2003]
DARK CITY # 27/2005
Mark: 5/5
In those, who are well-acquainted with the previous albums of the band, this Opus is able to provoke at least amazement, and at most... I'm even no judge of it. Here we can see the knowable compound rhythms - carte-de-visite of the band. But not the chaotic black metal accompanies these rhythms as it was before, not at all. At present NORD'N'COMMANDER performs energetic darkwave with minimal keyboards and a strongly distorted guitar being used from time to time. I'd say that it resembles what heathens from "In The Woods" once produced on the album "Omnia". True, there the musicians ran to art-rock, but it doesn't matter. The main thing that "natives of Voronezh" seem to undergo the same perturbations as the "northerners". Not the least of the factors is that stylistic range embraced by NORD'N'COMMANDER is much broader. Here and there the cold music of NORD'N'COMMANDER refers us to the best, in my opinion, album of Vinterriket "Winterschatten". For all that the majestic music of icy space occasionally is being diluted with "arcade" music as if coming into the album directly out of the eighties. Several compositions of the album, e. g. "Prince Of Blood" and "Centre Of Cross", can be classified rather as dark folk. In conclusion I'd like to note one more thing of no small importance. Practically all compositions of the album are present in two hypostases - with English- and Russian-language lyrics. Naturally, the Russian variant sounds much more satisfyingly. I say, mind, neither about the philological value of the variants nor about perceptional comfort for Russian-speaking listeners. The band has done everything itself, for listeners. The Russian version is much richer tonally and consequently emotionally. And it's always determinative. O.P.
