Artist: Elfenthal (Maite Itoiz & John Kelly)
Title: An Ancient Story
Genre: Folk / Fantasy / Medieval
Release Date: 12th November 2010
Label: Screaming Banshee
Album Review
Starting with an eerie Lord of the Rings style mournful Elvish soprano on 'Caritas Abundat in Omnia', this is a very beautiful album. The second track begins with gentle strings and a eerie buzz, pure medieval perfection gentle and nagging in its intensity gaining weight with each stanza until killer clean vocals perfectly matched cut through the serenity. If you like medieval music of any flavour then this is definitely an album for you, being reminiscent of FAUN, ANNA KATHERINA etc but with an earthy Hispanic edge that makes it so distinctive, with Spanish guitars rubbing shoulders with lutes and psalteries. The sound is utter perfection as is the marriage of male and female vocals.
Maite Itoiz, with her fantastic soaring voice, is also the producer and she really does know her stuff, little wonder since she's a world renowned opera singer. John Kelly (one of THE Kellys) is also uber experienced on the career front having performed in one way or another for over 30 years and racked up millions in sales of things he's been attached to. Highlights are without doubt the beautiful opening song, 'Nino Dios' and 'A Que Por Muy Gran Fremosura' with its great hurdy-gurdy line. It should be pointed out that as well as vocals being as close to perfection as I've heard in a long time one gets a real feeling for ancient instruments played as they should be. These people have a soul for the music they're playing that shines through into the recording.
At times a few tracks are a bit too jolly for me, but that is only my personal taste- they are brilliantly executed and only pale because the more sombre tracks are just so breathtakingly beautiful. It's a fairly hard to fault this as an album and I wouldn't want to split hairs about anything I've heard as it's all just so good. All those fantasy, history and medieval fans out there will appreciate this for sure, as it's evocative of everything dear.
Tracklist
01. Caritas Abundat In Omnia
02. Cuncti Simus Concanentes
03. Si Dolce È'l Tormento
04. Non E Gran Cousa
05. Más Vale Trocar
06. Canarios
07. Niño Dios De Amor Herido
08. A Gue Por Muy Gran Fremosura
09. O Magnum Mysterium
10. Dindirindin
11. Inperayritz De La Ciutat Joyosa
12. Elfenthal
13. Si Abrá En Este Baldrés
14. Congaudeant Catholici
15. Hoy Comanos Y Bebamos
16. Wolfskind
Line-up
Maite Itoiz: main voice, compositions, arrangements, producer, guitars, dance, percussion, graphics, illustrations, designs, concept
John Kelly: main voice, compositions, guitars, dance, percussion, photography, video, producer, concept, business man
Other band members (varying live)
Dmitrij Gornowskij: cello
Susan Albers: back vocals, piano
Linda Mikulec: back vocals, bass player and dancer
Dominik Helmle: drums
Heino de Witt: sound master
Website
http://www.myspace.com/johnkellymaiteitoiz
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 10
Extras: -
Total: 9.5 / 10
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